“She hadn’t spoken with her sister in what, almost twenty years from what I’ve heard.” Blythe laughed. “What you’re suggesting, given the scientific facts of death in front of me, is absurd. And it’s my neck on the line if I suggest otherwise. No one helped this woman die but herself. Oh, and let me remind you, Mitch, that it’s your job to figure out why on any case. Not mine. If you can’t do your job, well then don’t place blame on my doorstep.”

Gavin felt as if he was ready to explode at that last remark but as Val walked into the room, everyone stopped talking.

11

Val quickly scanned the room, trying to tell what was going on. She immediately sensed she had walked in on an intense private conversation, especially for Gavin.

“I’m sorry, I thought you were working alone in here, Julia. I have the report you asked for. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Val addressed Julia timidly, holding out the folder.

“Oh yes, thank you.” Julia took the folder and stated with finality, “We’re pretty much done in here.”

Gavin looked at Val, and she realized she had been staring at him. She quickly averted her gaze.

He walked over to Val, his eyes still on her. “I’m going to need your report on Samantha Ritcher.” His tone was direct and urgent. She noticed that Dr. Blythe had turned his back to everyone in the room, now looking through paperwork that sat on the counter.

“I’ll get that to you ASAP.” She searched for more words to say, but didn’t find any. Though she tried to smother her attraction, she couldn’t help what she was feeling. It was there, the sweaty palms, uneasy attitude, and an inability to sound intelligent when speaking. No matter how much she told herself she wasn’t attracted to Gavin, that wasn’t the case. What she needed to do now was just get over it.

“Thanks,” Gavin said, lingering for a second, but as Warren walked past him and over to the door, he followed.

As the group disassembled, Val was about to leave too when Julia asked, “Could you stay and assist me with something? That’s if you have nothing more pressing to do.”

“Nothing that can’t be finished later. I’d love to stay,” Val said, thrilled. The only person Julia ever allowed to assist her usually was Howie.

Julia led her out of the private autopsy suite to the main morgue area and walked over to a gurney that held an elderly man who had been in a fire. She slipped on a pair of latex gloves and began examining the body externally. Val looked around. It was just the two of them in the morgue. She wasn’t surprised. The autopsies were all done first thing in the morning, and no other late cases had come in.