It wasn’t what Val’s gut was saying. At one point in their professional relationship, she would have agreed with anything Gavin said. She’d been attracted to him, and honestly probably still was. It wasn’t something that was planned or intended. Val had flirted once with him, momentarily, no longer than a blink of an eye, as she felt that undeniable flutter, the one that says there’s something special about the person you’re speaking with. She had felt the chemistry that brings on the giddy, odd, nervousness raw desire generates. Then, well before she was able to make a move and embarrass herself, she’d found out Gavin was married.

Thankfully. End of story.

But the twinge was still there. The tremble in her chest—she couldn’t deny it. Get over it, she told herself. All crushes like this cause pain in the end, even more so if they mature to affairs. Val had decided to keep her distance.

But this case… no it wasn’t that neat and tidy. Why send Adam to school on a day that Gabrielle had decided that both of them were going to die? Why did he not wait for his mother outside the school? Why didn’t she pick him up there?

Dr. Maddox’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. “I agree that suicide is the most likely cause here, but we’ll need to rule out homicide before it’s official,” he said. “Val, I want more detailed sections of the other organs. Maybe we missed something. Histology will be able to tell us what other organs had cancer. Cause and manner of death will remain unknown at this point, pending the results of the tests. It still could be suicide or homicide, depending on the outcome of the investigation.” Dr. Maddox continued with his summary. “I’m leaning towards cardiac arrest or respiratory failure, secondary to some other event for cause since I see nothing else at this point. She must have had a poison in her system, or a drug overdose. Whether it was self-administered or not is anyone’s guess. So, Val, have Zoe do a full toxicological screen on the tissue samples too. I want updates until I can rule on Gabrielle Morgan’s cause and manner of death.”

Val nodded. Zoe Beauchamp was the toxicologist for the medical examiners’ office. There was no doubt that this case was going to keep her busy for a while. Val was thrilled that Dr. Maddox was letting her investigate this, that he was keeping an open mind, but her nerves quickly grew wary. Screw-ups with this kind of case would be a career downfall. Suicide and murder versus double murder. Gut feeling is one thing. Evidence another.