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Back The Secrets We Bury Save as PDF
Chapters (49)
  1. Cover
  2. Love best-selling fiction?
  3. Also by Mary Bush
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. Acknowledgements
  47. A note from the publisher
  48. Love best-selling fiction?
  49. You will also enjoy:

Gavin tucked his hands in his pockets. “Alex, I think we need to pay Mr. Payne a visit.”

7

The organization Gabrielle Morgan worked for, The Next Step, was located on Ellicott Street in downtown Buffalo. The goal of the not-for-profit was to provide job counseling, training opportunities, and help finding housing for those recovering from long-term alcohol and drug abuse. Many of those who took advantage of the program had been in in-house rehab and now that the substance abuse was under control, they needed to take the next step and enter the world again. Gavin commended these people, on both ends. Many do fall off the wagon: it’s a constant struggle to stay sober when for the majority of your life you weren’t. What’s the incentive to do so now? The Next Step sought to provide this. It was selfless work for those who strive to make the lives of others better. It gave support. Hope.

Gavin had called Val, and let her know about the cornstarch. He also let her know where he was going today. Did she want to join him? Val wished she could, but she was on duty at the medical examiner’s office and had two dental IDs to do.

Such is the life of a death scene investigator. New cases always popped up that must be intermingled with the old, the ongoing. Could she catch up with him later?

Gavin agreed. Could he make reservations for dinner?

Val accepted.

Gavin had to admit that his thoughts drifted to Val often. And he finally made up his mind. Tonight, he planned to discuss more than the case with her. He wanted to take their relationship in a more personal direction. He’d been wanting to do this for a long time. And God, he was nervous. Val had never acted in any other way than professional and he had no idea what she thought of him. She knew he was married though. What would she say if she found out he was getting a divorce? His stomach twisted in knots as he made the reservations, hoping he wasn’t doing the wrong thing.

“Hello, my name is Aaron. I’m 836 days sober. What can I do for you?” a red-headed man said with a welcoming smile. He wore blue slacks and a blue and green checked button-down shirt.

“Aaron, that is a commendable achievement. My name is Detective Gavin. I’m with the Buffalo homicide division and this is my partner Detective Warren. We’re looking into the death of Gabrielle Morgan.” Gavin held a large brown envelope containing evidence discovered just last night. And he couldn’t wait to ask Scott Payne about it. Who, Gavin also learned, was Gabrielle’s boss, not co-worker. Scott, in addition, had chosen not to respond to any of Gavin’s requests for a meeting, pissing Gavin off to no end.