Dominique eyed me. His mouth formed the impression of a half-smile, his lips hooking at one corner. It didn’t reach his eyes and appeared strained and forced. He cut his gaze to the river, scanning the distant shore where a few Canada geese wandered. “I hear you’re joining me.”
“I hear that too. Is that all right?”
“Absolutely.” He rubbed his lips together in the same fashion I’d seen earlier. “The intake is extensive. I’ll need at least an hour or two before I can officially begin. If you’re not too squeamish, you probably have time to grab a bite first.”
“Right. Cool. I’ll, um, see you in a bit.”
Dominique nodded once and retreated, following the river trail without looking back. My confusion deepened. Not that I’d waved a rainbow flag in his face, but Dominique was impossible to read. He’d called me incredibly observant—twice—but the lingering glances we’d shared weren’t conclusive enough evidence on which to base a theory. If he was sending out smoke signals, they were too subtle to read. Inappropriate wink notwithstanding, I needed to do better or not do it at all.
Fuck I was bad at this.
3
Dominique
Why did Detective KobeHaven have to be so hard to ignore?
Our brief encounter a few weeks ago didn’t leave as much of an impression, but this one had. Kobe’s unassuming timidity when we interacted was a distraction I didn’t need or want. How was I supposed to focus with him hovering over my shoulder during an autopsy? With those honey-brown eyes so fixed on my every move.
Never mind that his disheveled good looks and endearing awkwardness were at odds with his astute ability to break down a crime scene, but his sheer presence agitated my already overturned life in a way I didn’t anticipate.
It took all my fortitude to get out of bed each day and pretend I was a functioning adult, a normal father, and a contributing member of society. The last thing I needed was a flirtatious cop with his eyes set on me.
Before listening to Haven’s perceptive theory, I’d struggled to cast the tousled man into the role of detective at all. The fiveo’clock shadow. The regulation-opposing shaggy hair that cut the edge of his jaw. How was he a cop? Hell, I had convinced myself that Kobe wasn’t a day over twenty-five.
But no. Not only was he older than I expected but far keener. If I wasn’t careful, Kobe Haven, with his boyish good looks, unfairly cute dimples, and fumbling flirtations, would ruin me.
I redirected my thoughts to Angelique and Cosette as I double-checked my station, waiting for the not-as-young-as-I-thought detective to show up. I had a job to do, and I would do it. Cosette’s needs took priority, and Kobe would not distract me. Angelique’s death was still too ripe. Too raw. It consumed me in the worst way, and I wasn’t ready to close that chapter in my life.
I might never be.
The victim discovered along the river trail lay naked on the stainless steel table, a tray of sterilized surgical instruments within easy reach. Upon arrival at the forensics laboratory, the body had been taken to a separate room for a complete radiology workup while I’d called one of our apprentice photographers to see if he wanted to clock a few extra hours.
Julius Symon showed up twenty minutes later and got to work. In the basement lab, I located Akilina Kuznetsov, a soft-spoken technician I’d worked with a handful of times since arriving in Ottawa, who was willing to assist with the procedure despite the late hour. She agreed to meet me in Suite Three.
By the time the X-rays were completed and the body was transferred to the autopsy theater, I’d dressed in a full-sleeve, floor-length surgical gown, cap, shoe covers, a double layer of cut-resistant synthetic gloves, and a face mask. When Kobe arrived, I would don eye protection and a face shield. Until then, I sucked the cool, filtered air into my lungs as I told my heart to calm down.
It was a routine procedure. Kobe’s presence would not change that. I would ignore him and do my job. I was in control.
Akilina arrived earlier than I requested and prepared the workstation and recording equipment, so there was no delay. She was a mousy girl in appearance and mannerisms. Efficient and private. She didn’t ask a million questions, which I appreciated. She did her job and left personal conversations for when she was off the clock.
Julius joined us a short time later and took a second set of photographs. Akilina helped me maneuver the body so he could get every angle, anterior and posterior. Once satisfied, he took off, informing me he would email the lot immediately and have hard copies on my desk the following day.
Circling the table, I performed a visual scan of the deceased now that his clothing had been discarded. Since Kobe’s presence wasn’t necessary for the exterior exam—it wasn’t necessary at all—I began by noting every cut and bruise, every blemish and freckle, speaking aloud for the benefit of the recording.
Akilina manually documented specific details onto the patient’s intake form, her pencil audibly scratching as she worked. The whir of the ventilation system barely dampened the noise. I spent time examining the flower spike, its insertion point, angle, and depth.
Through the heart.
I might have refused to confirm the detective’s hypothesis earlier, but he was right. The trajectory was such that I would be shocked to discover the organ uncompromised.
Akilina charted those details as well.
The flower itself and the note had been bagged and tagged by the CSI team. The rose’s vitality was an issue. Once thawed, it would decompose quickly, and the likelihood of obtaining prints or other evidence from its surface would be slim.
An embedded object, however, could only be removed by me, so I would be responsible for logging it into evidence once we reached that stage. Kobe could take it with him when he left.
At the head of the table, I checked the deceased’s hair and under the eyelids. I inspected his nostrils, mouth, gums, and teeth, dictating my findings. Kobe would likely want fingerprints and nail clippings, as was his right as a detective, especially since the man on the table had yet to be identified, but I would wait for his arrival before taking those steps.
