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“I’ve seen dead bodies, she hasn’t. I’m going with her.”
Lieutenant Heath’s eyes ran over Dylan.
“I’m a profiler with the FBI.”
“No way.” The man sat back in his chair. “Must be a hell of a job, I’ve always thought, and not always in a good way.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Dylan said.
Chapter 19
They walked into the morgue together, and Joanie’s shrouded body was pulled out for Piper to identify.
“One look, Piper. Just keep it brief then walk away,” Dylan told her.
Her nod was jerky, and she still had his fingers in a viselike grip. They walked forward together and the cover was pulled back. The moan of pain that came from Piper knifed through Dylan.
The woman on the bed was tiny. Soft, mousy brown hair, fine bone structure. Eyes sunken, and Dylan could easily see the ravages drugs had inflicted upon her.
“Oh, Joanie.”
Piper reached out a hand and touched her friend’s hair. She started to move, leaning over, so Dylan lowered the arm he’d wrapped around her so she could place her lips on Joanie’s cheek.
“R-rest now, my sweet friend. I’ll watch over Grace, I promise. I will raise her as my own, Joanie. My family will be hers.”
When she rose, Dylan turned her and she collapsed against him and sobbed. Quiet sobs that were dredged from deep inside.
She cried as they took Joanie away, and continued as Dylan urged her from the room and they walked back to the office of Lieutenant Heath.
“You want me to get her a coffee?”
“Please, and add a couple of sugars,” Dylan said, lowering Piper into a chair. He dropped down before her as the lieutenant left the room.
“Piper.” She looked up at him. The pain in her eyes ran deep. “Do you remember the last time you saw Joanie?”
She nodded.
“Hold on to that, baby. Remember her as that person, not the one you saw today.”
“I-I’ll try.”
He pulled her in for another hug and she held on to him until Lieutenant Heath arrived with her coffee.
“You drink all this now; it’ll help steady you.”
She nodded and took the cup Dylan handed her. He took his and sat beside her.
Unlike Piper, Dylan was thinking straight and he knew that from this day on her life would change beyond recognition. The impact of her friend’s death would not only be about grieving, there was now a child to consider. A child she was guardian to.
“Miss Trainer, Miss Prentice’s daughter, Grace, has arrived in the building. I understand you are her legal guardian?”
Piper nodded, drinking more of the coffee, then placed it on the desk before her and straightened in her seat.
“Do you have a bathroom I could use? I want to wash my face before Grace sees me. I don’t want to scare her.”
“Of course.” He gave her directions.
Piper left, and then it was just Dylan and the lieutenant.
