The One That Got Away
Lewis and Hathaway drove up to the community centre building and climbed out of the car. A uniformed officer met them and gave them an update: " Two gunshot victims. Looks like a murder-suicide. The murder victim was a baby, we think the other vic is the father. There's a woman who works here in with the baby now, but she's refusing to leave her side. The doc is on her way and should be here momentarily."
Both men had closed their eyes and shook their heads at the mention of a murder of an infant. Lewis spoke first. He sent Hathaway in to see if SOCO was finished with the scene while he confirmed that there were no additional victims outside the building.
James Hathaway steeled himself for what he was about to see. Police work had certainly hardened him to seeing the aftermath of violence, but the death of innocent child was enough to shake anyone. He walked into a large bright room furnished with mats, physio balls and assorted toys. On one of the mats lay a small child, probably less than a year old, and presumably a girl since she was dressed in pink, although her clothes were now covered in blood. Across the room lay a man with a small pool of blood by his head and a gun on the floor beside him. The SOCO team was taking pictures and examining evidence. A female constable was quietly speaking to a woman sitting next to the infant, trying to convince her to leave the room. As James considered what to do, he heard Dr. Hobson entering behind him. She nodded a quick hello to James as she passed him and approached the woman and the baby. She squatted down next to the woman.
"She can't be left alone," said the woman, "she's only a baby. She shouldn't be left alone. She'll be scared."
Dr. Hobson looked the woman in the eye and said calmly. "Don't worry, I can take care of her now. She'll be safe with me. I'll be sure that she is not left alone. What is her name?"
"Aaliyah"
"What a lovely name" commented Dr. Hobson. " I'm Laura. Don't worry, she's fine now. I'll take care of her. You can go with Sergeant Hathaway and I'll stay here with Aaliyah." Her voice was calm and gentle and she looked straight into the woman's eyes and touched her arm. "You took good care of her, now I can take over."
The woman took a deep breath, gently let go of the little girl's hand, and slowly stood up. Then she fainted backward right into James Hathaway's arms.