Three Years Later

Toby quickly walked over to Cody's desk, "We've got a new case!" He said excitedly to Cody.

"Why are you so happy about that?"

"Because we just spent six months on our last case and to be honest I was getting kinda bored with it."

"I'll make sure and tell that to the victims families."

Toby rolled his eyes, "You know I didn't mean it like that. It was just so political. I get bored with political cases. All the politics-" Toby stopped when he noticed Cody laughing, "Why are you laughing?"

"Cause when you say something rude I mention victims families, and you get really nervous trying to explain yourself which causes your nose to flare."

"You're such a jerk," Toby replied, causing Cody to laugh even harder. Toby grabbed his keys, badge, and gun from his desk and began to walk out of the precinct, "You comin'?" He called out to Cody.

Cody jumped up, grabbed his gun and badge, then ran to catch up.

"Badges please," An officer said to Toby and Cody as they walked up to the driveway. They both flashed their badges and the officer let them under the yellow tape. "I'm Officer Abel Sanchez," He said with a thick Boston accent as he held out his hand for them to shake. Cody and Toby shook his hand and introduced themselves.

"So what do we have?" Toby asked as they walked up to the house.

"Just follow me and I'll show you the crime scene." He led them into the two story brick house. When they went inside they turned left and walked up a big staircase. After getting upstairs they turned left again and went down a long hallway that led to the master bedroom.

"Her husband called in this morning," Abel began, "After finding her this way." There was a young woman laying on a blood soaked bed. She had over seventy visible stab wounds all over her body. "He says he just got back from a business meeting in Chicago this morning."

Toby and Cody put on a pair of gloves. "Do you believe him?" Toby asked.

"Not sure. He seems genuinely upset about it, but I wouldn't rule him out as a suspect."

"What's her name?"

"Sophia Cortal. Her husband owns lots of fast food franchises all over the country."

Toby walked over to the body, "Did anyone else call in claiming they heard something?"

Abel shook his head, "No. It's a big house surrounded by other big houses. It's a very private area. No one really pays attention to anyone else." Abel got a call over his radio to come back outside, "Well, I gotta get back out there. Even though the neighbors aren't nosey, it seems the reporters are. It's getting kinda crazy out there. You guys need anything just let me know."

"Thanks," They both replied.

Cody started looking around the room, taking pictures as he went along, while Toby continued to stare at the body. "Doesn't look like she put up much of a fight," Toby said after a few seconds.

"Maybe she was asleep when it started," Cody replied, "By the time she woke up and realized what was going on, it was to late."

"Hopefully."

"What?"

"I just mean it's better that way then to be completely awake the whole time, or be raped first."

Cody sighed, "Seems pretty horrible to me either way."

Just then the M.E., Stacy, walked into the room, "Hello boys."

"Hey Stacy."

"I will let you know when she died in just a minute," She said as she walked over to the body, "But I guess I won't need to tell you how she died."

"Yeah, that one's pretty obvious," Cody replied. "They seemed like a happy couple," He added as he looked at the pictures of Sophia and her husband. There were four pictures of them on vacation in Hawaii sitting on their dresser.

"Well Cody, looks can be deceiving," Toby said to him as if he were teaching the saying to Cody.

"Really? I can't believe I have been a detective for all these years yet I never knew that. Thanks so much," Cody replied sarcastically.

Stacy cleared her throat, "I hate to break up this little thing you two have going on, but I've got a time of death."

"What time?" Toby asked.

"Eight hours ago." She looked at her watch, "So around 1a.m.."

Cody nodded and wrote the time down on his pad of paper, "Thanks."

"Uh-huh. As soon as you two are done taking pictures let me know, I'll get a couple of my guys up here to help me get the body."

"Okay."

Stacy left and they continued working. "If you're good up here then I'm gonna go talk to Mr. Cortal," Cody said to Toby.

"Oh sure, I love it when you leave me alone with dead people!"

Cody laughed, "Have fun," He called out as he left the room.

When Cody got downstairs he went to the back of the house. He saw two officers sitting inside the den with another man. 'Must be the husband,' Cody thought as he went inside the room.

"Are you Mr. Cortal?" He asked.

The man nodded, he was crying to hard to speak.

Cody turned to the two officers, "Can I have a minute alone with him please?"

The officers got up and left out of the room.

"Mr. Cortal, I know this is a hard time for you, but I need to ask you some questions. Is that okay?"

He wiped the tears from his eyes and cleared his throat, "Yes, that's fine. You can call me David."

"When did you get home this morning David?"

"Around seven thirty."

"Okay, and when did you call the police?"

"Um, a little after eight."

Cody, who had been writing, looked up from his pad of paper, "You waited over thirty minutes to call the police?"

"Sophia always sleeps until eight o'clock every morning. When I get home early in the morning from business trips I either come in the den, or go into the living room and watch TV until eight."

Cody nodded, "Were you and your wife having any problems?"

David glared at Cody, "Excuse me! Are you asking me if I killed my wife?"

"Sir, I'm just doing my job. I need to know if you, or anyone your wife knows, has been angry with her lately."

David rubbed his eyes, "No, me and Sophia weren't having any problems. I don't know anyone who didn't like her. She was an angel," He began to cry again, "We were supposed to go baby shopping today. She was three months pregnant with our first..." His voice trailed off as he cried even harder.

"Mr. Cortal, I am very sorry for your loss. It's never easy to lose someone you love. We will find whoever did this to your wife, I promise." Cody left out of the room as David continued to cry.

That night Cody drove to Zack's apartment to go out to eat with Zack, Cassie, and Ella.

"I can't believe how big you're getting!" Cody said as Ella ran and jumped into his arms.

"I'm three!" She replied happily.

"I know! You've been three for two weeks now. How does it feel?"

"Big!" She replied with her arms stretched out.

Cody laughed, "How are you Cassie?" He asked as he gave her a hug with his one free arm.

"Good. How are you?"

"Tired, but good too. Where's Zack?"

"Changing. He spilled juice on his shirt right before you got here."

Cody sat down on the couch and Ella sat on his lap, "Some things never change. So what are you two doing for your two year wedding anniversary?"

"Probably watching a little Dora, maybe some Barney," She answered with a laugh.

"Did Zack forget to tell you?" Cody asked.

"Tell me what?"

"I told him to tell you that I would watch Ella for you."

"I swear, if his head wasn't already attached to his body, he'd forget it."

Cody laughed, "Very true."

After dinner they all came back to the apartment for desert.

"I'll be right back, I gotta change," Zack said as he looked at the spaghetti stain on his shirt.

Cassie went into the kitchen and got out the desert.

"What did you make?" Cody asked from the living room.

"Key lime pie. One hundred percent homemade," She said happily.

"Nice."

"Play with me uncle Cody," Ella begged as she tugged on Cody's pants.

"Okay. What do you want to play?"

"Blocks!"

Zack came out of his room as Ella pulled out her box of blocks, "Yes! I love these things," Zack said happily as he sat on the floor by Cody and Ella.

Cassie came in carrying two pieces of pie and a small bowl of ice cream, "Here you go," She said as she handed Cody and Zack the pie. Then she went over to Ella and handed her the bowl of ice cream.

"Thank you mommy," Ella said as she took a bite.

Cody's cell phone started ringing, he got it out of his pocket and looked at the caller I.D., it was Toby.

"Hello."

"Hey Cody. Sorry to bother ya, but you gotta come meet me. We've got another body."

Decided to add another chapter. Don't get comfortable, they won't always come this close together :) haha... I'm so glad y'all are excited to get a sequel to Shattered! I was hoping you guys weren't tired of the story. I love writing Zack and Cody as adults. It's so much fun! Well, I hope you liked the chapter.