Hadley was coming into work late. She and Freddie had gotten tested for any STDs Chris might have passed around, and the doctor told them he wanted to see them both. They sat in his office like a pair of teenagers that got caught doing the deed in the school parking lot. When the doctor actually came in, he had a smile on his face. Good news, perhaps? They were both clean. Both Freddie and Hadley let out a loud gust of breath as the mood in the room suddenly let up. The only thing the doctor said looked off was Hadley's pH balance!
Apparently it had taken the police eight days to find out about Chris' death. By then, he was a smelly, decomposing mess and there was hardly any evidence that was in good condition. The police, though, were ever-diligent and demanded an autopsy in case there could have been any other way other than suicide. Apparently Chris' parents didn't believe their son could commit suicide. Sadly, they were correct. When Hadley took on the autopsy, her supervisor had been wary of giving it to her, but Hadley convinced him that she needed the closure.
As she was walking to her lab, an assistant stopped her in her tracks. "You're going to need this," Molly said, a bottle of Vicks vap-o-rub in her hand. Molly was a petit blonde with a tiny button nose and bright, always-cheerful brown eyes. Hadley had taken her on as an assistant two years prior because, at the time, Molly reminded Hadley of herself. Now though she just seemed naïve and innocent. Hadley just hoped she didn't have to get hurt like she had been. Maybe there was a way to avoid that.
"That can't be a good sign. How bad is it?" Hadley asked.
"Very." Molly's own upper lip gleamed from a coating of Vicks.
"Great. Just great," she grumbled as she squeezed the cream onto a finger and spread it on her upper lip and into the rim of her nostrils. The smell was sharp and powerful but familiar. It wasn't odd to have to use Vicks. "Molly, would you go finish up my paperwork and get the papers on Mr. Hemsworth started for me? Thank you. I'll go ahead and get started on the examination."
As soon as she stepped in, Hadley had to force herself not to gag.
Even with the menthol the smell of rotting human flesh was overwhelming. Hadley suited up and did an external before opening him up. Even with her six years of work under her belt, this was bad enough to make her gorge rise every once in a while. It was like looking at Chris soup. Brains were splattered all over the place and his eyes were dangling by the optical nerves over his blonde hair. His would definitely be a closed-casket event.
"So, Chris, it looks like you got into a fight with Freddie. I'll wipe you clean of DNA, and well, your temper will make an excuse for those bruises." When she got to the head-most of which was in a bag-she grimaced. "Shit. That headshot is impossible for a suicide...guess that bullet won't go to forensics. Here, one under the chin. Perfectly done. Guess Freddie will get a night on the boob pillow for that one."
Hadley kept any unnecessary evidence on her person in case of emergencies. All the other evidence was put into jars to be sent to the forensics lab an entire city away. She started fishing out remains of Chris' organs, and she took eight samples of blood for cultures and other tests. She wanted to test him for HIV and AIDs. "He warned you Chris. You just couldn't listen," she sighed, rolling him into a freezer. "Can't say I'm sad to see you go, though," she hummed with a grin. "Baby."
-Fin