Sitting in the medical examiner's office, Shay tapped the pen on the clipboard given to her with the form to complete identifying the deceased. Jesus, she did not want to do this, but finally set her mind toward the task and completed the form.
She tossed the clipboard onto the desk and dialed Frank's cell. She let it ring a few times before she remembered it was still in the Blazer where he tossed it. Shrugging, she dialed Cody.
"Forrester."
"Hey, Code-man."
"Hey, Shay...how're you holdin' up?"
She wiped a tear from her cheek before replying. "Not too good...I need to see my kids somethin' awful. Hey, is Donovan anywhere nearby? His phone's in the Blazer."
"Yeah, hang on. And, Shay..."
"Yeah, Cody?"
"We love you, too, you know."
Shay smiled knowingly. "Thanks, Cody...you don't know how much I needed to hear that; especially right now."
"Hey, baby," Frank said smoothly.
"Hey yourself, Big Guy. Listen...there's nothing more I can do here...do you mind if I call a taxi and run by Dad's and see LJ and Ariel? I could really do with some unconditional love right about now."
"Sure, go ahead. We'll swing by and pick you up."
"Thanks....Tiger?"
"Hmmm?"
Shay headed out of the morgue to the upper levels of the building. "I'm so sorry about your aunt. I wish we were normal people so I could just be there for you and comfort you."
"I wish that, too, Shay. And when this is over...remind me to take you on a vacation so we can do just that. Kiss the kids for me...I love you, baby."
"I love you, Tiger."
Outside the hospital, Shay stood on the curb to flag down a taxi when she suddenly felt something jabbed into her stomach. She barely had the chance to look down to see the taser gun before it went off. The painful shudder from the electrical current ripped through her just before the blackness of unconsciousness sent her into oblivion.
**********
