Chapter Four

Morgue Invasion

"Now tell me again exactly why this had to happen here?" Jordan asked Garret, her voice tinged with exasperation.

"Because they needed a central location to spread the information out….that was near the labs…and near you. So when Haley asked if the Boston PD and the FBI could use our conference room, who was I to say no?"

Jordan bit back a groan of exasperation. She had hoped to keep as clear of Drew and Woody as she could, so they wouldn't upset her balance of work and normalcy. She assumed that the FBI would use their local offices, Woody would stay in his, and she would stay in her own little corner in her own little chair.

And all would be well with her world….or as well as it could get.

Nothing doing. She came in the next morning to find her work environment turned on its ear as tables and computers were moved into the conference room right across from her office. She walked into her office, shut the door, and drew the window blinds between her outer windows and the hallway. If both men had to be within fifty feet of her door, her blinds would remain closed. That would at least afford her a modicum of privacy. Taking off her jacket and hanging it up, she got down to work…Nigel had finished the ballistics on the senator, she'd forward that to Drew and Woody for them to fight over….Bug had finished trace, so ditto on that, too. She was scheduled for autopsy at ten. It was now eight-thirty. She flipped on her computer and checked her e-mail…working through the list until there was a sharp rap on her door.

"Jordan?" Drew poked his head in her office.

"Yes?"

"Can you join us in the conference room?"

"Only for a little while. I have an autopsy at ten."

Drew nodded. "Fine. But you may want to see if someone can cover for you or reschedule."

Jordan gave him a hard look. "I can't reschedule. Only Macy can approve those changes." And I pray to God he doesn't this time…She really had no desire to be caught in the middle of Drew and Woody again. Somehow a nice, quiet, autopsy sounded downright relaxing compared to being between those two alpha-males.

Drew nodded again. "I'll see what I can do."

A few minutes later, Garret knocked on her door. "I understand you're scheduled for an autopsy at ten?"

"Yeah. Please don't make me change it…"

Garret grinned. "Okay, which is bothering you more…working with the Feds or working with Woody again?"

Jordan groaned. "I always figured Woody and I would end up working together at some point. I was ready for that. I also am aware that sometimes the Feds have to get involved with one of our cases. I just never figured they'd both happen at the same time."

Garret sighed. "Well, they both need you now…especially since you caught the senator's autopsy. I'm pulling you off rotation until they're through here." He caught Jordan's crestfallen face. "Look at it this way…the sooner the case is solved, the sooner they both can pack up, go home, and leave you alone."

"I know. Okay…see if Bug can cover my autopsy. If he can't, push it back until this evening and I'll take care of it after I finish with Drew and Woody."

Garret raised an eyebrow. "You're sure?"

"Yeah. I can do it after they leave work at five…no problem. That way I won't be rushed."

Garret nodded. "I'll change the autopsy schedule. Bug will be delighted. He'll be able to get out of work early for once."

Jordan smiled. "Good. At lease someone in here will have a good day."

"So this is the entrance wound and that's the exit wound?" Woody asked her for the fifth time, as they were looking at the autopsy pictures.

"Yes." Jordan could feel the exasperation rising in her. She squelched her temper once more. God knows Woody and Drew had enough for all three of them and some to spare.

"You're sure?"

"She's sure. She's an ME for God's sake and one of the best," responded Drew. He, too had questioned Jordan on her findings, but was getting irritated at Woody's tenor of inquiry. He had no idea what had happened between Jordan and the Boston chief of detectives, but it seemed Woody was nearly on a personal vendetta against Jordan.

"I know Jordan's very good at her job…but sometimes they can be hard to distinguish – especially with a smaller caliber gun -- and I need to know that she is certain which is the entrance and which is the exit," Woody ground out.

"Would you like Nigel or Bug to have a look at them? Just for a second opinion?" she asked.

"It might not be a bad idea," Woody conceded, looking at her.

Jordan stifled a retort and rose from her chair in the conference room. She'd go see which man was free – Bug or Nigel – and send them in this lion's den….not without warning them of Drew's and Woody's temper, of course. She knew neither Bug nor Nigel would be happy to work with the Feds, but like Garret said, the sooner the case was solved the sooner their world could return to normal. Glancing at her watch, she checked the time as she walked down to Nigel's office. Quarter to five. She'd send one of the men in and head to autopsy herself, to cover the case that was rescheduled from this morning. With a little luck, she could be out of here by nine or ten, grab some take-out on the way home, and fall into bed by midnight.

"What the hell are you still doing here?" Drew asked her, walking into autopsy a little after eight.

"My autopsy that was scheduled for this morning. What the hell are you still doing here?" Jordan answered.

"Hoyt and I have been going over some of the details again. We both figured you got fed up with us and left out of here after you sent Nigel in."

"I wish…but I have to keep up my normal workload while working with you guys."

"Really? Why?"

"Because I have to…it's only right. I can't shove my job off on Nigel or Bug."

Drew carefully looked at her for a minute. "Are you nearly through?"

"Nearly. I still need to do dictation."

"Can't that wait until tomorrow? There doesn't seem to be anything unusual about this death," Drew responded, looking at her charts.

Jordan finished sewing up the Y-incision and tied off the silk. Raising her face mask and stripping off her gloves, she had to admit she was tired. It had been a long day…physically she was just tired. Mentally…after working with Drew and Woody … she was exhausted. "Yeah, it can. And I think I'll let it. I'll just come in early and get it done before you all invade my conference room again."

Drew chuckled. Jordan had let it be known…in a polite way…she didn't appreciate the Boston PD or the FBI taking up residence in the room across from her office. "Have you eaten?" he asked, suddenly changing the topic.

"No. Figured I'd pick up something on the way home. All I want now is a shower, dinner, and bed."

Drew quietly regarded her a moment. "Let me pick up something and bring it to your apartment. Meanwhile, you go get your shower. I'll be there in a few minutes." He headed out the door without waiting for her answer.

Exasperated that he had just taken for granted her answer would be yes, Jordan called out in an irritated voice, "But you don't know where I live…."

Without glancing back at her, Drew replied, "Twenty-two hundred Pearle Street, apartment 311."

"Wait…how'd you know?"

Drew's elevator door opened. He entered it and turned around, flashing his FBI badge and grinning at her.

She should have known.