Their footsteps echoed in the warehouse as the patrolman showed Hunter and McCall to the body, hidden behind some crates near the back.
The medical examiner was already there.
"Hey, Carlos, so what have we got?" Hunter asked.
"Male, about 35 years old, initial cause of death looks to be blunt force trauma to his head." Carlos responded. "I'll be able to tell you more once we get him back to the barn."
Hunter nodded.
They spent the rest of the day chasing down leads, but not getting very far.
At the end of the day, they stopped by Hunter's place so he could pick up some necessary items before heading over to McCall's house.
"So," Hunter prodded over a dinner he had prepared, "you never told me what Devane wanted this morning."
McCall sighed, and handed the envelope the captain had given her. "There's a new FBI program I was recommended for, but it would mean leaving the LAPD, and you…"
Hunter watched her face for a bit, then looked down at the information she'd handed him.
McCall explained what Devane had told her that morning. "There's also the fact that I'd be 8 months pregnant in the first class," she continued, "so I can't go to that one. The second class gives me only a few months recovery before I'd have to leave the baby to take the class, since students have to dorm at Quantico during the class, and that assumes the FBI would let me wait for that class. Then, there's no guarantee about where the FBI would post me after I graduated."
Hunter looked at her. "Once Devane finds out you're pregnant, he'd have to separate us anyway. You know department policy about partners dating. Do you want this?"
"It is intriguing," she smiled. "I wouldn't mind the challenge. But, it's not only me I have to think about, now." She put her hand on her belly.
Hunter took her other hand in his, considering. Her hand looked so small in his, but if anything the past 5 years had taught him, she could hold her own against guys twice her size and come out swinging. He'd follow her anywhere, just as long as he could wake up next to her. This past weekend had spoiled him. If he'd missed her so much during the 6 week course and couldn't imagine his life without her in the long term, and that had been before he'd known she was pregnant with his child.
"It is a great opportunity for you. And I could be a policeman anywhere," he replied. "Or, I could be a house husband and you could support me in the manner to which I've become accustomed," he smiled, waggling his eyebrows.
McCall laughed, and punched him in the shoulder playfully. "Yeah, house husband. You'd be bored in two days." She looked at him seriously, and asked, "You'd do that for me? You'd be willing to pull up your life and follow me, if I wanted to do this?"
Hunter cupped her chin with his hand, and looked into her eyes. "Yes, I would. You, and this baby, are my life now."
McCall smiled, and kissed him. "I think I do want this. But, do you mind if I take a couple days to be sure, before I uproot the both of us? It's a big decision, and it will give us both a little time to sit with it."
"Sure, kiddo," Hunter replied, then gestured to her food. "You'd better eat. You'll need your strength for all this thinking."
McCall laughed and dug into her food.