Four months had passed since their first fateful night together. It was a juggling act balancing both their professional and personal lives, but they did it skillfully. No one seemed to suspect anything at work, even when they found time to steal kisses behind closed doors. Only Sara was the wiser. Being his oldest friend still left in the lab, Greg confided in her when he decided it was time to take the next step.
The ring was an impulse buy. He and Russell had worked a robbery at a jewelry store down on the strip the week before. While processing the scene, the princess cut diamond still left in the glass casing caught his eye. In his mind, he could imagine the ring on Morgan's finger and suddenly it all seemed to fit. He knew he wanted her to be his wife. Once the case was confirmed closed, he brought Sara to the store for a second opinion.
"She'll love it." Sara agreed. "So when do you plan on popping the question?"
"I don't know yet. I just know I want to." Greg replied as he paid the cashier. Sarah looked at him and smiled. "What?" Greg asked.
"My little former lab tech is all grown up. I don't think any of us thought we'd see the day." She ruffled his hair.
Greg shook her off and rolled his eyes. "Ha ha. I haven't been that bad in years." His phone buzzed. "Great, I need to go into work early. Do me a favor? Hide this at your place. I don't want Morgan to accidentally find it." He handed her the shopping bag.
"I'll guard it with my life." She said.
"See that you do," he smiled back as he headed off.
He met Finn at a convenience store in Spring Valley off of Rainbow Blvd, another robbery gone south. There were two victims: a clerk face up in a pool of blood behind the counter and a patron curled up on the floor of one of the aisles with bullet wounds in both the head and abdomen. Greg walked passed the officer standing guard flashing his badge and pulling out his gloves.
"What have we got?" he asked Finn who was crouched by the dead cashier studying the blood patterns.
"Cashier went out first, one shot to the chest. I think the perp realized the second victim was there after killing the first. The second victim was hit twice, but there are at least four stray bullets in that direction, like the shooter was in a panic." Finn's phone rang. "Can you finish up in here? I need to take this. I'll be out back if you need me."
Greg nodded and started towards the second victim in the aisle. Kneeling down to pick up a shell casing, Greg spotted something wedged underneath the counter by the register. It looked like it could be a small duffel bag. He was about to move in that direction when he heard a loud bang. Standing up to look over the shelving, Greg pulled out his glock and scanned the room. The officer standing guard was collapsed on the ground at the entrance. Greg heard a noise behind him. He turned around steadying his aim. The gunman stood in front of him, his gun pointed at Greg. Quicker than he could comprehend, two shots rang out.
He saw the gunman fall forward revealing Finn standing behind him with her revolver raised. "Oh, Greg!" she exclaimed when she saw him. Suddenly he could feel the searing pain in his side. Looking down, he saw a wet black spot growing on his shirt and vest just below his ribs. He felt weak in the knees. The hardness of the tile floor was the last thing he felt before everything turned black.