2. "How can a light that burned so brightly suddenly burn so pale."
When Leo had arrived at the lab 2 hours before he was due to start work he hadn't expected to find anyone else there. So when he had spotted his female colleague crouched over a tissue sample he'd immediately frowned in concern. He'd heard from many sources that she'd been called out last night, so he knew, without even having to ask that she hadn't been home, which also meant that she probably hadn't slept or eaten properly.
Smiling to himself he slipped out before she had a chance to notice him, quickly walking around the corner he picked up her favourite Panini and coffee plus the same for himself before heading back.
Knocking on the window he held up the bag. "I brought you sustenance."
"Gosh Leo you scared me," Nikki jumped. "You should know better than to sneak up on a lady, especially a lady that assumed she was alone in a mortuary."
"Sorry," Leo smiled apologetically.
Pulling off her latex gloves and apron Nikki tried to stretch the aches out of her back before heading to his office to join him.
"Mm, perfect, thank-you Leo, this is exactly what I needed," Nikki breathed, as she opened the paper bag allowing the aroma of freshly melted cheese to fill the air.
"How is the case going?" Leo asked.
Nikki leaned back against the chair, taking a sip of her coffee she waited a few seconds before answering. "It's not."
"Do you want to talk through it? A fresh pair of eyes and all that," Leo suggested.
"I've spent nearly 10 hours with her and in that time I've catalogued 14 injuries, each of them inflicted less that 48 hours before she died. But other than that I can't find anything that might suggested who she is, no fillings, surgical scars or distinguishing marks and you know why?" Nikki almost cried.
Leo shook his head. "No. Why?"
"Because at 2 and a half years old she hadn't had the chance to experience any of that, she'll never need a filling, she'll never break her arm swinging from the monkey bars or cut her head falling over a skipping rope. Instead she's lying dead and alone in our mortuary because somebody ended her life in the cruellest way possible," Nikki stammered, barely able to keep a hold on her emotions.
Leo reached out and rested his hand on top of hers. "We'll find out who she is."
"The thing that I don't understand most of all - and trust me there's a lot about this case I don't - is that somebody must have cared, just hours before she was found somebody cared enough to give her Calpol and Neurofen, somebody wanted to ease her pain, somebody loved her," Nikki explained.
"Then that will make it easier for us to find them, if somebody loved her then somebody has to be missing her," Leo surmised.
Nikki nodded. "I found traces of shampoo and baby powder in her hair, there was also a very small trace of Vaseline on her forehead, as if someone had kissed her goodnight."
"You've done everything that you can for now," Leo assured her. "You're exhausted, go home, have a shower and a few hours sleep and then when you come back more of the results should be back," he suggested.
"I need to find out who she is, then I can sleep," Nikki insisted.
Even through the dark circles and exhaustion Leo could see the fiery determination in her eyes, "Alright then, shall we review the evidence?"
"I'll just get the file," Nikki smiled, grateful for Leo's help because after 10 hours everything was starting to look and sound the same.
As Leo watched Nikki go he understood where she was coming, he knew that almost obsessive need for answers that would strike you when you least expected it, he could also see that less than 24 hours into it, the case was already starting to have a serious adverse effect on his usually bubble colleague.
Bending down to pick up the small box folder of information that she had already gathered Nikki had to hold onto the wall to steady herself as everything started to swim around her. It took a few seconds for everything to return to normal, taking a few steadying breaths Nikki shook the cobwebs from her head and headed back towards the office.
"This is everything that I've collated and that was collected at the hospital," Nikki explained as she put the box down and picked up her coffee.
"Where do you want to start?" Leo asked, realising that Nikki needed to feel in control of the situation.
Swallowing a mouthful of coffee Nikki winced as the bitter liquid burnt the side of her throat. "The start seems like the most logical place," she reasoned, handing Leo and a small manila folder,
"An anonymous phone call was made to 999 at 23.16, a call that was later traced to a man called David Meehan, a known drug addict that was sleeping rough on the Hilldrop estate, the police have since ruled him out as a suspect, he's hardly citizen of the year but he's not the murderer," Nikki began.
Taking a deep breath she continued. "LAS arrived there at 23.29, on arrival they found Baby Faith in the small bedroom, she was on a camp bed, wrapped in a children's blanket, she was breathing, but unresponsive throughout, they stabilised her and took her straight to the Royal London Hospital,"
"Was there anything else at the flat? Anything else that could lead us to an identification?" Leo asked.
Sadly Nikki shook her head. "Other than the blanket and pyjamas she was wearing there was nothing that appears to be linked to Baby Faith."
"Have they traced those items?" Leo asked.
"Yes," Nikki breathed. "The blanket is from Argos and the pyjamas are from Tesco's, thousands of each have been sold over the last 6 to 18 months."
Leo looked down at the notes. "What's the cause of death?"
"She received multiple blows, the 2 that caused the most catastrophic injuries were the blunt force trauma to her temporal lobe and the blow to her abdomen. She died from overwhelming sepsis caused by a perforated liver, bowel and spleen, her tiny body just couldn't cope. However CT and MRI scans showed that had she been able to overcome the sepsis her quality of life would have been severely affected, her ICP was through the roof and she had barely any brain function," Nikki informed him, trying to keep the emotion from her voice.
Leo nodded, his stomach churning at the imagery of what the innocent little child must have suffered in the hours leading up to her death. "Do you know what caused the injuries?"
"The one to her stomach was caused by a someone kicking her, we have a very small area of the shoe tread marked onto her skin but it's only 2 by 1cm, there's people working on trying to match it," Nikki answered. "As for the blow to the head it was made by a thin cylindrical metal object, there were flakes of gold paint in the wound and surrounding hair," she concluded.
"Well at least we've got something to go on," Leo pointed out, needing Nikki to see that it wasn't completely helpless.
Taking a bit of her Panini Nikki was grateful to finally have something in her stomach. "Nothing that tells us who she is though."
"We'll find her, we'll give her peace," Leo vowed.
"Peace," Nikki echoed, her eyes fluttering shut as she leaned back against the chair.
Looking across at his colleague Leo became concerned about the way her hands were shaking. "Are you alright?"
"Tired, I'm just so tired," Nikki mumbled, as her voice almost felt like it was floating.
"I'm not surprised, it must have been at least 24 hours since you last slept," Leo reminded her.
Standing up Nikki couldn't understand why her legs suddenly felt like they were void of bone. "I'm going to do a computer simulation of Baby Faith, if I input her picture into the facial reconstruction programme we can remove all the bruises and swelling, make it look like she's still alive, then perhaps the police will let the media run the picture. Like you said, someone has to be missing her."
As Leo watched Nikki go he made a silent vow to himself to keep a close eye on the young pathologist, there was something about her that just wasn't sitting right with him.
S - I - L - E - N - T - W - I - T - N - E - S - S
Leaning back against the faux leather couch Harry watched as Emma walked towards him with two large, steaming mugs of coffee.
"They'll bring the food over when it's ready," she smiled, placing the cups down on the table and sitting down next to him.
Harry nodded, trying to stifle a yawn. "Sorry," he apologised.
Emma laughed gently. "Am I really that boring?" she asked her voice light and teasing as she leaned further into him, resting her hand on his knee.
"No, not at all, I think the high volume of cases this week is suddenly catching up with me," Harry half-lied, whilst that was partially the truth his tiredness could also be put down to his concern over his colleague.
Despite the fact that things had been less than comfortable between them Harry still found that Nikki's unusual behaviour was the only thing on his mind last night as he tossed and turned, desperate for just a few moments peace of mind.
"Earth to Harry," Emma sung, noticing that his mind was elsewhere. "Are you sure everything is alright?" she asked, concerned that since the public showdown between him and his friend Nikki Alexander he had been pulling away from her.
"Everything is fine," Harry smiled, hoping to reassure her, the last thing he wanted was for Emma to realise that it was his concern for another woman that was keeping him awake at night, especially when she was the one that was cuddled up next to him.
Running her hand across his leg Emma smiled. "Good, because I've got big plans for this weekend."
"This weekend?" Harry questioned.
"We both have the weekend off remember?" Emma reminded him.
Harry nodded. "Oh yes, of course, this weekend," he stammered, picking up his coffee and busying himself in taking a series of sips.
Emma was about to say something but was cut off as Harry's phone beeped loudly and vibrated against her, untangling herself from him she took a spoonful of cream off the top of her drink as Harry read his message.
"It's Leo," Harry sighed, he hated the fact that he was about to disappoint her but his job had to come first, at least at this stage in the relationship it did.
"It's your morning off," Emma reminded him.
Harry took her hand in his, hoping that the physical contact would go a little way to quell her disappointment. "I know, but Leo has been called out to a multiple murder and he needs an extra pair of hands."
"Can't Nikki help?" Emma asked, she knew she was being selfish but they barely got to spend any time together as it was, and she couldn't help but feel jealous that when they weren't together he was at the lab; with Nikki.
"She's already on a case," Harry explained, ever since Emma had witnessed the argument between himself and Nikki 3 weeks ago she had become very insecure when it came to the blonde pathologist, a fact that wasn't helped by all the time Harry had to spend at the lab with her.
Emma nodded. "Will I see you tonight?"
"Probably not," Harry admitted, knowing it was better to disappoint her now rather than build up her hopes some more only to disappoint her later. "From the sounds of it we could be there until the early hours of the morning."
Emma nodded. "I suppose it will give me a chance to catch up on all of those errands I've been putting off."
"I'll make it up to you," Harry promised, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek.
Pulling her into him for a proper kiss Emma whispered into his ear. "I know you will. Miss me?"
"Always," Harry replied, releasing himself from her grip as he picked up his coffee, approaching the barista he had the hot drink poured into a takeaway cup before heading out to meet Leo at the East London scene.
S - I - L - E - N - T - W - I - T - N - E - S - S
Approaching the scene Harry immediately spotted Leo, sat on one of the walls pulling on his white protective suit.
"How many victims?" Harry asked.
Leo looked up at him, as Harry pulled put his own suit. "2, a male and female."
"Shall we take one each?" Harry suggested.
"That sounds like a logical plan," Leo nodded. "Thank you for coming in, I know it was your late start today."
Harry shrugged off his thanks. "It's not a big deal. I know Nikki was busy on the Jane Doe and a multiple is too much for any of us on our own, especially after the crazy few weeks we've all had."
"Speaking of Nikki," Leo began. "Have you noticed anything off with her lately?"
"In what way?" Harry asked.
Leo could see the mixed emotions that flashed across Harry's face, he knew that the 2 younger pathologists on his team had always shared a close relationship, a relationship that had seen them through some very dark and trying times. But he had also been witness to the public disagreement that had occurred between them late one night in the lab, after Nikki had made a throw away comment about Emma's constant need for attention, and Harry had reacted unusually angrily leading them into a full blown argument, an argument that resulted in neither of them speaking to each other for a full 9 days.
Things had gradually calmed down and they were now on speaking terms, but anyone that knew them could see that the relationship was still strained, and that the closeness and ease that once existed between them was a thing of the past.
"I don't know she just seems … lost," Leo shrugged, not really sure how to put his concern into words.
"It's a difficult case," Harry pointed out as he finished suiting up.
Leo nodded his agreement. "I know that but it's not just her state of mine I'm worried about, she looked pale and tired …"
"I know what you mean," Harry agreed. "There's something going on with her I just can't put my finger on it."
"Perhaps you could talk to her," Leo suggested.
Harry looked down at the floor. "We're not exactly on speaking terms at the moment, at least not about things work related."
"Don't you think it's about time you both put that behind you?" Leo asked.
"Easier said than done," Harry sighed. "We both said some things that are quite hard to take back, hurtful, hateful things," he whispered, his heart aching at the memory of that night.
Leo looked towards his friend and colleague. "I really think she could use a friend right now."
"I'm not that person," Harry said, standing up and grabbing his kit. "Not anymore."
As Leo watched Harry head into the house he wished more than anything that he could bang their heads together and lock them in a room until he had sorted it out. Their friendship had always been something that made the team work, the fact that no matter how dark the day they were always there for each other with a laugh, or shoulder to lean on.
Now with them both being so estranged from each other, and neither showing any signs of making the first move, Leo couldn't help but fear that Nikki had lost her greatest strength at the time when she needed him most.