Hi, guys! Sorry this chapter is a little short. I'm in the middle of doing some homework and Alabama football was on, and we won big time...So, read, review, enjoy. Much love!
-A
Two:
"Mother of God! What in the hell is that!" Beth screamed, jumping back from the exam table.
"Well, Dr., I was hoping you could tell me." Dr. Jenner said, stifling a chuckle. Beth was not prepared for the things that she was looking at; she certainly wasn't prepared for something that horrific.
"Sorry, Dr. Jenner, I really am. I'm just...Not..." Beth mumbled.
"Not used to seeing people die of venereal disease? It's actually pretty common. Seems this guy had a not-so-fun run in with chlamydia." Jenner said, relieving Beth of the diagnosis.
"But, you can treat chlamydia, Dr. Jenner. He died from the complications." Beth said.
Dr. Jenner smiled widely. "You're right. He let it go, thinking it'd go away. Jokes on him."
"This is gross." Rosita said, choking back gags as she tried to take notes.
"Yeah, well, what was that movie a few years back? The coach was teaching sex ed and said: "don't have sex; you'll get pregnant and die?"" Jenner teased.
"Mean Girls. Did you seriously watch it?" Rosita asked. Beth noted that the body was like a train wreck; you couldn't look away.
"My daughter, Olivia, it's like one of her favorites." Jenner told them.
"Jenner can't you stick him back in his hidey hole?" Beth asked. Jenner grinned, making a face at Beth.
"I suppose I could...Guess I gotta tell the man's family he died from a social disease." Jenner mused.
"Dude, that's from the 50's." Rosita quipped. Beth couldn't help but stifle a laugh.
"Yeah, well this dude was alive in the 50's, Dr. Espinosa, and quite frankly, dying from chlamydia at 65 is kind of gross. Honestly, it gives him a pervy vibe." Jenner said seriously.
"Jenner! The man is dead! Have some respect!" Beth exclaimed.
"He's dead." Jenner snapped.
"It still matters." Beth argued. Giving into Beth's request, he stuck the body back in it's "hidey hole" as Beth called it. She had already seen a suicide, an accident, and now this, all before lunch. She was hoping she could at least keep her food down after everything she'd seen.
"Dr. P, I'm going on my lunch break now." Beth said, grabbing her mini cooler.
"Okay. Have fun." Carol said, taking her own lunch break. Beth walked upstairs and out the door, walking two blocks over to a small little park. She sat down on the bench and began to eat her hummus and pita chips, contemplating her career choice. Why had she chosen to work with dead people? Oh yeah. She thought, because I can't kill them. Truly, this was unlike anything Beth had experienced. True, she could pick a different residency at any time, she was still apprehensive as she played around with different specialties.
Obstetrics. Beth thought. But then, you'd have to deal with all those bad mothers, and less of the good ones. Plus, what if a birth went wrong? They'd blame you forever.
So, that one was out.
Cardiology. Beth mused. But then you get the 400 lb heart patient who refuses to lose weight and has had five heart attacks.
Nope, that one wouldn't do, either.
Oncology. Beth recalled. But then you have to see tons of helpless people die.
She didn't want to deal with constant death. Funny, the medical examiner resident was saying that.
Pediatrics...But kids scare the bejeezus out of me.
Surgery? That's a five year residency!
Stop being a snowflake. Come on...Family practice? Yes, family practice would be excellent.
But dammit, she couldn't beat the set up she had. The hours were way more consistent, the people were good. Shoot, after this, all she'd have to do is start working there.
There was no avoiding the deados.
Beth finally opened her chicken salad sandwich. She couldn't help but notice that working in a morgue had it's perks; like, sometimes it was an appetite suppressant.
But, as much as Beth hated dead bodies, she loved working in the morgue. She only had to talk to a handful of people; and even then, she didn't really have to talk to them. Beth, ever the introvert, was dancing on the inside. Living people made her more uncomfortable than the dead ones. If the dead ones had a creepy look on their face, all you had to do was shove 'em back in their respective drawer.
Ah, Beth, ever the optimist. Once she finished her lunch early, she decided to take a quick walk. She loved being outside in the spring, before it got much too hot. Though it was May, it wasn't as humid as it would be during the summer. Beth relished the sunshine and breeze, grateful that scrubs were cool. She closed her eyes, breathing in the crisp, smog filled air, and heard a familiar, gruff voice greet her.
"Yo doc, got my evidence yet?"
Well damn, that didn't last long.
Beth opened her eyes to see Detective Dixon staring right at her, chomping on a burger from the local grease trap.
"Why don't you call Dr. Mamet and ask him?" Beth replied sarcastically.
Dixon grumbled. "He don't like me much. The little fruit won't talk when I call."
"Wonder why." Beth huffed, trying to walk past.
"I need to know what happened." Daryl told her.
"Just ask him! I've known him like, two days. Aren't cops supposed to be in an office or something?" Beth asked.
"Ain't medical examiners supposed to be in the basement?" Daryl replied, irritation in his voice.
"Call Dr. Peletier. She seems to be the only one you like anyway." Beth said.
"She's the only one that knows what the hell she's talkin' 'bout." Daryl snipped.
"Ugh. Listen, I don't have time for this. Just call the office, it usually takes a few days to process." Beth explained.
"I gotta find out soon. Got a lead, need evidence 'fore I can get a warrant." Daryl replied.
"Huh?" Beth asked.
Daryl rolled his eyes. "Yeah, got a great big ol' lead. Can't tell ya yet, but if I'm right, you'll be mighty surprised."
"I'm sure. I've gotta go. Just call up there. I'm sure Mamet won't even wanna talk." Beth said, walking back to the morgue. When she got back in, sure enough, Carol was on the phone with Daryl, telling him that no, they didn't have all the evidence they needed yet. It'd probably be another day. He wasn't happy, but Beth assumed that since it was Carol, he dealt with it.
"So, any new ones?" Beth asked.
"Nope. Just that last one. Male. 33. Hispanic. His name is Caesar Martinez." Carol said. Beth put on her gown, mask, and hair net, walking over to join Carol as she examined the body.
"Looks to be in decent health." Beth said as they cut him open.
"Actually, he's like the picture of health for men his age. Athletic build, his organs look healthy. He was dumped in water, too." Carol explained.
"Seems like a pattern..." Rosita surmised, handling the man's liver. "His liver is healthy."
"As are his kidneys." The resident, Dr. Alex Turner said.
"I can't see any reason why this healthy man would die. What are his toxicology results?" Beth asked.
"Dr. Mamet is processing them. He did get the other drowning victim's bloodwork, I gave that to Daryl. No alcohol or drugs in his system at all. I'm suspecting it's the same with this guy." Carol explained.
"He's healthy. Let's cut the head open, see what we've got." Beth said. Once they began examining his brain, it was evident that he'd been attacked; the evidence was staring them in the face.
"He's got a cerebral hematoma. He was hit in the head." Rosita said.
"Yeah. And he was strangled too, just like our other guy." Beth pointed out.
"This isn't sitting well with me." Alex said. Carol looked up.
"Why not?" She asked.
"Because...This is a pattern." Alex replied, "Two guys killed in almost the exact same way?"
"Yeah...That isn't...Good." Carol said, mulling the words over in her head.
"So, does this mean something?" Beth asked. She was starting to think...Maybe the murders were connected.
"I need to go call Dixon...Porter, Dr. Mamet, take over for me?" Carol asked. Dr. Porter and Dr. Mamet came over, and Dr. Mamet began to collect evidence.
"Let's hope Dixon isn't calling us anytime soon." Mamet muttered, taking a cotton swab to the victim's skin.
"What's your beef with him?" Beth asked, as Mamet darted his eyes.
"He and I aren't exactly the best of friends... I believe he refers to me as a 'goofy little fruit'." Mamet explained.
"Well, he's a raging, arrogant asshole." Beth replied.
Mamet chuckled, swabbing the victim's nose, ears, and fingernails.
"You're right. But he is, after all, one of the best, I suppose." Mamet whispered, concentrated in his work.
"What made you want to become a pathologist, Dr. Mamet?" Beth asked.
"I dislike contact with most people." Mamet replied, "I seem to do better with the dead ones."
"That's why I'm a pathologist too. I figured I couldn't kill them, so...Ya know." Beth shrugged, giggling slightly.
"I like you, Dr. Greene. You're pleasant." Mamet replied.
"I like you too, Dr. Mamet." Beth said, smiling. Dr. Mamet returned the smile with one of his own, and then left when all the evidence he needed. Beth continued to look at the body of the man, Caesar, and then gasped when she saw something highly, highly unusual.
"Uh, Dr. Porter, can you come here for a second?" Beth asked. Dr. Porter stepped forward, raising his eyebrows.
"What is it, Dr. Greene?" Eugene asked.
"I don't think it's normal for people to have their necks broken. This is a new development." Beth told him.
"Dr. Greene, I think you're right. Something is goin' on here, and it isn't good. I'll go inform Dr. Peletier, who is, by my calculations, still on the phone with our resident grumpy detective." Eugene said. He left, informing Carol of the new development, and returned to help Beth sew the body back into the "hidey hole."
When Carol returned, she motioned for Beth to come over to her. Beth took off her gown, mask, and gloves, and washed her hands.
"What's up, Dr. P?" Beth asked.
"You're gonna have to go meet with Dixon." Carol said.
"Really?" Beth groaned, not wanting to talk to the surly man.
"I'm tied up with another body this afternoon. Listen, you go meet with Dixon, give him all the evidence you've got. Mamet got the toxicology and DNA results from our first guy, you need to take that to him. He's trying to get overwhelming evidence. Once you meet with him, you're free to go for the day. But you spent more time with those bodies than any of us, you've got all the notes." Carol explained.
"Alright, I'll go meet with 'Pookie', even though you're the only one he really likes." Beth replied.
"You're my favorite, Dr. Greene." Carol teased.
"Yeah, yeah." Beth said, waving her hand, "You love me."
"I do. You're a good doctor." Carol said seriously.
"Thanks, Dr. P. You are, too." Beth replied. Carol smiled, as she gave Beth the evidence packet. Beth walked out, driving down to the police station, and heading to the third floor—where Dixon's office was. The secretary, an older woman, smiled widely.
"Hi, ma'am. Can I help you?" The woman asked.
"Yes, I'm Dr. Greene with the medical examiner's office. I was supposed to meet with Detective Dixon." Beth replied. The woman pursed her lips, giving Beth a sympathetic glance, before speaking.
"His office is to the left, down the hall. Best of luck to ya, sweetie." The woman told her.
"Is he that bad?" Beth asked.
"Yes. Yes he is." The woman replied, not missing a beat. Beth took the secretary's directions, walking over to the office with the last name "Dixon". Beth knocked softly.
"Who is it?" Came the gruff reply.
"Um, it's Dr. Greene." Beth said. He opened the door, motioning for her to come inside.
"Sit down." Daryl ordered. She sat in the chair in front of his desk. His office was bare, and he looked like he didn't spend a lot of time there.
"Whatcha got for me?" Daryl asked.
"Evidence." Beth replied. Daryl took the folder, looking at the first victim's file.
"So, our first victim, Peter Garrison, had no alcohol or drugs in his system. His lower two vertebrae were severed by a knife wound to the back. He was strangled, clearly, his windpipe was crushed. He had DNA under his fingernails and he had defensive wounds." Beth explained.
"Hmm...An', he was taken out to the lake and dumped. From our end, we know he was killed pretty roughly. Whoever did it wanted 'im dead. We asked 'round, he didn't have any enemies. Everyone liked him. His computer doesn't show up with anythin' suspicious. But his text messages said he was meetin' with someone." Daryl explained, "A man. We just gotta find out the man's physical description."
"Yeah. Whoever it was, they were strong enough to sever his spine. It was a fight." Beth said, "I don't know why somebody'd wanna kill 'im, but I do know they were angry 'bout it."
"Yeah, that much was obvious." Daryl said. He took a look at the second file, perusing it before looking back up at Beth. She was tugging at her scrubs, fidgeting uncomfortably.
"This guy, Martinez. No drugs or alcohol?" Daryl asked.
"We find out tomorrow. But, this one is interesting, because he was strangled too. He didn't have a knife wound, BUT, he did have a cerebral hematoma. He was beaten over the head, knocked out so he couldn't get away." Beth explained. Daryl looked up, raising his eyebrows.
"Really? So, both were strangled and immobilized?" Daryl asked.
"Yeah. They died pretty much the same ways. Mr. Martinez wasn't found in the lake, though." Beth said.
"No, he was buried in a giant hole, shallow grave." Daryl replied, "Same general area as Garrison, though."
"You think they could be connected?" Beth asked.
"Can't say. But, this helps. Lemme know what the results are tomorrow. You call me—I don't wanna talk to Mamet if I can avoid it." Daryl said.
"Will do, detective." Beth said, getting up.
"Thanks for the help, doc." Daryl told her.
"No problem, Dixon." Beth replied, leaving.
Since Beth could go home early, she took the liberty of lounging around her apartment, trying to avoid anything that had to do with pathology or death. She decided to read a Stephen King novel, when she heard a knock on her door. She opened it, and saw a smaller framed brunette woman, and a tall man with an eyepatch. Perplexed, Beth opened the door wider.
"Can I help you?" Beth asked.
"Um, hi. I'm Lilly Heriot, this is my husband, Brian. He got a nasty cut on his arm. I'm a nurse, and I know you're a doctor. Would you happen to have any ointment or cream, or antiseptic?" Lilly asked.
"Uh, yeah, yeah. Come on in. I'm Beth Greene." Beth introduced herself.
"We're new, just moved in about a month ago. We're here with my daughter, Meghan. It's nice to meet you." Lilly said, smiling. Beth walked to her bathroom and found the iodine and bandages. She returned and saw Lilly and the man, Lilly fussing over his gash.
"You let it get infected, honey." Lilly fussed, cleaning the cut.
"I thought it'd be fine." Brian said.
"How'd you get it? Looks nasty." Beth said.
"I was out at the lake a few days ago, fishin'. Slipped with my fillet knife." Brian explained. She noticed he was a large man, with bruises all over his arms.
"You're lucky you didn't sever an artery." Lilly nagged, bandaging the wound.
"Well, darlin', I'm okay." Brian said.
"So, where are y'all from?" Beth asked.
"I'm from Conyers, originally, me and my sister. Brian's from Savannah." Lilly said.
"Oh, okay. I'm from Alpharetta, or, the outskirts." Beth said.
"Yeah, I work at Emory University Hospital. I'm an oncology nurse. Brian is actually a celebrity." Lilly teased.
"Really?" Beth asked.
"I'm actually a lawyer, now a senator. Been in politics a while. I'm about to announce my run for governor next year." Brian explained.
"Oh wow. You are a celebrity." Beth said.
"Hardly. Just a man tryin' to do right by the people I care about." Brian said, kissing his wife. She smiled softly, before they both stood up.
"Thank you for letting us use those supplies. You're a sweet lady, Beth." Lilly said.
"No problem." Beth replied.
"What kind of doctor are you, Beth? Emergency room? Pediatrics?" Lilly asked.
"Forensic pathology, actually. I work with dead people." Beth said.
"Oh, wow. That's tough. I don't think I could." Lilly said.
"It isn't for everyone, but I enjoy it." Beth replied.
"Well, we best be getting goin'. Thank you, Dr. Greene. It was a pleasure." Brian said, seeing his wife out. When they left, Beth called Rick, waiting for him to answer.
"Hello, Rick Grimes." Rick greeted.
"Rick, it's Beth. Listen, what to you know about Senator Brian Heriot?" Beth asked.
"Why?!" Rick asked frantically.
"He and his wife just came by here. He said he's runnin' for governor or somethin'." Beth replied.
"He's a crook, I know that much. Between you an' me, his bread ain't quite done. He's a little...Scary. Got a temper." Rick replied.
"Oh. Well, that's all I needed to know." Beth replied.
"Plus, I'm keepin' an eye on 'im. Seems he knew Martinez and Garrison." Rick said.
"Really?" Beth asked.
"Yeah. Peter was a friend, Martinez was his campaign manager. He hasn't been notified of Martinez's death yet, since we just found 'im last night." Rick explained.
"Oh. Okay." Beth whispered.
"Don't...Don't be alone with that guy, Beth. And watch 'im like a hawk. Okay?" Rick asked.
"Okay." Beth promised.
"Well, I gotta go. Carl's ball game is about to start, and me and my girlfriend are still in the car." Rick said.
"When can I meet this girl?" Beth asked.
"In time. See ya, Beth." Rick said.
"See ya, Rick." Beth replied, hanging up the phone. Beth sat back on the couch, mulling over Rick's words. Surely, Brian couldn't commit murder. He was too nice. He was a politician with a wife and kid! No one that public could kill someone in cold blood, could they?
Beth wasn't sure, but she did know that she'd be keeping an eye on Brian Heriot.