Brenda takes Sharon to an autopsy
Sharon's viewpoint
Brenda and I were chatting over the Kennedy case, getting nowhere fast. Well to be honest I was ranting and she was listening.
It was obvious that Taylor's team were covering for him, trying to stall the investigation. There had been a sudden mass outbreak of amnesia, far too many of his team suddenly deciding 'they couldn't recall' much of anything.
It was frustrating and I was getting tense, which isn't helpful to my temper or my demeanour. Brenda was sitting there, watching me get worked up. I knew I was venting, that she was paying for my aggravation with Taylor and his men and deep down, I felt ashamed to be taking it out on her, but I needed to talk to someone.
It was bad enough that Major Crimes were staying well away from her office, probably looking to stay out of the line of fire.
I was interrupted mid-rant by her phone ringing. Looking at me while she raised an eyebrow at my antics she picked it up and answered.
"Chief Johnson" She nodded, at what she was being told before thanking them and telling the caller she would be right there. Hanging up she stood and walked towards the door.
"C'mon sweetie, let's go"
"Go where?"
"The place I go to hide out and relax"
"And where might that be?"
"The morgue" I stopped dead, as she kept walking past me.
"I beg your pardon?"
She paused at the door and looked over her shoulder with a playful expression on her face.
"No really Sharon, trust me" With that she strolled out the door. I rolled my eyes before spinning on my heel and stalking after her as she sauntered through the Murder Room towards the elevators.
"Commander Raydor and I will be with Doctor Isles if you need us" Several of her team nodded as we exited and walked down the corridor, probably relieved to see the back of me.
"So exactly why are we going to the morgue?"
"Sharon, it's hard to explain, but I've sat in on enough autopsies to know when their being done right and wrong. Maura Isles is the best I've ever seen" I shook my head as the doors to the elevator opened.
"That still doesn't explain why you are dragging me to this one"
"Well, it involves your case so I thought you should be there, it's also in the morgue, so it's one of the few places that I'm sure we won't be disturbed for a while" I had to roll my eyes at her again.
"If you wanted some peace and quiet Brenda, we could have just gone out for coffee" She just smiled at me and winked.
"Just you wait and see"
I just shook my head at the charming, distracting, sexy and annoying woman next to me.
A short elevator ride later we were pulling on scrubs and wandering into the autopsy room, where Maura Isles waited for us.
As Brenda led the way I saw Maura look up from a tray of instruments and smile.
"Good morning Brenda" Seeing me following Brenda her smile widened even more. "Sharon, lovely to see you again"
"Good morning, Maura, Brenda suggested I should sit in on your autopsy" She nodded her head.
"Of course, if you would like to take a seat we can get started"
Looking around I noticed several high backed bar stools, tall enough to sit on and still see over the autopsy. I didn't recall these the last time I was here; they must be new additions. A body was on the slab, hidden by a surgical sheet.
Before she started Maura walked over to an IPod docked in a high end sound system on a bench and turned it on, filling the room with the soft sounds of classical piano. I found myself trying to place the music. Maura looked over to me.
"I hope you don't mind, Sharon, I find the music soothing" I nodded. "Also I feel it's a more fitting piece for the victim's memory" I nodded, it was her autopsy.
Moving to the table, Maura set her face shield in place and activated a microphone over the table before turning down the sheet, revealing the face of Robert Dimery.
Giving the date and time for the benefit of the microphone, Maura commenced her autopsy.
"Chief Medical Examiner Maura Isles, undertaking the autopsy of a Caucasian male, approximate age early 30s, previously identified as Robert Dimery. This procedure is being witnessed by Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson, Major Crimes Division and Commander Sharon Raydor, Force Investigation Division"
As we watched, I rapidly came to realise what Brenda meant, Maura was an artist, completely in her element, not a move wasted, not an unnecessary incision, treating the body with a regard so lacking in death.
As the music softly played on, she sought out answers, occasionally pausing to point out something unusual or relevant. I found myself relaxing, the room was cool but not cold, very peaceful and the stream of classical music pieces was helping me to relax, almost without me realising it.
The sudden ringing of Maura's cell phone was a jarring sound against the classical piano. Smiling in apology Maura answered the call and had a quiet conversation which I assumed was with Jane Rizzoli, mentioning that Brenda and I were watching her. Smiling she ended the call and resumed her work.
About ten minutes later Jane wandered in with a collection of coffee's in a tray, smiling as she handed them out to each of us. I smiled as I took in her turtleneck sweater, concealing the weekend's evidence in the same way Maura's scarves did.
"I was passing, saw the light on and thought I'd drop in" Maura looked slightly confused, which I had to confess looked charming on her. Turning off the voice recorder and placing her face shield on a bench to one side she took the proffered coffee.
"Jane, you can't see the lights in the morgue unless you specifically get off at this level and walk around here" Jane just shook her head, smiling.
"Just an expression baby" Maura just rolled her eyes, before smiling at us.
"You'll have to excuse Jane, she can be a little colloquial, but she has her positive attributes" Maura held up her coffee. "Including being thoughtful" I smiled.
"Well I'm very grateful Jane, thank you" Brenda smiled as well.
"Likewise Jane, thank you for getting these, plus remembering the way we take our coffee's" She grinned at Brenda.
"Well Chief, if I couldn't remember the bosses coffee order I'd be out of here in short order and besides, gotta get in early on the next round of fitness reports" Brenda just smiled broadly, taking the sting out of her next words.
"You're incorrigible Jane, be off with you before I report you for trying to bribe a superior officer" Jane just flashed us a brilliant smile, before leaning in and giving Maura a quick but deep kiss.
"See you later babe" Maura smiled back happily
"See you tonight darling" I looked at Brenda out of the corner of my eye, she was smiling happily.
"Later everyone, better get back to work, otherwise my boss will have my ass" As we snickered Maura smiled broadly.
"I don't think so Jane, remember, it belongs to me"
With a laugh and a wave Jane strode out, leaving us smiling in her wake.
"Sorry for the interruption, but I thought you wouldn't mind" I laughed.
'Not at all Maura" Brenda smiled.
"It was very thoughtful of her and I appreciate it"
Maura smiled before setting her face shield back in place, switching the recorder back on and setting back to work.
Finally, after another ten minutes or so of work Maura looked up at me from where she was examining the victim's side.
"Commander Raydor, the victim was shot several times as you are aware, however please observe in particular this shot through the left rear quadrant of the upper torso, as you can see here" She indicated the entry point.
"Yes?"
"I understand that the officer who fired the fatal shot claimed that he fired at the victim who was aiming a gun at him?" Remembering the recorder running, I kept the tone formal.
"That is correct Doctor"
"This shot penetrated through the chest cavity and the myogenic muscular organ, passing from the left ventricle through the main cardiac muscle mass, exiting through the right atrium and passing through the upper left lung before exiting the chest cavity here"
"I see" Indeed I could and I could tell from the way Brenda was leaning forward as well that she could as well. "And your conclusion is?"
"This shot would have been instantly fatal. In addition, the line of the bullet suggests that the victim was shot from behind, partly crouching over"
"Furthermore, examination of the victim suggests that the musculature of the right hand was more significantly developed that that of the left, indicating that the victim was right handed" I nodded.
"Ah, I see, so the victim was shot while turned away from the officer's gun, and couldn't have got a shot off as the shot killed them instantly before they could have fired" Brenda saw where this was going as well, leaning back in the chair.
"Even if he had a gun in their hand, Dimery couldn't have fired at the officer, because their body was in the way" Maura smiled at us both.
"Exactly"
"The other shots were fired from the front and the angle suggests that the trajectory was slightly low entering the chest cavity here and here" she indicated the entry wounds, before rolling the body on its side. "With the exit wounds slightly higher at the rear, suggesting that the victim was slumped against a wall or falling when the additional shots were made" I nodded.
"So you infer that the shot order was the fatal shot first, then the two other shots followed that?"
"That would appear to be the logical sequence, yes"
I smiled at Maura; her fine work had made this case much more airtight.
"Thank you Doctor, I appreciate your work" She smiled quietly.
"It's my pleasure" Brenda and I sat back as she completed her work.
Finally, almost an hour after starting, Maura commenced closing the body up, suturing the Y incision closed with a delicacy and care I would have found incongruous from anyone else, but which simply reflected Maura's skill and compassion.
Standing up, I thanked her again for which she simply smiled graciously. As we left, I turned to look back at her, to see her still looking at us.
"Maura, I recognised almost every piece of music that played while you worked, but not the first one. What piece is it?"
"Piano Concerto in F Minor by Hae-Won Chang" Realising I didn't recognise it she smiled much wider. "It's from the movie Lara Croft Tomb Raider. Jane's taste for action movies has rubbed off on me it seems"
Brenda chuckled as I tried hard to keep my face from showing my surprise as she continued.
"As Lara Croft, Angelina Jolie does make a quite acceptable role model, for an action hero" I nodded, as a smile broke out over my face.
"That she does Maura; for an action hero. Thank you again; I truly appreciate your help"
"As we dumped our scrubs and walked to the elevator Brenda tilted her head to look at me and spoke in a teasing tone.
"Well sweetie, what'd I say" I smiled back at her as I pressed the button for the elevator.
"Thank you Brenda, you were right" She smiled that cheeky Brenda Leigh smile at me.
"Cause I was, not only did you get an hours peace and quiet, but a lot further along in your case" I nodded slowly.
"Now we just have to make it stick" Brenda nodded, before glancing sideways at me from under her lashes.
"Speaking of stick, are you sticking to our dinner plans for tonight?" I smiled.
Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world" She smiled as the sound of the elevator dinged on the floor above us. She looked up at me before taking a small step closer, close enough that our shoulders were almost touching, a sly smile on her face.
"Y'know sweetie, when they designed this building they made one mistake" I frowned, though I was painfully aware of her perfume drifting to me.
"What mistake" She smiled more widely.
"They didn't put any security camera's covering the lift well on this floor"
With that she stepped right up to me, leaning in for a quick, teasing, gentle kiss, quickly stepping back before I could react and deepen it. I looked at her, shocked, stunned and very turned on.
Just then the elevator dinged for our floor and opened. Brenda stepped in, turned around and laughed at me.
"Coming Commander?"
Numbly I nodded and stepped in beside her, ignoring the four or five people in the elevator with us. I was still processing that quick, playful kiss, my tongue running over my lips as I struggled to get my arousal and breathing under control.
As the elevator stopped at her floor, Brenda stepped out before turning to look at me, an enigmatic smile on her face.
"I'll see you at seven then Commander, don't be late"
As the doors shut only one thought came to mind. 'Ooh, that woman!'