Chapter 3

Sharon returned from the morgue and moved the entire team into the Conference Room. She took her usual spot somewhere near the center of the table so she could see the team as they took chairs, coffee cups in hand.

Sharon settled in with a cup of tea, "I wanted to let you all know at the same time. Andy and I are expecting a child in a few months or so. We should know more later this week. Per department policy, this will keep me out of the field and on desk duty, but other than that, nothing changes."

Julio and Buzz let out whoops while Amy scooted closer to her Commander and gave her a hug. Provenza just rolled his eyes and looked at the still goofy grin on his partner who had eyes only for Sharon. Mike reached over and shook Flynn's hand and slapped him on the back. Sharon's face has the same silly wide smile as she gazed at Andy, her beloved Andy. She'd let Chief Howard know later this morning. Andrea and Gavin were also on the quick notification list as were Sharon's and Andy's other children.

Slowly, the team settled back into briefing mode. Julio began with a rundown of the family of Ms Greene.

"Middle class family from Indianapolis. Husband is in jail for domestic assault, has a track record of petty criminal stuff to go with it. He's got at least another seven years. Her parents look clean," Julio dispensed his information. "She's an accountant, a skill that can move cross country without much trouble, too."

Mike offered, "The financials look clean as well. They were cash strapped, but managing to make the ends meet. Her parents gave her the money to move here and get started again. She was employed by a real estate firm in Santa Monica. It appears that the firm got her the rental house where we found the family. It had been one of their listings."

Sharon delivered what information Dr. Morales had thus provided, "Time of death was about four in the morning. There were no obvious signs of struggle or drugs. On Alicia Greene's X-Rays was some kind of tumor on her brain. He wanted to take a deeper look at it and run the tox panels before offering an official cause of death."

"But it's looking like a plain old murder - suicide," Provenza concluded.

"Was there a note?" Flynn wanted to know.

Amy offered, "Not that we've found in the evidence that SID brought back. Then again, only about half of suicides leave notes to begin with."

"Short of something completely out of left field," Provenza offered, "this case will close shortly after lunch."

Sharon tilted her head, "Sadly, it looks that way. Has Indianapolis PD or Marion County Sheriff been notified of the deaths so they can make the notification to her parents?"

"As soon as we finish here, Commander," Mike replied, "I am going to contact their homicide division and let them know what we know so far. I'm also going to look through her computer and phone files for any pertinent evidence."

"Good. Thanks Mike," the Commander nodded. "Anything else that the team needs to hear?"

They all shook their heads.

"Okay. Back to the paperwork then," she concluded as she pushed back from the table.

Andy hung back a moment, taking Sharon's arm, "I won't smother you, but I will hover. Just thought you should know ahead of time," he chuckled. "No skipping meals. No staying at work until late night. No taking work home. We want a healthy baby and mother."

Sharon tried to give him "that look," but she failed. Over the rims of her glasses, "Noted. I guess I'm on the receiving end of 'supervision' now."

Andy nodded in the affirmative with a gigantic smile. Sharon headed off to Fritz Howard's office to tell him their personal good news as well as the sad news from the multiple homicide scene her team had examined. The rest of the day passed quietly and uneventfully. At the close of business, the case was closed as a murder-suicide with the Medical Examiner's recommendation.

Andy placed calls to his children to let them know about the coming sibling. Nicole was thrilled with the news and a little jealous. Andy had been mostly absent even when physically present as she grew up. It was the "Sharon Effect" that had reunited them as family. She could now trust her Dad to watch the kids while she and Dean had "date nights."

Sharon had already gotten hold of Emily and Ricky earlier in the day. Emily was in Portland, finally on the same coast as the rest of the family. Her rehearsal schedule could complicate contacting her, but this was not the case this afternoon. Her squeal of delight nearly deafened her mother on the other end of the phone. Ricky was easy - text him and wait for him to call back. Ricky was less enthusiastic. That left Rusty.

Rusty had texted to let Sharon know he was going to eat with Gus at the restaurant where Gus was practicing and perfecting his craft. He figured to be home around 9 o'clock. She texted back that he'd get the "good news" when he got home. Sharon plotted that would bring Rusty home on time, not at some later hour than she planned on waiting up for his arrival.

Dr. Dutton had given her preliminary "to do" lists to go with the prenatal vitamins. High on the list was getting no fewer than 8 hours of sleep each and every night, and preferably 9 to 10 hours of rest. With a partially empty nest her tendency to be a workaholic, now that Andy and she shared home, would simply have to be left behind for the sake of their child. Doctor's orders - no taking work home. Andy had reemphasized that earlier. Moreover, Andy had made it plain, he was in charge of supervision of patient affairs this time around. The next few months would surely try their relationship as pampering his wife was at the top of his personal "to do" list.

Andy was not a big list and schedule kind of guy unless it came to professional sports. For the Dodgers, he kept a calendar of home games. He was passionate about his Dodgers baseball. Away games were noted for the sports package he had on the television. For most of the televised games, he knew he had Sharon to watch with him.

They would pop popcorn or consume chips as they kicked back. Sitting on her legs restricted blood flow, so now 'kicking back' meant Sharon stretched out, head in Andy's lap or tucked into his side. Sometimes other team members would share in the festivities. With the baby on the way, Andy stepped out of his no-list comfort zone and would start tracking everything. Not only did he keep his detective's notebook, but he also now carried a notebook that would follow the pregnancy and birth. Sometimes, he was sure to tread on Sharon's turf as the head list maker for the family. But he decided that he would simply take that risk.

Tonight's Dodger game was coming from the Windy City. The game was in the late innings when Rusty got home. He put his keys on the peg at the door and headed for the fridge. He plopped down in a chair near Sharon and Andy who were on the couch. Sharon had elevated her legs not so much for comfort at the moment but to not cause any potential difficulties for the precious soul she carried within. The fizz of a soda popping open greeted them all.

"Hey Sweetie!" Sharon chirped to him.

"Hey Mom," Rusty replied as he pushed the controller to get game stats displayed. "So, what's this good news you were teasing me with this afternoon?" Rusty asked as he scrolled through stats without looking up.

"You're going to have another new sibling in a few months," she said coyly.

Rusty immediately stopped what he was doing and looked at her and Andy, "Huh?"

"We 'old folks' are having a baby," Andy gently jabbed.

Rusty just started at them in disbelief, "What? What, like Abraham and Sarah?"

Sharon laughed and took a swig of her fruit juice, "We're not that old! But we are that pregnant."

"Oh, that's just gross," he retreated into an old habit. "You can't be. That's just not right!"

They all began to laugh as Rusty cut the game off so that he could put all his focus on this disturbing news.

"I would ask 'How?' but I don't think I want to know," gasped Rusty. "I guess the right thing to say is 'Congratulations!' At least you guys are more competent than my other mother. You should keep the baby," he concluded.

Andy, still chortling, "Well, thank you for your vote of confidence."

Sharon nudged him with an elbow, "I told you it would take him a little longer to warm up to the idea."

"So, is it a boy or a girl?" Rusty wiped his eyes from laughing.

Sharon took a deep breath and smiled, "We won't know until somewhere between weeks 12 and 15. That's when ultrasound can tell but only if the baby is in the right position. Right now, he or she is about the size of a kidney bean. I cannot even feel him or her moving yet."

"And, we don't even know how old he is. We might get a better idea when we see the doctor on Friday afternoon," Andy added. "You and I have a lot of learning about babies to catch up on - for our new lives - over the next few weeks."

Rusty looked at his own hand trying to figure out what part of his finger represented a kidney bean size shape. He settled on the first joint of his pinkie.

"And the little guy already has a heart beating away. I'm hoping to hear his heart at the doctor's office," Andy was now getting more and more excited.

"That might be a little early, Honey," cautioned Sharon. "I don't recall hearing either Emily or Ricky until later on."

"Okay, well maybe," Andy sputtered, "anyway, he's got a heart forming. And a brain. And all the things that go with that."

Looking up from his fingers, "So, Mom, how come you aren't puking your guts out with morning sickness?" Rusty asked.

Sharon laughed, "I hardly knew I was pregnant with Emily or Ricky until late in the third trimester. Their ninth months were, shall I say, tougher because sitting, standing, lying down were all really uncomfortable positions. By her ninth month, Emily had tap shoes on and let me know that she was going to be a dancer. Ricky never seemed to sleep in his last month in the womb. Morning sickness happens to some women, but not to all of us. I think it's a 'plot device' for movies," Sharon shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

Rusty shook his head. It was too much to take in all at once, "Old people," he muttered and laughed. "Well, I guess I'm happy for you both. Mom, you remember when I asked you if you knew what you were doing?"

Sharon smiled and nodded, "Yes, I do. And, I still do hope I know what I'm doing."

"Hey," interjected Andy, "speaking of other babies...how is your other mother and her in-laws doing with that sister of yours?"

"As okay as they can be, I guess," Rusty replied. "It's a really weird living arrangement, if you ask me. Oh well, at least Gary won't ever be in the picture. They said I could come over and see her whenever I wanted. Of course, now, I'm going to have my very own baby brother right here in the house before too long. Maybe I should get some practice in with my half-sister."

"You two are so very sure that this is a baby boy, aren't you?" Sharon chimed in. "How are you going to feel if this," she rubbed her tummy, "turns out to be a little girl?"

"Hey, I'm cool with that, too," Rusty offered.

"As long as she looks like her mom and not her dad," Andy chuckled and smiled, rubbing Sharon's tummy.

Rusty flicked the TV back on. Cheers and jeers went up from the couch and chair as the innings wore on. The game finished and the late local news came on. It had been a quiet day around town. The weather was cooperating. Even the yappy dog next door was quiet this evening. All was good for the Flynn household that early summer evening.