Page 56 of Hidden Hero

“Me, too,” she whispered.

Standing quickly, he pulled her close. Wrapping his arms around her, he deepened the kiss. She jumped, and he caught her as she swung her legs around his waist. The kiss grew wilder and hotter, and his steps staggered slightly as he turned and headed down the hall to her bedroom.

They barely reached the bed without tripping over Max, who darted between his legs. Laughing, he tossed Cora onto the bed. She bounced and laughed as she looked up at him. With clothes flying and tossed all around, they were ready for the next round.

25

“What’s the holdup on the toxicology report for Roy Parker?” Cora asked as David walked into the room. He was an excellent intern when it came to wanting to learn about autopsies, but she found him lacking when it came to the paperwork necessary for their jobs.

He looked up from his microscope. “Roy Parker?”

She placed her hands on her hips and glared. “Yes. Roy Parker. Came in through the ER. His sister wanted the autopsy, and I ruled an autopsy based on no previous heart condition, the sister’s suspicions, and his physician. His wife wasn’t happy. Does any of this ring a bell?”

He had the grace to blush but shrugged. “Sorry, Dr. Wadsworth. I haven’t seen it come in.”

“Well, how about you follow up with the state lab and see if they can estimate when it might be ready? His wife is blowing up my phone and has now contacted an attorney. If you don’t know this by now, you might as well learn—hospitals hate it when patients or families contact attorneys.”

His blush deepened. “Yeah… um… sorry. I’ll call.” He turned and walked out of the room, and she sighed heavily, dropping her chin to her chest.

“Do you think he’ll make it?”

Cora turned, finding Janice leaning against the counter on the far side of the room. The older woman’s brow arched inquisitively, and her arms loosely folded across her chest.

Shaking her head slowly, Cora replied, “He’s an excellent clinician—dedicated and willing to learn.”

“Agreed,” Janice said with a knowing smile. “But I can sense a ‘but’ coming.”

Cora exhaled, the weight of her thoughts pressing visibly on her. “You’re right. His follow-through is lacking. Some in the medical profession thrive under the urgency of a live patient in front of them. But when that urgency disappears—when the patient is deceased—they lose their drive.”

“Then maybe this isn’t the field for him,” Janice countered. “He could probably excel in another area of medicine. Anyway, his internship ends in two weeks. Maybe that’s the nudge he needs to find his niche.”

Cora leaned back, stretching her neck from side to side. A satisfying pop echoed in the room.

Janice chuckled. “At this rate, you’ll be a hunched-over old woman long before your time.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Cora muttered with a wry smile. “Was there something you needed?”

Janice hesitated, her humor fading. “Sylvia from hospital risk management called for you. I’m guessing it’s about the Parker situation.”

“Dammit,” Cora grumbled under her breath. “I might need to rope Dan into coming with me.”

Before she could collect her thoughts and notes on Mr. Parker, the mortuary receptionist walked in, her expression tight.

“Cora, you’ve got a call-out. Unattended death.”

“Jesus,” Janice said, her exasperation clear. “Are we having a rash of these lately, or what?”

Cora grabbed her gear, her movements automatic. “Get Carl and meet me there,” she instructed, secretly relieved at the excuse to postpone her meeting with Sylvia. After taking down the address from the receptionist, she double-checked her supplies and headed out to the parking lot.

The drive to the modest home took almost thirty minutes. As she pulled into the driveway, she noted the well-tended yard—a stark contrast to the somber reason for her visit.

She didn’t recognize the deputies standing near the doorway but exited her car and began suiting up. Once her full PPE was in place, she slung her large bag over her shoulder and approached. When she flashed her medical examiner badge, the female deputy stepped aside to let her in.

“What do we know?” Cora asked as she neared.

“The deceased is Hank Snodgrass,” the deputy replied.

“Who found him?”

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