Page 44 of Craving You
“Yes, ma’am?”The medical examiner asks as she continues to examine Beatris’ body.
“If they ask to view her, do not explain her injuries.Do not let them see any wounds.I don’t care if they want to sign a release or not.They will not know the details of the murder unless it goes to trial,” Andrea says.
“I am going to heavily suggest they do not see her,” I say.
“Get a picture of just her face, and we can show that if they want to see her,” Andrea says.“We also need to officially offer witness protection.”
“They won’t take it,” I say.
“I know, but they need to know we are trying to protect them.I want you with them at all times.If you can’t be with them, I will be.We will rotate out, so they are never alone.”
“Okay,” I sigh and tap on my phone to capture a picture of Beatris’ face.I crop the image to make sure the massive wound on her shoulder isn’t visible.
“If you had to guess a cause of death?”Andrea asks Miranda.
“Uh… well… Her clitoris was cut off, and the perineum has been completely cut into her rectum.I’m going to say someone raped her with a very large knife,” she says carefully.“The amount of blood loss tells me that the wounds extend up into the abdomen.She has semen on top of this blood, so I’m going to say that he probably raped her after raping her with the knife.So… massive blood loss.”
“Goddamn it,” I snap.“What the fuck do I even tell them, Andrea?”
“Ross, you’ve done this before, man.Be blunt but not crude.Leave no room for doubt and be empathetic,” Andrea says.
“I hate this fucking job sometimes,” I grumble.
Chapter Fifteen
Lorelei
“Doesanyonehaveanymore questions?”I ask.Please, God, no more questions.
“Okay.You all are dismissed,” Cam says with a sigh.We have all been checking our phones nonstop to see where Tris is.She’s been gone forever and we’ve been stuck in this damn meeting.I love our employees, but they ask so many questions.
“Nothing?”I ask Cam when he looks at his phone.
“No,” he frowns.I turn and look around to find Ross standing with a woman.
“Hey,” I say as I walk up to him.“We have been trying for a while now to get ahold of Tris, but she’s not answering.Have you seen her?”
“Why don’t we go back to yours and Remington’s house to talk?”he says.
“No,” I snap.
“What’s wrong?”Remy asks.
“I asked where Tris is, and he wants us to go home,” I say as fear bubbles in my chest.
“Lorelei,” he starts to say, but I shake my head.
“No.I want to know where Tris is,” I say as tears roll down my cheeks.I have an awful feeling based on the sad look in his eyes.
“Lorelei, I need you to listen,” he says as he gently holds my shoulders so I won’t turn away.“You do not want to do this in front of your employees.Okay?Home is best.”
“Oh no,” Remy says.Tears start to choke me out as I realize what he is telling me.I refuse to believe it, though.There’s no way.We just saw her in the conference room three hours ago.
“You parents are meeting us there.Please go straight home, okay?”Ross says to me.
“What’s going on?”Cam says.
“Let’s go home,” I say to Cam.
