window of the Stop 'n' Save. The next memory was the blaring ring of the telephone when Jeffrey had called to tell her about the briefing, practically begging her not to come. Everything else was lost to her.
Getting dressed this morning had been the hardest part. After the long shower, Lena wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, tucked into a ball. She would have been perfectly happy doing this for the rest of the day, but she couldn't give in to that weakness. Last night had been a mistake, but a necessary one. Obviously, she had needed to let herself go, to grieve as much as she could without falling apart.
This morning was a different story. Lena had forced herself to put on slacks and a nice jacket, the kind of outfit she wore every day on the job. Strapping on her holster, checking her gun, Lena had felt herself slipping back into being a cop instead of the victim's sister. Still, her head ached and her thoughts seemed to be stuck like glue on the inside of her brain. With an unprecedented sympathy, she understood how alcoholics got started. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't help thinking that a stiff drink would do her a world of good.
The door to the briefing room squeaked open, and Lena looked up in time to see Sara Linton standing in the hallway, her back to Lena. Sara was saying something to Jeffrey, and it did not look polite. Lena felt a pang of guilt for the way she treated Sara the night before. Despite what Lena had said, she knew that Sara was a good doctor. From all accounts, Linton had given up a very promising career in Atlanta to come back to Grant. She was owed an apology, something Lena did not even want to think about at this point in time. If records had been kept on the matter, Lena 's outburst-to-apology ratio would be heavily weighted in the outburst department.
" Lena," Sara said. "Come on back with me."
Lena blinked, wondering when Sara had crossed the room. She was standing at the door to the supply closet.
Lena scooted up in her chair to stand, forgetting about the coffee. Some of it spilled on her pants, but she didn't care. She set the cup on the floor and followed Sara's orders. The supply closet was large enough to be called a room, but the sign on the door had given it this designation years ago, and nobody had bothered to make a clarification. Among other things stored here were evidence, dummies for the CPR classes the police gave in the fall, and the emergency supply kit.
"Here," Sara said, pulling up a chair. "Sit."
Again, Lena did as she was told. She watched as Sara rolled out a tank of oxygen.
Sara hooked up a mask to the tank, saying, "Your head is hurting because the alcohol depletes oxygen in your blood." She flexed the rubber band around the mask, holding it out to Lena. "Take slow, deep breaths and it should start to feel better."
Lena took the mask, not actually trusting Sara, but at this point she would have sucked the ass end of a skunk if someone had told her it would make her head stop pounding.
After a few more breaths, Sara asked, "Better?"
Lena nodded, because it was better. She wasn't feeling up to her usual self, but at least she could open her eyes all the way.
" Lena," Sara said, taking the mask back. "I wanted to ask you about something I found."
"Yeah?" Lena said, feeling put on her guard. She was expecting Sara to try to talk her out of being here during the briefing, so when the other woman spoke, Lena was surprised.
"When I was examining Sibyl," Sara began, storing the tank back against the wall, "I found some physical evidence that I wasn't exactly expecting."
"Like what?" Lena asked, her mind starting to work again.
"I don't think it has a bearing on the case, but I have to tell Jeffrey what I found. It's not up to me to make that kind of decision."
Despite the fact that Sara had helped her headache, Lena did not have patience for her games. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the fact that your sister's
Getting dressed this morning had been the hardest part. After the long shower, Lena wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, tucked into a ball. She would have been perfectly happy doing this for the rest of the day, but she couldn't give in to that weakness. Last night had been a mistake, but a necessary one. Obviously, she had needed to let herself go, to grieve as much as she could without falling apart.
This morning was a different story. Lena had forced herself to put on slacks and a nice jacket, the kind of outfit she wore every day on the job. Strapping on her holster, checking her gun, Lena had felt herself slipping back into being a cop instead of the victim's sister. Still, her head ached and her thoughts seemed to be stuck like glue on the inside of her brain. With an unprecedented sympathy, she understood how alcoholics got started. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't help thinking that a stiff drink would do her a world of good.
The door to the briefing room squeaked open, and Lena looked up in time to see Sara Linton standing in the hallway, her back to Lena. Sara was saying something to Jeffrey, and it did not look polite. Lena felt a pang of guilt for the way she treated Sara the night before. Despite what Lena had said, she knew that Sara was a good doctor. From all accounts, Linton had given up a very promising career in Atlanta to come back to Grant. She was owed an apology, something Lena did not even want to think about at this point in time. If records had been kept on the matter, Lena 's outburst-to-apology ratio would be heavily weighted in the outburst department.
" Lena," Sara said. "Come on back with me."
Lena blinked, wondering when Sara had crossed the room. She was standing at the door to the supply closet.
Lena scooted up in her chair to stand, forgetting about the coffee. Some of it spilled on her pants, but she didn't care. She set the cup on the floor and followed Sara's orders. The supply closet was large enough to be called a room, but the sign on the door had given it this designation years ago, and nobody had bothered to make a clarification. Among other things stored here were evidence, dummies for the CPR classes the police gave in the fall, and the emergency supply kit.
"Here," Sara said, pulling up a chair. "Sit."
Again, Lena did as she was told. She watched as Sara rolled out a tank of oxygen.
Sara hooked up a mask to the tank, saying, "Your head is hurting because the alcohol depletes oxygen in your blood." She flexed the rubber band around the mask, holding it out to Lena. "Take slow, deep breaths and it should start to feel better."
Lena took the mask, not actually trusting Sara, but at this point she would have sucked the ass end of a skunk if someone had told her it would make her head stop pounding.
After a few more breaths, Sara asked, "Better?"
Lena nodded, because it was better. She wasn't feeling up to her usual self, but at least she could open her eyes all the way.
" Lena," Sara said, taking the mask back. "I wanted to ask you about something I found."
"Yeah?" Lena said, feeling put on her guard. She was expecting Sara to try to talk her out of being here during the briefing, so when the other woman spoke, Lena was surprised.
"When I was examining Sibyl," Sara began, storing the tank back against the wall, "I found some physical evidence that I wasn't exactly expecting."
"Like what?" Lena asked, her mind starting to work again.
"I don't think it has a bearing on the case, but I have to tell Jeffrey what I found. It's not up to me to make that kind of decision."
Despite the fact that Sara had helped her headache, Lena did not have patience for her games. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the fact that your sister's
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