Choosing to Love Again

Chapter 2 Grim Reality

Leah's POV cont.

The doctor came into the room, checked me over, looked at all the blood work results, encouraged me to make an appointment with an OB/GYN, then gave me the ‘all clear’ allowing me to leave. We immediately headed down to the morgue as I was officially required to identify my husband’s body.

The morgue attendant led us into the room where my husband’s lifeless body, covered by a white sheet, lay on a steel gurney. I had to take several very deep breaths before I gave a nod to indicate it was okay to pull the sheet back from his face.

The sight of his pale face broke me. My once warm vibrant husband lay cold and unmoving. His beautiful blue eyes closed forever. I broke down, stumbling forward until I was practically laying over him. How the hell was I ever going on with life without him? How do I live without the man who has been the center of my life since I was seventeen?

Carly gently pulled me away from Jake’s now cold body and held me as Greg methodically photographed every inch of his corpse. My body trembled as I took in the sight of my husband’s torso. The surgeon had done what they could to close the wound on his chest, but the grouping of the entry wounds on his upper left chest close to his arm was evidence that the shooter knew exactly what he was doing. The bullets hit the area just to the left of where the bullet proof vest coverage stopped. That level of accuracy wasn’t random.

When Greg finished taking the photos, he pulled the sheet up to fully cover Jake, making his black hair disappear from my sight for the final time.

Greg passed Carly’s phone back to her and quietly instructed her to upload the photos to Graystone Security’s server immediately then lock the screen on her phone. He was the one who held me as she carried out his instructions. That task completed, we left the viewing room, advising the morgue attendant that the body did indeed belong to Jake Matthew Turner. I had to sign several forms attesting to this before I could leave the building.

We got into the same unmarked vehicle we had arrived in, and the young officer drove us to the Graystone Security building.

“Greg, didn’t the Chief let you know that he and the Cole Industries lawyer wanted to meet with you and Leah before she left the hospital?” Officer Carter inquired.

“Oh, did he?” Greg responded in what I knew was his ‘playing dumb’ voice. “I guess I was so upset it didn’t register. I’ll talk to the Chief tomorrow.”

Everyone in security knew that the Chief was in Jeremy Cole’s pocket. Or more correctly, the Moretti’s pocket. But really, they were one and the same considering Jeremy Cole’s wife was the sister of Elio Moretti’s wife.

What I didn’t know was why the lawyer for Cole Industries was wanting to talk to me. I can guarantee that I would not be agreeing to meet with or talk to anyone from the Cole or Moretti family. Certainly not without witnesses or my own legal representation present. If pushed, I would insist that any meeting would occur here at Graystone Security, and that Jose Morales and some of our security specialists be present. If necessary, I would even reach out to my estranged brothers and ask them to be there for me.

It was getting on to three in the morning by the time we entered the Graystone Security building. Both Carly and I signed in, taking the elevator to the staff guest suite floor. She and Greg tried to insist that I share a two-bedroom suite with them, but I needed to be alone with my grief and shock. They took the suite next to the one-bedroom one I selected, telling me to text them if I needed them.

I didn’t bother to undress. I just kicked off my shoes and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over me. I spent the next few hours crying. Somehow, near dawn, exhaustion won out and I fell asleep only to wake multiple times reaching out for Jake, calling his name, then wailing in despair as reality crashed over me. I would never again have my husband sleeping beside me.

My usual waking time came and went. It was only when Carly entered my suite, a cup of strong coffee in one hand and a bag containing a change of clothes and personal care items in the other hand, that I finally opened my eyes to face the day. The first day of a future without Jake. Oh, God! How am I going to do this?

With Carly’s help and gentle prodding, I drank the coffee, then showered and dressed. A knock at the suite door prompted her to answer it. Greg was standing there with Francine Morales by his side, and a tray with toast, juice, a carafe of coffee, mugs and all the fixings in his hand.

“Can we come in?” he asked, sorrow and concern colouring his voice. I knew this was hitting him hard. Jake and Greg have been friends since they were babies. Losing Jake was like losing a brother.

Carly stepped aside giving them both room and permission to enter. Francine came right over to me and without saying a word wrapped me in her arms, hugging me tightly. “I am so very sorry for your loss,” she murmured. After a while she pulled back, guided me to the table and encouraged me to sit.

“You need to eat something. I know you won’t feel like it, but you need to keep your strength up, and you need to keep that baby fed.” Her motherly tone was soothing, and I did as she said, operating on autopilot.

After a few moments I realized Francine knew I was pregnant. I shot a look at Carly, wondering how and when she told Francine that I was pregnant. News gets around fast in the building. But what did I expect. Everyone that works for Graystone Security considers each other family. What one knows, we all know.

Francine, seeing the look I gave Carly jumped to her defense, even though none was needed. “I guessed because Carly was insisting on a fresh pot of decaf coffee for you. Honestly, who among us drinks decaf coffee? So, I asked if you were pregnant and she confirmed it. She wasn’t gossiping or telling tales out of school.” She was quick to assure me.

“Jake hates decaf. Says it’s a waste of coffee. It has to be a double espresso, or it isn’t worth drinking.” I choked out, then realized every time I mentioned him, his thoughts, his actions; from this point forward, it would all be using the past tense. “Jake’s gone. Dead.” I burst into tears.

“We know, Leah, we know. Carly and Greg filled us in. Look, I know this isn’t the best time for this, but Jose has asked that the three of you meet with him in the secure room. We wouldn’t ask but we need to get a jump on this if we want to get ahead of the Cole’s and the Chief’s game. Do you think you are up for that?” Francine asked with a voice filled with compassion.

I nodded, wiping the tears from my eyes. “Isn’t Greg supposed to be on shift today?” I questioned Carly.

“He called in sick,” she responded. “The chief’s office has called him several times trying to arrange a meeting between the chief, the Coles lawyer, Greg and you. My husband finally turned off his phone.”

“What the hell business is it of the Coles?” I spat out. “My husband’s death has nothing to do with them.”

“I wish that were the truth,” Greg muttered. “Let’s talk about this in the secure room, okay?” He stood up and headed to the door. Francine, Carly and I followed along behind.

I was still in shock, my mind and my body feeling numb. I don’t know how I’m going to handle everything. “Greg, did the department notify Jake’s mother? Bernice is all alone; she needs me with her. Can we bring her here? She has no one else.”

“We’ll talk in the secure room, Leah,” was his response. The way he said it was far more telling than what he said. It indicated that more bad news was coming my way.

We took the elevator down to the third floor, then walked down the corridor to a windowless room at the far end of the building. Entering the room was like entering a sound-proof vault. All the recording and video equipment in the room was stand-alone, there was no connection to a network. Meaning it couldn’t be hacked.

We sat down around the large rectangular conference table, with Carly on one side of me and Greg on the other. Francine sat across from me. Soon Jose, and four other Graystone employees entered the room. One of the other employees, Ed Watson, was my direct supervisor from the legal department, one was the IT guy, and the other two were top investigators.

“Leah,” Ed said as he came over to me and gave my shoulder a squeeze. “I am so very sorry for your loss. You take as much time as you need.” Once he saw my nod, he took a seat beside Francine.

Jose made sure the door was closed and locked before beginning this impromptu meeting.

“Leah, I can’t tell you how very sorry I am about Jake. As Ed has already said, take whatever time you need. You don’t have to worry about your income, that’s covered by your group benefits. You are family to everyone here at Graystone Security, and we will do everything possible to help you through all of this.”

I couldn’t speak. Tears were so close to the surface that if I said anything I knew I would cry. I nodded again, the only thing I seemed capable of doing now.

“Let’s get started, shall we?” Jose brought up two photos side-by-side on the big screen. “Leah, do you know who this individual is?”

I stared at the photo for a moment. The first photo showed the scene of a car accident. A man was kneeling on the pavement beside the body of a woman. The second photo was a clear enlarged image of the man. He was the spitting image of Jake, except for the tattoo sleeves on both his arms, and hands. I recognized him, even though I didn’t know him well.

“That is Jake’s cousin on his father’s side."