Cooper holed up in the bathroom, phone pressed to his ear.

"Any updates on Maja? Can you just cut to the chase for once? Faking drunk for my brother-in-law is wearing me out."

A woman's voice drifted back, low and tempting.

"I could, but only if Sweetie calls me Mama Kiss."

"Yeah, right. Get lost."

He hung up. On the other side of the door, Henry was banging and yelling,

"Cooper, open up!"

Cooper swung the door open, scooped up Sweetie, and made straight for bed.

Henry just stood there, blinking in confusion. He'd only wanted to use the bathroom-why was Cooper running off with the kid?

At the station, Annie sat at her desk, looking ghostly pale.

She hadn't been herself lately-her thoughts kept slipping away, and today's crime scene had her bolting outside to throw up. She'd seen worse before and never flinched, but this time her stomach wouldn't quit churning.

A coworker noticed and nudged her to take a breather in the lounge.

The medical examiner came out of the autopsy room, peeling off gloves, spritzing disinfectant, and heading over to Easton with the findings.

burning the midnight oil in a meeting, the

You've been through bloodier scenes without

slouched in her chair. She wasn't one of the old-timers, but she'd seen plenty. This

think I'm just beat. Haven't been

Easton came over, stern.

get checked out. Don't tough it out-this

"Got it,

examiner kept glancing over at her for

late when the

broke

that

dorms. Annie and the

shared a room-bunk

examiner leaned over

has your

blinked, caught

got it. "Oh. No, not yet. But it's never regular. Whenever we're slammed

go haywire."

Work always

examiner gave her

You've got a fiancé. Ever think

Annie sat up, staring at

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