Never Together Nor Apart

[Chapter 55]

Emily's POV:

I look a Matthew's dead body. I feel a rush of emotions once again. I place my hand on his head. It brings me back to we're we we're younger.

Flashback

"I'm scared," I tell him.

"Don't worry. It will be ok," He insists.

"Will you hold my hand?" My breathing is heavy.

"Always," he reaches for my hand as I look around the room.

The medical equipment and smell is frightening. My mother is no where to be found and neither is John. Of all people he should be here...

"Is it possible someone could have induced the heart attack?" Morgan's voice snaps me from my thoughts.

"The easiest way to stop the heart is an injection of potassium, I would have found traces," the woman replies.

"There's no other way?" I continue look at his still body.

"I suppose it's possible he could have been injected with epinephrine. It wouldn't register because clinically it's identical to the natural adrenaline in the body," she explains.

I take out his hand and see marks.

"Was he tied?" I question.

"The wounds are superficial," she answers.

"Anything else out of the ordinary?" Morgan asks.

"He bled heavily from his nose but with the damage to his septum, my guess is that it was prolonged abuse to cocaine or methamphetamine," she responds.

I let out an unheard yeah.

"And what about the other autopsy, Thomas Valentine?" Morgan reminds.

"He died of dehydration. There were traces of prescription antipsychotics in his system. I understand from his family he had a history of mental illness," she hands me a file.

"Are these ligature marks?" I ask her.

"Considering the self-inflicted wounds and the history of mental illness, the police didn't suspect foul play," she answers.

"So you have two bodies with ligature marks-" I feel myself becoming angrier by the second.

"Each superficial," she reminds.

Superficial my ass.

"But you just dismiss them?" I grit my teeth.

"There's no medical reason to connect these deaths," She says as Morgan pulls me aside telling me we should leave.

*time skip*

"I—I told you not to mention me," I rub my temples.
I cringe as JJ and Aaron walk up to me wondering why they were back so soon from Matthew's.

"You didn't say it would get us kicked out," JJ counters.

"Is there something we should know?" Aaron raises his eyebrow.

"Matthew and I met in stone when we were 15. My mom was posted there. His parents didn't like us hanging out," I leave out some details.

"And they still hold a grudge?" JJ looks confused.

"They were extremely religious. They thought I was a bad influence," Once again I leave out smaller details.

"You?" JJ scoffs.

"Yeah," I playfully roll my eyes.

"And that's it?" I can tell Aaron doesn't buy my story.

"That's it," I insist.