"The man was drunk," the doctor said. "And I think that's the reason why he was overpowered by the one who did it. He is not a short man either."
They still do not know how to continue with the investigation. They have talked to the closest people in his circle, and all of them could not give a single answer. Milly would call the station from time to time, asking for updates about her Dad's case. "Are there any updates?" she'd ask. Emily would usually be the one to answer. "No, Milly. We're sorry."
The doctor who did the autopsy is holding a folder, and she showed it to Ray. There are pictures of the man's different body parts, and he was heavily bruised all over. But the biggest bruise is on his left forearm.
"He got it from defending himself," she said. "He tried to fight whoever did it to him."
"Do you think it's a him?" Emily asked.
"No doubt about that, unless there were many. If it was only a single person, it's definitely a man. They had an altercation first. A woman would not be able to handle his weight, he's a huge man."
Ray looked at the pictures. Aside from his arms, even his legs had bruises. "I think he was dragged on the ground," the doctor said. "The bruises were not that big, so these are probably not direct hits to his legs."
Ray had a visual in his head. Leo was probably killed inside the house, but his dead body was dragged outside.
"He's a heavy drinker, too." Emily and Ray looked at her. "His liver is scarred, based from what I saw. Look at these," she showed them pictures of what looks like his abdominal area.
"Are we really supposed to see these pictures?" Ray couldn't help but ask.
"We're all professionals here. Seeing these," she pointed to the images. "Would help you two."
"Is this some form of a cirrhosis?" Emily asked.
The doctor nodded. "It is. I've seen a lot of patients over the years with the same problem, and Leo's was one of the most severe. If he were not killed, he would be dead in five years, more or less."
The telephone rang. Emily answered, mouthing "Milly" to Ray. "Yes, sweetheart?" she said.
He could not hear what Milly is saying.
"I'm sorry. We still do not know who did it." Emily said, and hung-up immediately.
Ray laughed. "That was rude. That's his daughter."
Milly had no parents left, so the police entrusted her to one of her aunts who live nearby. Her aunt doesn't have a husband or children, so the police thought that she would be a responsible guardian to her niece.
"I feel bad for the kid." Ray said. He knows what it feels like to lose both parents at a young age. Even though his father was physically present as he was growing up, he was emotionally unavailable, which led to Ray being forced to help himself sort through the issues he faced in his teenagehood.
====================
"Don't you think it's a bit too early to give up?" Emily isn't amused with Ray's proposition. "I don't want to quit yet, and I don't think I will, anytime soon. Maybe someday?"
It was Ray and Emily's first time to take a lunch together and he dropped the bomb he's been wanting to: for the two of them to quit their jobs together.
"Why do I need to quit with you? You can go on your own, if you want."
"Ted would be mad at me, I can't let him down. And I'm not forcing you." Ray said.
"Then where would I be if I'm not-" she pointed at the station beside the restaurant, and said, "-there?"
"You know where I work. I can easily get you hired."
"I'm not creative, Ray," she insisted. "If creativity, if being artistic comes as second nature to you, then that's you. I have a different league. Working on our cases is what gives me fulfillment. I can't force you to stay if you don't want to, and you can't force me to go if I wanted to stay."
"I'm not forcing you to do anything. I'm just trying to convince you, but I give up." Ray said.
The both of them dropped the topic and instead talked about Milly and what life is about to be for her.
"You know," she started. "I don't think her aunt will be a good guardian."
"Why did you choose to be silent when they were thinking about it?"
"It was Rose's decision. You know she's the head of the division."
Rose is a firm division commander. She's stern and headstrong. She is quite friendly to Ray, but Emily has always disliked her. "I think she likes you, in that way," she would tell him.
Ray didn't mind it. If she does, he will not reciprocate it anyway. He does find himself handsome; albeit not in a way that he will pass as a school heartthrob, but he think he will pass as a 8/10 if he'll be more attentive in grooming himself.
"I'm not interested in dating anyone, yet," he would tell her.
"So if you were, then you'd date her?" she teased.
"No, I did not say that."
"Don't you find her pretty? She's pretty, I must say."
This confused Ray. "Don't you hate her? Why are you setting her up with me?"
"Because I won't be the one dating her!" she'd say.
"But if I did, then you would always be with her, because you are my partner. Haven't you thought of that?"
Emily realized. "Oh well, at least it won't happen."
====================
"Where did you get that bruise on your arm?" Laura touched Ray, and he flinched.
"No, no. Don't worry, maybe I just bumped onto somewhere, I didn't even notice."
He was not supposed to go to work today, but apparently, someone had to talk to him. "He's coming," she said.
They wait for awhile, and when Laura saw him about to come in, she alerted Ray. "Isaac. He's here," she said, and went out the door to welcome him herself.
Isaac and Ray shook each other's hands. "Ray. I have heard a lot about you."
Ray is pleased. "Thank you for choosing us."
Vogue has worked with Balenciaga more times than Ray could count. Years ago, he talked with its CEO for a special edition. The CEO is very professional; she knew what she wanted the project to look like and Ray found it easy to work with her.
"Of course, we have always liked working with you. I know it may be too early, but we're interesting in making a campaign for summer, next year."
Ray entertained each one of Isaac's ideas and before their meeting ends, he showed Ray a portfolio of what inspired him for the concepts.
