Reckless and Brave

LXIII. I Can't Drive 55 (Part I)

[Yellow Fever]

Dean ran along a road, hearing barking and growling behind him. He turned a corner and ran into a shopping cart, causing him to fall. He saw a homeless man rummaging through a garbage bin. He pointed. "Run! It'll kill you!"

Dean continued running from the pink-ribboned Yorkie as he shouted.

43 Hours Earlier

The coroner opened a body bag. "Agent Tyler, Agent Perry, Agent Hamilton, meet Frank O'Brien."

Sam asked, "He died of a heart attack, right?"

"Three days ago."

"But O'Brien was 44 years old and, according to this, a marathon runner."

"Everybody drops dead sooner or later. It's why I got job security."

Dean frowned. "Yeah, but Frank kicked it here. Now, just yesterday, two perfectly healthy men bit it in Maumee. All heart attacks, you don't think that's strange?"

"Sounds like Maumee's problem to me. Why's the FBI give a damn, anyway?"

Holly smiled. "We just want to see the results of Frank's autopsy."

"What autopsy?"

"The one you're about to do."

The coroner cut open the body and asked, "First dead body?"

"Far from it." Dean replied.

"Oh, good. Because these suckers can get pretty ripe. Hey, hand me those rib cutters, would you?"

Sam took a breath as Dean picked up the rib cutters and handed them to the coroner. He cut open the ribs and Sam did his best to keep from squirming.

Holly noticed a line on Frank's left ring finger. "Is that from a wedding ring? I didn't think Frank was married."

The coroner shrugged. "Ain't my department."

Sam held up Frank's arm, seeing the scratches. "Any idea how he got these?"

"You know what? When you drop dead, you actually tend to drop. Body probably got scraped up when it hit the ground. Huh!"

"What?"

"I--I can't find any blockages in any of the major arteries." The coroner broke off a portion of the heart and Dean gagged. "Heart looks pretty damn healthy." He held the heart to Dean. "Hold that for a second, would you?" Sam smirked.

The coroner cut another part of the body and Sam's and Holly's faces were hit with blood. "Oh, sorry. Spleen juice." Dean smirked and Holly flipped him off.

They made their way to the sheriff's station the next day and waited to speak to the sheriff.

The sheriff's door soon opened. "Hell's bells, Linus, have you seen my...Who are they?" He turned to the siblings.

Deputy Linus said, "Federal agents. I, uh..."

"And you kept them waiting?"

"You, you said not to disturb."

"Come on back, fellas, lady." They walked to the sheriff's office, but he stopped them. "Shoes off."

They took their shoes off and walked inside.

The sheriff smiled. "Al Britton. Good to meet you." He shook the siblings' hands.

"You too." Sam said as the sheriff gestured for them to sit down. "Thank you."