Returning Home.

Chapter 4.

I've been working in the surgery for a fortnight now and the boys have started at the local school, so I find that I have a bit of time between appointments to get my own things done.

After the funeral I started to have dreams of Eliot's funeral. That son of a bitch, how I cried like I had lost everything in my life to then find out that he had been having an affair for the past year. I need to find things to do to try and distract me from loosing my shit.

I start to go through some of the boxes and sort out what we need to keep and what can go to in the shredder.

"Mae, did dad ever start that filing system on the computer?" I ask. I hear her laughing from the waiting room.

"You father and computers was like a running joke around here." Mae says.

Seth comes in and looks at the mound of paper I have all over the office and tries to back out slowly.

"Seth, don't you even think about leaving. We need to get this all under wraps. I have no idea how dad worked with all of this." I emphasise it by moving my hands around.

"Ok, I have an idea but it might cost us." Seth replies.
"I'm all ears." Mae says as she walks in. "I'll pay anything to not have to go through all that." She is pointing at the pile.
"What if we get Caden to build a program and then add this all to it. He's a computer genius." Seth replies.
"How much will it cost us?" I ask.
"He'd probably do it pretty cheap, he needs any excuse to escape the Bakery." Seth says.

We all laugh, as much as Jo wants his sons to take on the family business, they both have other dreams in mind.

I tell Seth to make the arrangements and as I am trying to climb around a large pile of files, my phone rings.

"Hello this is Dr Baxter." I answer.
"Good afternoon Dr, I'm senior sergeant Bryson. We have a situation down at the Ferry Terminal that we need your expertise for. Would you be able to come down and assist?"
"Yes Senior Sergeant, I'll be there in 20 minutes." I say.
He gives me some directions on where he wants me to park and what I might need to bring with me. I hadn't done any police assistance here before but I'd done it in Sydney.

"Mae, I've got to go to the Ferry Terminal to assist the police, can you watch the boys?" I say as I scoop up some gear. Mae nods and grabs the backpack for when I go into the field.

I put everything in the car and give her a quick hug.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." I say as I jump into the car.

———-
I turn up at the ferry terminal and the place is in chaos. There are police and people everywhere.

I make my way to a marquee in hopes that that is the place where I am supposed to be. I haven't yet met the Senior Sargent or any of the police at the local police station, so I have no idea who I am looking for.

I tap the the shoulder of the nearest officer. "Excuse me, but I'm looking for Senior Sargent Bryson."
"Are you a reporter?" He snaps.
"Nope, Doctor actually. I got a call to come and assist." I reply to the snappy officer.

A tall officer strides over and extends his hand. "Sorry ma'am, Tex gets a little snappy when things are hectic. I'm Detective Frankie Holden or FJ if you like." he says as he extends his hand.

"Nice to meet you FJ, I'm Amelia Baxter. Bryson rung about a situation at the terminal that you needed me for." I reply whilst shaking the detectives hand.

He looks a little taken back but he quickly hides his shock as he lets go of my hand an offers to show me the way.

"You look quite young to be a doctor?" He inquires and I just roll my eyes. It's not like I haven't heard that one before.

I brush off the comment and try to bring him back to the task at hand.

"so tell me about what you need me for?" I reply as we step down the side stairs of the car ramp that lead to a pontoon.  I look around as we go, it's been ages since I'd seen so much happening at this ferry terminal. When I left town, this was pretty much an old boaties launching area. It was mainly used when the weather was too bad at the main terminal, so there was not a lot here back then, but as I look around I see that the council must had been flushed for cash with all the upgrades that have been done.

"Well here we are." The detective says which  breaks me from my thoughts when I turn and look out over the pontoon and see that there is a mess of blood all over the walkway which seems to trail across yo the car ramp and up to a body.

I turn back towards the detective and say "What the heck happened here!" I scan his face but I can see that he seems yo be as confused as I am.

I turn yo pull my gloves out and he moves yo help take my bag. He holds it in frount of him and says "That's what we are hoping you can help us out with, or at least help us yo take some samples of the body as the tide is on the rise and we need yo take as many samples as we can before the water washes most of it away."

I nod as I look around, wondering where r were pike be the best place to start. With my knowledge of winds and tides, I decide that the body is probably our best option fo that they can move it before the water gets any closer.

I snap my gloves on and say "Alright, let's start at the body and walk our way back." The detective smiles and say "As you wish my lady, I am here to assist you in anyway."