Don't Look Like a Seal Pt. 03

"That's me with my dad when I was about six years old. Mom's been kind of a camera nut all my life. She was always taking pictures so I've got a lot of dad and ma but this one... I dunno, to me this one is just him or what I remember of him," She confessed.

I nodded as I handed her picture back. She looked at the pair of pics together for a moment then handed mine back. I tucked it away back in it's place.

"This would be a huge step," She laughed. "Us meeting the others parents in a way. You know... if we were dating that is."

I glanced over at her and saw the nervousness on her face. I smiled reassuringly at her.

"I know what you mean and here I am not making introductions," I said with a chuckle. "Michelle, this is my Mom and Dad, Walter and Paula Grayson. Mom, Dad, this is Michelle Ripley, excuse me, soon to be Dr. Michelle Ripley right?"

"That was the plan until I got the call about Scott," she said. "The thing in Orlando was supposed to be my fast track but that got a little messed up. Don't think for a second that I regret coming back though, Kenny. Lissa is practically my sister and I love Scott to death."

"Is there another program that you can get in on?" I asked.

"There is one that I've signed up for but it fills up pretty quick every year but I have my fingers crossed," She shared.

"I'll cross mine for you too," I told her. "So almost Dr. Michelle Ripley and while she is very pretty we're just friends."

"Did you hear that, Dad? This is the second time he called me pretty. You'd better keep an eye on him for me," She said to the picture as she smiled at me.

"I'm sure he heard me tell my parents that we're just friends." I commented.

"Uh huh," She said. "Don't forget that he was with me in the ice cream parlor so he heard your leg remarks. You had better watch that in the future."

"I'll try and be more careful, sir," I nodded toward the picture.

"Kenny this is my Dad, Michael Dixon," She introduced. "And yes, when I sign my name it ends up scrunched up against the side of the document so no jokes."

"Just think of when you get your doctorate then you'll be Dr. Michelle Dixon-Ripley," I said. "You know that's not that long right?"

"Toss in my middle name and it gets a bit longer," She shared.

"A bit huh? Care to share what that middle name is?" I asked.

"A girl has got to have some secrets, Kenny. Now where was I? Oh yeah, Dad this is Kenny..." She looked at me expectantly.

"Oh no, if you aren't sharing, I'm not sharing." I chuckled.

"Fine," She said. "Dad, this is Kenny Afraid I'll mock his middle name Grayson, a former Navy SEAL and current... do you prefer bodyguard or security consultant?"

"Bullet stopper works." I joked.

"That isn't funny. Don't joke about that happening. I have one friend that's laid up in the hospital trying to stop bullets. I don't want another one in there." She said seriously before she looked back to the picture. "See Dad? Friends. Despite his earlier remarks."

There was a moment those words hung in the air as if she wanted to say more but she didn't. Maybe I imagined it though.

"Yes sir, just friends." I assured him.

"He'll be keeping a close eye on you just so you know." She told me as she put her picture away as we pulled up to the estate gates.

"I'll try to do better," I commented as the guards at the gate checked over the car. "Hey, can I ask you for a favor of sorts?"

"I'm not taking it easy on you with the movie tonight, Kenny," She vowed with a grin. "You will take your butt whuppin' like a man."

I chuckled and shook my head.

"Good to know but that wasn't the favor," I stated. "You know where Scott lives right?"

"I've been to their place quite a few times," She answered. "Why?"

I explained about Det. Young wanting me to give the place a once over and when I had finished Michelle didn't look pleased.

"She thinks this is about you guys and not about Addison?" She asked. "If that's the case why can't she go snooping around my friends place?"

"Honestly, I'm thinking she's offered me this as a sort of courtesy to Scott and Lissa," I answered. "Cops would toss the place and leave a mess to be cleaned up. I won't."

Michelle snorted out and angry breath then nodded.

"Fair point," She conceded. "And you don't need a warrant either."

"Brilliant and beautiful," I said then sighed when I realized I had said it aloud.

She eyed me for a moment then shook her head but with a wry smile on her face.

"So can you like plug in their address into my GPS so I can take a run over there tomorrow? Please?" I asked her.

"Are you planning on telling Scott and Lissa about this?" She asked.

"I was planning on explaining when I asked him for his key," I answered.

She seemed to think about my answer for a few moments then nodded her head.

"I'll do you one better," She said. "I'll go over there with you..."

"You don't have to..." I started to say but she interrupted me.

"That way I can make sure that you don't make a mess," She continued practically unabated.

"I guess I'm not winning this argument huh?" I asked.

"Nope and I'm kicking your butt tonight with the movie too, Mr. Grayson," Michelle vowed as she got out of my car.

"I'll be around, Soon to be Dr. Ripley," I chuckled.

"Standing in the dark being creepy and talking to yourself no doubt," She giggled.

"Hey!" I remarked as she stepped back.

"Your turn to pick the movie by the way," She called back over her shoulder.

"I promise that I won't make it too difficult for you," I called back.

"Make it as difficult as you can, Kenny. That way my victory will be that much sweeter," She challenged me with a grin.

"Victory huh? All right then. We'll see how that plays out for us both then," I answered.

"Be ready to lose," She said then climbed the stairs.

I watched as she ascended the stone steps before I drove on to the guest house to change for my shift.

Detective's Investigation

Detective Lang pushed back from the desk and rubbed his temples.

"If I have to look at this again I'm going to shoot the screen," He grumbled. "Seriously, Jen, how long are we gonna look at this footage?"

"I don't know," Det. Young sighed and turned to the tech. "This can't be made any clearer?"

The tech shook her head.

"The hospital haven't updated their cameras since Clinton was in office so this is the best I can do," She pointed to the grainy image on the screen. "Sorry."

"Not your fault," Det. Young said while her partner grumbled some more.

"Young, Lang, might have something for you on the Brannock shooting," Their Sargent called out from his office.

"Please God let it not be any more video," Det. Lang groaned.

"What do you have for us, sarge?" Det. Young asked.

"Someone called in a body out near Vaux Island. Might be connected to your case," He called out.

Young and Lang got up and went into his office.

"How so?" Det. Young asked.

"Officer on the scene thinks the guy could match the BOLO you sent out from the hospital video," He shared.

"They found a blurry faced guy?" Det. Lang sighed.

Det. Young sighed and shook her head.

"I'm assuming the clothing matched," She said.

"That's the story. Go check it out," He told them.

"Sure thing Sarge," Det. Lang said as he got to his feet then smiled at his partner. "Hope you brought your seasickness pills today, Jen."

"I'll pick some up at the marina." Det. Young sighed as they headed toward their car.

****

The detectives arrived at the Wacca Wache Marina and boarded the police boat that was waiting on them. Det. Young already looked green as she walked aboard.

"Be glad she didn't have a big lunch today." Det. Lang said to the boat captain who chuckled.

"I'll be all... right." She grumbled as the boat rocked on the murky water. "Just give the pills a chance to kick in."

The boat trip took less than ten minutes but Det. Young had threatened to shoot her partner twice for making puking sounds before her feet touched dry land.

"Jeeze, Jenny, with the way you are around boats you'd think that you'd be a cop out in Montana or Nevada," Det. Lang commented as they walked onto the small island.

"I handle it all right," She argued as she waved away a cloud of gnats that hung in the thick South Carolina air.

"Blowing chunks every time you step foot on a boat is not handling it," He stated.

"I handle not being able to handle it," She sighed.

"That makes no sense," He answered but stopped the argument as he caught her glare because they had reached the crime scene.

They flashed their badges to the officer who was guarding the perimeter. He nodded and lifted the tape so they could pass under it. They walked up to the sheriff who was standing over a covered body.

"Detectives Young and Lang, MBPD." Det. Young stated. "We were told that this guy might belong to us."

"Hard to tell," he commented.

"Hard to tell?" Det. Lang asked. "Granted the screenshot we got of the guy wasn't great but we didn't come all the way out here for a hard to tell."

The sheriff got an angry look on his face so Det. Young stepped in.

"Guys, it's hot out and we're running out of daylight," She said. "How about we take a look and see if we've got a guy."

"Help yourself," he said and stepped back.

Det. Young knelt down and gently pulled the sheet back revealing the remains of what used to be a human face only it was gone and they were looking right into the brain cavity. Det. Lang looked over her shoulder, retched then stumbled away so he wouldn't contaminate the scene. Young glanced at her partner worriedly then looked back at the corpse.

"What could do this to a person?" Det. Young asked as she fought back her own revulsion.

"I was hoping you could tell me," The sheriff said as he shook his head. "The fish and game guy that found him mentioned gators before he went to bushes and chucked up everything he ate all day. Don't look like gators to me. No bites that I could see. You?"

Det. Young looked closer and nodded her agreement.

"I can't see any teeth marks and gators usually like their meat a little more tender. Our medical examiner could tell us more since this isn't the best light." She said. "I'm guessing that he had no ID on him."

"Not that we could find. You want him?" the sheriff asked.

"We do," She answered. "The clothes are a match to our perp so we'd like first shot if you don't mind."

"This one is all yours," He answered her. "I wouldn't count on any fingerprints to help you out on this one."

"Those gone too," She asked as she lifted one of the body's arms only to find that the whole hand has been removed at the wrist. "Damn!"

"That was pretty much my reaction," He nodded. "Cuts are clean so unless the alligators around here have taken to using knives then I'm guessing that whoever dumped him here did it."

"Safe bet," She nodded. "Think the head wound was what killed him?"

"If I were a betting man I would say yes," He answered. "Found what looks like an entrance wound at the back of... well what's left of his head but I'll let your medical examiner make the official call on that one. Oh, when I was checking for an ID I smelled something kind of... off. Chemical kind of smell but with a tinge of burning flesh. Not the kind of smell one forgets you know?"

Young nodded her head.

"Did you take a look?" She asked.

"Thought that I'd leave that up to either our medical examiner or yours. I had seen all I wanted," He answered.

"Understandable," She nodded.

She was curious but she stayed her hand so she didn't risk further contaminating the body. She would have her answers soon enough.

"Your partner gonna be all right?" The sheriff asked.

"Lang? Yes he'll be fine. He's got a thing about disfigurements, they get to him," She answered.

"It's the floaters that get to me. Try not to give him too hard a time for it," He told her.

Det. Young nodded and got back up to her feet.

"Now what kind of partner would I be if I did that?" She asked with a grin.

"Sure thing and, Det. Young, keep these psychos up in the Grand Strand with you all right?" He stated.

"I'll try my best," She nodded and went to collect her partner.

She found her partner back at the boat. He was talking to the fish and wildlife officer and taking notes.

"You all right, Bobby?" She asked as she got to them.

"Karma sure kicked me in the gut over that," He nodded then turned back to the man. "I've got your card in case we need anything further."

"I'm really hoping that you don't," The officer commented as he headed back to his own nearby boat.

"Poor guy," Det. Lang commented as they watched the guy leave.

"What was he doing out here?" Det. Young asked.

"Checking the place for illegal traps," He answered. "Seems to be a problem around here. People trap gators then sell them or their hides or some such."

"He see anyone out here other than our stiff?" She questioned.

"He got a call about a boat landing here. By the time he got here all that was left was our dead guy," Det. Lang answered.

"We need to check and see if the marina here has any surveillance cameras we can look at," She said. "Let's try for a quicker return trip this time. I doubt my stomach can take more of your jokes at my expense."

"If you're able to stomach looking at that corpse I won't give you crap about getting a little green on the ride back," He assured her. "I'll even bring you water if you spew."

"You do have a heart after all, Tin Man," She joked. "If only I could click my heels together and be back on dry land."

****

Michelle and I were in the middle of watching Rear Window, the original not the remake, when my cell phone started to vibrate. She looked questioningly at me.

"It's Det. Young," I said as I looked at the now familiar number.

Michelle nodded and turned her attention back to the movie. I stood and swiped to accept the call.

"Grayson," I answered.

"Hey, Ken, I'm not interrupting your shift am I?" Det. Young asked.

"Only a little," I answered. "What's going on?"

"We got called out to a scene a few hours ago," She answered.

"A scene having to do with Scott?" I asked and Michelle perked up.

She paused the movie and moved closer so she could overhear Det. Young's side of the conversation.

"We think so," Det. Young said. "It's hard to say at this point but I want to ask you for a favor. Okay, another favor I suppose."

"Don't worry," I said. "I'm not keeping count. What can I do to help?"

"There's been a body found and we think that it might be the guy that tried to get to Scott today," She started.

"A body? Have you got an ID on him?" I asked.

"We're waiting on DNA to come back and see if we get any hits from that," She answered.

"Was T. J. able to ID him as the attacker?" I asked.

"We haven't tried. Doubtful that it would do much good," She said.

"The guy was in T. J.'s face. He can at least ID him as the attacker," I argued.

"The guy doesn't have a face," Det. Young snapped.

Michelle paled and I gasped which had Det. Young apologizing.

"I'm sorry, Ken," She said. "That came out a little harsher than it should have. It's been a long day here."

"It sounds like it was so the little outburst is understandable," I assured her as Michelle sat back. "What do you mean that he has no face?"

"We're waiting on the medical examiner to be sure but it looks like something blew the front of his skull off. There wasn't much left," She said. "Do you think you can come down to the medical examiner's office tomorrow and have a look at the guy?"

"I suppose that I can but why me? I never saw the guy. Wouldn't T. J. be a better choice even without... ya know?" I asked as I glanced at Michelle not wanting to conjure up more worse images for her.

"I'd prefer your eye since you're an investigator and you might know more than your buddy about what I want you to look at." She explained. "There's something that... well I need your opinion on."

"Uh, sure I had planned to go by Scott's place like you wanted but that can wait," I answered.

"Would you be able to meet us at the office around nine?" She asked.

"My shift's over around six thirty, I can get in a quick swim, make a stop and be there at nine," I answered.

"Don't you sleep Grayson?" She laughed.

"I'll find time to catch a nap before my shift starts," I chuckled.

"After what I saw tonight, I probably won't be getting any sleep tonight but I want to try before going at this again. Hopefully I can sneak in a couple hours of sleep at least," She sighed wearily.

"All right, good luck with that," I said. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Grayson," She said.

"Night Detective," I said then hung up.

"A guy with no face? What is going on, Kenny? " She whispered as Grace Kelly crept into Raymond Burr's apartment on the screen.

"I don't have a clue," I answered. "I guess I'll know more tomorrow when I go to the medical examiners office."

"That's the morgue right?" She asked. "I'm not going there with you."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"The morgue. A girl has got to draw the line somewhere," She explained.

"And your line's the morgue huh? Good to know I guess. It wasn't like I was going to ask you to go. I've seen enough horror movies to know how that would turn out," I said glad that she can presumably joke about it.

"You'd disappear in the first act, killed by the maniac with an axe, while I struggled to run away in high heels and short skirt," She stated.

"I'm liking this movie already," I grinned.

"Did you forget about you getting killed in the first act?" She asked.

"You said I disappeared so I'm sure that I'll be back in the last fifteen minutes of the movie," I pointed out. "Now back to your legs in this skirt."

"You're lucky my dad's picture is upstairs listening to Addison snore right now." She stated.

"Sorry about that," I smiled. "Continue."

"Not yet." She said as she stretched out her legs in front of her. "I can't believe that you like my legs that much."

She placed her feet on the coffee table and bounced them a little. I allowed my eyes to travel from her bare feet up her pajama clad legs until I settled on her smiling face that was lit by the television.

"Honestly I like the whole package," shot out of my mouth before I could stop it. "But since we're just friends I probably shouldn't have said that."

"Probably not. Is it making you uncomfortable?" She asked with just a hint of gleefulness in her voice.

"If I say yes, you're going to keep it up aren't you?" I asked.

"Maybe," She laughed as she brought her legs back up onto the couch then stretched them in my direction.

I give an exaggerated annoyed look and shake my head.

"Then it doesn't bother me in the slightest," I answered.

"Liar, you're blushing right now I can tell." She said then shoved my thigh with her feet. "Watch the movie buddy and make sure your eyes stay on the screen."

"I'll try my best." I chuckled.

She prodded me one more time with her feet and giggled before we resumed watching the movie. After several minutes I looked over and found she had fallen asleep. I covered her with a nearby blanket and switched off the TV.

"Goodnight, Michelle," I whispered her and heard her make this little snort sound as I closed the door.

"Hitchcock was a nice choice." Joe said in my ear as I entered the kitchen.

"Glad you enjoyed it, Joe. Did you pick up on the phone call I had with Det. Young as well?" I asked him.

"Hey, your phone calls are your private business," He assured me.

"Good to know," I said. "She wants me to come by the morgue tomorrow morning and check out a body."

"A body?" He asked. "Whose body?"

"They aren't sure," I answered. "They think it's related to the thing at the hospital from today."