Warnings: Mandatory angst, a little violence

Plot Blurb: When the flu sweeps through the Bayport Police Department resulting in a serious shortage of officers, everyone from the top brass on down is called upon to help out. While on routine street patrol, Police Chief Ezra Collig and Detective Con Riley are asked to respond to a domestic violence call at a familiar address, which they assume must be a mistake. However, when they arrive on the scene, they realize nothing could have prepared them for what they find.

Splash Page: Approaching the kitchen, Collig and Riley heard a slight movement and ragged, heavy breathing. Getting closer, they saw pieces of broken glass on the floor and a dark brown liquid that looked like soda. Walking further into the kitchen, they noticed the brown liquid started to mingle with a familiar looking red liquid…blood.

Taking a few more steps, they saw a pair of long legs, obviously female, unmoving on the floor. Con felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, knowing he was not going to like what he saw.

Inching ever closer, he turned into the kitchen and stopped, all the color draining from his face. Turning to his boss, he was sure Ezra Collig's expression matched his own.

Special Notes: This story takes place before Guilty. Great big THANK YOU’s to Hbwgonnabe and Sparks and Evergreen for letting me use elements from their stories to help create a "history" for my characters. (Hbwgonnabe’s Road to Heaven/Highway from Hell and Spark’s and Evergreen’s Death on the Fourth of July – go read them NOW!)