Speak of the Devil: A Crime Thriller (Sophia Campbell Thrillers Book 1) by Christian Burch

Author:Christian Burch [Burch, Christian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wicked Ink Publishing
Published: 2023-09-04T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

VISITING THE MORGUE wasn't something that the average person would enjoy or put on their agenda. It was cold, quiet, claustrophobic (at times), and had an underlying chemical smell that constantly lingered. The only person who Sophia had ever see that appeared truly at ease in the morgue was Julia Worthington: the county mortician. At twenty-six, she was the youngest to fill the position and had only worked there for two years but her work had helped the department on several cases that were difficult. Her predecessor, Jack Higgins, had been another story altogether. A grumpy seventy-one-year-old man with a distaste for anyone with a badge had been a hindrance more than anything.

It only took two or three weeks for Sophia and Julia to hit it off. Within a few months, Julia had claimed the label of best friend. Considering Sophia could count on one hand the people who she thought of as friends, it shocked her. Close in age, having similar interests and hobbies (and drinks on their off days) made it easy and the relationship just worked.

Opening the door to the mortuary revealed an empty lobby which was no surprise. it didn't shout of a welcoming atmosphere, but Julia would argue that wasn't required of her job. There were a handful of chairs, a small wooden table with a scattering of magazines, and a water dispenser to entertain anyone who could be waiting. The counter where she could sometimes be found was vacant which meant she was in the back, working.

A toilet flushed from the restroom and a young lady, late teens to early twenties, walked out and stopped upon seeing the three officers in the lobby. Finishing in the restroom, probably on her phone scrolling through God knows what, and walking out to three people with guns on their hips must have shocked her. Not recognizing her, Sophia initiated the unexpected welcome.

"We're here to see Julia. She's expecting us," Sophia said amicably while Riggins smiled at the young woman and Clemens was picking dirt from under his nails.

"Don't look so worried. No one's in trouble," Riggins said, holding his hands out in front of him, in a calming gesture.

"Okay," she said hesitantly, pointing to the door that led towards the other part of the facility. "She's in the back."

Pulling ten-to-twelve-hour days, most of her time was spent in the back with the bodies which is why she had a rotating number of employees to do the parts of the job she didn't like, including interacting with the public. As they moved towards the door, Riggins increased his stride and opened the door for her. What a gentleman, she thought sarcastically.

Music wafted out to them, and Sophia smiled. Her friend always worked with music on in the background, explaining that it helped keep her focused and calm at the same time. Working with dead bodies presented Julia with mental and emotional strain that the music helped to dissipate. Children were the ones that bothered her the most and cut deep; those days ended up being shorter and she usually took a day off afterwards.

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