Fatal Series 01 - Fatal Affair

five minutes.”
    “The O’Connors had their problems, like any family,” Manning added. “But they were tight. Terry might’ve been jealous of John, but he wouldn’t have done this to his mother.” Shaking his head with dismay, he said, “Poor Laine.”
    “We saw them outside,” Knott said. “Our hearts are broken for them.”
    “Thank you for coming in.” Sam handed each of them her card. “If you think of anything else, even the smallest thing, let me know.”
    “We will,” Manning said. “We’ll do anything we can to help find the monster who did this.”
    “Thank you.” Sam saw them out and headed for the morgue.

Chapter 11
    Following the O’Connors into the cold, antiseptic-smelling room, Nick thought he had properly prepared himself. After what he had seen yesterday, he should have been able to handle anything.
    However, nothing could have prepared him for the sight of John lifeless, waxy, and so utterly gone . Nor could he have prepared for Laine’s reaction.
    With one look at her son’s face, John’s mother fainted into a boneless pile. It happened so fast that no one was able to reach her in time to keep her head from smacking the cement floor.
    “Jesus, God!” Graham cried as he dropped to his knees. “Laine! Honey, are you all right?”
    “Mom,” Lizbeth said as tears rolled down her face. “Mom, open your eyes.”
    Several tense minutes passed before Laine’s eyes fluttered open. “What happened?”
    “You fainted,” Lizbeth said. “Do you think you could sit up?”
    “I need to get out of here. Take me out of here, Lizzie.”
    Lizbeth and Royce helped her mother up. Without another glance at the body on the table, they escorted her from the room.
    “Are you all right, Senator?” Nick asked when they were alone.
    His complexion gray, his hands trembling, Graham O’Connor fixated on the white bandage covering the neck wound that ended his son’s life. “It’s all so wrong, you know?” the older man said in a hoarse whisper.
    “Sir?”
    “Standing over the body of your child. It’s wrong.”
    Nick’s throat tightened with emotion. “I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could say…” He kept his voice down so Detective Cruz, who was minding the door, wouldn’t hear them.
    Graham reached out haltingly to caress John’s thick blond hair. “Who could’ve done this? How’s it possible someone hated my John this much?”
    “I just don’t know.” Nick looked down at John, wishing he had the answers they so desperately needed.
    “Do you think it could be Terry?”
    Shocked, Nick whispered, “Senator…”
    “He never got over what happened. He resented John—maybe even hated him—for taking his place in a job he felt was his.”
    “He wouldn’t have killed him over it.”
    “I wish I could be so certain.” Graham looked up at Nick with shattered eyes. “If it was Terry… If he did this, it’ll kill Laine.”
    Nick could only imagine what it would do to Graham.
    “Um, excuse me,” Sam said from behind them. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”
    Nick wondered if she had heard them speculating about Terry.
    “Can I get you anything, Senator? Would you like to sit for a minute? I could get you a stool—”
    Graham’s expression hardened as he turned to Sam. “You can tell me you’ve found the person who did this to my son.”
    “I wish I could,” she said. “I can tell you we’re working very hard on the case. If you want to come with me to the conference room, I can update you and your wife on what we have so far.”
    The senator turned back to his son and stroked John’s hair. Tears pooled in Graham’s already-bloodshot eyes. “I love you, Johnny,” he whispered, leaning over to press a kiss to John’s forehead. Graham’s shoulders shook as he clutched the sheet covering John’s chest.
    Nick had never seen such a raw display of grief. After a moment, he rested a hand on Graham’s shoulder. The older man remained hunched over his son until Nick gently guided him up.
    “Oh God, Nick,” he sobbed, pressing his face to Nick’s chest. “What’re we going to do without him? What’ll we do? ”
    Nick wrapped his arms around Graham. “I don’t know, but we’re going to figure it out. We’re going to get through this.” He glanced up to find Sam watching them with an expression of exquisite discomfort. Embarrassed by his own tears, he returned his attention to the senator. “Why don’t we let Sergeant Holland fill us in on