Surrogate Mother (Completed)

Chapter 4: Caught

LAUREN 

"I want to resign." I said firmly, standing in front of Dr. Herring's desk in his office. 

Dr. Herring stared at Lauren with a quizzical look, then ended up chuckling to himself. "But why? You just started working with us. You're one of our best lab techs."

Lauren walked slowly to the cushion chair that sat in front of desk. "I know, Dr. Herring, but I think working here is not good for me anymore. I believe I have better opportunities. I feel like I deserve more." she spoke with confidence as she sat up in the chair. Lauren tried to make Dr. Herring understand why she wanted to leave so soon. For one, she just couldnt stand it here and two, she had some major sabotage to finish and she couldnt let her job interfere.

"What do you mean you deserve better?" Dr. Herring questioned while leaning back in his chair, twirling his pen around his fingers. "We've hired you as our main lab tech, you're making six figures, which is better than any other clinic in Cloverdale. I dont understand."

"That's the thing. You dont have to understand. I've already made up my mind.  It was a pleasure working with you, doctor." Lauren stood up from the chair and shook Dr. Herring's hand. She believe there were no more need for better explanations and discussions over why she wanted to leave. After she released her hand from him, she continued on her way and out the door.

Lauren had already gathered her personal items inside of her office. She packed them all in a box and threw it in the trunk of her Red Ford Fusion. Lauren got into the car and started the engine. Before she could pull off, she sat in the driver's seat with her hands on the wheel, gathering her thoughts. Since her visit at Rochelle's home, she had left the body the way she left it. Lauren thought it would be suspicious to clean up her mess in her work scrubs and return back to work in the same scrubs she cleaned a crime scene in.

"I have to get rid of her, Lauren, but how?" she thought while gripping the wheel. She knew that she answered the phone call from Dr. Herring about meeting up with him to sign some paperwork. Lauren couldnt  just show up as herself because of course that would be stupid. Lauren thought for few seconds more, then a grimacing smile appeared on her face.

"I know what to do." she said while putting the gear in drive, heading to Rochelle's house.

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Thirty minutes later, Lauren made a turn onto Perring Park Avenue and to her surprise she had saw cop cars ad ambulance trucks.

"Damn it!" Lauren yelled.

Surprisingly, the cops had already beaten her to the punch. Lauren started to panic as she drove closer to the Rochelle's house at the end of the block. There was an officer in the middle of the street, motioning her to stop. Lauren came to a complete halt and rolled down her window. The officer walked up to her car nicely. The cop had bent down to Lauren's eye level due to him being extremely tall in the six foot range.

"What's going on here, officer?" Lauren asked with a voice of sincerity and concern.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. There seems to be a crime scene at 1405. We would ask if you follow the detour we've have set up just up the road." the officer responded.

Lauren gasped with her hand to her mouth as if she was shocked about the news. "Oh my gosh, what kind of crime scene? I live only a few houses up from here."

"It was a homicide, ma'am. We found a lady dead in the kitchen with her throat cut. There was a lot of blood. We believe she was murdered last night."

"My goodness!" Lauren exclaimed. "May I ask what was the lady's name?"

"Her name was Rochelle Rodriguez." the officer replied while pulling out a picture of a woman with bronze curly hair, which appeared to be Rochelle. He showed it Lauren. "Is it by any chance you might have known this woman? Seen any suspicious things going on around her home?" he asked while showing a picture of Rochelle.

Lauren stared at the picture closely. "No, I've always drove past on my way to work in the mornings and she would be getting in the car, waving at me to say hello, but never really exchanged conversation. Never knew her name, but she seemed like a nice lady."

The officer pulled out a card and handed it to Lauren through the window. "Well, if you ever see anything or remember any details about last night, give us a call."

"Ok, I will, officer...." Lauren glances at the card. "Officer Brooks. Have a good day." she smiled.

The officer nodded his head and went on with patrolling the cars on the street.

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