Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Chapter 126 - What Is Stacy's Story

Jake was due home in a few hours, but Kyle didn't want to tell Jake about his sister until he was home with his mother. Jake rarely lost control, yet he hadn't experienced anything this tragic in his life. Even with the streets slippery with ice, Kyle drove in the snow on automatic. Being careful wasn't a priority, for what was there to live for anymore.

"Your wife and Jake!" A voice in his ear replied quick and loud.

Tears fell off Kyle's lashes. Holding it together was going to be difficult. There was a numbness in his head he hadn't felt before, but he was grateful because the pain under it, Kyle knew he couldn't handle.

In the hospital's morgue, on the long metal table Stacy laid naked and still under a white sheet. Her beautiful blue eyes were barely seen under a shade of blood, but it was different than the chain of murdered girls. For this he was hopeful. Stacy was clean but vacant. Walt said he had already collected the evidence he needed from her. Kyle nodded and closed his little girl's lids over her eyes. He then brought his hand to his mouth and cried.

"Kyle, why don't you take a few moments with your daughter. I need to grab my notes in the office. I'll be back in a few minutes and go over it all with you." Walt said with compassion. Kyle couldn't speak but the gratitude in his eyes were clear.

Once Walt walked into his office, Kyle lifted Stacy in a sitting position, and he hugged her with a ferocity of how one wants to with a newborn but can't because their fragile bodies break. But when children are dead, they could withstand the pressure. He couldn't let go of Stacy's hard, cold, stiff body, and he didn't want to let go of her ever again. Kyle held his daughter to him as he cried hard into her shoulder, while he stroked her hair. He failed to protect her. The loss was so sudden it pierced his heart in all directions. Emotional pain followed through the blood vessels making his heart beat erratically, but he didn't care. Kyle laid Stacy down carefully even though he didn't need to.

"Ok, baby girl. Tell me what happened." Kyle said and waited for his daughter to show, but she didn't. Jolene stood beside their table instead, wearing the hospital attire she used to work in.

"Jolene, who did this? Who took my baby's life? Who stole from me?" Kyle said, his voice louder on the last question. Jolene just stared at him. But in his head, Kyle could hear her talk in a soft tone, like a parent consoling a child.

"The past mixes with the now. A life for a life." Was all Jolene said before she disappeared before Kyle's eyes.

At that moment, Walt walked back into the room.

"Hanging in there ok?" Walt asked Kyle. He must have heard me getting loud, Kyle thought.

"No, but let's have it." Kyle responded.

Walt handed Kyle a white cloth to wipe his tears off face. Then Walt adjusted the sheet properly above her breasts for Kyle had covered up Stacy's neck which looked disjointed and thicker.

"First let's start with the blood in the eyes. That was accidental. The shade of color in her eyes is caused by bruising from her injury. She landed on her head, so her neck is broken in several places, as well as a spot on the top of head. Blood did fill her eyes from the inside and came out her nose. Death was instant and because the skin on her head didn't break open, the blood pooled under the scalp. That is the reason her scalp is purple. There was no tissue under Stacy's nails, so she wasn't fighting until her death. I believe she fell from a steep height, but not like a mountain."

Kyle looked at him, not understanding through the numbness. Walt waited patiently for Kyle to absorb it even though he needed more of an explanation. Kyle tried to blank out the images of his daughter in pain. He had to focus so he wouldn't forget anything.