Stolen Kiss (Erotic Thriller)

Chapter 22

**Morgue**

The detectives arranged for Richie to be driven to the morgue for the formal identification process. He reluctantly walked in with the officers and waited, impatiently tapping his fingers on his thigh, while they filled out the necessary paperwork.

He shivered as the air conditioning kicked on and blew directly on his neck. Finally the attendants approached and asked him to follow them downstairs.

"Can...can I wait for someone? Please?" Richie asked. He was broken and didn't know if he could face this alone. The attendant nodded and went to get a coffee for Richie.

"Rich?!"

He turned at the sound of Jon's voice and fell into his arms and sobbed. "She's gone...."

"Shh, Rich," Jon held tight, "I'm here now. I got you, baby."

"I'll kill him, Jon," Richie cried. "I swear to God I'll fucking kill him!"

"We'll give you a moment," the officer said. Jon nodded and the officers stood to one side.

"Tell me," Jon pulled back and held Richie's face in his hands, "Tell me what's happened."

Richie took a deep, shuddering breath and recounted the whole story. "I should have done something at Christmas! He was right there. That psycho was right fucking there, Jonny, and I just...I fucking left him there!"

"You couldn't have known," Jon reasoned, "He'd been given the all clear. He was on medication. You couldn't have known that he was relapsing."

"He's got Raiden, Jon," Richie said, "Where the fuck would he take him?"

"He could be anywhere," Jon shook his head, "I'm sure the police have got that covered. Right now..." Jon sighed, "right now, Natalie needs you one last time. I'll be waiting right here for you."

"No! Come with me...please?" Richie pleaded frantically.

"Okay, okay, I'm right here...shh, Rich," Jon hugged his friend again and nodded at the officers.

The attendant and officer led them down the cool dim corridors to the viewing window of an exam room. "Now we can't show much because of the extensive physical damage from the crash," the attendant explained kindly. "Over 90 percent of her body was either burned or crushed. We were, however, able to determine from bruising and tearing of her anus and marks around her neck that she was assaulted, choked, and raped less than 24 hours ago."

"Fuck," Jon breathed. "You sure about this, Rich?"

Richie grasped Jon's hand and nodded slowly. The sheet was pulled back from Natalie's face and down to her chin. He cried out in agony and sank to the floor sobbing.

"Fuck! Natalie no! No, darlin', no!"

Jon scrubbed his hand over his face and nodded to the person behind the window as confirmation before turning his attention to Richie, squatting down in front of him.

"C'mere baby," Jon pulled him into a tight embrace, letting Richie cry for as long as he wanted to. "You're staying with me tonight. I don't wanna leave you alone when you're like this."

"We'll let you know if there's any development," the officer said. "As soon as Mrs. Bryan is awake, she'll be the first one we question. If you two think of anything that could help, here's my card. Just give me a call."

Later that night in the Shoe Inn, Jon handed Richie a drink, the bottle on the bar between them, knowing that Richie needed a safe environment for him to grieve the way he needed to. Jon joined him but never finished his glass as quickly as Richie was. He wanted to be the one to pull the pin on Richie's drinking when he'd had enough.