Free Suffer by E.E. Borton Page A

murderer; she was crying because she was angry.
    “What’s wrong?” asked Evan.
    “This is all wrong,” said Abby. “He didn’t pay for what he did to them. He died high on heroin and feeling no pain at all. I wanted the punishment to more than fit the crime, but now he won’t feel a thing. And yes, that pisses me off.”
    “I’m sorry, Abby,” said Grey as Evan turned to take a phone call. “I wanted to see him pay, too.”
    “I don’t even know why I’m talking to you,” said Abby. “Even after I begged you to get involved, you just packed your bags, went home, and left us here. You know, for a second there I thought you had a backbone.”
    “We’re going down this road again?” asked Grey. “There are over 1,000 children under the age of sixteen who are murdered in this country every year. I have a dozen Calebs on my desk who need me just as much as he did. But the difference is, I can do something for them. My hands were tied here, Abby. One of these days you may grow up and figure that out. Until then, go ahead and stay pissed at me.”
    “Grow up?” said Abby. “Are you kidding me?”
    “I’m gonna go check on Paul,” said Grey, trying to avoid an argument. “Is that okay with you?”
    “I think that would be a very good idea,” said Abby as Evan rejoined them.
    “You two at it again?” asked Evan as Grey walked away. “Never mind. I don’t wanna know, but I did just get off the phone with the coroner. He’s releasing Caleb’s body for burial. We can have the service as early as Sunday.”
    “I don’t know how to feel about that,” said Abby.
    “I know what you mean,” said Evan. “It’s never a good thing to bury a child, but I want to see him put to rest.”
    “All of this is beyond a nightmare, Evan. Why did he do this to them?”
    “That’s what Grey wants to know as well.”
    “Oh, please, Evan. I know he’s your boy, but he’s admitted there’s nothing he can do.”
    “Abby, you know I love you, but I can’t wait until you’re eating your words.”
    Grey took the seat next to Paul and sat in silence for a few minutes while his friend seemed fixated with something outside. He looked out the window, but didn’t see anything remarkable. A moment earlier, he walked away to avoid another confrontation with Abby, but he didn’t expect the conversation he was going to have with Paul.
    “She’s never going to wake up, Grey,” said Paul continuing to look out the window.
    “We don’t know that for –”
    “Shut up, man.”
    Grey cocked his head and smiled. “Well, look who’s back.”
    “The elephant walks in the room every time the docs do,” said Paul. “They sugarcoat the crap out of everything, but they know. And so do I. She’s never waking up. But even if she manages to open her eyes, she won’t be in there anymore. My Kate’s gone, Grey. And so is my Caleb.”
    “I promise I won’t sugarcoat anything,” said Grey. “But I didn’t think she would survive this long. If she’s still trying to fight, then so should you.”
    “Look at me,” said Paul, turning to face Grey. “They’re gone; my family is gone. The sooner everyone else accepts that fact, the sooner we can try to piece our lives back together. I’m going to tell Kate’s parents I don’t want them to keep her on life support.”
    “Whoa, Paul,” said Grey. “First, you don’t tell in-laws something like that. You talk about it with them. Second, we need to bury Caleb before you start talking about letting Kate go. I just found out he’s being transported home today. We can have the service on Sunday.”
    “I need to do something before I can deal with my son’s funeral,” said Paul. “I need to get out of here for a day or two. I just need to go somewhere else.”
    “Tell me where you want to go and I’ll take you,” replied Grey. “Anywhere.”
    “I want to go on the water,” said Paul. “It’s where I always go to leave the world behind and clear my head. I