Charmaine pulled the surgical gown over her head and bundled her hair into a loose knot to push it swiftly into the matching cap.  When she was completely covered from head to toe she walked into the examining room where Ron was waiting.  “Sorry I’m late,” she said and hurried to his side.

“Don’t be.  We’re not going anywhere,” Ron said, his eyes lit with wry humor as he looked at the corpse and asked, “Right?”

“That wasn’t funny,” Charmaine reprimanded.  “Have a little respect for the dead.  Now tell me what your findings were?”

Ron picked up the file he had just completed and scanned his notes.  “I found a large amount of ecstasy and in her blood.” 

“Is that what killed her?” Charmaine asked solemnly, knowing what the answer was.

Ron closed his file and set it back onto his desk.  “Yes.  When I say large amount, I’m not talking about a few pills.  I mean she must have swallowed at least a dozen of those pills to have this effect on her.  Come,” he instructed and they walked over to the examining table.  He pointed at the victim’s face, “Can you see the curve of ?  She was really out there and must have died while high on drugs.”

“I’ll take the report back to the office with me so that my team and I could go over the details together,” Charmaine said then took the file out of Ron’s hands and turned to leave.

“Wait,” Ron called after her, “I’ll go with you and after the meeting you can buy me dinner.”

Charmaine gave him an incredulous look, “Why should I buy you dinner?”

“Because,” Ron started as he followed her into the adjoining room to remove the surgical gown, “I rushed the report for you.  I had to put aside the other dead bodies to do yours first.  That means the other two bodies are probably angry with me and someone’s got to make it up to me.”

Charmaine rolled her eyes at his jest, “You and your dark humor.  I worry about you Ron.  You’re smart and everything but you really really creep me out.”

Ron burst out in laughter and said cheekily, “In my line of work I can afford to be creepy.  I spend most of my time with dead people and their personalities sort of rubs off on me.”

Charmaine gave him a warm smile and said, “You’re right about that one and I bet all of them think you’re great company too.”

“That’s funny,” Ron said thoughtfully then gave her a stupid smirk.

They were back in Charmaine’s department within minutes and her team was already in the conference room discussing the case.  “Here’s the autopsy report,” she said and spread the file in the center of the table.  “Drug overdose as we suspected.”  She turned to Natalie, “Anything new on your end?”

Natalie opened her notes, “We found inside her purse a matchbox and receipt from The Smashbox and the receipt was for the night she died.”

“What is the Smashbox?” Charmaine asked.

“That’s the bar she died in front of, or technically speaking, in back of,” Natalie offered.

Charmaine took in the information and after a slight pause announced with a mischievous grin, “I feel like having a drink tonight.  Anyone want to join me?  My treat.”

Bosco smiled knowingly at her and said, “I’m in.  Hmm… where should we go?  How about the Smashbox?”

Charmaine gave him a wide smile and said enthusiastically, “What a great suggestion!”

--------------------------------------

Raymond pulled on a blazer and left his room.  Out in the hall he bumped into his brother, “Hey Frankie, I’ll see you later,” he said and proceeded to walk past him.

“Wait a second,” Frankie Lam said sternly.  “Where are you going?”

“I’m meeting Kenneth for dinner.”

Frankie frowned.  Although he was only ten years older than Raymond, he had always felt more like a father figure than a brotherly type towards Raymond.  Perhaps it was because their parents died when Raymond was still young and he naturally took over as his primary care giver.  Regardless of the reason, Frankie had assumed that role and took it seriously.  “Didn’t I tell you not to hang around Kenneth.  The guy is bad news.”

Raymond shook his head and sighed dramatically, “When are you going to stop babying me?  I’m old enough to decide who I choose to be friends with.”

“He’s a druggie and a world class bastard.  One of these days he’s going to get you in trouble,” Frankie said with concern.  “I don’t want to see my only brother locked up somewhere or dead.  Hear me?!”

“Ken is harmless,” Raymond defended with a sour expression.  “Sure he smokes a few joints every now and then but that doesn’t mean he’s a drug addict.  You don’t like him because I went against your wishes and went into the bar business with him.  You wanted me to work in your company so that you could control me.”

Frankie stared at Raymond, stung by his callous words, “Is that what you think?  That I want to control you?  All I want is for us to get away from that kind of life and you’re stepping back into it.  I'm telling you – Kenneth Ma is no good.”

Raymond shook his head, his patience gone, and walked away.  When he was at the end of the hall he turned back and said, “I know what I’m doing so leave me alone.”

Frankie watched as his brother disappeared around the corner.  He truly hoped that Raymond did know what he was doing but his gut instincts told him that he didn’t.