1 The Frozen Woman

The two police officers stand looking down sadly at the woman frozen to death in the snow. She's a small woman, barely 152cm (5ft) tall. But what she lacks in height, she makes up for with generous curves. There are no signs of struggle or trauma. As a matter of fact, she looks peaceful, happy even, like she just laid down here in the snow for some reason.

The woman is nicely dressed in a knee length skirt, a sweater, a suit jacket that matches the skirt, a modest pair of pumps, an ankle length coat and a purple scarf. In her petite hands is a knit cap with the name Paulie skillfully stitched into it. Her brown slightly almond shaped eyes stare at nothing. Her naturally tan skin is ashen. Her full bee stung lips are slightly parted and almost smiling. Her long curly black hair is wind blow.

A detective steps up next to the two police officers and asks, "Do we have a positive ID on the body yet?"

"No, sir," answers the senior officer, "There was no ID on the body. We think she's Beatrice Baxter-McNally, Paulie McNally's woman. Her sister, Brook Baxter, reported her missing at five, fourteen a.m. The restaurant owner called in finding a body at seven, fifty-nine a.m."

"Has anyone called her sister," asks the detective.

"Yeah," answers the senior officer, "she's on her way to ID the body for us. We're combing the area, but there aren't any signs of foul play."

"We still need to be thorough," says the detective. "McNally had enemies."

"McNally," says the young officer recalling, "Paulie McNally... Hey, didn't he get shanked in the state pen last month? Bled out before they could get him to the infirmary, right?"

"It wasn't the state pen, but yeah, that's right," confirms the detective sadly. "If this is his woman, it's a real shame. They have a kid together."

"McNally was a two bit hustler, right," says the young officer. "She doesn't look like the kind of woman to be hanging out with a two bit hustler. She doesn't look like a skank, a woe or a hood rat."

"You don't know anything," a woman's angry voice comes from behind them. "My sister is none of those things. My sister is a college professor."

The detective quickly turns around to face the woman. She's a tall sender version of the woman lying frozen to death in the snow. She has a toddler on her hip, a beautiful chubby girl with big brown eyes.

"Ms. Baxter," the detective stepping over to her and putting out his hand, "I'm Detective Gage."

She shakes his hand, "Yes, Detective Gage, I remember you. You recommended a reduced sentence for Paulie." She adjusts the toddler on her hip.

"Please excuse the rookie," request Detective Gage. "He didn't know Paulie or your sister. All he knows is what he's heard.

This must be little Paullina."

"Yes," confirms Brook Baxter. "Luckily for her, she looks like her mother."

"She's adorable," compliments Gage. "Well, I don't want to keep you out here in the cold. Just step over and take a quick look for me."

With her niece on her hip, Brook Baxter steps over and looks down at the frozen woman. She nods yes as her eyes well up with tears. "Yes, that's her. That's my sister, Bea."

"Mommy...," Paullina calls, "Mommy... get up."

"She can't, baby," Brook tells her niece hugging her and kissing her.

Detective Gage's heart sinks. He was really hoping this wasn't Beatrice Baxter-McNally. He didn't know her very well. But he knew her well enough to know she was a very nice kind sweet woman, whom Paulie had adored.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Baxter," Gage sincere, "I was really hoping it wasn't her. There doesn't appear to be any foul play, but we'll comb the area thoroughly."

Brook sniffs sadly, "I think she just got up, got dress and wandered off. She's been so lost since Paulie died last month. Her doctor put her on medication to help her sleep and stuff. She had to stop nursing Paullina because of the meds. She wasn't nursing full-time anymore, just their mother-daughter time at bedtime. But I think loosing that just made it worse for her.

She's an attentive mother, hyper-attentive really. So, when Paullina started crying this morning and I didn't hear Bea call to her that Mommy was coming, I knew something was wrong. If Paullina so much as whimpers, Bea jumps.

I got Paullina from her crib on my way to Bea's room. And when I got there, she wasn't there.

I can't believe she got this far, and in those shoes... She must have gotten back up shortly after I went to bed."

"I wonder why she walked all this way," says Detective Gage.

"Because of the medication," shares Brook, "she wasn't allowed to drive."

"An officer drove you over, right," Gage asks Brook.

"That's correct, Detective," confirms Brook.

"Well, I'll drive you home," Gage guiding her away from her sister's body.

"May I say something to him," Brook asks indicating the young rookie.

Gage nods, "Sure."

Brook lets the rookie have an earful, "You are an ignorant son of bitch. My sister was the kindest, most generous, most loving person I have ever known. And no matter what Paulie was out here on the streets, he loved my sister. You don't know anything. And you should keep your mouth shut when you don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, Ms. Baxter," Gage gently coaxing. "I'll take you and Paullina home now. Let's get that baby out of the cold.

I'll come straight back here and make sure they treat your sister right. And I'll make sure the coroner has all your information.

You just focus on Paullina now. You're all she has."

Brook was right about one thing, they didn't know anything about her sweet sister, Bea. Beatrice Baxter was their parents' golden child. Their first born, she'd never given her parents any trouble. She was quiet, reserved and studious. Brook on the other hand was their wild child, their middle child two years younger than Bea. Brook couldn't seem to stay out of trouble when they were growing up. Tall and model slim, Brook was popular. While being popular had never been important to Bea, who enjoyed books and learning. But Bea never criticized her younger wild and out of control sister.

Brook was flunking out of college when Bea was earning her masters. Brook was rushed to a hospital when she began convulsing at a frat party from a bad drug and alcohol interaction. Their parents and younger brother were killed in a car accident while rushing to the hospital for Brook. That was Brook's wake up call. And Bea never blamed her. Bea was nothing but loving and supportive while she went through rehab. And Bea encouraged her to re-enroll in college. Brook has stayed away from all partying and earned her degree in child psychology.

Bea of course was in charge of their inheritance. Brook was free to live in their parents' home if she wanted or on her own. She chose to live on her own, but made sure to maintain a close relationship with Bea. Having dinner with her sister at least twice a week and dragging her sister out for karaoke at least once a month.

Bea never blamed her or accused her even when it was her fault.

Quiet and shy Bea hadn't even gotten asked to her own senior prom. But Brook the sophomore had, probably because most of the guys knew that a date with Brook usually came with some kind of sex. Except Brook became ill a couple of days before the prom and convinced her date to take her sister in her place. Even though it didn't seem to bother Bea that she wasn't going to her own prom, Brook had felt bad that no one had even asked her sister. Brook knew her older sister was beautiful. But dressed up and with make-up on, Bea was drop dead gorgeous. Brook's date was visibly impressed when he picked Bea up.

Brook had been racked with terrible guilt when she learned that her prom date had snuck booze in with his buddies. He got drunk. And when he got Bea alone, he beat her and raped her. If it had been Brook, she would have gotten drunk with him and willing had sex with him. But Bea didn't drink or smoke or anything of that nature. Bea had been saving herself for marriage. Bea never blamed Brook. It had left Bea, who was already cautious around men, all the more cautious around men.

As a matter of fact, Brook is sure Bea didn't have sex with anybody until Paulie. Brook had been very concerned for her sister. And it had all started when she and Bea had gotten together for one of their twice weekly dinners and Bea had said to her, "I met the most curious man the other day."

Brooks' eyebrows had nearly hit the ceiling. Bea had never mentioned a man before. So naturally, Brook was very curious and asked Bea a bunch of nosy questions regarding this mystery man.