The officers downstairs heard a shriek that could be heard for a block. They rushed upstairs. Alicia was knelt over Demond’s body that was sprawled on the bathroom rug, both arms by his side and eyes closed as if in deep sleep, not moving. The faucet from the sink dripped slowly. Alicia cried loudly and uncontrollably.

John was on his cell phone calling for an ambulance. They took Demond to the Methodist hospital where Alicia worked. Demond was taken to the emergency room. Alicia and the officers waited in the lobby as doctors tried to revive him. John tried to console her. Tears trickled down her face as she tried to compose herself. She looked up as a young doctor in green scrubs walked up to her.

“Are you related to the patient?”

“Yes. I’m his wife.” Alicia said as she wiped her eyes. She worked at the hospital but not all doctors knew her.

“We are sorry, we did all we could.”

Alicia remained quiet. John and Mike stayed in the background not wishing to interfere.

“Was he in pain? Did he suffer?”

“We think he suffered a cardiac arrest. Did he have a history of heart problems?”

Alicia remembered Demond talking of heart burn and his frequent waking up at night. He dismissed it, believing the symptoms would vanish and something that will go away. She blamed herself for not insisting that he see a doctor.