Death Marks (The Symbolist) Read Online Free
Author: Katy Walters
smirked, heavy jowls working on a pencil.
Redd stared at him. 'It may look like overplay detective, but I promise you; the photos will change your mind.'
Redd turned back to the group. 'This is your worst nightmare. At a guess, we're up against a psychopath or psychopaths with meticulous minds. We'll have to make do with the photos I took, until we get the official ones through.'
He stood to one side, as a fresh-faced officer began projecting photos onto the board. A young woman's face blanched, as the first one appeared. A burly white haired officer sporting a florid moustache, muttered, 'Fucking maniacs.'
Picking up a laser rod, Redd pointed to entrails falling from the crosscut wounds. 'Here we have two bodies, male and female, both decapitated, the head of the female is missing. They were either late teens or early twenties. For some reason they're covered in tattoos from the neck down. The pathologist informs me the perps cut through the ribs, and removed the organs and entrails from the bodies. They subsequently replaced them. I can tell you now, the heart, liver and kidneys are cut open.'
DC Bessie Owen, her black hair caught up into a bun, muttered, 'They're insane guv.'
Clearing his throat of bile, a male officer, grunted, ' Sick fucks.'
Letting the groans settle, Redd continued, ' We may have a lead here. We can get this one out to the press and TV. He pointed to the decapitated head of the young male. 'The guy's eyes are closed; his mouth relaxed, so at the point of death he was either drugged or unconscious. We will know soon enough when we get the results of the autopsy.'
DC Green, stick thin, called out, ' Monsters - shoot the buggers.'
Redd turned to see her face screwed up - fighting tears, unusual for the gritty detective. 'Yeah - these last two pics give you an idea of the immediate site and the surrounding terrain. Although they bleached the bones, they're old. We'll know more after the autopsy.'
Nodding to the officer to switch off the projector, he said, 'I'll go through who is doing what in this inquiry. DCI Cummings and I will be the Senior Investigating officers. DS Dove will head the inquiry teams. With the budget cuts, we have to make do with two pairs of officers, that'll be DC Tim Crosby and DC Amanda Green, then DC Mack O'Connell and DC Bessie Owen.'
'Bessie, I want you also to liaise with Traffic as well; we'll need to check CCTV cameras in the area. I've already been in contact with Traffic, and they report that there are no cameras in the vicinity; however, there is one in the road off from the B2416. So get on to that.'
Amanda Green lowered her head seething. Why hadn't he given that job to her? Now she had to partner Crosby, he always had a faint smell of fish that no amount of showers could wash out. A fanatical angler, he spent evenings fishing off the beach. Besides, she was aiming high, trudging the streets, knocking on doors, was not on her agenda. She aspired to work behind a desk, organizing, liaising and interacting locally, and across the country. Straightening her back she said, 'What about the Office Manager?'
Seeing the antagonistic expression on her face, Jack spoke up, ' Well, there's only one guy for that - DS Hugh Price. He'll free us up to get on with the inquiry. Stop us getting our knickers in a twist, eh Price?'
The detective's bulldog face seemed to develop more lines, as he grinned. 'Any slacking and I'll chew your arm off.'
Relieved to see the guys lifting the tension, Redd said, 'Now, the Scientific Services Manager will be DS Ted Papworth.' He looked over to the DS, his long mouse brown hair tied neatly in a ponytail. 'You'll liaise with Forensics and make sure they deliver what we need, and that we follow through on the evidence.'
The man nodded solemnly, tapping into his tablet. He was never without it.
'So we come to Exhibits Officer and Evidence Room. We all know Perkins retired from active duty, and is working in the office; I think you'll fit the
Redd stared at him. 'It may look like overplay detective, but I promise you; the photos will change your mind.'
Redd turned back to the group. 'This is your worst nightmare. At a guess, we're up against a psychopath or psychopaths with meticulous minds. We'll have to make do with the photos I took, until we get the official ones through.'
He stood to one side, as a fresh-faced officer began projecting photos onto the board. A young woman's face blanched, as the first one appeared. A burly white haired officer sporting a florid moustache, muttered, 'Fucking maniacs.'
Picking up a laser rod, Redd pointed to entrails falling from the crosscut wounds. 'Here we have two bodies, male and female, both decapitated, the head of the female is missing. They were either late teens or early twenties. For some reason they're covered in tattoos from the neck down. The pathologist informs me the perps cut through the ribs, and removed the organs and entrails from the bodies. They subsequently replaced them. I can tell you now, the heart, liver and kidneys are cut open.'
DC Bessie Owen, her black hair caught up into a bun, muttered, 'They're insane guv.'
Clearing his throat of bile, a male officer, grunted, ' Sick fucks.'
Letting the groans settle, Redd continued, ' We may have a lead here. We can get this one out to the press and TV. He pointed to the decapitated head of the young male. 'The guy's eyes are closed; his mouth relaxed, so at the point of death he was either drugged or unconscious. We will know soon enough when we get the results of the autopsy.'
DC Green, stick thin, called out, ' Monsters - shoot the buggers.'
Redd turned to see her face screwed up - fighting tears, unusual for the gritty detective. 'Yeah - these last two pics give you an idea of the immediate site and the surrounding terrain. Although they bleached the bones, they're old. We'll know more after the autopsy.'
Nodding to the officer to switch off the projector, he said, 'I'll go through who is doing what in this inquiry. DCI Cummings and I will be the Senior Investigating officers. DS Dove will head the inquiry teams. With the budget cuts, we have to make do with two pairs of officers, that'll be DC Tim Crosby and DC Amanda Green, then DC Mack O'Connell and DC Bessie Owen.'
'Bessie, I want you also to liaise with Traffic as well; we'll need to check CCTV cameras in the area. I've already been in contact with Traffic, and they report that there are no cameras in the vicinity; however, there is one in the road off from the B2416. So get on to that.'
Amanda Green lowered her head seething. Why hadn't he given that job to her? Now she had to partner Crosby, he always had a faint smell of fish that no amount of showers could wash out. A fanatical angler, he spent evenings fishing off the beach. Besides, she was aiming high, trudging the streets, knocking on doors, was not on her agenda. She aspired to work behind a desk, organizing, liaising and interacting locally, and across the country. Straightening her back she said, 'What about the Office Manager?'
Seeing the antagonistic expression on her face, Jack spoke up, ' Well, there's only one guy for that - DS Hugh Price. He'll free us up to get on with the inquiry. Stop us getting our knickers in a twist, eh Price?'
The detective's bulldog face seemed to develop more lines, as he grinned. 'Any slacking and I'll chew your arm off.'
Relieved to see the guys lifting the tension, Redd said, 'Now, the Scientific Services Manager will be DS Ted Papworth.' He looked over to the DS, his long mouse brown hair tied neatly in a ponytail. 'You'll liaise with Forensics and make sure they deliver what we need, and that we follow through on the evidence.'
The man nodded solemnly, tapping into his tablet. He was never without it.
'So we come to Exhibits Officer and Evidence Room. We all know Perkins retired from active duty, and is working in the office; I think you'll fit the
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