Web of Justice Read Online Free
Author: Rayven T. Hill
the padding of canine feet behind her, coming closer. She turned in her seat. A small dog raced toward her, its collar tags jangling as it tore across the grass.
Teresa didn’t know much about dogs, but it looked like a terrier to her. It skidded to a stop, its almond-shaped eyes sparkling with life and intelligence as it watched her, its stubby tail between its legs. The whining began again.
Teresa stretched out a hand. “Hi, pup. What’re you doing wandering around here all by yourself?”
The dog moved in with caution and sniffed her hand, then backed off. It paced and whined, then circled to the front of the bench.
“What’s the matter, pup?” Teresa said, turning to face the animal. She leaned forward. “What’s bothering you?” She glanced across the lawn expecting to see the dog’s owner, but no one was there.
The anxious animal tore away, then stopped short and whined again, then returned. It panted, paced, and circled, stopping now and then to let out a short, urgent bark, its eyes never wavering from hers.
Teresa glanced behind her toward the direction the dog had come from. No one was in sight, but the animal seemed eager to get her attention. Maybe it’d chased a cat up a tree and wanted to get at it, hoping she would help.
But the urgent whine seemed much more than that. Perhaps the animal’s owner was in some kind of trouble.
She slipped her shoes on, butted out her smoke, and dropped her empty coffee cup in a garbage bin at the end of the bench.
She paused a moment and looked at her watch, unsure if she should follow the animal, or get back to work so she wouldn’t be reprimanded for being late returning from her break.
There was no doubt the dog was trying to get her attention. It crouched down ten feet away, its chin on its front paws, watching her, waiting for her. She took one step toward the animal and it leaped up, bounding away. Then it stopped again, its eyes on hers, still waiting, watching, and whining.
Teresa followed the animal, curious to see what it wanted. The dog trotted ahead, stopping often to make sure Teresa was still following. And she did, across the expansive lawn, around a row of well-trimmed cedars, and behind a lofty oak.
The dog stopped and so did she. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she caught her breath. She stifled a scream and stood frozen, taking short, quick breaths as she stood beside the whining dog, staring at the horrific sight in front of them.
A woman lay flat on her back, her arms folded across her chest, her fingers intertwined.
Her short red skirt and comfortable shoes, along with the snow-white blouse, neatly arranged as though great care had been taken, were all in contrast to the horrendous sight of the woman’s tortured face, the leather strap digging into her neck, and her completely shaved head.
She looked like she was resting, but the unseeing eyes and the pale white skin told Teresa otherwise.
The woman was dead.
Teresa took an uneasy step backwards, transfixed by the sight, unable to look away. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened her eyes and moved forward, crouching by the body. Just to be sure, she would check for a heartbeat. But it was no use. The moment she touched the cold skin, she realized no one could help the poor woman now.
Teresa stood and gazed in horror a few seconds before turning away from the unnerving sight that would be burned forever in her mind.
“Come on, pup,” she said, her voice quivering as she spoke. She lit another smoke to calm her jumping nerves, then reached a shaky hand toward the dog. “Let’s get out of here.”
The animal followed dutifully at her heels as she left the gruesome sight behind, made her way back to her favorite bench, and called 9-1-1.
Chapter 5
Tuesday, 11:37 a.m.
HANK WAS IN THE break room when a message came in to dispatch. According to the officer who poked his head into the room and handed Hank a sheet of
Teresa didn’t know much about dogs, but it looked like a terrier to her. It skidded to a stop, its almond-shaped eyes sparkling with life and intelligence as it watched her, its stubby tail between its legs. The whining began again.
Teresa stretched out a hand. “Hi, pup. What’re you doing wandering around here all by yourself?”
The dog moved in with caution and sniffed her hand, then backed off. It paced and whined, then circled to the front of the bench.
“What’s the matter, pup?” Teresa said, turning to face the animal. She leaned forward. “What’s bothering you?” She glanced across the lawn expecting to see the dog’s owner, but no one was there.
The anxious animal tore away, then stopped short and whined again, then returned. It panted, paced, and circled, stopping now and then to let out a short, urgent bark, its eyes never wavering from hers.
Teresa glanced behind her toward the direction the dog had come from. No one was in sight, but the animal seemed eager to get her attention. Maybe it’d chased a cat up a tree and wanted to get at it, hoping she would help.
But the urgent whine seemed much more than that. Perhaps the animal’s owner was in some kind of trouble.
She slipped her shoes on, butted out her smoke, and dropped her empty coffee cup in a garbage bin at the end of the bench.
She paused a moment and looked at her watch, unsure if she should follow the animal, or get back to work so she wouldn’t be reprimanded for being late returning from her break.
There was no doubt the dog was trying to get her attention. It crouched down ten feet away, its chin on its front paws, watching her, waiting for her. She took one step toward the animal and it leaped up, bounding away. Then it stopped again, its eyes on hers, still waiting, watching, and whining.
Teresa followed the animal, curious to see what it wanted. The dog trotted ahead, stopping often to make sure Teresa was still following. And she did, across the expansive lawn, around a row of well-trimmed cedars, and behind a lofty oak.
The dog stopped and so did she. Her hands flew to her mouth, and she caught her breath. She stifled a scream and stood frozen, taking short, quick breaths as she stood beside the whining dog, staring at the horrific sight in front of them.
A woman lay flat on her back, her arms folded across her chest, her fingers intertwined.
Her short red skirt and comfortable shoes, along with the snow-white blouse, neatly arranged as though great care had been taken, were all in contrast to the horrendous sight of the woman’s tortured face, the leather strap digging into her neck, and her completely shaved head.
She looked like she was resting, but the unseeing eyes and the pale white skin told Teresa otherwise.
The woman was dead.
Teresa took an uneasy step backwards, transfixed by the sight, unable to look away. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened her eyes and moved forward, crouching by the body. Just to be sure, she would check for a heartbeat. But it was no use. The moment she touched the cold skin, she realized no one could help the poor woman now.
Teresa stood and gazed in horror a few seconds before turning away from the unnerving sight that would be burned forever in her mind.
“Come on, pup,” she said, her voice quivering as she spoke. She lit another smoke to calm her jumping nerves, then reached a shaky hand toward the dog. “Let’s get out of here.”
The animal followed dutifully at her heels as she left the gruesome sight behind, made her way back to her favorite bench, and called 9-1-1.
Chapter 5
Tuesday, 11:37 a.m.
HANK WAS IN THE break room when a message came in to dispatch. According to the officer who poked his head into the room and handed Hank a sheet of
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