Loves Redemption Kimberly Terry (i can read books TXT) 📖

they turned the lifeless body, face up. Mark noticed although Montgomery had

donned the surgical gloves, he’d refrained from touching the body. As they stood, he made eye contact with the agent before turning to the tech.

“Davis I have a few questions I’d like to ask the officers who discovered the scene, could

you go with me?” Mark turned in the opposite direction of the dug out grave, and the victim that lay near it, leading the techs away and giving the agent time to be alone.

As he spoke with the technician and the other uniform officers, Mark told them to finish

the scene and walked back toward his vehicle. He was surprised to see Montgomery open the

passenger side minutes later. “That was quick. So?”

“So what?”

“Did you learn anything?” Mark barely bit back his annoyance with the agent’s non-

answers.

“Do you mean anything more than what we observed together?”

When he only looked at him, saying nothing, Nicolai relented, “I thank you for whatever

it was you thought you were doing to help me. But I could not, observe the scene, as I normally would, with others around. I usually do this alone. But I do thank you for your intent, Detective.”

Mark swore he heard silent laughter in the austere agent’s voice, but as he looked at him, his expression was as bland as usual.

“Okay. Whatever the hell that means. Do you want to come back when the scene is less

populated with cops?” As they were leaving the scene, Mark noticed Alicia Somers had finally packed up her camera and left, no doubt frustrated with his refusal to give her any information.

After a few moments of silence Nicolai turned in his seat to face Mark. “Detective

Halstan, I know you’re curious about what I do and I appreciate your silence on what must seem to you to be extremely odd behavior. I would also like to request you do not notify anyone that I’m observing the scenes alone. It would make my job easier all around if no one knew of this.

Including your partner as well as the lieutenant.”

Mark agreed to keep silent on the matter although he didn’t understand the request or the

reasons behind it.

* * * *

“What d’ya find out, partner?” Jordan asked Mark as soon as he and Agent Montgomery

entered the squad room.

“Same M.O. We’ll know for sure after we get the forensic report. Did you get to

interview the witness?” Mark asked as he took a seat at his desk. Looking up he noticed

Montgomery leaning against LeDoux’s desk. “LeDoux’s out for the day, feel free.” He motioned for him to use his chair.

“I’m fine thank you, Detective,” the agent said quietly and in Mark’s opinion predictably.

“Ms. Wells stated that at around 3 a.m. she pulled over to let her son get out to pee after he’d woken up. Right after the kid finishes up with his business, Ms. Wells is putting him back in the car when a woman comes ‘falling’ out of the bushes,” Jordan included Montgomery in his brief.

“The woman’s clothes are ripped and it appeared as though she had blood smeared on her

face but Ms. Wells wasn’t too sure about that. However, what drew her attention more than

anything else, were the clothes she was holding bundled in her hands. She says she definitely saw blood on them. Her headlights picked it up pretty clearly. Wells was afraid because the woman looked at her, and she said the look in her eyes was friggin’ nuts. She ran back to her vehicle with her son and locked her door before starting her engine. The woman got into her vehicle also and took off in a hurry.”

“Damn. Did she get a good description of the woman?” Mark asked in sudden

excitement.

“Unfortunately the description was pretty generic. Slightly taller than average, estimated

her height to be around five 8 or 9. Dark brown shoulder length hair. Dark colored eyes. She couldn’t get a clear description of her features despite her headlights. That was it.”

“The height is consistent with what we already know from forensics’ projection of the

bullets, and the size of the foot impressions they’ve gathered,” Mark interjected.

“The hair too. We’ve already deduced our slayer is more than likely wearing a wig. The fibers we’ve found in the victims abandoned cars indicate that. She said the woman appeared to have dark eyes but she couldn’t say for sure what color. What she did see, was a small blue compact and she got the first three digits which helps us identify the county.”

“Great. What did the lieutenant have to say?”

“He barely waited until I’d made it in, before he hit me with a shit load of questions,”

Jordan laughed.

“He’s anxious to break this case. He’s still catching hell from the acting chief. This is one the best leads we’ve gotten so far,” Mark said.

“You’re right about that. He was anxious to hear what Ms. Wells had to say, and if there

was a possibility of her giving a good description or not.” Jordan said. “Besides what Dr.

Richardson has helped us with, we haven’t got a damn thing yet to tell us who our perp is. That reminds me. You got a call from Maya. She said she tried your cell but got your voice mail

instead. Sorry I forgot,” Jordan apologized.

“That’s okay. The battery ran out on my cell, and I haven’t charged it yet. How long ago

did she call?”

“Ten minutes before you walked in. She sounded kind of shook up.”

Without another word Mark picked up the phone to call her as Nicolai excused himself,

and headed toward the lieutenant’s office.

“Imani House may I help you?” Maya’s voice was subdued as she answered the phone.

“Hi sweetheart, I’m sorry you couldn’t reach me. Is everything okay?” The tone of her

voice made Mark’s heart start to beat faster with worry.

“Hi, Mark. I’m not sure. You didn’t send me any flowers by any chance?”