***
Playground
The crime scene tape was stretched across the kid's playground. A swing set was cordoned off, a white tent prevented the grisly scene from being viewed by anyone except the cops.
Several techs were milling around while Sandra was examining the body. She stood back and tried to temper her growing anger. She knew this officer, now a body on display on the side of the "A" frame, her arms stretched out above and her legs pulled aside, her nude body mutilated by circles and lines, the now familiar symbols cut into her flesh all over her stomach, chest, and face. Ugly marks, some carved deep. By the blood, the cuts were done before she was killed.
The only change from the death of Brianna was that Kelsey was the transverse cut under the sternum. She'd know more back at the morgue.
"Jesus," remarked Dan as he stepped into the tent. "Oh goddamn."
"Yeah." Sandra said in anger. "Doesn't look like a copycat, either."
"That means he's still in town, then. That's interrupts the usual pattern," Dan observed.
Jones stepped into the tent, and froze. "Oh, dear god no. Not Kelsey. Not her."
"Yes," Sandra said as she opened the tent and waved in the two waiting techs. "Get her down, gently, and get her covered up."
Sandra left the tent, followed by Dan and Jones.
"Dan, I was at Dickey's last night, catching the game. Duffy was there and so was Kelsey. When I left, both were watching the game." Jones admitted.
"Get Duff at his home number, he might know who Kelsey was talking to at the bar," Dan said.
"I also saw our FBI profiler there. He was being a wall flower, up against the back wall. He hadn't moved when I left." Jones explained.
"Did he say anything to you? We hear back from his supervisor yet?" Dan asked.
"No to both."
Dan let out a sigh of exasperation. He chewed on his lower lip as the techs carried the gurney out of the tent, Kelsey covered by a white sheet. Dan, Jones, and Sandra watched in silence as Kelsey's body was rolled to the coroner's van, lifted inside and the back doors closed by the techs.
"Where's her family?" Dan asked.
"During training, she talked about her father," Jones replied. "Her father is in Colorado Springs, her mother is in Clear Lake, outside of Houston."
"Goddamn, I hate breaking this kind of news over the fucking telephone," Dan grumbled. "She's one of ours, so I'm taking lead now. Let's go find this fucker."
***
Alecto's Domain
In Alecto's room, images swirled on the vapor computer display. Brianna was trying to get used to controlling it. She continued the search, checking all records of all unsolved murders. Dozens of girls' faces were appearing. Alecto walked up behind her and observed.
"He has quite the body count. But he didn't start making those marks until recently," Alecto mused. While looking at all the faces of the victims, a new one appeared. Kelsey Franklin. She also had the familiar symbols cut in her face.
"Okay, looks like he struck again. She's new, but we need to find out if this guy ever targeted relatives," Alecto said.
"There has got to be a way," Brianna said.
"That new face, bring it up again," Alecto requested.
Brianna touched Kelsey's face and brought up the information on her.
"They're just now finding her body," Alecto read.
"Is she going to come here looking for help?" Brianna asked.
"If she goes to Thanatos' facility, most likely. Most likely, as she is local to this area. Those were done by an evil that's not human," Alecto observed. "A real evil mind."
***
San Marin PD
"A real twisted person," Dan muttered while reading the field reports. He was looking at copies of the police work in Bull Head City, with the case from Fort Hancock under it, ready to be read.
A knock on his door, Sandra stuck her face in. He waved her on in. Sandra took a seat and shook her head.
"This is exactly like your niece. Same type of markings, made all before he killed her. The only difference is, she was stabbed in the chest. Well, not exactly. This time, the killer cut her open below the sternum and pulled her heart out."
Dan's eyes went wide. "The hell for?"
"I did some searching, and this was a popular sacrifice technique in pre-Columbian Mexico." Sandra lectured. "Witnessed by several Spanish monks, the sacrifices often claimed hundreds of victims in a single day. Twenty thousand in one four-day period."
"Good god," Dan observed. He looked up and saw that Jones had been standing at the door, listening. "Yeah?"
"I just got finished a call with a USC anthropological professor, trying to find out what those markings might mean. She said human sacrifice was also done in eastern Europe right after the fall of Rome."
"Anything on the markings?" Dan asked.
"I was referred to their religious center. I talked with another professor there, then emailed him the markings. He said they're magical markings called--"
"Sigils?" Dan asked, interrupting.
"Yes, how did you know?" Jones asked.
"A new friend's mother said something about that the other day," Dan said, a weak excuse, but it was all he had.
"New friend?" Sandra sked, leaning forward, a smile playing on her lips. "I'm all ears."
"Nothing to report, Doctor." Dan said flatly. "How long before you can release Kelsey's body?"
"This evening, once I wrap the post-mortem," Sandra answered.
"I talked to her father. He wants the body prepared to be shipped to her hometown, Colorado Springs. So, I guess we do a small memorial here. Then she travels," Dan said, looking down.
"The chief wants a large memorial. And he wants her escorted to Colorado Springs. He is thinking news coverage," Jones said.
"Yeah, he would," Dan sighed and shut the file on the previous victim. He dismissed both of them with a wave of his hand as he pulled out the file on the murder in Fort Hancock.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
San Marin
It was a bright and beautiful day along the central California coast.
A white hearse was slowly leading a long line of cars. The hearse rolled gently to the edge of the pavement and parked. Directly behind the hearse was a glossy white limousine, and inside, Beth and Chad Oberon, there to bury their only child.
Following up in a police cruiser was Dan with Jones driving and Sandra along for support. Behind them was a long line of cars, most were from the town's police force.
Dan opened his door and climbed out. He was dressed in a black suit and tie. He felt uncomfortable. The suit wasn't fitting right through the shoulders and the shirt collar was too tight. He kept pulling at it with his finger. He wasn't a suit-type of guy anyway.
Jones was in his Sunday best, and Sandra was in a deep blue dress and black veil. Dan headed to the limousine and opened the door for his sister, before the limo driver could even open his door. Dan escorted Beth and Chad to the spot where a large tent was erected.
After getting them seated, Dan headed back to the hearse just as the back was opened. A light pink casket was rolled out. Dan grasped the front handle as Jones took the other side. Four other officers grabbed a handle, gently walking the casket to the awaiting open grave.
"Nice turnout. Pretty coffin," Alecto pointed out. She and Brianna were standing several yards away, observing. "You had a lot of friends."
"I'd have preferred the sliver coffin, but mom couldn't hear me," Brianna said, choking back tears. "She has been crying ever since."
"Nothing you can do, sweetie. Mortals can't hear or see us unless I or another immortal allows it. Which is why Meg is so wound up about your uncle," Alecto said quietly.
"Megaera doesn't seem to want to notice me, either," Brianna complained.
"Megaera just doesn't want notice you because you're not her petitioner. Your family may eventually begin to hear you. There's some tricks I can show you as you grow used to the idea of being immateri
al." Alecto walked closer to the people gathered at the service.
"Okay, so now that religious leader says a few words. They have it so wrong, the poor dears. Did I tell you they're really worshipping Apollo?" Alecto said.
"What?" Brianna snapped out of her funk. "No, we went to church to pray to Jesus."
"That's just Apollo with a name change, honey," Alecto pointed out. "I've seen them come and go. And trust me, your Jesus is Apollo with a haircut and groomed beard."
"Well, then, who is God?" Brianna asked.
"Zeus, Jupiter, Amun-Ra, all of them, rolled into one grumpy god," Alecto stopped when they got to within earshot. She rested a hand gently on Brianna's shoulder. "Hold on, your uncle is about to eulogize you."
Dan slowly walked to the podium that stood next to the casket. He stopped and thanked Pastor Franklin. He turned and looked at the open grave, the casket and he blinked back tears. He shuffled his notecards, and cleared his throat.
"Thank you, Pastor for the kind words. I'm sure most of you know, I'm Brianna's uncle and she was..." Dan stopped.
"Oh damn, if he starts crying, I'm done for," Brianna sobbed.
Dan cleared his throat. "Yes, she was my niece, but she was also the daughter I never had. I was in Dallas when she was a baby. When I returned and settled here, I got to meet her for the first time. She went from gawky twelve-year-old to a stunning young lady before our eyes." Dan stopped and cleared his throat. He wiped away tears and tried to continue.
Brianna suddenly broke away and drifted across the cemetery to sit on a marble bench beneath a tall elm tree. Alecto appeared by her side. Thanatos, with Kelsey in tow, appeared and sat on the other side of Brianna. Kelsey just stood by, wavering in and out of reality.
"Dear, this happens a lot," Thanatos said as he took off his top hat and wiped at his brow. "They always hang around to watch the funeral. Then it gets real emotional, but you'd be surprised to know that it's not always tears. I had one gentleman who was spitting angry when his widow showed up being comforted by the stud tennis pro from their country club. Oh man, was he angry. He lifted a good ten feet into the air, cursing like a drunk sailor. His outline literally turned red from the anger."
He patted the spot next to him. Kelsey floated nearby and tried to sit. She was so immaterial, she sank into the bench.
Brianna started to smile.
"Are we any closer to helping you solve your problem?" Thanatos asked. "Kelsey was also taken by this killer."
Brianna reached out to touch Kelsey's face. "Oh my God! Just like the marks on my face!"
"The same marks were on your face?" Kelsey whispered.
"Yeah. They are! Right now, Alecto is showing me how to use her computer system to hunt for this guy's first victim,” Brianna told Kelsey.
"Yes, the first victim is often a family member," Alecto explained. "Being a cop, Kelsey could help as well. I'll get Megaera to help with those marks, babe."
"I hope she can do something! These marks hurt so bad, I can barely maintain my form," Kelsey whispered. "But I'd give anything to move on, so count me in."
Back at the ceremony, Dan was too choked up to continue. Sandra appeared at his side and led him back to his seat. All he could do was stare at the casket. He finally looked around and could swear he saw people seated on a bench near the access road. He looked back and there was no one on the bench.
The graveside ceremony was over. People began filing away. Dan moved away, then turned to watch the workers lowered the casket and began taking down the tent and rolling up the fake grass that covered the pile of dirt. He finally moved, walking to where Jones and Sandra were standing, waiting.
"What do you want to do, Dan?" Jones asked. "I can drive you back or you can ride with your sister."
"No, I'll hang here and walk back. I have to get my head on straight," Dan said, looking back to where the workers were now covering up the casket.
"If you need anything, you know where to find me," Sandra offered, embracing Dan, then breaking away, giving him several small pats on his back.
"We got another one of these tomorrow. Frankly, I'm wiped out," Dan confessed. Jones put a huge hand on his shoulder and squeezed.
"I hear ya, I really do," Jones smiled grimly, then climbed into the patrol car.
Dan stepped back as Jones drove slowly away.
He still thought he could see several people seated at that bench, but only out of the corner of his eyes. When he looked directly at the bench, there wasn't anyone visible.
"He sees us, Alecto!" Brianna pointed to Dan.
"He might see me, or Thanatos, but you? Hardly," Alecto said, keeping a careful eye on Dan. "But, he did see Megaera, without her doing anything to make him see her."
"He keeps looking away, then back this direction." Brianna stood up. "If he saw Megaera, I bet he could hear me if I got close enough."
Brianna carefully walked towards her uncle. She got close and looked at him. His jaw was unshaven, his eyes very red. He clearly hadn't slept for days.
"Dan!" Brianna yelled. Dan jolted and looked around.
She turned back to Alecto and Thanatos. "I think he heard me!"
Dan turned his head and looked in Brianna's direction.
"Uncle Dan! Is that you, Lieutenant Dan?" Brianna laughed.
Alecto was next to Brianna. "He might actually be hearing you. Be careful," Alecto cautioned.
Brianna looked back to Thanatos. He shook his head, then stood and put on this hat. He smiled brightly to Brianna, then winked out of sight.
"Let's go get you looked at." Alecto grasped Kelsey's hand. To Brianna, Alecto added, "Don't be long. We have a lot of work ahead of us."
Alecto and Kelsey faded from view.
He could have sworn he heard Brianna's voice just now. He frowned and began walking.
It calmed his mind to walk and the five or so miles back to the police station was far enough he could get his thoughts together.
He felt lost, alone, and angry at himself, he should have insisted on Brianna turning around and heading home. It was unlike her to have a stranger at a party take her away. It was of small significance to find out the killer drugged her. The drug he used, a form of Rohypnol, also accounted for the vomiting her roommate reported.
He stopped suddenly. He remembered that odd woman saying something about a photograph? That someone took a photo of Brianna? He dug out his notepad and made a fast note "Photo? Cell phone? Who?"
He slipped the notebook into his back pocket and continued walking. He strolled along the blacktop that led away from the cemetery, then towards a mostly deserted road heading back to the small city of thirty-five thousand.
As he walked, he slipped off his jacket. Typical for this area, the morning was cool, and now it was getting a bit warm. He looked to the east, mountains rising up towards the horizon, blue in the distance and haze. Very little on-shore breeze, so yeah, it was going to be a warm one again.
Brianna followed her uncle. She kept reaching up, trying to tickle her uncle on the back of his neck. She was tall enough to just reach out and poke.
Dan stopped suddenly. He slapped the back of his neck. He twisted and looked around, frowning. Brianna started giggling.
Alecto appeared.
"That isn't nice," Alecto scolded, but with a smile. "All of you do that, you know. It's nothing new."
"I kinda like to think I put the 'fun' back into funeral," Brianna explained with a grin.
"At least you're feeling better," Alecto said as they followed Dan. "We should be hunting for your killer's first victim. And hope it was a family member."
Dan suddenly wheeled around and stared. Alecto faded instantly, but Brianna just stopped and watched. Dan walked to where Alecto was just standing. Brianna leaned over and gave her uncle a light kiss on the cheek, then she faded from view.
Dan put his hand to his cheek. "That damned old woman has me seeing shadows," he muttered.
As he walked, his mind went back to his early years
as a policeman, first in Los Angeles, then in Dallas. It wasn't just one event that pushed him away. It was a culmination of events; such as the night he got home after the child was kidnapped.
***
Ducanville, Texas
It was well past sundown when Dan pulled into the substation on Illinois Ave., and parked his patrol car. Cuero and Tanya were right behind them. All three had reports to write and a meeting with the Division commander, which would add another two hours to their day, easy.
Dan didn't make it home until after eleven that evening, and his wife was waiting up for him. He walked into the modest house just outside Dallas, in the suburb of Ducanville. Rachel clicked off the TV, currently on the David Letterman show, dropped her magazine and stood when he walked in.
Dan put his satchel down and looked at his wife of two years. She hugged him and looked into his eyes.
"I saw you on the news, both the six and the late news. Did you get a chance to eat?" she placed her head onto his chest and rubbed it.
"I grabbed a sandwich from a roach-coach when we were still on scene," he replied.
"Yuk. Sure I can't make you something?" She asked, moving back to her chair. Dan then spotted the empty pint bottle of vodka. He frowned. Rachel had a drinking issue since they had made the move back to Dallas. He wasn't sure what the trigger was, the city itself or her father or his long hours.
"I need a shower and sleep. This is my third eighteen-hour day this week." He walked through the house to the bedroom, and sat on the bed, then flopped back. He heard Rachel enter and sit on the bed.
"All I get of you is you showering and sleeping. You're often gone when I get up," Rachel complained. "I never get to see you."
"It's the life of a cop, Rach," Dan sighed. This would make the third time this week she started complaining about his work hours. "At least there's the overtime."
"Big deal, if you're not around." Rachel had made pouting an artform.
"You knew this when you met me. If I hadn't of pulled you over for that bad tail light--" Dan started.
"You know damned good and well that tail light was just an excuse." She playfully tapped him on his forehead. "I miss you."
Angels of Vengeance: The Furies, Book 1 Page 14
