Taste of Fury by M Comley (dark academia books to read txt) 📗

your scenario. What next? The killer returned to finish off the husband?”

“Maybe, that’s the part that I’m finding perplexing at present.”

Charlie jumped in. “It makes sense to me. Maybe the killer had every intention of driving off, getting away from the scene quickly, perhaps the woman jumped in front of the car to prevent the killer from leaving the scene. The husband was distraught, cuddled his wife, rang the emergency services to get the ball rolling. What if he was on the phone when the killer decided to return to get rid of any loose ends?”

Katy and Patti glanced at each other with raised eyebrows. Katy nodded several times. “Sounds mighty plausible to me. Charlie, get on the blower, ask to hear the nine-nine-nine call; we’ll see if our combined theories match the events.”

Charlie stepped away to place the call.

“Either way, it’s a disgusting thing to happen,” Katy admitted.

“I agree. I believe these two were innocent victims and that the killer has an agenda and was conscious about leaving any witnesses in their wake.”

An excited Charlie rejoined them and put the emergency call on speaker. They heard a man asking for the police.

“Hello, police. It’s urgent. We’ve just discovered a dead body and believe the killer is trying to get away. Please hurry, we’re out at Hawthorn Forest.”

“Please remain calm, sir. Is there somewhere you can hide? Perhaps secure yourselves in your car.”

“No. We’re on foot.”

A revving car could be heard in the background. The man called out for Jackie to get out of the way. They heard a loud thud. The car roared away.

“Jackie, Jackie, are you all right? Please, hurry, the woman has just driven at my wife. I can’t get a response. I think she’s… oh God, she’s coming back. Please, you have to help me!”

That was the end of the conversation. Katy swallowed down the lump in her throat. “My God, did I just hear him right? Did he say the killer was female and that she was getting away?”

Patti and Charlie both nodded.

“Fuckity fuck, you know where my mind is leading, yes?”

Patti and Charlie continued to nod.

Katy turned to face a tree and kicked out at its trunk. “Fuck!”

“You think the cases are connected, don’t you?” Charlie muttered.

Katy swivelled on the spot to look at her and nodded. “Patti, what about you? There’s been an underlying seed of doubt with us for a while about this.”

“The similarities, the killer choosing remote locations and possibly intentionally stalking their prey, plus the fact that the killer is a woman, well, it’s hard to deny. Maybe we should lump them all together and be done with it. Are you any further forward with the other cases yet?”

“We have a possible vague suspect to the second murder, but that’s as far as we’ve got to date. We’re hoping you can throw us a lifeline in the next day or two,” Katy replied. She glanced down at the couple again. “Whoever the damn killer is, in my opinion, she’s overstepped the mark killing this couple. Do you think she returned to the scene, possibly feeling a touch of remorse about the woman’s death and then the husband having a go at her fuelled her anger and she lashed out and killed him?”

Patti shrugged. “Who knows? Only one person knows what truly happened. Sickening to think the killer has an agenda and isn’t afraid to veer off when the necessity arises.”

Katy shuddered. “The worst type of killer. We need to bloody track her down, quickly.”

Charlie gave a brief nod. “I think we’re all agreed on that. What next?”

Katy rolled her eyes. “The usual when we discover a body, the next of kin needs to be informed. Have you located any IDs, Patti?”

“One on the woman and her husband. Nothing as yet on the first victim. Maybe you’ll get a little extra help in that department if someone reports him missing later.”

“I’ll tell the switchboard to let me know if they receive a call. Can I have the couple’s IDs?”

“Help yourself, they’re in the evidence bag over by the van.”

Katy and Charlie left the scene and walked in silence through the wet leaves and snapping twigs to Patti’s van. Katy bent to pick up the evidence bag and with her gloves in place she opened it and read out the address for Charlie to jot down.

“Are we going to try and find the next of kin now?”

“Yep, sorry. Did you have plans? I can tackle it myself if you want to go home.”

“Not on your life. If you’re out in the field, then so am I, we’re partners.”

Katy smiled. “We are that. I’m dying to see AJ and Georgie, but the guilt would tug at me if I didn’t visit the relatives tonight.”

“I’d feel the same. Want me to get in touch with the desk sergeant, see if he can come up with a relative for us to visit?”

“Good idea. I’ll go back and see if Patti has anything else for us. I’ll be back soon.”

She walked the few feet back to the crime scene and spoke to Patti once more. “Charlie’s conducting the search for a possible next of kin for the couple. I’m at a loss what to do about the single male victim, though. Any suggestions?”

“Apart from putting it out in the media, no, you’re just going to have to sit tight for now. You’ve got enough on your hands to keep you busy for the time being, anyway.”

“I know. But the thought of that man lying in a mortuary as a John Doe is tugging at my heartstrings.”

“You old softie, you. I’m sure his identity will come to light soon. Now shoo, I need to get the three of them cleared for transferring back to the mortuary. Then I’m going to leave them and give up my Sunday to perform the posts.”

Katy smiled her appreciation. “You’re such a dedicated pathologist, not everyone would be prepared to put their life on hold the way you do.”

“Get away with you.