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CHAPTER24
By Friday midmorning, Danni and Matt finished the murder book. She’d also spent several hours, at work and at home, looking over riot footage. They’d done as much as they could do in the office, so before lunch, Danni and Matt considered their next move.
“Interviews,” Danni said. “We have to get to Hoffman and Ellis.”
“I agree,” Matt said.
Just then Sergeant Harper stepped out of her office. “There’s been another homicide.”
Danni sat back and braced herself as the sergeant continued.
“A body has been discovered behind the closed east substation. Shaver, I want you and Grace to handle this. I realize you have your hands full at the moment, but this case might be related, just going by location.”
“Sure thing, Sarge,” Matt responded while Danni kept her mouth shut. She hated to be interrupted, but then, if this case was related, she did want to be on top of it.
Her partner went to his desk to gather his field kit.
She turned to Marrs. “Can you try to set up interviews with Hoffman and Ellis?”
“I have tried.”
“Maybe get Harper in on it. Or even Gomez. This is important. We need to talk to those two. If they don’t agree, we need to find a way to get to them.”
He nodded and Danni got up to retrieve her field kit. Matt slid into a ballistic vest, a style used by SWAT for over the shirt, with pockets and Police emblazoned on the back in large white letters.
He answered her question before she asked it.
“Standard equipment these days. I saw to it you were issued one as well. It’s in the supply cabinet with your name on it. Welcome to the new world.”
+++
When they arrived in the parking lot behind the shuttered substation, a small crowd had gathered at one end. They didn’t look welcoming. While Danni hated wearing the ballistic vest, seeing the crowd made her glad she had it. Her shoulders tensed with a sudden apprehension. Gritting her teeth, she fought the fear and uneasiness that threatened to envelop her as she and Matt got out of the car. There were four black-and-whites already on scene. Danni caught sight of Yen and hoped she had been the first officer here. Yen would make certain the evidence was preserved.
As Matt and Danni ducked under the crime scene tape, some anti-police slogans were yelled out. Danni made it a point to study the crowd. She caught a glimpse of someone she thought could be Jareb Moore. He was on the fringes of the crowd, talking on the phone. There was no way she could confirm her suspicions. Danni had to adjust her focus to the reason they were here: the body in the alley.
“Hey, Danni,” Yen greeted her with a smile. “Good to see you on the job again.”
“Good to see you as well. What do you have for us?”
“Pretty clear this is a homicide. Guy has a hole in the center of his forehead. But there’s no blood.”
“No blood?” Danni asked.
“None. The guy is dead, pale as a sheet, looks as if he lost all his blood, yet there’s only a small amount of blood here in the alley.” She stepped aside so Matt and Danni could view the body.
Matt whistled at the sight. “Guy definitely needs a tan.”
Danni had to agree. The body was pale and waxy-looking, more so than just from death. He looked like a cadaver, already emptied of bodily fluids.
She knelt, checking out the wound in his forehead. The guy was on his left side, and she could clearly see the neat hole in the center of his forehead. There were even contact burns from a small caliber weapon clearly visible. No blood there, and she couldn’t see an exit wound. There was a tiny bit of blood where she could see his left hand protruding from underneath his body, but no indication he was lying in a pool of blood. They couldn’t turn him over for a more thorough inspection until the coroner arrived.
Matt knelt to join her perusal. “Anything stand out?” he asked.
She tilted her head. “Looks to be an execution. He wasn’t killed here, though. It would be a lot messier if he had been. Did the coroner give an ETA?”
Yen answered for Matt. “They just arrived.”
Danni and Matt stood. “Okay,” Danni said. She motioned for the lab guy who had already been on scene to finish up the photos.
