particular.
“If you’re gonna get sick, take it outside so you don’t contaminate the crime scene,” Dallas relayed gently.
Shaking her head, but not taking her eyes off the victim, Davis sucked in a deep breath to ward off the nausea.
The crime scene had been photographed and forensics was dusting for fingerprints. Dallas turned when he heard Reed enter the two-bedroom house that belonged to the victim and waited for him to approach.
“Jesus, Joseph, and Mary,” Reed mumbled as he looked at the victim while making the sign of the cross.
It would take an autopsy to determine the cause of death, or, more to the point, which knife wound caused her death. From the amount of stab wounds in her abdomen, Dallas figured close to twenty; his guess was exsanguination
“She was a looker, that one,” Reed observed.
“And blonde,” Dallas pointed out the obvious.
“Not the same MO, Vaughn, he doesn’t rip them apart with a knife; he asphyxiates them.”
“He could be escalating or maybe he couldn’t get away with her so he stabbed her to keep her quiet.”
“That’s all conjecture at this point and you know it. Let forensics clear the scene, then we’ll see what we’ve got. Not every blonde in the city who’s murdered is a victim of The Shallow Grave Killer,” Reed advised.
Reed knew his partner had a hard on for the sonofabitch, but he needed him to focus on the evidence before jumping to conclusions. Not to mention that even if this was a Shallow Grave murder, they’d be handing it over to the FBI to investigate. That is, until they realized they were barking up the wrong tree, Reed thought with pent-up anger. It was just like the feds to stroll in and take charge. If they decided the Shallow Grave murders were the same sick fuck, then he and Dallas would be lucky if they were invited to sit on the task force. After Vaughn’s pissing match the day before he doubted Agent Parker would let him fetch his coffee, let alone sit in on their investigation.
As the partners talked, Davis suddenly threw her hand over her mouth before she turned and ran outside to empty her stomach.
“Do you remember your first bloody crime scene?” Reed asked motioning toward the door Davis had ducked out.
“I remember them all,” Dallas bit out, his eyes on the front door as well.
“She’ll get her sea legs,” Reed mumbled and moved on. “They find the weapon yet?”
“Yep, on the floor next to the body.”
Reed turned from the body and took in his partner, ready to ask him if they’d found any other evidence, when he noted the front of his shirt covered in what looked like food.
“Jesus, Vaughn, did you have a food fight with those kids of your sisters?”
“Nope, I ran into Sandra Dee,” he grinned.
“Did ya now? You know, if you ignore all the signs, it’s bad luck, my sweet mama always used to say.”
“What signs would those be, that she’s a danger to my wardrobe?” Dallas chuckled.
“Fate, Vaughn, fate. There aren’t many women is this world who look like that and are as sweet as a newborn baby. You need to get in there before someone beats you to the punch.”
“Jesus, you’re a romantic,” Dallas smiled.
“You gotta make time for what matters most in life, son. You think we bust our asses hunting these sons a bitches’ so we can go home to an empty bed?”
“You forget I tried that once and it didn’t work out,” Dallas reminded him, not about to tell him he’d already put Nicola on notice. He’d never hear the end of it either way, but figured, until he’d had time to explain how it was gonna be with Nicola, he’d keep his partner in the dark.
“You chose the wrong woman, Dallas. You take my June, for example. Sure, she’s hell on wheels, but she keeps me in line and makes life exciting. Makes it worth gettin’ up each day to fight the good fight and when she thinks no one is lookin’ she’s as sweet as a kitten. That, my friend, makes what we’re standin’ here
“If you’re gonna get sick, take it outside so you don’t contaminate the crime scene,” Dallas relayed gently.
Shaking her head, but not taking her eyes off the victim, Davis sucked in a deep breath to ward off the nausea.
The crime scene had been photographed and forensics was dusting for fingerprints. Dallas turned when he heard Reed enter the two-bedroom house that belonged to the victim and waited for him to approach.
“Jesus, Joseph, and Mary,” Reed mumbled as he looked at the victim while making the sign of the cross.
It would take an autopsy to determine the cause of death, or, more to the point, which knife wound caused her death. From the amount of stab wounds in her abdomen, Dallas figured close to twenty; his guess was exsanguination
“She was a looker, that one,” Reed observed.
“And blonde,” Dallas pointed out the obvious.
“Not the same MO, Vaughn, he doesn’t rip them apart with a knife; he asphyxiates them.”
“He could be escalating or maybe he couldn’t get away with her so he stabbed her to keep her quiet.”
“That’s all conjecture at this point and you know it. Let forensics clear the scene, then we’ll see what we’ve got. Not every blonde in the city who’s murdered is a victim of The Shallow Grave Killer,” Reed advised.
Reed knew his partner had a hard on for the sonofabitch, but he needed him to focus on the evidence before jumping to conclusions. Not to mention that even if this was a Shallow Grave murder, they’d be handing it over to the FBI to investigate. That is, until they realized they were barking up the wrong tree, Reed thought with pent-up anger. It was just like the feds to stroll in and take charge. If they decided the Shallow Grave murders were the same sick fuck, then he and Dallas would be lucky if they were invited to sit on the task force. After Vaughn’s pissing match the day before he doubted Agent Parker would let him fetch his coffee, let alone sit in on their investigation.
As the partners talked, Davis suddenly threw her hand over her mouth before she turned and ran outside to empty her stomach.
“Do you remember your first bloody crime scene?” Reed asked motioning toward the door Davis had ducked out.
“I remember them all,” Dallas bit out, his eyes on the front door as well.
“She’ll get her sea legs,” Reed mumbled and moved on. “They find the weapon yet?”
“Yep, on the floor next to the body.”
Reed turned from the body and took in his partner, ready to ask him if they’d found any other evidence, when he noted the front of his shirt covered in what looked like food.
“Jesus, Vaughn, did you have a food fight with those kids of your sisters?”
“Nope, I ran into Sandra Dee,” he grinned.
“Did ya now? You know, if you ignore all the signs, it’s bad luck, my sweet mama always used to say.”
“What signs would those be, that she’s a danger to my wardrobe?” Dallas chuckled.
“Fate, Vaughn, fate. There aren’t many women is this world who look like that and are as sweet as a newborn baby. You need to get in there before someone beats you to the punch.”
“Jesus, you’re a romantic,” Dallas smiled.
“You gotta make time for what matters most in life, son. You think we bust our asses hunting these sons a bitches’ so we can go home to an empty bed?”
“You forget I tried that once and it didn’t work out,” Dallas reminded him, not about to tell him he’d already put Nicola on notice. He’d never hear the end of it either way, but figured, until he’d had time to explain how it was gonna be with Nicola, he’d keep his partner in the dark.
“You chose the wrong woman, Dallas. You take my June, for example. Sure, she’s hell on wheels, but she keeps me in line and makes life exciting. Makes it worth gettin’ up each day to fight the good fight and when she thinks no one is lookin’ she’s as sweet as a kitten. That, my friend, makes what we’re standin’ here
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