Red moon notice

An insult

The drive back was a quiet one, Tom was deep in thought trying to figure what he missed.

If the two butchers are separate workers then why did this last murder feel so familiar, but Angela held the photos up and looked from one to another.

"Here" she said and he looked "Your original murderer used a knife to cut the throat, Oscar's killer strangled him..." She looked at Tom.

"That's it, its what bothered me, I can confirm the Butcher I've been hunting down was one guy, the new one is definitely a different person... But it seems the second one doesn't follow MO"

"You said back at the scene habit played role, that was the only thing that gave the new butcher away, so... What would you say makes the two different?" She asked.

"They..." Tom felt a knot in his stomach "I hope, the original is as I said, a professional, he works with some sort of mission, he doesn't kill unnecessarily, the new one we should treat as the more dangerous of the two, if Alison is young then that's how we take it, a young girl with a screw loose, and too stupid to focus when she kills"

"But Tom, judging by Alison's size she can't kick a man hard enough so his head leaves blood on the container"

"I know..." He said drawing the car into the parking of the department "So butcher number two is a group for now, two or three working, one is the scaly snitch, Alison, two is the muscle, our mystery guy, and three is probably the thinker, the one making the plans"

Angela nodded and they climbed out.

Entering the building he patted her shoulder "Go get us some coffee, I'll be right up" he said heading down by the lobby stairs, when he came into the forensics room he found Tammy asleep at her table, she must have been here all night.

"Tam..." He said softly shaking her and she hopped upright.

"I'm not asleep! I was praying!" She said but Tom snickered, those blue bags under her eyes were not makeup.

"Relax, you'll never be busted for working extra hard Tammy"

She smiled wiping her eyes "I wanted to call but fell asleep"

"You found something?"

"Yes" she said taking her latte and drinking it away.

"So! Exhibit A the far back toilet right? Here I found nothing out if the ordinary, its the first stall that had some interesting stuff" she said holding the bag up.

"I'm listening" Tom said sitting.

"The fingerprints were a match, the Jane doe is the same one who had that licence card... Well done Snyders"

"And the swabs?"

"Dust, as per usual, dandruff, hair follicles, and very interestingly... Cocaine..."

"Cocaine?"

"Many druggies use the back rest of the toilets to quickly make a line of powder and sniff it up, but, even if I could tell you I found traces of cocaine on the seat, that doesn't lead it to Jane doe?"

"It might, or might not... Thing is I know this girl is a neat freak so she will always use the one stall, now all I need to do is find out if she's a druggie" Tom said standing and patting Tammie's back "Great job"

"Thanks" she said and he left.

His heart raced, it was time to go back to some scaly, but very reliable sources, and for this he definitely didn't want to take Angela with, so in his heart he felt glad he gave Robin Angela's number, one she can spy a little in him, two, she'll be safe.

"Detective!" He said loudly making her hop but she had this confused leer about her.

"Robin just phoned me?"

"Oh, that was quick?" He said happy now that his plan was in motion "What did he say?"

"He asked me on a few drinks?"

"So? Go! Be with the guy"

She folded her arms "I'll guess that excited smirk means you got something?" She asked.

"Yes, maybe, somehow"

"Spill it"

"Okay, I have a lead but I need you to hold back for this one"

"Oh? Keeping me in the dark again hey?"

"Yes, and no, the forensics tests came back, Alison was in fact in that toilet stall at Monroe's building, but, there were traces if cocaine in the seat, its a long shot, but I have contacts in the drug dealer lines..."

Her eyes surprisingly lifted, not cheerful, but not angry "I get it, you think I'll try and buy the stuff? I wasn't an addict Snyders"

"No it's not that... I..."

"Relax, I'll back out"

He swallowed "Uh, that was quick?"

"I saw that life too much, just promise me you'll not get killed?"

"I won't, but don't think you have it easy today"

"Why?"

"I was the one who gave your number to Robin, he's chasing your tail"

"What!? Why!? That prick will never stand a chance!"

"Why!? His handsome, he's strong, a real hunk, go for it Angela"

She glared at him.

"Come on! He's way better looking than me?"

"Oh so this recent spark of interest between us, that's just a fluke?"

He sighed and walked to his chair "Listen, I told you I felt the hurt if losing a woman, you can be tough as nails, if something happens to you I'd never forgive myself, so..." He said back, Angela was still furious indicating that by folding her arms.

"Go with Robin, he's a great guy, get free drinks from him, and on the side, see if you can dig out some information out of him"

Angela slowly placed her hands in the chair rests and rose "Fine, I'll be your little bunny and go keep the copper happy, but see this as an insult" she said lifting her bag.

"Angela!?"

"I'll be doing my own little snooping around today... You have my number, phone me when its important"

He watched her leave wordless further and rubbed his face, then stood up and headed to the door "Angela! Its not like that!"

She didn't even look at him, she just left.

He sighed and saw Warren standing one side.

"Everything okay Snyders?"

"Topsy tervy chief" he said backing into his office.

Through the window he heard her car roar to life and the squeals of tyres announced the smoke clouds rising past the windows, the other men in the building cheered but Tom only shook his head.

Warren entered his office and closed the door "Nothing hey? She just wanted to show everyone how well she can burn through a set if government rubber?"

"Its a long story"

The chief sat down and leaned in "That night of the shootout, did you go home?"

"Sort of, I slept over at Monroe's"

Warren grunted "That's against protocol but I'll let it slip, because you didn't go see your therapist! And that pisses me off more!"

Tom truly honesty forgot about it "Oh yeah"

"Phone her, go there now, you can come back later" Warren said standing up.

"But the case?" Tom asked.

"It can wait, we have fresh bodies that might hold more clues, go to your therapist and by the time you're done you can return here where results will be waiting"

Tom stood up "Fine then"