Don't Scream

On the way

After settled on the plane Phil handed Brian two file folders. "She was leaving a rehearsal stopped at a convenience store and never made it home,"

Brian opened the file containing crime scene photos "Whoa", he said biting back the taste of bile. A gruesome pair of eyes stared back at him "He carved on her?

"Cut her eye lids off." That is them on the ground."

Brian angled the page winced "Jesus he said and sifted through the pictures trying not to be disturbed by how Jessica Davis seemed to watch him through the crusted blood and dirt on her face,He forced himself to note the details.An inch above her temple sat the bullet hole small and black and ironically tidy like a period at the end of a story, no one yet knew. A bruise darkened her right jaw but aside from her face she looked almost neat, her arms were bowed out her sides like a ballerina her blouse tucked in, her skirt pulled neat around her knees.She was stringy thin and the close up of her wrist showed what appeared to be rope burns. A couple of other shots focused on holes in the ground, as if she might have been staked before she died.

Brian swallowed, and opened up the second folder labeled Sarra Jane. "Is this all you got on the woman at your end of the phone call? Driver license and house deed.?

"Hey I'm not FBI besides there's nothing to have Don't know why someone is calling her.

"Someone you mean the murderer?

Brian thumped the report "The call was made just after midnight.Jessica's death is estimated between 6 and midnight,

"estimated how many times have you seen a medical examiner opinion change by an autopsy especially when the body isn't fresh?

Occasionally Brian thought,but not often enough to assume error. Brian might have been out of the game for a while but he hadn't forgotten the three basic rules of the criminal investigation. rule number Everyone in the chain is as dirty as its dirtiest link.

The woman named Sarra Jane was in the chain that included murder. It didn't make her a criminal herself, but it did mean she was in the loop long enough to know something about him.Something that would lead them to him.

He shifted uneasy with the faint throb of excitement in his chest None of this meant anything was going to change about Gloria Michaels murder. There was similarities between her case and this Jessica Davis. enough to eye brows..but there were differences, too. Chief among them were nine years and 3000 miles If Gloria's killer had been on the loose all this time where had he been?

Of course Brian wouldn't know the answer to that Because Brian had spent most of his time been hiding behind m16 and a convenient motto.

The plane hopped wheels skidded on the runway They taxied to the gate and Phil put away the folders "You ready"?He asked

Brian had a sudden longing for jack and Jill.

"Come on Phil said. we will find you a razor a coat and a tie. we will pound the pavement a little go talk to Sarra find out why she got a phone call from a dead woman."