Daddy's Little Girl (Complete book- limited time only)

Chapter 25: Know Thy Enemy

The Kringe house is a full blown crime scene. Half a dozen police cars, an ambulance, and a coroners van fill the gravel driveway. Multicolored flashing lights draw the attention of passing cars; some of them stopping to take pictures. A yellow police tape wraps the yard and crosses the front of the house. Crime scene investigators enter and exit, some carrying bags of evidence.

As a body bag is lifted into the back of the coroner's van, Detective Ron Travis looks on. He fights to hold back a flood of tears as they fill his eyelids to the brim. His face is sagging, so full of sadness. He has always been an emotional man but he tries at all costs to avoid crying in public. However, under the circumstances, he is losing the battle against his own emotions. The knot in his throat feels like a 'D' cell battery is lodged in his trachea. He can hardly swallow without his eyes watering. As the doors to the van are slammed closed, Ron's eyes slam closed, squeezing out a few tears.

After a few moments and a few deep breaths, he turns and approaches a paramedic standing just outside an ambulance. The medic sees Ron and gives him a sad look filled with pity.

"Detective?" The young EMT extends his hand, "Jack Cole."

Ron doesn't feel like shaking hands right now, but out of respect he grabs Jack's hand but doesn't speak. The lump in his throat makes speech difficult.

Jack can see Ron is deeply saddened. "I can't even begin to imagine how you're feeling right now...it was a terrible thing that happened to her."

Ron shoots an angry stare toward Jack at the mention of the word 'her'.

Jack notices the look he is getting and quickly adds, "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Ron swallows the lump down, "No, it's okay...I just, I don't understand how the hell this happened. I talked to her an hour ago and she said everything was fine. She had the guy in custody for Christ's sake." Ron sighs and hangs his head in sorrow.

Jack keeps silent, respecting Detective Travis at this sensitive time. Just then, Officer Dale Marston comes from within the house, "Travis! You got a minute?"

Ron gathers himself and begins his walk to the house. Every step he takes is exhausting, the dread weighing heavily on his shoulders. As he walks he tries the keep his mind free of the terrible thoughts he has, the horrible fate which his partner has suffered. Reaching the front door, Ron pauses. Inhaling deeply, he prepares himself to enter the home of a deranged murderer. Ron wants to see how a man like Harrison Kringe lives. He wants to know everything he can about this man. Ron's got revenge on his mind and he won't stop until justice is served.

The house is covered in fingerprint powder as the investigators have dusted nearly every surface looking for prints. Ron walks carefully so he doesn't disrupt the other law enforcement as they work. He stands in the house looking around; the whole atmosphere gives Ron a sickened feeling in his stomach.

Dale calls for Ron to join him at a locked door. He makes his way down the hallway. He grabs the padlock, looking at it.

He looks to Officer Dale Marston. "What's in here?"

Dale shrugs, "Not sure, you want me to get a crow bar?"

Ron raises an eyebrow, "Crowbar? For what?"

"So we can open it."

"No, we don't need a crowbar. I got the key." Ron sounds confident.

A surprised look on Dales face, "You do?"

"Yeah...I do!" Ron takes a short step back and then thrusts his foot forward with a big front kick. The door bursts open, taking part of the frame with it.