Opia

Chapter 17

Dean leaned against his SUV and watched in silent agony as Joe's body, already placed in a body bag, was wheeled into the back of an ambulance

The vehicle's rear doors closed with a reverberating bang, obstructing Dean's view. His eyes lingered on the door a moment longer, then he turned away from the ambulance to take in the rest of the scene.

Joe's small, red truck was smashed into the side of a building a little ways off the side of the road. He hadn't been alive for impact having been shot in the heart beforehand, causing him to slump over the wheel and veer off the road. Dark blood was splattered on the truck's driver side window. Some had also made a trail down to the asphalt, creating an ugly, dark stain.

When he had found out about Joe's death an hour earlier after the cop's called the prober line, Dean felt like a knife had been shoved into his stomach. Being at the scene, seeing the crushed truck and the blood, all of it pushed the blade even further in.

He tried to figure out where the shot had come from, but couldn't say for sure. They were on Wade Hampton Boulevard, a six lane road lined with homes, restaurants, gas stations, and various other buildings. Without doing more digging into the scene, it would be impossible to know where the shooter had been perched.

A woman with long black hair tied back in a ponytail was walking toward him, her gaze steady and an air rolling off of her that dared anyone to usurp her authority. Despite the in-charge attitude, Dean's eyes didn't miss the ever so slight lines of frustration around her mouth and along her forehead.

Seeing her approach, Dean changed his eyes over to brown.

"Sergeant Callie Jung," the woman said when she was within range of a handshake.

"Dean Daniels." He gripped her hand firmly.

"You were a friend?" she asked.

Dean swallowed past the lump in his throat and said, "One of his closest."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks. He was a good man."

"I know this must be a very hard time for you Mr. Daniels. But if you think you're up for talking, I do have a couple of questions about Joe Hess."

"I'll answer if I can."

"We're having a hard time getting in touch with Mr. Hess' family. Can you help with that?"

"His only living relative is a father out in California. I can give you his number."

"Thank you. Know anything about who would have wanted Mr. Hess dead?"

"I'm guessing the same person who's been killing the rest of the probers," Dean said, a hard edge to his voice.

"You knew he was a prober?"

"I did."

"Did Mr. Hess every say anything to you about anyone suspicious hanging around him?"

"No."

"Did he ever feel like he was being followed or watched?"

"No."

"Do you know what his occupation was?"

Dean was silent.

"I see," Jung said. "He was a hunter."

"You seem to know a lot about prober's." Dean didn't like it.

"You could say that. I'm the one that's been leading the investigation on the prober killings," Jung said. "I've acquired knowledge out of necessity."