Declan
I shook my head to get the dizzy feeling from my head which I then realized wasn't a good idea as I felt my blood pressure suddenly drop. My body was clammy under my suit but it was better than sitting in bed all day whilst Malachi dotted over every frown I had.
A part of me wondered if I left the house because I found myself feeling tense that he was hiding something from me. Not that he had any responsibility to tell me the truth but I could feel that he felt unsettled and I could barely take the tension any longer before I lost my mind.
He didn't fight as hard as I knew he wanted too when I showered and got ready for work anyway. However the look of worry didn't leave his face as we had a quick breakfast together before I left.
I had to drive slowly and cautiously on my way over here not wanting to have another run in with a wolf, who might not be as friendly as the last one. Maybe I had rabies? I wasn't too sure but Malachi took my blood to check and luckily I came back clean.
However that didn't explain why I felt the way I felt. Clearly wolf canines must have had some sort of bacteria to make me feel like I was having a fever, however no matter how hard I looked at where it had bitten me yesterday, I couldn't see any evidence that it had ever happened to begin with.
However I could only dwell on it for so long as I pushed the door open and nearly collided with Michael and Jason.
"Oh you're here! Boggs told us you weren't feeling well. You're just on time," Jason placed his hand on my shoulder, already turning my body around and ushered me down the hallway.
"What? What happened?" I blinked and tried to level my voice so I didn't sound as under the weather as I felt.
"There was a body found," Jason deeply frowned. "In the reserve by one of the houses based on the outskirts."
"What?" I didn't hide my shock as I loudly exclaimed whilst we rushed to one of the cruisers. "How did that happen! We were just there last night. The place has more security than the bank."
"That's the shocking part," Michael frowned, "I don't know who's doing this but they're getting bolder."
We continued pondering on who might be behind this as Jason drove with the sirens on. The forensic unit had already shut the area off from the rest of the reserve community and put up a tent to preserve all the evidence they could get before the rain started.
At the gate of the reserve two patrol cars were already waiting and one led us to the scene whilst the other stayed put by the gate. As we passed homes we saw multiple families gathered outside as they cried and looked in disbelief.
My suspicions about whoever was doing this instantly deviated from them. The community was too tight knit for this to be one of their own.
When we arrived at the lonely house that was painted a pale blue, dark roof with a white painted porch, we saw the tent and forensic unit as they took pictures and placed up numbered cones for what they hopefully thought was evidence.
Two women were on the scene and by their attire I figured they were the heads of forensic this side.
As soon as we climbed out the cruiser, they looked at us and instantly met us half way. Hands already outstretched to me.
"Detective Declan, pleasure to meet you. I'm Doctor Theresa Evans and this is my second, Doctor Viola Cooper," the copper haired woman in her early forties smiled. Her green eyes matched the surrounding trees.
Viola had a more timid smile, her chocolate skin beautiful with her curly hair draping down her shoulders. She was younger, probably in her thirties, with round glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.
"Pleasure is all mine," I curtly smiled. "What happened?"
They led us to where a body had been covered with a black drape. Viola pulled it back slightly to reveal a young woman, probably no older than her early twenties. Her face pale and her hair with mud. A splash of blood across her cheeks that made my stomach sicken with the sight. Viola was quick to cover her again as the Coroners patiently waited to take her away.
"Blunt force trauma to the head," Theresa explained. "By the look of it she struggled. We found footprints around the scene," she pointed to the obvious indents around where they were already getting a casting off one. "I'm not sure if it's the same killer but they seemed sloppy this time. As if they were in a hurry. Or being chased."
"Chased?" I frowned as I looked around and saw what I thought were second footprints.
"Yes, that's what I believe but I can't confirm until we get a size comparison. Might be someone who tried to stop the crime or someone who was assisting."
"Does she have a family?" I sighed as I looked at the house that was small. Telling me that she had just probably moved out of her family's home.
"Yes," she sighed. "She's one of the game ranger's daughters.
"Has he been informed?" I looked at Jason who shook his head.
"We wanted to confirm that it is in fact her," he looked torn, telling me that he probably knew her. "Her name was Nina."
Having a name to a victim made it feel all the more personal.
"Where does he live?"
"On the reserve. Closer to the mansion. He's probably getting back soon from his shift and his wife is a nurse in town. We should probably break it to him first."
We left Michael in charge to help take the final evidence whilst Jason and I drove to Nina's fathers home. The news hung heavy in the air as we made our drive.