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BY THE TIME HUTCH, Ledet and Bryant arrived at the crime scene, the area was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape. Ledet asked the young officer, “What do we have?”
“A young woman was found in the alley. From the amount of blood, this is the crime scene.”
Hutch found Dr. Ortego kneeling over the body, “How bad is it?”
“Your killer struck again.”
Hutch nodded her head in agreement. Her vision was correct, and the killer had hit again. Hutch squatted down and stared at the young woman. Her body lay where it fell, crumpled in a contorted heap. The only movement of the body had been the killer turning her face to remove her eyes and tongue. Hutch wondered why he didn’t bother moving this body. Was someone approaching, and he didn’t have time?
Ledet asked, “I wonder why he didn’t move her? He didn’t even take the time to pose her.”
Dr. Ortego replied, “I am not sure, but it was the killer.” He rolled the woman onto her back and showed them the mutilations to her face and throat.
Ledet asked Hutch, “Do you have any clue as to why he dumped and posed the last victim, but he left this one here?”
Shaking her head, “I’m not sure. I haven’t been able to get a feel for this crime scene yet.”
As Hutch walked the crime scene, the forensic team scoured the area for clues. She doubted that they would find much. It still bothered her that the killer didn’t take the body somewhere else to pose it. Why didn’t he move her? She continued to walk the crime scene, hoping to find something to use.
***
LEDET GROANED WHEN he saw the media vans arrive. He walked over to one of the young officers guarding the scene, “Make sure everyone working this case knows not to talk to the media. Let them know I will have their heads if anyone spouts off to a reporter or makes their way on the evening news. Try to keep them far away from the scene.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ledet pulled a packet of antacids from his pocket and popped one in his mouth. The coffee from this morning churned in his stomach suddenly. They needed to find this guy quick. The media were already all over them about this being a serial killer. Very soon, this would turn into a full three ring circus.