Kobe had yet to perform a verbal walk-through of the murder, but I envisioned it clearly. Every step. It was hastier than the previous kill. Tiny details stood out. I was sure the detectives would notice, but I’d wait until I was asked to give my opinion.
I closed my mind to the horrors and got to work, going through the motions of recording evidence, taking measurements, and scrutinizing every detail of the presentation and kill. In a homicide, a forensic pathologist’s evaluation came first. A dead body spoke volumes if you knew where to look, how to look, and what to look for. We appraised every nuance of the murder, starting at the crime scene and ending on the autopsy table. It was up to us to determine as much about the killing as possible, from cause to method to determining as precise a timeframe as possible.
Kobe and his partner might be paramount in hunting down the killer, but they couldn’t tamper with a scene until they had the green light from forensics. Me. This was my rodeo, and I commanded order on my crime scene. No one interrupted until I finished.
The pair rotated around the body at a distance, murmuring back and forth, sharing their thoughts at a volume I couldn’t hear. They scanned, scowled, and took their own notes. Kobe walked a wide berth, attention on the ground, but the quad had seen enough traffic during the day that a quick glance told me he wouldn’t be lucky enough to pinpoint where the attack had taken place this time. It hadn’t snowed in days, and the mucky, winter grass and paths contained multitudes of prints going every which way.
I answered as many questions as I could, referring back to my staple response. “I’ll know more once he’s on the table.”
Detectives hated that answer, and seeing the frustration on Kobe’s face every time I said it made me wish I could say more.
Once I gave them permission to get closer to the body, Kobe started with the victim’s wallet that sat on the pile of folded clothes at the end of the bench, exactly like the previous victim. His partner crouched to examine the drooping flower and note.
Upon locating the dead man’s driver’s license, Kobe let out a sharp “Ha!”
When his partner arched a brow, he turned the ID to face her. “Ford Carrigan. Sound familiar?”
Rue stood and took the ID from Kobe’s hand, reading it for herself. “Son of a bitch.”
To me, Kobe said, “The second vic, Jesse Vargas, this is one of his friends. Apparently, they used to cause trouble with the female population on campus.”
Rue handed Kobe back the card, and he slid it into the wallet. To his partner, he muttered, “These guys fucked with the wrong person. If anything those girls told us was true, then good fucking riddance. I won’t lose sleep over them. That’s for sure.”
Rue glared lasers at her partner and yanked Kobe’s arm, dragging him out of earshot. He stumbled to keep up. She had a whole lot to say to her younger partner, and Kobe’s nostrils flared as he stared at the ground, clearly unhappy at the reprimand. When she finished, he nodded. She spoke again. He nodded again, sharper that time.
The pair returned. Kobe wouldn’t meet my gaze. Hot pink crescents stood high on his cheekbones. I doubted they were a result of the frigid wind.
Detective Hayashi ordered him to look at the note.
I busied myself, tidying gear and chatting with the CSI photographer. Once the detectives were satisfied, the body could be moved to the lab. I would rearrange my schedule and get to it first thing in the morning.
Kobe remarked on the lingering scent of tropical perfume.
Hayashi speculated about the note.A malicious dick, it read.
“Is the insertion point the same?” Hayashi asked, scrutinizing the speared penis. “It looks identically placed.”
“It appears so.” I snapped off my gloves, pocketing them. “I’ll know more precisely when he’s on the table.”
By the time the body was removed, it was after one in the morning, and I was numb with cold, ready to head home for a hot shower and a stiff drink. Kobe spoke to his partner on the other side of the cordoned area before she marched off, circling the residence building and vanishing from sight.
Kobe briefly locked eyes with me before ducking his head. He looked uncomfortable and unsure, which was out of character for the Cop Kobe I’d come to know.
I approached, my gear bag slung over my shoulder. “Did your partner leave?”
“We’re convening in the morning. It’s too late to do anything tonight,” he explained, blowing hot air into his palms and rubbing them together. “Fuck it’s cold. I can’t feel my toes, and my ears are aching.”
“Same.”
It was the first time Kobe had spoken to me since Hayashi had harshly disciplined him while in my presence. He was embarrassed; that much was evident. The last part of the comment he’d made played on repeat inside my head.Good fucking riddance. I won’t lose sleep over them. That’s for sure.
I didn’t know what to make of the brutal honesty. People said things all the time, voiced spontaneous opinions while under stress that they might normally keep to themselves. Was it a glimpse into Kobe’s true character? A slip of the tongue in a heated moment? Did he regret it or stand by the claim? He didn’t seem to feel any sympathy for the dead. It was something to consider, but not in the middle of the night.
We didn’t talk about the investigation over dinner. Kobe hadn’t wanted to, and I wasn’t about to push. If he willingly shared, I would happily listen. What had he discovered about these victims? Why the venomous comment? It was quite the out-of-place statement for a man of the law. Then again, did I really know him?
Maybe it should have bothered me or raised red flags, but I was more concerned about our lost date and the unexpected trajectory of our evening, wondering when or if we could get it back. It was late, but the memory of Kobe’s kiss lingered. My lips tingled whenever I recalled the feeling of his mouth against mine. Soft lips. His scent in my nostrils. A hand on my thigh.
I’d been robbed, and my imagination was not going to get me through the days that would follow before I saw him again. Figuring out how to articulate this unexpected need was another issue.
