Chapter 2

Officer Eric McGill was furious. His park was ruined. It was the one place he could go to clear his mind and now it was tainted by the corpse of some anorexic girl. He stood over the body waiting for the unit he’d called in to arrive. Eric knew the medical examiner wouldn’t be far behind.

The police officer paced the footpath ten feet away; his crime scene tape was back in his Crown Vic, and he had to keep the area undisturbed.

“Dammit. Why here? Why did this guy have to kill her near my favorite trail during my free time?” He cursed.

The sirens closed in as the first patrol car pulled into the lot. McGill knew the other cops would be approaching in a couple of minutes. Then the investigation could finally begin.

“McGill, we heard you found the body.” Officer Lee called out. “Anything we should know before I bring up the rookie?”

Eric crossed his brawny arms as he shouted back.

“Just bring her over and tell her not to puke near the evidence.”

The two officers strode to their senior colleague and Lee set the tall woman to the task of posting the yellow plastic tape around the vicinity of the remains. Eric was surprised to find that the rookie, Officer Jenkins, was nearly tall enough to look him directly in the eye.

“Lee, the victim is over here.” McGill pointed to the prone form with his right hand; specks of dried blood encrusted his palm. “She was still warm when I found her. There were no footprints in or out of this area.”

The two cops scanned the bronze and auburn leaves. Lee absentmindedly tucked his uniform shirt back into the side of his pants as a gentle gust of wind chilled the mini keg where his six-pack used to be. He questioned McGill as he looked over the corpse.

“Did you attempt CPR?”

Eric stood to the side, bouncing on the balls of his feet, and swinging his arms, to keep warm.

“Yeah. I found her slumped by the pine tree and laid her flat. No pulse, but still a little warm. After a couple of compressions, I realized all I was doing was pushing out a little more blood.”

McGill looked at his stained hands and cringed. Officer Jenkins joined them, saw the body, and disappeared the way she came with her hand across her mouth. Both patrolmen stifled chuckles.

“Lee, you want me to check on your rookie?”

Officer Lee slipped on his latex gloves and felt the victim’s skin. Shaking his head, he stood and pulled the gloves off again.

“That’s okay. The body is cooling, and the detectives and coroners will be here soon. Let’s go wait with her by the tape.”

Both men marched away from the brush to find the athletic woman sitting on the trail. Officer Jenkins leapt to her feet as the next wave of sirens and her fellow cops approached.

“Sorry. First dead body. I didn’t get sick; I just needed a moment.” She said.

Eric went to pat her on the shoulder but stopped midway when he remembered the blood on his hands. She gave him a little nod for the attempted gesture.

“Officer McGill, would you like me to grab a blanket from the trunk? You know how long it will take to get your statement.” Jenkins offered.

“Please and thank you.” Eric answered. “I am kind of wishing I wasn’t in gym shorts and a tee.”

Jenkins passed a gaggle of soccer moms jogging towards the scene as they chatted. McGill and Lee watched as she politely directed them to another trail and continued to the parking lot.

“Good rookie, Lee.”

“Yeah, Jenkins has been doing great so far. Only a few months out of the academy but she is a quick thinker, and her people skills are good. She just hasn’t had the time to see all the really bad stuff yet.”

Eric’s mouth was flat, and he gazed back at the dead teen on her island of leaves surrounded by a moat of her own blood.

“Here’s hoping it stays that way for as long as it can.” He mumbled.

Lee said nothing but remembered his first days as a cop; it was his second call that he saw his first dead body—the poor kid had been run down by a drunk and knocked out of one sneaker. Both officers put aside their memories and thoughts as Jenkins returned leading a homicide detective, the county coroner, and a couple of forensic lackeys. The beige-gray blanket was draped over her arm and a forced smile was plastered to her face.