The smell was overwhelming. Some police officers where standing further away, trowing up the their dinner, after witnessing the gruesome sight with that awfully smell of burned flesh that went with it.
The police chief stood in front of the charred remains of the found body, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. The body was barely recognizable, the skin blackened and peeling, the features distorted beyond recognition. It was a gruesome sight, one that made even the most seasoned officers flinch.
“What do we have here, Chief?” officer McKenzie asked, his voice filled with unease.
The chief shook his head, his eyes scanning the scene for any clues. “I’m not sure yet,” he replied. “But one thing’s for certain - this wasn’t an accident.”
“Yeah I agree sir, but who in earth would do so such thing and the victim….I don’t know sir but it looks…weird” officer McKenzie said thoughtful with his eyes narrowing.
“Indeed, McKenzie, weird indeed! I can feel it in my gut that this is not going to be an easy case and that worries me!” the chief stated while in still thought.
“Well it’s not like we never had an easy open case, sir, but why does this one makes you worry? We are just starting” McKenzie asked his chief curiously.
“Just look at the body, McKenzie doesn’t that tell you enough?” The chief replied while scribbling something in his notebook while McKenzie stared at the badly burned remains laying in front of them. The longer he looked, the worse his stomach became. Indeed he could come up with some ideas why the chief would think such things if he was honest.
“I get what you are saying sir, so do you have already an idea in your mind as to who could have done such a horrid thing?”
The chief did not reply him directly, as he was still trying to make sense of it all, so McKenzie waited patiently, knowing his chief needed some time, for as he was a deep thinker. McKenzie knew him from his academy days where the chief was one of the favorite teachers as he came to talk to the students about his experiences on the job. After just one of those classes, McKenzie had decided that when he would pass his exams that he would like to apply for work at the chiefs station. After he passed and was stationed there, he never regretted it! The chief had become his mentor and slowly also his friend even though they were different in personality and background.
Finally the chief stood up and scratched the back of his neck before turning towards McKenzie.
“To answer your question, yes I have some ideas but they are just that, ideas so let’s get some evidence first and go from there ok!”
“Sure thing chief” McKenzie replied while following the chief who started walking away from the body to give some space to the coroner who had arrived at the scene to take the body away.
As the other officers on the scene were combing through the area, collecting evidence and taking photographs, the chief’s mind raced with possibilities. Who could have done this outrageous act of violence? And why? He questioned in himself. If he had to follow his gut feeling, then the first thing that popped up was organized crime…..mafia….and there were a couple of those in his city who would not blink an eye while doing such violent thing…so if that was going to be the case, then they had the work cut out for them since they were also still trying to get to the bottom of the pawnshop bombing and murder of Carlos. The chief sighed deeply while rubbing his temples. He was tired and in need of a full night of sleep but alas with this new murder case that was out of the window to his utter frustration as he felt a new headache already starting to appear from the back of his head. When he was done with writing his last couple of notes he joined his officers.
“Guys i want you to be as thorough as possible! I have a bad feeling about this, so we need to collect as much as possible evidence and quickly start building a case!” The chief sternly addressed his officers.
“Sure thing chief!” One said while most others mumbled their agreement or simply nodded.
Hours passed, as they all worked thoroughly, leaving no stone un turned but I’m the end they were no closer to finding answers since they only evidence they had found was a set of unknown footprints leading away from the body. Frustration gnawed at the chief, a feeling of helplessness started settling in his chest and to top it all off the sky became suddenly more darker while the wind started to pick up, signaling to the officers the rapid change in the weather.
“Wrap it up boys, it’s going to rain soon, let’s take what we can take and the rest we will do at the office!” The chief said while raising his voice just as the sound of a loud thunder rumbled throughout the area as lightning lighted up the night sky.
“Let’s go to the car McKenzie before we are soaked!” The chief muttered while they started running towards the SUV. Once back inside Mackenzie grabbed a towel and gave it to the chief so he could dry his face and hand before driving while he grabbed one of his old shirts which he had stashed under the seat.
Once back at the station they started up the paperwork for a new murder case. While the crime scene technicians started processing the footprints that were taken from the scene.
Hours later, far after midnight when it was still pouring outside, the chief was the last to leave for his house with his mind still very active on the new case as he drove his car back to his safe heaven, his home.
The moment he stepped inside he went straight to the kitchen, grabbed a glass and opened a fresh bottle of whiskey before he went up to his bedroom where he got rid of his wet uniform. After he had put them in the basket for dirty clothes, he entered his bathroom and stepped under the shower after setting it the desired temperature to warm up his cold and tired body.
After spending twenty minutes of soaking up the hot water of his beloved rain shower, he got out again and dried himself before putting on some sweatpants and a shirt before going back down to the kitchen where he left his favorite drink.
Downstairs he poured the whiskey in his glass and went slowly back up the stairs again and entered his bedroom while yawning deeply.
“God i need sleep!” He mumbled before taking a large gulp of the liquid. Slowly he dragged his tired body towards his bed and sat down on the edge while finishing the last remnants of his drink. With a satisfied sigh he put the glass on bedside table before crawling under the sheets.
The last thing that he saw before closing his eyes was that awful burned body, making a shiver running down his spine. For once in his life hoped and prayed that his gut was wrong, that it was not going to end more badly as his gut was telling him, that it was just going to be like other slightly complicated cases…even though he had the ominous feeling that that was not going to happen this time…
No, this time the chief was almost sure that this case would change not only his own life but also a lot of other lives as well…
The only question that remained was…change in a good or a bad way…?
But if he looked deep down I himself he knew already the answer to that question…the problem was, how was he going to deal with it?