Animals & Actual Beasts by Lashell Collins

Author:Lashell Collins
Language: eng
Format: epub

2

Isaac pulled into the zoo parking lot and immediately spotted the flashing red and blue lights of a marked cruiser and another unmarked vehicle he recognized as one the CSU typically used. Both were parked very near the main entrance. It was good they were already on hand.

He parked near the other vehicles and got out of his car. Pete pulled up as he did, and Ike waited for his partner to catch up.

“Why are we being called out on an animal mauling, Ike?”

“You know as much as I do right now.”

There was a small gathering of uniformed cops, CSU techs, and an officer from Animal Control waiting at the zoo entrance, which was cordoned off by bright yellow police tape. Isaac made eye contact with Clara Lynch, the lead tech of the bunch and nodded in greeting.

“Hey. This is Dane Price from Animal Control. We’re waiting for you to get a look at the scene, Detective Sergeant,” Clara said, getting right to business.

Isaac nodded another greeting at the man beside her. “Thanks Clara. You and Price, walk with us, please.”

One of the uniformed officers led the way. Past the entrance and the zoo gift shop they veered off to the left, and several yards in Isaac spied more police tape stretching across the path. Just beyond it sat a small building marked Employees Only, and on the ground in front of the building lay the body.

They came to a stop at the tape and Isaac glanced around.

There were two people standing nearby that he couldn’t account for, and another uniformed officer. Isaac assumed they must be associated with the zoo and the officer had been left there to make sure they didn’t tamper with the crime scene.

Isaac and Pete and Officer Price slipped under the police tape and moved in for a better look at the victim and the area around him.

The dead man was wearing dark green khaki pants and a green button down shirt with the zoo logo stitched on it, and as he studied the scene Isaac understood why there had been confusion over whether to classify it a homicide or not.

The man had clearly been ripped apart.

Body parts laid nearby or were missing entirely.

Isaac’s stomach lurched at the sight.

The pavement of the path was coated with blood where the man had bled out.

“He was attacked right here.” Isaac could hear the disbelief in his own voice, and his eyes scanned the ground around the victim.

“But attacked by what?” Pete asked.

“No animal did this.” AC Officer Price sounded certain in his announcement.

“And you’re absolutely sure about that?” Isaac looked the man in the eyes.

Price nodded and pointed at the body. “There are no claw marks on his clothing, or any of the skin we can see. No teeth or talon marks. None of the characteristics we look for with beak wounds. Of course it’s hard to say definitively without an autopsy, but there’s nothing here that would indicate an animal attack of any kind. I’m afraid this one is all yours, Detective.

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