Christmas Murders: A Mystery (Mirror Estate Psychological Thrillers) by S.F. Baumgartner

Author:S.F. Baumgartner [Baumgartner, S.F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: F.B. Publishing
Published: 2024-11-26T00:00:00+00:00

KC sighed when a family got out of the Tahoe across the street. It was just a coincidence. After a couple of hours studying the online evidence log, she was confident they were complete, even though the physical evidence was missing. She made a backup copy.

Her phone buzzed, startling her out of her thoughts. She opened a text.

DISPATCH

Body found in Oakwood Park.

Her stomach dropped. Another body. Aunt Mae would be so disappointed she couldn’t spend Christmas with her. With her car out of commission, she’d need to requisition a pool car. She strode back inside the station and filled out the necessary paperwork to get one pool car.

Before now, Pine Grove had a total of two homicides in the last decade. Both were before KC’s time, other than the vehicular homicide she handled months ago when she met Tanner. And now, she had her second body in the same week. What was happening to Pine Grove?

The mild December air brushed her skin, and she ducked under the red-and-green striped crime scene tape. Her boots rustled through the dry grass as she approached the lifeless form sprawled near the edge of the park. Despite the holiday lights twinkling in the distance, Florida’s lingering warmth clashed with the festive season. The unseasonal humidity added pressure to solve the case quickly before it compromised the evidence.

“What have we got?” She was glad to see Pete.

“Male, mid-thirties.” He consulted his notebook. “No ID. Jogger found him about an hour ago.”

KC kneeled beside the body, careful not to disturb potential evidence. The man’s face was unfamiliar, his clothes nondescript. Nothing about him screamed “local.”

The ME van arrived at the same time Morales’s car pulled to a stop. Now why had he shown up? Did he think this was related to Prescott’s murder?

A tall woman in an ME jacket got out of the van. She pushed her ponytail over her shoulder and strolled up to KC. “Are you the detective?”

“Yes, KC Cassidy.” She extended her hand.

“Luna Hunt from the medical examiner’s office.” As soon as they shook hands, Hunt gloved up. “What do we have?”

KC pointed to the body where Morales was poking around.

Hunt yelled, “Sir, please don’t touch anything. Body is mine.”

Morales turned around. “Who are you? Where’s Dr. O’Bannon?”

“Luna Hunt, death investigator with the ME office. Dr. O’Bannon doesn’t usually go out to the scene. And you are?”

“Detective Frank Morales, sheriff’s office.”

Hunt proceeded to take charge of the body, squat down, and go about her business.

KC allowed a few minutes to pass before asking, “TOD?”

Hunt pulled out the thermometer, glanced at it, thought for a moment. “Between nine p.m. and three a.m. is my estimate. The ME may revise it after autopsy.”

KC nodded.

“Cause of death? Blunt force trauma?” Morales jutted his chin toward the head wound.

The death investigator took her time to examine the body. “Can’t say for sure, but here’s a bullet wound.” She pointed to the back of the body. “No exit wound. The head wound is consistent with being hit by that rock.

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