Emerald Moon by Rick Murcer

Author:Rick Murcer [Murcer, Rick]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: USA
Publisher: Murcer Press
Published: 2013-05-12T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter-40

Steve Shannon leaned against the old ash tree as a gentle rain fell from the shifting gray clouds, wiping away tears that an eternity would never be able to dry. Each time he tried to look away, the ungodly vision of what had happened to the closest thing he had to family drew him like some powerful, hypnotic magnet.

Finally, Paddie Harris and his wife were covered by impersonal tarps that would keep the quiet drizzle of the Irish day away from them. As if it mattered. Only an hour ago, the sun had been shining, but this was Ireland and who knew, really, what the weather would bring on any given moment. But he was sure the Harrises didn’t give a bloody rat’s ass, and he was equally sure he didn’t. The parallel between the weather and his job was almost inescapable—bright mornings of triumph diluted with horrible, dark acts people perpetrated on others with no hint of compassion. Steve Shannon knew these things went with the job, but not like this, and especially not to those who were a part of his life. Especially not that.

At this very moment, he hated everything about being a cop. But he had to get it together, pronto, and do what he could to help find the son of a bitch who did this—for his partner and Paddie’s wife, but for himself too.

With an effort Hercules would have been proud of, he moved from the tree and stepped toward the CSI who led the forensic investigation, Brian McBride.

“What can you tell me about how this happened?” Shannon asked with a much calmer voice than he anticipated.

The short, wiry man pulled his driving hat down a bit more to protect his long, slender nose and pointed jaw from the drizzle. “Well, Detective, it’s pretty much as you think. Harris was struck on the left side of his face by a heavy object or one strong bastard’s fist. His jaw was broken, and I’m sure it knocked him unconscious. His wife was . . . was strangled. It appears the back of her nightshirt was ripped so I’m concluding she tried to get away and the killer caught her before she could. There are footprints, scraped up dirt and leaves, and drag marks about ten meters east of here, so that part makes sense. They appeared to have been surprised, if you ask me at least. Paddie’s gun was found over behind that bush, but it hadn’t been fired.

“Good guess. So why were they out here, in their nightclothes, no less?”

McBride shook his head. “I’m the science guy; that’s your department.”

Shannon nodded. So it was. “What was used to . . . to mutilate them?”

“Not sure. Looks like a fairly sharp knife, but the cutting indicates it was not a large one, maybe ten to thirteen centimeters. Whoever did this has some knowledge, but was incredibly strong. The ouroboros symbol looks like someone used a damned branding iron, but we’ll know more when we get them to the lab.

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