Into Darkness by T J Brearton

Author:T J Brearton [Brearton, T J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Published: 2020-04-11T16:00:00+00:00

The sign near the rows of human freezers read: Remember – Always Load Bodies Head Out.

On duty tonight was a medical student looking all of twenty-two. The fresh-faced kid said, “Forbes, here we go,” and opened the small stainless-steel door. Grunting with the effort, he rolled out the body encased in an opaque bag. Then he glanced up at Shannon, kind of shyly, and said, “You want me to open it?”

“Please.”

The kid reminded her of Gabe, one of her older brothers. The way he was when Shannon had still been a young girl. Delicate, somehow. Strong, tough, but always quiet.

Wearing blue latex gloves, the attendant carefully unzipped the top of the bag.

Monica Forbes looked like they all looked after a few days’ refrigeration – a kind of bluish-purple, bones prominent against the skin, eyes glued shut.

“Thank you,” Shannon said.

He offered a slight smile. “I’ll leave you to it, ma’am.”

As she stood looking down at Monica, considering the snaking bruise around her neck, Shannon read from the autopsy report she’d gotten from upstairs. She knew most of the material it contained. Time of death, cause of death – strangulation. It had come to include her last meal (a slice of pizza) and the toxicity of her blood, which was negligible. No drugs, no drinking. Just the sevoflurane.

Touch DNA had yet to be determined; DNA took a long time. But a swab of her neck had gone to the lab and came back as bearing trace elements – fibers – of a synthetic material called Cordura nylon. This material was so widely used, from belts to backpack straps, military wear and performance apparel, that on its own, it didn’t help much. What she knew was that such fabrics were considered highly durable and resistant to tears and abrasions. Only a minute amount of material had been found embedded in the victim’s flesh. Microscopic.

Shannon set the report down on a nearby tray table. She stood looking at Monica Forbes. Then she lowered her head and closed her eyes.

I want to help this woman.

I maybe just need a little help. A little help to show me the way …

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