Fragmented by Indra Vaughn

Author:Indra Vaughn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2015-06-07T23:00:00+00:00

THEY DIDN’T stay inside for very long. Not much they could do but look him over and then wait for the official autopsy report.

“Why do you think he changed his MO?” the captain asked when they opened the tent flap and stepped into the cold wind. A few snowflakes drifted down, but whether it was from the trees above them or real snow, Hart couldn’t tell.

“Killing him so soon after kidnapping him and then dumping him while he’s still warm?” Hart chewed his lip and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Something got him spooked? You know who is diabetic?” Hart asked. “Cody Vance. Bartlett’s boyfriend. I—” His phone vibrated in his back pocket. “Excuse me a second.”

The captain nodded and wandered off in Miranda’s direction.

“Hart.”

“Lieutenant, it’s me, Starr. Someone from the Oakland Estate called to report an abandoned car without a license plate, sir. It matches the color and make of MacKenzie’s car.”

“The Oakland Estate?” That was where Teddy lived. Hart frowned. “What a coincidence, we just found its owner.”

“Oh no. Is he… dead, sir?”

“Unfortunately. Listen, are you at the station?”

“No, not right now. I was just having some dinner, sir.”

“Get to the station fast as you can. I’ll come and pick you up. We’re going to have to ask Teddy Young a few questions.”

“Yes, sir.”

The captain walked back over as Hart hung up. “I’m going on a bad news mission with Officer Roth. You on your way to Young?”

“Yeah. I’m not sure I buy it, but they found a car matching MacKenzie’s not far from his home.”

“Sounds like a dumb place to leave it.”

“That’s what I thought.” Hart stared into the night, then said, “Can you ask Roth to contact all walk-in clinics tomorrow, tell them to be on the alert for any adults with herpangina? It’s a long shot, but you never know.”

“Sure thing, Lieutenant.” The captain patted him on the shoulder and left.

Hart shrugged deeper into his coat and aimed for his car, watching the path and the snow beside it. His hands were freezing, but the thought of putting on Isaac’s gloves made his heart hurt.

The pathologist was right: there were too many tracks from hikers and their dogs to distinguish a set that led to the spot where Jesse was found, but tire tracks would’ve been clear as day. All the ambulance chasers had disappeared, no doubt hurried along by the captain himself, and now there was no one on the trail who wasn’t police or an EMT. Hart fervently hoped the jogger had seen something.

Starr waited for him outside the station, puffing white clouds of breath in a big coat, gloves, and hat. It was going to be a typical brutal winter.

“You think we need backup, sir?” Starr asked when he climbed into Hart’s car.

“I doubt it, but did you tell the front desk where we were going?”

“I did. They’ll keep a patrol close by just in case.”

“Good work,” Hart said, pulling back out on the road. Beside him Starr sniffed and blew his nose.

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