In the Wake of Death by Nikki Landis

Author:Nikki Landis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, paranormal, crime, thriller, love, ghost, serial killer, death, supernatural, mystery
Publisher: Nikki Landis
Published: 2016-10-31T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The police had narrowed the trace to a farm on the outskirts of town, about thirty miles away. I wasn’t surprised. The squeal in the background had been a pig. Ironic. He called the police precinct, which I’m sure he knew was the location of the hotline, and stood in the middle of pigs in a barn. Humorous, if not for the fact that he was a sociopath and a murderer.

Circle K Farms was a family farm that had resided in the area, generation after generation, for over a hundred and fifty years. During that time, it evolved from a dairy farm into a fully functional recreational facility that boasted a pumpkin patch, corn maze, general store and bakery, dairy barn, hayrides, and an animal petting zoo.

I spent the ride over on my phone, reading about the farm’s history, the family that owned and operated it, and any other pertinent information. We approached the farm, turning off the freeway at the exit, and parked next to police cruisers, vans, and a whole entourage of S.W.A.T., fire, and paramedics. There was no clue about what we would find.

The farm was closed. This time of year, the only business came from fruit picking open to the public and the store where baked goods and other products were sold. The parking lot was empty. Cautiously the teams disembarked and left to secure the area.

Victor hung back, scowling as I stood next to him. He didn’t like that I was here but couldn’t deny that I needed to be. We made our way across the vast property, avoiding the buildings and main house until the teams thoroughly cleared them. Nobody was home—no bodies inside the house. The search continued until a shout rang out from the barn where the petting zoo was located.

We ran to the entrance. Blood dripped from the double wooden doors, painted a rustic red, standing ajar and about as welcoming as the jaws of a shark.

Victor held up his hand and spun to face me. “Stay here, Gemma. I mean it.”

I nodded as I didn’t need to see what was inside, standing with a few other detectives a short distance away. A team of crime scene investigators and police officers approached the inside, primarily the task force, accompanied by S.W.A.T. I heard gasps, coughing, and several curse words. One detective ran out and tossed his lunch on the ground, around the far side of the barn.

“Victor!” I yelled, horrible fear launching inside my chest.

“Do not come in here, Gemma!”

I wouldn’t have gone anyway. I had no desire to see the gruesome torture the UNSUB’s victim endured. I needed the details, not the visual.

Victor approached me a short time later. “The next victim is a young woman about the same as the other two missing girls. We need a positive I.D. from the coroner to move forward.” He seemed frustrated when he walked quickly to my side. Victor grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the barn. “I think the body is Alexis.

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