coroner to rule the death as suspicious instead of homicide. Then I checked out the report on Croft, the second murder victim. He was killed in a different jurisdiction, different lead detective as well as coroner. Croft’s death was also ruled as suspicious in nature rather than homicide.”
Granite gave a low whistle. “They basically gave him time to perfect his skills.”
“That’s about the gist of it,” Byte replied with a curt nod.
As he continued to pace, Hutch curled his hands into fists. The rage surging through him was begging for an outlet, his mind screaming that it should be the incompetent assholes on the receiving end of his rage. The room grew silent, with only the sound of Hutch’s bare feet padding across the carpet and his labored breathing. If he let this eat at him, he wouldn’t be able to focus on anything other than his anger.
Hutch grabbed his cigarettes and lighter and headed for the balcony. He stepped out as he lit up and took a long pull, letting out the smoke in a long, drawn-out stream. He didn’t pay any attention to the lights of the city or the hazy moon that hung low in the sky. He blocked out the low rumbling of Granite and Byte talking, his entire focus on turning his outrage into something he could use. He wanted vengeance for these discarded men who weren’t given any more regard than stepping into a pile of shit. These were men, human beings with families and friends. They weren’t something to wrinkle up your nose in disgust at like shit on the bottom of your shoe, wiped on the grass and forgotten.
It took a second cigarette and one hell of a fight before Hutch got himself under control and a plan of action set before he rejoined the others. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do.” He pointed a finger at Byte. “I want everything you can get on Martin and Croft. Prior addresses, friends, family, how often they shit. Everything. Got it?”
Byte smirked as he nodded and let his fingers fly across the keys of his laptop. It was all Hutch needed to see. It would get done.
“Granite, help me pull every crime scene photo we’ve got.” He moved to the files stacked on the bed. “Start with the newest over there on the TV.”
“Anything specific I’m looking for?” Granite asked as he stood and grabbed the first file from the TV.
“Gawkers. I want any photo that shows the crowds around the scene.”
“You think our guy was in the crowd?”
Hutch shrugged. “It’s possible, but I doubt it.” He began rummaging through the files looking for pale blue eyes.
Pulling every photo and getting some help from Byte with accessing even more from the news agencies that covered the scenes was a daunting task. By two a.m. they were exhausted, not only physically but emotionally as well. The amount of death and destruction depicted in the photos was taking its toll. How could it not?
“It would be easier if I knew what the hell I was looking for.” The fatigue in Granite’s voice was evident.
Hutch frowned. “I saw someone at the last crime scene. Not the ones we checked out tonight, the one behind the boutique. There was this guy, muscular build, shaggy blond hair, your typical college kid. Something about him… I’m not sure, but something about the way he looked at me, it piqued my interest.”
“You mean we’re looking for someone in a crowd, a bystander that may or may not know something?” Byte raised one brow at him. “Well, you do like ’em with big muscular chests and blond. You sure what you’re feeling has everything to do with the case and nothing to do with being horny?”
Hutch flipped a close-up shot of Kimura’s savaged body at Byte. “If you can think of banging anyone after looking at this shit all night, then you’re one sick whack job.”
Byte grabbed the photo and added it to his growing stack without looking at it. “Good point. Besides, I can’t think much past trying to decide if I’m going to curl up here on the floor or
Granite gave a low whistle. “They basically gave him time to perfect his skills.”
“That’s about the gist of it,” Byte replied with a curt nod.
As he continued to pace, Hutch curled his hands into fists. The rage surging through him was begging for an outlet, his mind screaming that it should be the incompetent assholes on the receiving end of his rage. The room grew silent, with only the sound of Hutch’s bare feet padding across the carpet and his labored breathing. If he let this eat at him, he wouldn’t be able to focus on anything other than his anger.
Hutch grabbed his cigarettes and lighter and headed for the balcony. He stepped out as he lit up and took a long pull, letting out the smoke in a long, drawn-out stream. He didn’t pay any attention to the lights of the city or the hazy moon that hung low in the sky. He blocked out the low rumbling of Granite and Byte talking, his entire focus on turning his outrage into something he could use. He wanted vengeance for these discarded men who weren’t given any more regard than stepping into a pile of shit. These were men, human beings with families and friends. They weren’t something to wrinkle up your nose in disgust at like shit on the bottom of your shoe, wiped on the grass and forgotten.
It took a second cigarette and one hell of a fight before Hutch got himself under control and a plan of action set before he rejoined the others. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do.” He pointed a finger at Byte. “I want everything you can get on Martin and Croft. Prior addresses, friends, family, how often they shit. Everything. Got it?”
Byte smirked as he nodded and let his fingers fly across the keys of his laptop. It was all Hutch needed to see. It would get done.
“Granite, help me pull every crime scene photo we’ve got.” He moved to the files stacked on the bed. “Start with the newest over there on the TV.”
“Anything specific I’m looking for?” Granite asked as he stood and grabbed the first file from the TV.
“Gawkers. I want any photo that shows the crowds around the scene.”
“You think our guy was in the crowd?”
Hutch shrugged. “It’s possible, but I doubt it.” He began rummaging through the files looking for pale blue eyes.
Pulling every photo and getting some help from Byte with accessing even more from the news agencies that covered the scenes was a daunting task. By two a.m. they were exhausted, not only physically but emotionally as well. The amount of death and destruction depicted in the photos was taking its toll. How could it not?
“It would be easier if I knew what the hell I was looking for.” The fatigue in Granite’s voice was evident.
Hutch frowned. “I saw someone at the last crime scene. Not the ones we checked out tonight, the one behind the boutique. There was this guy, muscular build, shaggy blond hair, your typical college kid. Something about him… I’m not sure, but something about the way he looked at me, it piqued my interest.”
“You mean we’re looking for someone in a crowd, a bystander that may or may not know something?” Byte raised one brow at him. “Well, you do like ’em with big muscular chests and blond. You sure what you’re feeling has everything to do with the case and nothing to do with being horny?”
Hutch flipped a close-up shot of Kimura’s savaged body at Byte. “If you can think of banging anyone after looking at this shit all night, then you’re one sick whack job.”
Byte grabbed the photo and added it to his growing stack without looking at it. “Good point. Besides, I can’t think much past trying to decide if I’m going to curl up here on the floor or
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