Deadly Consequences Read Online Free PDF Page B

hands around her keys. “I’ll be back in a flash.” He sprinted in the opposite direction, vanishing into the night. Sam lowered her head and stared at the shoe, wishing the victim could provide them with a clue, praying that the search wouldn’t turn up any more surprises.
    “I heard we got ourselves a pair,” Lombardo shouted from a few feet away, carrying his suit jacket slung over his shoulder. He’d loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves.
    The sound of his voice set her teeth on edge. Sam braced her hands on her thighs, and straightened up. “Yeah, well you heard wrong.”
    “I don’t understand.” Matsuda frowned. “Didn’t you send for forensics?”
    Ignoring his question, she moved aside giving them a clear view of the shoe. “That look like a pair to you?”
    Lombardo stepped closer, bending over. “It’s a different shoe.” He shrugged. “Different color at least. Big damn deal.”
    “It’s a left foot.” Matsuda raised his gaze to hers. “They found a left foot.”
    A pig snorted inside the barn. Sam reached inside her purse for her gun, fingers grazing the barrel. She waited until all was quiet before sliding her gaze back to Matsuda.
    “They didn’t just find a left foot. They found victim number two.”

     
    Sam stationed a few officers outside the barn. If the UNSUB was in there, he wasn’t getting out. She moved her neck from side to side, working out the kinks. They needed more officers, and if they were going to work through the night in the sweltering heat, they needed access to drinks and a rest area, and a place to set up shop.
    Lombardo’s jabbering was grinding on her nerves. She left the men and found a quiet spot to make a few calls. After briefing the Lieutenant on the situation, and requesting the assistance of the canine unit, she sent one of the uniforms to the gate, instructing him to inform her the second the zoo’s director arrived.
    The beginning of a headache pounded between her eyes. The squawk of police radios, and increased activity, managed to work the animals inside the barn into frenzy. Pigs squealed, and horses neighed, kicking their stalls, rousing chickens, goats, and other creatures who added their voices to the fray, lending a surreal quality to the night. It was easy to forget they were in the heart of Chicago, with Lake Shore Drive separating the zoo from the shores of Lake Michigan and the city’s spectacular skyline.
    She closed her eyes for a second, smelling the scent of fresh dirt, and listening to the sound of shovels breaking ground. Cramming her phone back into her bag, she rejoined the men. Cop or not, her stomach tightened as the team extracted part of a leg from the muddy grave. Her heartbeat quickened. The calf was intact, extending past the knee
    Lombardo leaned towards her. “Looks like maybe we have a full course meal here.”
    She shot him a look, the corners of her lips curling downward at his comment. Just the same, she clenched her fists, praying he was right. A buzz of excitement hummed through the air, punctuated by the mournful sound of the howling animals. Sam held her breath in anticipation. A body would make identification so much easier, and they’d have one less set of remains to find.
    Alec returned. Without a word, he passed her a radio; she wrapped her hand around it, nodding her thanks. A hush settled over the night. As the men digging the grizzly grave revealed another inch of flesh. Sam tensed, gripping Alec’s arm.
    “Damn it.” She turned away, shielding her eyes from the ravaged thigh, blocking out Lombardo’s snicker.The UNSUB left more of the leg intact, but the amputation was savage, saw marks slicing into the leg in angry slashes, cutting through the bone at a ninety degree angle. A chill of unease tickled her spine.
    “He’s escalating,” she said to Alec. “His rage is reaching the boiling point.”
    Matsuda joined them. “She’s right. There’s a series of shallow cuts below the amputation.