The Unborn

Chapter 3

Mike jotted down a few more notes before taking one last look around the crime scene. From the walking track where he was standing, he could see the last of the television crews still hanging around the roadside. They were loading their cameras and sound equipment into white mini vans while reporters were relaying what little information they had, back to the studios, via cell phones and palm pilots. Even though he had managed to get rid of most of them earlier on, their presence angered Mike. For years the media had been a thorn in the side of Law Enforcement. Many times they would enter a crime scene snapping photos and capturing whatever footage they could, before being escorted away by officers. They never gave a second thought to the evidence they might have been destroying, nor did they care for the victims or their families. More than once they had broadcast grisly images of a victim, before their next of kin had even been notified. Mike detested news crews and he wasn’t shy about letting them know it.

"Mikey," Seth yelled to him from a few feet away. "We’re ready when you are.."

He watched as the mutilated body of his Jane Doe, was sealed inside a black, plastic bag before being slid onto a metal trolley. Two ambulance officers raised the trolley and began wheeling it through the scrub, towards him. Mike raised his hand to Seth and yelled back, "Let’s do it.."

He waited for the ambulance officers to reach him and then positioned himself at the head of the trolley, ready for the march out of the scrub and up to the roadside.

"Okay people," He began. "We still have a few vultures circling out there, just dying to get a shot of our girl. Let’s try and make this as quick and as smooth as possible, eh?"

The young officers nodded in agreement.

"Right. Now, no matter what happens, just get the body into the bus and get going. I’ll do my best to keep the reporters outta your hair.."

When Mike was sure they were ready, he began the procession along the walking track. The metal trolley rattled and squeaked behind him.

The trolley had barely reached the loose gravel on the shoulder of the road, when the frenzy began. Cameramen scrambled for their cameras and reporters grabbed their micro-phones. Mike remained firm at the front of the trolley, guiding it quickly to the ambulance.

"Detective, Detective… Can you tell us what happened?"

"Is it true that the victim was decapi-tated?" The barrage of questions flew thick and fast at Mike. "Was this a cult killing?"

Mike held his arms out, trying to prevent the news crew from invading the space between him and the body. "I’m sorry, folks,."  Mike drawled. "I got nothing for ya’s. You’re just gonna have to wait till we release a statement."

"When will that be?" Asked one female reporter.

"Yeah,."  mimicked another, "When will that be?"

The trolley reached the open back doors of the waiting ambulance and the two officers pushed the body inside. Mike tapped one of them on the shoulder as he was climbing up into the ambulance, and said, ‚Good job, fella’s.. He then secured the heavy doors shut behind them.

"When can we expect a statement, Detective?" The reporters continued their onslaught. Bright flashes and camera lights burned his eyes. Tape recorders and micro-phones were being shoved at him from every direction.

"Give us something, Detective, come on!"

Mike turned to the gathering of paparazzi and simply smiled. He then winked and weaved his way through them and back into the scrub without saying a word. A string of insults and boo’s followed him. It cheered Mike immensely, just knowing that he had spoiled their day.