Death & Tequila [mxm]

25. El Vacho

Nate gave him a sheepish smile and waved over another tech who looked far too intimidated to be talking to Jaiden. However, with Nate's nudging, he finally spoke.

"Well, it's not a decoration. It's real. If you look at the pelvis, he's male. Young. Maybe teens, but I will have to do testing to know. There was some trauma on his bones around his wrists and legs, so he was probably bound. His knees show strain, so I believe he was kneeling for a long time." The tech explained.

"Mierda," Toni whispered. "How long ago did he die?"

"It's hard to determine right now, but a least a couple of years because he already reached skeletonization." The tech explained.

Toni rubbed his eyes. "Someone check to see if there was ever a missing kid reported from his church."

One of the cops nodded and took off out of the room. Jaiden sighed. "So our Pastor probably tried to force this kid into conversion therapy and killed him instead. Then the sick bastard kept him in this secret closet to decompose?"

"Our killer seems to be targeting hypocrites. A perfect wife who was having an affair. A beloved Ethics professor who was screwing his students to boost their grades... and an idolized pastor abusing and murdering children." Toni said. "But how is the killer finding out about their darkest secrets?"

Jaiden was silent for a while, pondering the question. "This isn't something you can dig up after a week or two. This needed careful planning. I have a feeling our killer has plotted this out for a while. This only makes me more interested in the bartender."

Toni raised an eyebrow. "Why him?"

Jaiden turned towards Nate, who was talking to peers and joking about something. Jaiden called out, pulling him away from the conversation. "Nate?  How many bartenders know your history with women?"

Nate groaned. "Too many, but I blame the shots of el vocho. Because of that delicious elixir in a glass, some strangers know way too much about my love life, and I will never step foot in those bars again. I should stop drinking so much after a breakup."

Jaiden laughed and turned his attention back to Toni. "Bartenders are easy to talk to. They supply the alcohol, and you become liberal with your tongue. If the bartender was real sleazy, he might even slip something into the drink.  God knows what shit you can find out."

Toni nodded. "So after this, we'll revisit the club? Probably set up some time with the sketch artist?"

Jaiden yawned behind his hand. The late night was catching up to him. The few hours he did steal to sleep were plagued with more nightmares.  "Might as well.  We have the autopsy report to review and the phone records coming in soon, so it will be another full day."

The look Toni was giving him before turned into concern. "Bueno.  Let's start heading over there first.  This group can handle things here."

Jaiden nodded, and they started to leave. His feet felt heavy as he walked down the stairs, and his eyes were strained. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed in Toni's arms around him. But the day just started, so he would have to settle with getting the hell out of this house as soon as possible.

However, his thoughts of leaving escaped him as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Jaiden turned towards the dining room and stared at the opposite wall that held the painting and the 'rotting body' quote.  He tilted his head a little while looking at it.

"Mi sol?" Toni quietly called out to him.

"Something's off." Jaiden muttered and walked into the room.