The Price Of Justice

Chapter Five

                                                         Six months later

I took a deep breath as I stepped out of my 2017 F-150. I was instantly greeted by sirens wailing in the distance and blinding blue light flashing in my eyes. My gaze wandered towards the watch fastened to my wrist. It was 2:28 A.M.

    The night was unseasonably cool, chills shot up my spinal cord. I pulled my thin leather jacket tighter around my shoulders. The pale moon was almost hidden by a ever-growing storm cloud. Only a couple of stars pierced through the darkness. A warm breeze blew from the southwest, sweeping my auburn hair behind my back. A storm would erupt from the darkened skies any time now.

   I quickly took in my surroundings. I spotted a sectioned-off area crowded with reporters and police personnel a couple hundred yards in front of me. The sound of a owl screeching sliced through the eerily silent air, catching me off guard. I flinched and tightened my grip on my gun. Calm down, Taylor. I mentally scolded myself. Now is not the time to let your nerves get the better of you.

   I straightened my shoulders and stood taller, drawing in a deep breath as I walked directly towards the cause of me being called into work in the middle of the night... a lifeless human being.

   I slipped under the personnel only tape after drawing back my jacket and flashing my badge to the police officer holding the reporters at bay. He nodded his approval, then turned his attention back to explaining to the bystanders that only authorized law enforcement could pass into the restricted area.

   Ranger Walker glanced up and spotted me. One glance at his face confirmed the feelings that had overshadowing me for the last half hour. The midst that lingered over his ocean blue eyes told me the body I was nearing would likely bring me to the point of tears.

   Raw panic threatened to overtake me, but I drew in a sharp breath and reined in my emotions. If I broke down in high-pitched sobs every time I saw a body, I would have been dismissed as a homicide detective long before now. I had never shed a tear while on the clock, and I intended to keep it that way.

    "Taylor!" I was jerked back to reality as Ranger Walker's deep voice reached my ears. My head snapped up. He was crouched on the ground, gesturing with his right hand for me to join him and Ranger Hayes.

   I started to speak as I approached my coworkers, but the words were stolen off my lips as my eyes fell on the victim. "Dear God," I mumbled under my breath.

  Ranger Walker stood and gazed into my eyes. "We found a driver's permit in her pocket." He held out a evidence bag which contained a small card. I took it and held it closer.

  "Cassandra Miller. Recognize the name?"

  "No." He removed his white cowboy hat and raked his fingers through his sandy blond hair.

   "Hmmm." I handed it back to him and folded my arms across my chest. "Anderson said this had something to do with the drug ring I've been tracking. What made him think that?"

   Here, Ranger Hayes nodded towards another evidence container containing a white powder. "When the police arrived they found this. It's..."

  "Morphine. I figured as much." I adjusted my stance and lifted my head to make eye contact with the two men. "What else did they find?"

   "Blood splatters on the ground, and a phone a couple of feet from the victim. It seems to be working fine, so we're going to give it to forensics to see what they can get off of it."

   "Good call." I knelt down next to Hayes and examined the victim. Although I knew we wouldn't get a accurate age until tomorrow afternoon at best, I was almost certain the girl was somewhere in the age range between thirteen and sixteen. Waist length dark brown hair with multi-colored highlights framed her face.