Chapter 14 Plumed Serpent

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Paityn woke up curled into a ball on her bed. She sighed a bit and sat up not looking forward to when her stomach was going to be so big she would have difficulties sleeping. She went downstairs and began making Lyra breakfast. Lyra was waiting for her food and Paityn smiled setting it down for her. She had only made her some specially cooked beef for once instead of wet cat food. Lyra had already gained weight and Paityn knew she already had to lose that. 

Paityn went upstairs and took a shower real fast. She got out driving all the way to work and walking in sitting at her desk. By now, Wu knew about the pregnancy. When she told Nick and Hank, it was a week ago. She was 5 weeks. Not showing quite yet but Paityn knew she was getting there. Paityn was about to sit down until Hank sighed.

"Oh gosh. What is it?" Paityn asked.

"We got a case. Copper stealing. But we got two burnt bodies." Hank said. 

"Thank god I stopped eating breakfast," Paityn said as Nick looked at her worried for a moment. "Nick, don't." Paityn laughed a small bit.

~~~

The trio arrived and got out of the car. Paityn walked to the gate with Nick and Hank beside her. Wu was waiting for them.

"Where are the bodies?" Nick asked.

"Downstairs in the basement," Wu replied.

"What condition?" Hank asked. 

"Toast," Wu answered.

"We have an I.D. yet?" Paityn asked. 

"It's gonna require dental work but we got the pickup, registered to Joseph Oliver, a small-time operator. I've arrested him a couple of times for stealing scrap. But, I couldn't tell you that was him in that basement." Wu said. 

"That doesn't sound like much fun." Paityn sighed. 

"We got the owner of the building, Lance Truman, waiting to talk to you. Found the break-in this morning, called it in. The guy with him is his contractor." Wu said.

"Arson downstairs?" Hank asked. 

"Yeah. Vance, he's downstairs doing the prelim. You wanna talk to Truman?" Wu asked.

"Let's see what the bodies have to say first," Nick said. 

"Okay...It's pretty rank down there." Wu said. He gave them some form of an ointment to put under their nose so that way they don't smell as much down in the basement.

~~~

They were walking down the stairs and saw the Arson investigator. Paityn gave a friendly smile.

"Morning good sir," Paityn said laughing a small bit. Vance laughed a small bit.

"Good morning Paityn." He said. 

"What do we got?" Nick asked.

"Not a heck of a lot. Two dead...Men, I think." Vance said. "Don't know the source of the fire, but it happened pretty quick, so whatever they were working with, it was extremely volatile. Don't know the source of ignition yet either." Vance said. 

"Usually you don't burn a body unless you're trying to cover up a homicide," Hank said.

"Well, that's if they were dead. Burn patterns suggest ignition occurred here, and they were thrown up against the wall as a result of the blast." Vance said. Paityn winced.

"So someone doused them first?" Nick asked.

"Explosion like this had to be," Vance said. 

"Gasoline?" Hank suggested.

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