Forgive or Forget

Chapter 15

**Violence Against Women**

-Detective Mike Riggs-

I sit at my desk doing the only thing that I don't like about my job: paperwork. I'm knee-deep in it. I gave strict orders not to be disturbed for the next few hours unless it was an emergency and no other detectives were available.

Of course, I hear a knock on my door. Really? "Come in."

Officer Kent sneaks his head into my office. "I know you didn't want to be disturbed, but I believe you will want to hear about this."

I sigh, "You might as well tell me since you already interrupted me."

I don't hide the irritation in my voice.

Kent informed me, "They found a body at the East Harbor."

"Okay... are there no other detectives available?" I inquire.

"Yes, there is, but I thought you would want this case," Kent replied seriously.

Now, I am curious. "Go on."

Kent takes a deep breath. "The victim was completely naked in a ravine at East Harbor. She has blonde hair, blue eyes, and bright red lipstick."

My heart drops to the fucking floor. I stand up and come around the desk. "Give me the details."

***

I arrive on the scene, and it's chaos. People are everywhere.

I walk over to the nearest officer. "Please get these people further back. I don't want them to fuckup my crime scene."

"Yes, sir." The officer quickly moves back the people.

I got to the yellow tape and ducked underneath it. I walked over to the victim and immediately noticed some differences between this victim and the others. Her beaten face was terrible, and she would most likely not be identifiable by those close to her.

Our serial's signature of mutilating her breast and genitalia is evident. I can see that the bruises on her neck look like finger marks. Seeing the petechial hemorrhages in her one eye, not swollen shut from the beating that she took, leads me to believe that the cause of death is like the other victims: strangulation.

He's never touched their faces before. It was personal; the unsub knows this woman. I have a feeling that when we find out her identity, we'll finally have our killer. We haven't had a case here or in Philadelphia in almost three years. I was unsure if the unsub moved away, died, or had another reason for not killing in so long.

The coroner soon joins me. "I was hoping that this guy left Baltimore."

He looks at the victim. "What the hell? It's not his MO. He's never punched a face like this. Do you think this woman is a victim of a different unsub that just so happens to like blonde and blue-eyed women?"

"With bright red lipstick?" I ask.

He rubs his chin. "You got me there."

"Besides, everything else about this murder points to our guy," I add.

He inserts a probe into the victim to get her body temperature. "She's only been dead for two to four hours. I would guess that the cause of death is strangulation. I'll know more when I get her on the table. Are you ready for me to take her?"

I shake my head. "Let me ensure the forensic team gets what they need first. Then you can take her. Give me a call when you know something."

He smiles. "I always do."