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For the first time in a long time Isabelle got a call, and it wasn't early in the morning or late at night. It was just after eight and Isabelle had just finished her shower. And after taking the backroads she, Nick and Hank all ride four wheelers to the crime scene.
"Wow. I haven't seen a drug plantation this big since.." Isabelle starts, stopping mid sentence as Nick and Hank give her a look. "Ever. I've never seen a drug farm in my life."
"Uh, huh." Hank mutters as they reach the victim. "Ooh, that is one broken neck. From those abrasions they probably used a pretty hefty rope."
"Well, what do you know? It's Delmar Blake." Officer Belmont says.
"You know this guy?" Isabelle inquires.
"We've been looking for this guy for three years." Officer Belmont tells them.
"What'd he do?" Nick asks.
"Just about everything." Officer Belmont replies. "We knew he was moving drugs, we just didn't realize he was growing them."
Kneeling down to the ground Nick pulls out pliers from his pocket and pulls a hair off of the body.
"Hair." Hank says.
"Obviously not his." Nick adds.
"Well, it's definitely female." Isabelle comments.
"How do you know?" Hank questions.
"Trust me, I know girl hair when I see it." Isabelle assures him.
"Think he's got a girlfriend around here?" Hank inquires.
"It is possible for drug hoarders and distributors to have girlfriends." Isabelle remarks before walking to the middle of the drug camp. "Campbell, anything for us in there?"
"Well, it's kind of weird. There's not a bit of food left, no sleeping bag, no blankets. You you millions of dollars worth of marijuana plants out there and not one of them was taken." Officer Campbell answers.
"So he wasn't killed for his drug supply, but for his camping equipment that you can buy at any outdoor retail store?" Isabelle asks.
"That's what it looks like." Officer Campbell nods.
"Somebody got their priorities screwed up." Nick retorts.
"Yeah. I'll say." Isabelle scoffs rolling her eyes.
"Maybe we're talking Bigfoot." Hank suggests.
"I don't think Bigfoot would fit into the sleeping bag." Nick counters. "I'm gonna talk to the DEA guys."
"You go ahead. I'm gonna take another look at the body." Isabelle informs them. Walking back to where the victim is Isabelle looks over the body. Something about it was off, she just couldn't exactly figure out what. Stepping over the body to where the victim's gun was she kneels down before putting on a pair of gloves and sliding her fingers over a stain left on the gun, lifting her hands a few inches away from her nose she sniffs it. It was a light berry smell. Pushing herself to her feet she walks through some greenery where she finds a broken branch — and another hair. Grabbing a plastic bag from her pocket she slides the hair inside the bag when suddenly she hears a loud thud and rustling of branches come from behind her. Racing after the sound she jumps over fallen logs and through overgrown weeds. Forcing herself into a sprint she can see a girl running away, but this was no ordinary girl. She had dark Rapunzel length hair and the face of what Isabelle instantly recognizes as a Blutbaden. "Holy shit."
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"He was going to kill us, and then he heard something and he just walked off." Dustin explains.
"And we heard a gunshot, and then it sounded like somebody was being choked." Lauren states.
"Did you see who the victim went after?" Isabelle asks.
"No." Dustin answers.
"You hear anything else?" Hank inquires.
"Yes." Lauren nods. "Something came into the camp and started knocking stuff over."
"We don't know what it was. We just saw shadows." Dustin tells them.
"And heard something, like a growl." Lauren adds.
"It took us forever to get free, and then we just ran." Dustin continues.
"You never saw his body?" Hank questions.
"No." Lauren shakes her head. "But whatever it was.. it saved our lives."
"Alright. We will be in touch if we have any more questions." Nick informs them as they stand up. "Thank you for your cooperation."
"Of course." Dustin grimaces, and it was obvious that both him and Lauren were still shaken up by the whole situation.
"You think they're hiding anything?" Hank asks as they walk out of the house.
"I don't think so. They're fearfully forthcoming." Isabelle remarks.
"She's right." Nick says as he unlocks the car. "Come on. Let's find out what the M.E. has to say."
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"The FBI confirmed the identity of Delmar Blake." Hank informs Renard.
"Lab confirmed the hair we found on his neck and on the tree we're not Blake's." Nick adds.
"Is it one of the hikers?" Renard asks.
"We're still waiting on DNA, but I don't think so." Isabelle replies.
"You're sure they had nothing to do with it?" Renard inquires.
"We ran a background check, no priors. They run a doggy wash in Beaverton." Nick answers.
"Hm." Renard hums.
"My thoughts exactly." Isabelle chuckles softly in agreement.
"Nothing to indicate that they'd have anything to do with Blake or drugs." Nick continues.
"So, what is it? Another drug dealer getting rid of the competition?" Rents questions.
"They would have taken his plants." Hank counters.
"Yeah, who kills a pot grower in the middle of the woods for a sleeping bag and some food?" Renard mutters.
"Somebody who doesn't have much of a brain." Isabelle retorts.
"Or somebody who's hungry and cold." Nick interjects.
"Alright, keep me posted." Renard says before walking into his office.
"Hey." Wu calls walking up to them. "So, I got a couple of knuckle drafters here demanding to see their brother's body."
"Delmar has brothers?" Isabelle asks raising an eyebrow.
"Apparently." Wu grins. "Have fun."
"I'm Detective Burkhardt, this is Detective Kessler and Detective Griffin." Nick introduces as they walk up to the brothers, Roland and Mike. "How can we help you guys?"
"Are you the ones who found our brother?" Mike inquires.
"We're the ones investigating the death of Delmar Blake." Hank confirms. "You two have IDs?"
"Why? What'd we do?" Roland questions.
"It's just standard procedure before divulging any information of an ongoing investigation." Isabelle assures them, quickly scanning their IDs as Mike and Roland pull them out. "Thank you."
"How'd he die — gun? Knife? Beaten to death?" Roland asks.
"We're still trying to determine that." Nick responds.
"Well you can't tell by looking at him?" Roland exclaims.
"We want to see the body." Mike demands.
"Well, it's at the morgue." Nick tells them.
"Doesn't change what I said." Mike remarks.
"Then you'll have to meet us there." Hank states.
"Well let's get it done." Roland snaps.
"Lead the way, then." Isabelle smiles motioning towards the door. "We're right behind you."
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"Why'd you cut him open?" Roland questions while clenching his teeth.
"To determine the cause of death. It's a homicide investigation." Nick answers.
"He was strangled — even I can see that." Mike retorts.
"We're detectives, Mr Blake. We can't just go off assumptions." Isabelle replies.
"Did you know your brother was involved with illegal cultivation of a controlled substance?" Hank asks.
"I don't care what he was doing, I want to know who killed him." Roland exclaims.
"And maybe do something about it?" Nick inquires.
"A lot more than you're going to do." Roland scoffs.
"You're angry, I get it. But trust me, the two of you are better off just staying in your trash motel rooms eating sugar frosted junk and watching junk reality television." Isabelle remarks and Roland goes to run up to her, but Mike quickly holds him back.
"Don't you feel that cold air in here? It's bad for the body when it gets too hot." Hank informs them.
"He's just talking." Mike chuckles softly to himself. "Now we're leaving."
"Thanks, Hank. I was about two milliseconds away from Hothead number one attempting to throw fists at me." Isabelle says turning to him.
"No problem, girl. I got you." Hank assures her and pats her on the shoulder. "So, what do you guys see in those two?"
"Priors." Nick states.
"Let's see if you pinned the tail on those donkeys." Hank responds as they head for the door.
"Witty comeback." Isabelle comments. "Though, it's too bad the Blake's weren't here. I bet smoke and fire would have emerged out of their ears from the burn that you just shot out."
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"Assault, disturbing the peace, tax fraud, and dealing in stolen goods. But no drug charges." Hank reads off of his computer.
"So maybe they weren't involved with their brother." Nick muses.
"Well, they're definitely involved with something." Isabelle interjects. "And maybe their brother dying impacted that something."
"Maybe." Nick pauses. "Any outstanding warrants?"
"Disappointingly, no." Hank responds.
"I guess they just haven't been caught lately." Nick says.
"Hmm." Hank hums.
"Hold onto your.. whatever you hold onto." Wu retorts walking over to them.
"Comedian Wu, how lovely of you to make an appearance." Isabelle comments with a sarcastic grin. "What do you got?"
"You're not gonna believe this — we just got the lab report back on the brunette hairs you found at the scene." Wu informs them and hands Hank the file.
"Holly Clarke? You sure?" Hank questions.
"We got a preliminary match." Wu confirms. "They're running through tests again to make sure."
"Wait, Hank, isn't that the missing girls case you had around the time that you first started as a detective?" Isabelle inquires grabbing the paper from Hank.
"Yeah." Hank nods. "One of the more depressing cases I worked. A little girl playing in her mother's backyard just vanished. A massive search, turned up nothing."
"Seven years old." Nick murmurs as Isabelle passes him the file. "She's been missing for nine years."
"She was adopted and her birth mother was a drug addict. No one was ever charged." Hank tells them.
"She'd be fifteen, sixteen years old." Nick realizes.
"This girl's in the woods living with a drug dealer all these years?" Wu asks confused.
"Anything's possible." Isabelle shrugs.
"We better lock down her identity before we start banging drums on this." Hank remarks. "How much you got on this case?"
"Boxes and boxes of files." Wu answers. "You want them brought up?"
"Yes, I want to see everything." Hank states.
"Better make some room." Wu warns and walks away.
"Hank, you okay?" Isabelle questions recognizing the look on Hank's face, knowing it was not a good one.
"Yeah, I'm fine. But it looks like it's going to be a dine at desk night." Hank sighs.
"Alright, well, me and Izzy will see if we can find out if Blake is any way connected to the girl or her family and where he was the night she abducted." Nick replies standing up.
"Call us if you get anything from the files." Isabelle instructs and quickly follows Nick. "What the hell are we getting ourselves into?"
"I have no idea." Nick admits. "But we're about to find out."
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A/N : I just want to take a minute to say thank you for all the love and support that I've received on this story. It means so much that you guys are liking it. Next chapter should be up soon. Xoxo, Ashley 💖