Page 7 of The Crime of Intensity

I stare down at the naked body and notice the same injuries as all the others and muse, “There’s no specific link between victims, no similarities, different jobs, hair, features, height…he always follows a torture routine, carving them up with a knife, removing the lips, and the labia majora…wait.”

Marvin slowly gets to his feet. “What? What are you thinking about?”

I let my gaze collide with Marvin’s dark eyes. “We know these two agents were picked because the agent had a big mouth. He might have picked all his victims that way. It would at least make sense why he cuts off the lips, top and bottom…degrading them, taking away the ability to mouth off, and maybe even have a sexual aspect…issues rooted in his past? A female figure denigrating him for years? What did the profiler write in his or her report about this serial killer?”

“Nothing you just mentioned. Though, I have a gut feeling you’re spot on,” Marvin rumbles. “We need to dig into the other stuff you mentioned.”

“About the previous owner of Eastlynne’s ranch? Yeah. There were rumors about the couple when the wife was still alive, and every child they fostered left town as soon as they were legally able to. Social services never intervened so I don’t think there are any records of anything. My dad might know more, but if it was something crucial as neglect or any type of abuse? The Iron Hot Blood would have intervened.”

“We’ll run the names of all the kids they fostered first, dig in before we swing by the club and have a chat with the older generation,” Marvin states. “At least now we have a solid theory, maybe even some possible suspects, especially with the fucker returning to this town, it definitely makes sense.”

“Or it could all be a coincidence.” I shrug and add on a grumble, “You have been on this case for weeks and I’m just throwing shit together from the first idea that hit me.”

“Bullshit,” Marvin grunts and takes a step into my personal space. “You have skills, boss lady. Not just the experience or training, but your upbringing, legacy, law enforcement running in your blood. It’s the updates you keep adding to your brain. Definitely admirable.” He jabs a finger into the air and whirls it around. “This body farm right here also shows the challenge of revealing the truth. Research is vital. A theory is just as important since it’s intended to make sense of facts or pieces of a puzzle. You enjoy solving puzzles and not the crossword kind. Hey, now it makes perfect sense why you have a trained cadaver dog.”

I give the man my first genuine smile. Damn. If he’s not being a major asshole he’s actually not so annoying. The compliments he threw at me helped lessen my annoyance, but still.

“Wrench has a knack for it. The others from that litter are trained search and rescue dogs.” The sound of voices spurs me to glance over my shoulder. “Looks like your team is here to process the scene.”

I gasp when I feel Marvin’s hot breath right next to my ear. “Stay away from Dean, no matter what that smooth suck-up fucker says or does.”

I take a step back to frown at Marvin, but I hardly get a chance when I hear the rumble of a voice. “Damn, now I understand why you’re moving here, brother.”

The man lets his gaze slide over me, lingering on my breasts. He takes a step to the side to…oh, come the fuck on.

Narrowing my eyes, I snap, “Really? Checking out my ass when you were called out here to–”

The man who looks like Marvin, but is somewhat younger, cuts me off. “Assist my brother because he has the hots for a stunner of a sheriff he’d like to get under him so he becomes the undersheriff to move things along? Yeah, sugar tits, really. Your ass needs to be checked firsthand to see why my brother would hand over the president patch without a second thought.”

I give a slight turn and smack my own ass. “There, you’ve seen it. Now get to fucking work, asshole.”

There’s no way I’m waiting around with these idiots. My job here is done. Well, after I’ve written out a report it will be, but Marvin and his team will handle everything from here on out. I ignore everyone and make my way toward my car.

“Hang on,” I hear Marvin rumble behind me. “Kathleen, wait up, dammit.”

Opening the door, I wait for Wrench to jump in before I get behind the wheel. The passenger door opens and I turn to glare at Marvin.

“Where are you going?” Marvin questions.

“Back to the office. We’re understaffed, remember? You and your lovely brother have it under control here. So, run along, undersheriff.” I start the car and wait for him to close the door.

I should have known the asshole would get inside my car because the annoying man never acts the way I think he will. Ignoring the man has become a normality whenever he’s around so that’s exactly what I do until I park in front of the office. Wrench jumps out behind me and from the corner of my eye I notice Marvin thumbing the screen of his phone.

He glances up and rumbles, “I have to head to the Iron Hot Blood ranch. My horses will arrive within half an hour.”

“Here,” I quip and throw the keys to the patrol car in his direction.

He effortlessly snatches them out of the air. “Don’t you need it?”

I jab a thumb over my shoulder. “We have another patrol car parked out back if I need to head out so for now you can take mine. You can have the one parked out back when you return mine. I’ll have the new work schedule ready when you return to the station.”

Without waiting for a reply, I walk inside and head for the deputy’s desk. “Hey Seth, let the new undersheriff know he’s on duty when he returns.”

“It’s official? He’s the new undersheriff?” Seth questions.

I shrug. “That man and the motorcycle club he’s a part of are above either one of our paygrades. If he says he’s the new undersheriff you better believe it. On the other hand, he’s overqualified for the position. The fucker could just as easily have my job, instead he picked a position that’s currently available.”

Seth bobs his head. “At least you don’t have to pull a double.”

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