Page 18 of Shephard

“Yeah, I’d say. Another dead body.”

We had our share of criminals, although I’d only been forced to deal with one escaped bank robber since taking the job. But I’d heard stories that could curl your toes, even if I suspected they’d been embellished. However, I’d been the lucky one to find a mauled victim while on a tracking trip two months before. The summer heat had taken a toll, including on various critters as well.

Even the coroner had experienced a tough time trying to determine a timeframe and an actual cause of death for the victim. Very little was known other than he was a male in his thirties. He’d been roughed up, likely beaten prior to being mauled. But from what I believed, a knife had been used indicating a murder. Although Maggie Danners, another talented individual had expressed her suspicions as well, she’d gotten pressure to rule it an animal incident.

I’d almost pitched a fit until Greg had explained the situation to me. A murder investigation could go on quietly behind the scenes. I knew that from my previous life. What I hadn’t taken into account in my initial blustering was just how much hysteria could be created with leaking any information. Jobs could be lost. I hadn’t liked it, but I’d backed down.

Now this.

My instinct was already working overtime. I shouldn’t have let the issue drop.

“Where?”

“Tanner Ridge. A hiker found him. You’re close. Can you swing up there? The coroner’s team is on another call and can’t handle the body for an hour if not more.”

With one of our park rangers out on his honeymoon, it left Cane Williams and me to hold down the fort. The translation meant Cane was likely out with his buddies at a bar, which he did quite often. He and I had an entirely different work ethic. Maybe because I’d lived and breathed detective work.

“Sure. I’ll head up there.”

“I’ll text you coordinates,” he stated. He wasn’t happy with the situation either. I could tell by his voice.

Tonight was one of those nights I hated this shit, although I’d craved a new adventure after being all but forced out of my last job, bone weary from the heavy workload as required by a city detective. Search and rescue was a rewarding opportunity, but the action had been what I’d lived for. “I’ll let you know what I find.” After hanging up the phone, I stood right where I was before turning my head toward Pepper. “We’re on, girl.”

She was excited. I was not.

I gathered the duffle I always kept prepared, which included flare guns, thick rope, a couple of knives, and other survival equipment. I had to be prepared for anything. Which was why I kept a rifle and extra ammunition in the Jeep at all times. I also carried my pistol as well. I learned very quickly once on the job anything could occur.

Pepper didn’t mind her special harness, but every time I put it on her, I was reminded of a few of our former missions. It always left a bad taste in my mouth.

With bottles of water and extra batteries for my powerful flashlights, I headed out.

Tanner Ridge was a few miles away up the mountain, the slope considered more for medium level hikers. It wasn’t too bad if you knew what you were doing. I loved the area because there were hidden gems, including a lovely waterfall I’d visited more than once during the summer months.

Very few people had discovered the gorgeous site.

Pepper jumped in the passenger seat, eager as always. I checked my gas level and sighed as I started the engine. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?

I certainly didn’t have the credentials Maggie did, but I’d seen more than my share of dead bodies over the years. Far too many, a dozen victims the product of one type of abuse or another.

The drive was pleasant enough even though twilight would begin its descent in about an hour. I might know the terrain like the back of my hand, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be caught anywhere on the mountain after dark. There were too many dangers.

Thankfully, I experienced no trouble before reaching the destination. According to Greg, the body was about three hundred yards off the main path. After parking, I gathered what I’d need, which included my iPhone to take a series of pictures. Our entire department had been deputized by the sheriff, which allowed us to make arrests and handle crimes independently. Doing so had been a product of need, his work including six counties.

Everyone was short staffed around here, cutbacks constant.

“Let’s go.” Pepper’s ears perked up and she headed out in front of me. The foliage was thick, the decent rains the area had experienced during the spring and summer the cause. I certainly couldn’t complain since it had kept fires to a minimum so far.

I had to fight my way through the brush at certain points, curious how the hikers had even found the area. The trek took me longer than it should have and I was close to needing to turn on one of the flashlights.

Pepper found the body as usual, providing a single woof then standing over the victim. There was no smell, which meant the body hadn’t been here but for so long. Just as I approached, I noticed a path of fallen limbs that had obviously been trampled on coming from the other direction. Was it possible the body had been dumped here?

That was exactly what I’d thought about the previous victim, which was possible given the access roads threaded throughout portions of the parkway.

I stood over the victim, sighing heavily as I removed a pair of latex gloves. “What do we have, girl?” I asked absently.

Pepper was scanning the area as she’d been trained to do, capable of hearing noise from a mile away. She’d alerted me to upcoming danger more times than I could count.

As I crouched down, I was almost instantly repulsed. The body had been beaten and if I had to guess, I’d say prior to death. It was a male approximately forty-five years old. He’d been worked over with more than just a man’s fist. His face looked like a puzzle at this point. From my initial exam, I identified stab wounds, but I didn’t think that had killed him. Neither had the beating.

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