Murder in Misery (Spook Squad) - By Ashley K. Broome Page 0,2

the scene like scars. She could taste the panic harsh and sour at the back of her throat.

Willing herself forward and into the house she brushed passed detectives rushing out of the house and out of sight of reporters. She listened to the sound of retching for just a moment before she felt her mind being pulled towards what had happened. The screams, the sounds of furniture overturning and glass shattering assaulted her ears. The loud crack of bone and the crunch of someone stepping on glass tore the breath from her lungs.

“I thought they were joking when they said they were sending someone from the spook squad over. A family was murdered, besides that there isn’t anything abnormal about this.” Detective Cassidy spat out as he wiped the corner of his lips clean. Keegan took a moment to really look at the man. He stood a few inches shorter than her self, balding and he wouldn’t stop fidgeting as if he would rather be anywhere else but here.

Keegan couldn’t help the spark of anger that shot up from her chest and pulled her face into an angry glare, “I hope you’ve been wearing gloves Detective. You and I both know that the only reason SIU would have been called in to a crime scene this early on would be if your victims were known supernaturals.”

“Oh fuck, you’ve got to be kidding me,” He growled out as he headed back out the house muttering to him self, “This day just keeps getting better and better.”

“Morne! Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to head up here and decided how we should handle the bodies?”

Keegan looked up the stairs to see Matthew Hollis staring down at her with dark rimmed eyes. His hair was a mess and his jacket was tugged off kilter. There were only a few times she had seen the seasoned investigator so disheveled. Those times usually were the crime scenes that sent even the most grizzly of men to their wives and family in search of comfort.

As she moved through the living room her eyes took in every detail she could manage. The fabric had been ripped on the couch and some of the stuffing protruded and littered the floor around it. A recliner lay on its side, scratches on the floor from where metal moved angrily against wood. Pictures had fallen from the wall, frames splintering with its glass shattering across the floor leaving happy memories a distant thought.

A cool breeze filtering through the room sent papers dancing along the floor. Following the movement, Keegan saw the haggard window. Spikes of glass stood out from the window frame and broken shards of glass covered the wooden floor before the window. That had to be how the killer got into the house. Unafraid of leaving evidence behind as he climbed through the window and tracked tiny pieces of glass along with him, marking the path he took.

Gripping the stair rail she rolled her eyes at the man, “I just had to get the usual trash out of the way Hollis.”

“Cassidy giving you trouble again?” He asked over his shoulder as he led her towards the main scene.

“I think it’s because I’m taller than he his,” Keegan shrugged and grinned at the smile she got out of him. They stopped just outside the door to what looked like a nursery. There were bright wooden letters spelling out the name Connor.

“The baby is missing,” Matt muttered, “We put out the necessary info to units and the Captain has us processing the scene while the rest of the precinct is searching.”

“Do you have any idea of how long he’s been missing?” Keegan asked softly.

“Not sure until we get a time of death,” Matt answered reluctantly. Keegan nodded focusing on the door in front of her.

Matt stopped her as soon as she put her hand on the door handle. She looked up curiously at him and watched him swallow before explaining, “Before we go in there I just want you to know that it’s not pretty. A couple of the guys barely made it out the door before they were sick.”

Keegan stared into earthy brown eyes and rolled her lips together, “I can handle it.”

“I wasn’t saying you couldn’t,” Hollis shrugged, “I was just saying that it’s okay if you need to get out of the room for a minute. No one is going to think anything of it, especially when there is a kid this