“Tattoo ink.” Darek wasn’t surprised when she nodded.
“I agree,” Lizzy said. “She doesn’t seem to have struggled. Hopefully, the toxicology reports will tell us if she’s been drinking or using. Once we get her cleaned up and out of here, we’ll have a better idea, but I want to go ahead and check around at different tattoo parlors in the city. Someone might know something. Maybe this was a marking gone bad.”
“A marking?”
“Yeah, you know, like a Master marking his property.”
“You still think this is BDSM?” Darek asked. “That’s one hell of a marking.”
“I meant the tattoo was a marking. The carving I’d consider either a message, like you say it is, or it could be a cover-up. It’s done hastily. The lines are hurried. They cut way deep in some places. We know she was alive during it. Probably bled out. If the killer was drugged up too, maybe he didn’t know how deep he was carving? Maybe she writhed around so much it just happened.” She gave a shrug.
Chief Robbins paced back and forth. “I want this locked down until you figure it out. If it’s some kind of serial killer or ritual killing, we’re keeping a tight fucking lid on it. There has been too much panic in the community lately, and we don’t need this shit adding to it.”
Lizzy smiled. “I’m sure Sam will appreciate that.”
Special Agent Sam Reed was who she meant, no doubt, and Darek knew that was the man he needed to impress if he wanted to move forward in his career. Lizzy used the man’s name fondly, like they were old friends, and he felt a little envious that this woman, who looked like someone Megan had competed against for a crown, had achieved what he hadn’t.
He looked back to the girl on the bed and figured things could be worse. “Do we have an ID yet?”
He looked up at Deputy Coleman, who gave him the thumbs up as he spoke into his phone. Coleman hung up and shoved the phone in his pocket. “I’ve got her prints on the way. There wasn’t anything found in her handbag, just a picture of the tattoo. Looks like she’d printed it out.”
Darek cleared his throat. “We need to figure out who did the ink. I want a list of all the parlors in town.”
“And the sex shops,” said Lizzy, speaking up a bit louder to Officer Moody. “I want to find out what we can about the collar. It had to come from somewhere. Maybe the seller knows something about who gave it to her. Submissives don’t usually buy them for themselves.”
Even though he didn’t think BDSM had much to do with the crime, he knew the collar was a big clue, and he couldn’t argue that they needed the information on that piece of evidence. He smiled as Max came into the room, and then Lizzy stepped away to make a call.
“I knew her in the academy,” Max whispered. “She was always quiet and kept to herself. Some of the guys said she was a lesbian, but I think she was just too good for them.”
Darek fought his urge to be attracted to her. “Yeah, that’s not the vibe I’m getting.”
Max laughed. “You’re a married man, remember?”
He remembered all right. He remembered so much, it hurt right in the balls. “I know, and trust me, I’ll stay faithful. I love my wife, God help me, but a body like that can sure make you daydream, especially when you’re not getting any at home.” It had only been a few nights, but it seemed like forever.
“Poor bastard. If it’s any consolation, you’ll at least get plenty of time to fantasize. This one’s liable to take a while.” He patted Darek on the back. “She’s a smart one, too. I heard she had high marks. The chief loved her. Supposedly, she had connections, and she used them. Her father was a retired detective or some shit like that.”
Hearing that was a different kind of feeling in his balls; more like a kick. “Figures. Daddy’s girl is getting all the perks.” He hated to hear that not only had she had a wonderful relationship with daddy, but she had used it to climb to the top. Bitterness from his old man’s abuse crept forward and stirred the fires of resentment inside him.
“Use this opportunity, man,” Max said. “It’s a fucked-up thing to say with a cold one three feet away, and though I’ll miss you like crazy, you need this.”
“I plan on it.” Darek had to get his break soon. He wasn’t sure how much longer his marriage would last if he didn’t show Megan something she could be proud of. He had to hear her bitch daily about how he hadn’t gotten this promotion or that promotion over another officer. It didn’t matter if he was one of the most accomplished. There was always room for better, and even though before he married her, he thought she pushed him out of love, he was starting to think of her as no better than his abusive father, who he was never good enough for.
She wanted someone to brag about the same way his father had, and when they’d both run out of things to brag about, their disappointment had become apparent. His father’s disappointment manifested as hard-ass verbal abuse. Megan’s was more passive aggressive. Both were demeaning.
Darek looked around to see if anything else stood out. The arrow-shaped symbol gave him a pain in his arm. He rubbed the rough spot through his shirt and stared at the woman until his vision blurred. The nightmares he’d been having came back to him, but he refused to let them panic him. He was much too close to achieving his career goals now to ruin things. He had to appear as stable as possible. Focused.
The forensics team did their jobs, taking samples, snapping photos, collecting every ounce of evidence, and covering every inch of the room for clues. Finally, it was time to move the body. The coroner had them roll her over, and the collar was removed carefully and bagged before it was handed to Darek.
“Lover.” Lizzy’s voice was like warm honey, and it sent a lick of heat through him as she spoke it over his shoulder. He hadn’t been aware she’d come up behind him.
“That’s not a very affectionate nickname,” Darek said.
“The name on the collar is often the owner’s, not the wearer’s. Not always, but in some cases.”
“How do you know so much about this stuff?” He looked at her like he could have been making an accusation, but was careful to let his tone stay on the more innocent side of the implication. If she was into kinky sex, it wouldn’t do his married ass a bit of good.
“I know lots of things about people’s habits; it doesn’t mean I practice them. You know about murder, but have you ever committed one?” She folded her arms and gave him a scrutinizing grin.
He shook his head. Run faster. “I see your point. I just wanted to know if you’d studied up on it. You seem like you have.”