Page 5 of The Truth Will Out
“What? How do you know that?”
“Simples… the lack of blood trail from the room. Although a tech found some in the reception area. It might be the victim’s, or it could belong to the killer. We’ll run the necessary tests when we get back to the lab.”
“Damn, yes, sorry. I should have considered that myself. Hang on, you’re not suggesting this is about organ harvesting, are you?”
Des shrugged. “I’m wondering if he was still alive when this person, or persons, removed his beating heart. I think it’s too early to dismiss such a suggestion, but what do I know?”
Sam thumped her clenched fist against her thigh. “More than most. He’s a doctor, for fuck’s sake. Who would do such a thing?”
“I take it you haven’t been to a doctor’s surgery lately?”
“No, I haven’t had the need to go. Why?”
“Sitting on the phone first thing for hours to get an appointment is driving the public crazy, and then, only emergency cases are seen. It’s getting totally out of hand.”
“Ah, yes. I remember Dad telling me he had to wait several weeks to see the doctor, and by that time, the symptoms he’d had cleared up. I’m afraid I have to be at death’s door before I ring my surgery.”
“You’re the exception. There are a lot of seriously ill people out there who have to deal with these frustrations day in, day out.”
“I feel for them. What are you saying? That you suspect one of his patients has done this to him? Punished him for not having the heart to deal with his patients correctly?”
“Who knows? That’s your job to find out the motive. All I’m giving you are the facts of what’s going on here.”
“I appreciate it, thanks, Des. Does he have any other wounds to his body?”
“Not from what I can tell. I’ll know more once I’ve conducted the post-mortem. His arms and legs were bound, and he was strapped to the table at the chest. That alone would have stifled his ability to move.”
“Held him in place while the surgery was carried out?” Sam asked.
“To a degree.” Des shook his head. “Beggars belief, but those are the facts as I see them.”
“Why here? Why choose this place to carry out the dastardly deed?”
“Because it’s empty?” Bob suggested.
“Maybe. It’s a shithole with sections of mould everywhere. The windows at the front are non-existent. It used to be a clinic. Did he work here?” Sam asked, thinking aloud.
“So many questions and so few answers at the moment, as per usual this early on in an investigation,” Bob replied.
Sam surveyed the room and, for the first time, spotted something written in blood on the wall behind her. “Jesus, I take it they wrote that in his blood. No, don’t bother replying. It’s bloody obvious they did. Shit! DO NO HARM. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He’s a doctor. A GP,” Bob pointed out unnecessarily. “I’m guessing he’s wronged one of his patients in a major way and possibly a relative has gone after him.”
“Maybe,” Des agreed. “I need to tell you that I believe the heart was removed with precision.”
“Someone in the profession did this to him?” Sam asked incredulously. “Is that what you’re telling me?”
“I wouldn’t like to say, not just yet, not without having a closer inspection of the dissected area back at the lab.”
“Is it easy to find out how to remove a heart via the internet?” Bob asked. “Or is that a dumb question?”
“I’m guessing either the internet or the dark web will come up with a clip or two. As far as I know, every question known to man can be answered via the web these days,” Des said.
“Oh God, don’t say that,” Sam said, her gaze drifting back to the body. “I’m horrified by the thought of someone checking out a twisted bastard’s YouTube page, where they have filmed another person removing organs from a corpse. Or, worse still, from someone who was alive at the time of the extraction.”
Bob ran a gloved hand over his face as the colour drained from his cheeks. “Did you have to say that? That’s conjured up all sorts of images that I know are going to remain with me for a while.”
Sam and Des shared a look.
