Page 8 of Princess
“Any drugs in their system. Are we sure these aren’t overdoses?” Detective Hackman asked from the back oftheroom.
“Dan said that was the first thing he thought. All the tox screens are coming back negative,” Cooper responded. Dr. Daniel Bevins was stumped again when he spoke to Cooper this morning. He was not able to come up with why these guysweredead.
“We’ve run their prints and none of them have ever been fingerprinted. We’ve checked all systems and nothing!” Sam spoke up from besideCooper.
“The only weird thing that is coming back is that they are all missing blood,” Cooperannounced.
“But, I thought you said none of them had wounds?” Detective Brynn Reagan asked from the back oftheroom.
“When Dan did the autopsy, either they were missing about half their blood supply or all.”Samsaid.
A few curses escaped around the room. “What does Dan think?” Detective Logan Archer inquired from his side oftheroom.
“He’s just as baffled as we are,” Cooper replied, leaning back in hischair.
“Well, we need to get a lead soon! The media is circling and there is only so much I can do!” Captain Newton stated. “I need answers, people! You’re dismissed!” He stomped out of the room. A few people immediately left the room after the captain, while some stayedchatting.
“Cooper, you guys need help with anything?” Hackmanasked.
“We need a miracle. Dan thinks he’s going to have to rule these as natural causes soon. His boss is demanding that he pronounce and release the bodies.”Coopersaid.
“Well, let us know if you need us,” Reagan offers as she walked away. She glanced back, winking at Cooper before following her partner out oftheroom.
“What was that about?” Sam asked as they left the room, walking down to thebullpen
“I have no idea,” he answered, shakinghishead.
Cooper knew that Brynn Reagan had the hots for him. She had not been too subtle with her attraction to him. He refused to get involved with a fellow officer at the same precinct. He tried to keep everything business oriented whenaroundher.
They both sat at their desks, checking and responding to emails. Cooper’s phone on hisdeskrang.
“Homicide, Detective Cooper. Can I help you?” he answered, holding the phone on his shoulder as he continued to go through hisemails.
No one answered. Deep strangled breathing came across the line. “Hello?” he said again, stopping what he was doing. Sam looked up from his computer, glancing at Cooper from acrosstheirdesk.
“They are coming.” A deep scratchy voice came over the line. Cooper instantly hit his record button on the phone, snapping his fingers to grab Sam’s attentionagain.
“Excuse me?” he asked, trying to get the person to say more. Sam paused what he was doing to payattention.
“They… are… coming…” The deep voice wasbreathless.
“Who is coming?” heasked.
“This… is… the… beginning…” The voice faded away as the linewentdead.
“Shit!” Cooper yelled, slamming down the phone. Several people stopped what they were doing to glance over atCooper.
“What the hell was that?” Samasked.
“Hell if I know!” Cooper shared with Sam what thevoicesaid.
“So it just said ‘they are coming’ and ‘this is the beginning’?” Sam asked. “You think this has to do withourcase?”
“I’m sure it does! But who the hell are coming?” They both got up, Sam followingCooper.
“Where are we heading?” Saminquired.
“Down to the tech room so that I can hear the call again.” Cooper said, taking the stairs down to the basement where tech support washoused.
