Death Marks (The Symbolist) (14 page)

Taking the Downs Road, Redd drove into a car park teeming with uniforms.

'The media are here already - bloody vultures.'

'Yeah, they've caused enough trouble with the decapitations. Let's hope we can keep this one under wraps.' As Dove spoke, they heard the whirr of a news media helicopter overhead.

'Damn - well at least the site is tented.' Redd walked ahead.

Reporters squawked around DC Matthews at the blue-taped perimeter. At last they'd managed to get him back from Tits and his parsnip faced side-kick. Seeing Redd and Dove raise their warrant cards, Matthews waved them through, scribbling their names down in his notepad. The mobile crime scene vans were already in situ
ation. A white suited member of SOCO, his face ashen, called out to them, 'We've finished up sir so you are free to go ahead. 'It's gross.'

Esther's lovely face floated before his eyes - her body.... He steeled himself, dipping into the pocket of his jeans, fingering two diazepam. In one movement, he picked them out, putting them under his tongue. They'd start working soon. Within minutes, they reached the crime scene, some five hundred metres away from the grove of yew trees. Feeling the pills already numbing his tongue, he put on the white paper suit, nearly stepping into a pile of vomit near the tent.

Crinkling her nose, Dove held out a small bottle of eucalyptus. 'Better put it on boss. People are throwing up all over the place.'

Taking the bottle, Redd put some of the ointment above his top lip. He wanted to rub it right into his nostrils, but it burnt through nasal membranes. Disgusting odours got right up into the small hairs, seeping through the rhinal mucous. Death also had a taste, the taste that went from the mucous membranes, draining down into the throat. At least, it would stop the guts reacting - spewing out vomit.

'This is within days of the first victims. Cheeky bastards, they're really taunting us.'

'Where's Mahoney?'

'Coming, the Divisional Surgeon's declared the death, said we needed a pathologist.'

'Okay, let's do this.'

Opening the flap, he dipped inside. 'So no-one's touched anything?'

'The constable at the tape said, the walkers called it in immediately, but left it exactly as they found it.'

Redd stifled a breath, as he lifted the cover to see saw a penis bulging from the lips, at the dismembered arms and legs on the ground, bent at elbow and knee, placed around the torso. The head wearing a wreath of oak leaves, remained in place held by a few trailing sinews. On the chest lay a scroll. He muttered, 'This is one fucking monster - whoever did this is insane.' Kneeling he saw the same signs on the rough old parchment. 'I'll have to get Dr. Davies on that.'

Dove put her hands to her face. 'This is a nightmare -leaving a body like this, stuffing that in his mouth. So that's the err... Triskelion?'

'Yeah, see how they've dismembered the arms and legs, bending them around the body. Glad to see you've read the report Dove.

'Yeah the Wheel of Life - hell more like it. Don't they have any feelings?'

Redd moved carefully around the body. 'Just one male this time. No bleached bones. They didn't do this here. Like the other victims, they carried the remains to the site.'

'They believed in reincarnation - but what the hell is this?'

Redd shook his head, his body feeling the first wave of the tranquillizers taking affect, pushing back the panic. 'The only person who could pick up more signs is Dr. Davies. I'll have to get her over here.'

Dove looked up sharply. 'Boss, you can't subject her to this.'

Redd shrugged. 'There's no-one else. However, I think she might be able to take it; she knows the druids inside out. This won't surprise her - sicken her yes - but I don't have a choice.'

'Could you just take photographs?'

'She needs to see it in situ. She'll know instantly, there might be something we're missing.'

'How the hell could you miss this.'

Redd went to the tent flap opening it slightly.

'You okay boss?'

'Yep - getting over it.'

As he dipped his head, a voice boomed from outside the tent. 'And so you should Redd, but Seaton here could take charge if you feel it's too much.'

Redd whirled around to see Titmouse smirking by the flap, whilst his arse licker stood by his side, grimacing.

Titmouse turned to him. 'Take a look Seaton - I'd like your spin on this.'

Seaton's face turned to the colour of dried moss as he took tiny steps to the tent. Dipping his head to enter, his eyes widened taking in the scene. He let out a choked gurgle. 'Oh God....' Backing out, his colour deepened to the colour of dead leaves, as he vomited over the side of the tent, adding to the mound already there.

Redd stiffened - great, now they had the stink of Seaton's fresh vomit, let alone the putrid stench of the body. As Seaton straightened up, dregs of vomit dripped down the side of his chin. His arms reached out to Titmouse, as he tried to walk away, only to shrivel up, falling like a bent branch in a dead faint.

Redd raised flat cop's eyes to Titmouse. 'You'd better roll him over into the rescue position and get a paramedic over sir.'

Mumbling, Titmouse whispered into his cell. He evaded Redd's gaze as he watched the green uniformed paramedics walk over. 'Man's vomited - fainted, better check him out.'

Redd turned away, trying to suppress a grin, as he looked at Dove. They stood by the tent waiting for the paramedics to see to Seaton.

Redd saw Mahoney approach, shabby as ever, the camel jacket needing a dry clean, the shirt collar undone, a sprout of ginger hair spilling from yesterday's shirt.

The pathologist stopped, seeing the paramedics. Frowning, he looked over to Redd. 'So what the fuck's going on here. I thought it was a crime scene?'

Motioning for him to come nearer, Redd whispered, 'Seaton's puked and fainted after seeing the body.'

Mahoney grimaced, watching the paramedics examine the man, taking his pulse and blood pressure; eventually getting him to his feet. His legs shaking, Seaton leaned on Titmouse as they walked back to the cars.

Dove
said, 'Tits is furious.'

Redd openly grinned. 'Serve him right. Maybe next time he'll shut the hell up.'

Muttering an oath, Mahoney lifted the tent flap. 'Be Jesus - mother of God - the gates of Hell are open.'

Turning to Dove, Redd said, '
Better get the team over here. I want them to see it in situ - this will goad them to speed up. There'll be no more moaning about overtime.'

Despite the gruesome find, Redd's stomach tightened, as he saw Tess climb from the police car and walk towards him. Her body swayed with an inner rhythm. He frowned; he hadn't felt like this in a long time. Not since.... He shut out the thoughts. This couldn't go anywhere. 'Look I'm sorry to involve you in this, but quite honestly we have need of an expert. The buggers have left another body. Be prepared, it's dismembered and they've stuffed his penis into his mouth.'

'Oh ... shit.'

Redd frowned. 'You okay with this?'

'I have to be. I studied the Druids for years, so I shall just have to steel myself.'

Redd narrowed his eyes. 'I'll warn you, it's a nightmare and some.'

Biting her lip, she said, 'It's okay studying Druidism, but this is the real thing.' As they walked to the site, Redd tried to take the edge off her fear. 'That was some report you gave in, you know. I had copies made for each of the teams, and the higher ups.

She managed a short grin. 'Really?'

Deputy Chief Constable Bill Maddeley likes to keep up to date. We're darn sure it will give us some leads. You said, the unsub may have studied Roman mythology.'

'Yes. Most of the information on Druidism is from the writings of Caius Julius Caesar and Tacitus. I guess the leader or a couple of these perps would have had a classical education - public school more likely.'

'Something to go on. Then, there's the chemistry side to it. The cocktail of drugs is intricate. Forensics assures me it would take an expert to know the right ingredients and the right mix. Your report has given me a lot to think about - thank you.'

'Glad to be of help.'

Reaching the tent, he said, 'Just pop this on - regulation bunny suit. Handing her a small jar of eucalyptus, he warned her, 'Before you go in, put a spot of Vic under your nose. It will help with the stench.'

She nodded, wrinkling her nose. 'Wow - strong stuff.'

'You'll need it.'

Stooping to enter through the flap, with Redd following, her hand went over her mouth, '
Oh my God - my God.' She moved backwards, nearly stepping on Redd's foot. Thinking she would make a quick exit, he moved out of her way. Instead, she straightened her back, her breath coming in short gasps. 'I can do this - I can - I must.'

Redd slipped his arm around her, as she moved forward. Dove watched them, her heart sinking. So, this was the Symbolist. The guy was attracted to her, that was obvious.

Tess muttered, 'I must do it - I've got to help. It's alright writing about it, but this....'

Mahoney looked up. 'To be sure; it takes guts Colleen. So, Redd, what would ye be thinking of this then?' As he asked the question, he gently opened the victim's mouth, pulling at the penis.'

'What the fuck? Redd's eyes widened, as testicles followed the penis.

Laying the genitals on a small tray by his side, Mahoney probed further. 'Ah now, what have we here - ah - tis mistletoe and oak leaves no doubt?'

Dove exclaimed, 'It's mad - mad.'

Tess whispered,
As I told you, the mistletoe is the sacred berry of the Druids. They put them in the mouth to help the person in their next reincarnation as well as other things.'

Redd frowned. 'So apart from the genitals, what do you make of the arrangement of the legs and arms? Is it the Triskelion?'

'Oh yes, no doubt about that.'

Dove interrupted, '
Just as you said boss, the Wheel of Life.'

Tess nodded. 'It can also have numerous triple meanings such as Creator - Preserver - Destroyer, Triple Goddess and so on.'

Picking up the plastic bag Dove, showed her the note. 'What do you make of this?'

Studying it, Tess answered, '
An execution. I ....' her face whitened, as she glanced at the dismembered limbs. 'I've got to stand back - I can't—'

Seeing her pallor, the muscles tensing in her throat, Redd took her arm. 'You okay?'

Tess, almost leaning into the wall of the tent, took some deep breaths, trying to quell the nausea rising in her throat.

Redd put his arm around her shoulders. 'Do you want to leave?'

'No - no. I've got this far.' She leant forward taking another deep breath, 'Phew.'

'You feel okay now?'

'They've got to find another oracle. It reads,

‘
No one defiles the Oracle.’

Looking up at Redd, she said, '
The victim got off lightly.'

'Lightly?'

'Yes, it should have been the Blood Eagle.'

Redd grimaced. 'You mean where they pull the lungs out from the back?'

Mahoney almost shouted, 'What the fuck are you saying man? Pulling out the lungs? Jesus Mary and Joseph, to be sure we're in hell - dealing with the devil himself no less.'

Redd grimaced, '
Devils more like.'

'In an execution, the criminal was made to look like the angel of death.'

Mahoney muttered, 'Then we should be praying for the angels of heaven to guide us.'

Tess whispered, '
They didn't eviscerate the body either, that means they didn't think he was pure enough to predict anything. . He was sent directly to the lowliest form of life'

Dove looked up sharply. 'You don't believe all this do you?'

Shaking her head, Tess said, ' No, but this man may have.'

Dove snorted, '
Surely not, he lived in this day and age, not thousands of years ago.'

Redd frowned, '
He must have believed some of it, to be part of it.'

Mahoney exclaimed, '
Will ye listen to yerselves - blasphemy.'

Tess nodded. 'The group is quarrelling. There's conflict.'

Dove said. 'Maybe he disagreed with what they did to the other two.'

Redd shook his head. 'Hardly, the note said he defiled the Oracle.'

Tess murmured, 'The Oracle is usually female. He interfered with her.'

Redd looked over to Mahoney. 'The first message makes sense now. You said Delle Woodhouse had traces of semen. Mahoney scratched his bristly chest. 'Aye, but then the donor was a non-secretor - no DNA.'

Dove frowned. 'Non-secretor?'

'Yes, with a secretor you can get the DNA through all bodily fluids, semen, urine, sweat, milk, fluids and blood, but with the non-secretor there's usually none of his blood type in the fluids.'

Dove nodded. 'So he fucked her - hence the balls in his mouth.'

Tess said, '
If they're following the pagan festivals, this is just the start.'

Redd's jaw tightened. 'They're going to need another oracle.' He turned to Dove. 'Jeannette Walker?'

Mahoney mumbled, 'God protect us.'