Free Missing by L C Lang Page B

missing tour group was all in the back.”
    “ Then it sure looks like they took whatever luggage they had with them.”
    Matt sighed. “Or maybe their luggage is down in the hold.”
    Colin shrugged. “Maybe, but most people nowadays fly with rolling luggage they bring on-board.”
    He nodded. “Yes, that’s true. We will have to wait until we see what Damon finds. I think when we get back we are going to look closer at those six passengers. Visit their residences.”
    “ I think so too. This just doesn’t seem right.”
    “ My sentiments exactly. Just keep checking. Maybe we can find something.”
    Matt walked into the galley for the economy class. He looked inside all the cabinets and food storage areas, but he found nothing. Then he walked back up to the first class galley. No food there either. Had they taken all the food with them? Just then, he heard Damon yelling for him.
    Matt quickly walked to the back of the plane and found the open hatch Damon had gone down. He turned on his flashlight and climbed down the stairs. As he descended, he felt the drop in temperature. By the time he got to the bottom, the temperature had dropped at least ten degrees. Then he smelled what he had hoped not to smell. Damon had his flashlight on, aiming it towards the stairs. Matt used his flashlight and scanned the area. Not too much was in here. He made his way over to Damon.
    “ What have you found?” Matt asked.
    Damon shifted his flashlight ten feet ahead of him, shining it on what he had found.
    Matt followed the light to the body. He shook his head.
    “ Good thing I packed body bags.”
    Damon laughed. “Don’t think you are going to need the amount you brought though.”
    “ So, what have we got here?”
    “ Gun shot wound to the head. But, the guy didn’t die here. There’s no blood.”
    “ Any identification?”
    Damon shook his head. “No. I checked his pockets. He’s clean.”
    “ Great.” He shined the light around the cargo hold. There are only about a dozen boxes. “Not much in here for an international flight. No luggage either.”
    “ There is one more thing.”
    Matt looked at him. “What?”
    Damon turned and walked a few feet towards the front of the plane, then moved a couple of boxes.
    Lying on the floor was the second body.
    Both of the men were dressed in jeans and long sleeved shirts, and appeared to be in their early thirties. On closer investigation, Matt found the wounds of both men were a bit different. One was a close shot in his right temple. About six inches he figured, based on the fouling, or soot from the gun, that was present. The second man was shot in the middle of his forehead. It was obviously a longer shot because there was no stippling. One person? The two men were probably in a car. The shooter approached the passenger side and shot the first man, then shot the second as he turned towards the shooter. But who are these men?
    “ Got one more thing I want to show you,” Damon said. He reached over and picked up a box, then handed it to Matt.
    “ The box is empty?” Matt asked, as he hefted the box. “Are they all like this?”
    “ The one’s I’ve checked so far have either been empty or have shredded paper in them. And there are no labels on those I’ve looked at.”
    Matt shook his head. “Alright. Finish going through the boxes. We can reseal them later if necessary.”
    “ Okay, I will. What about the bodies?’
    Matt nodded. “I’ll go get a couple of body bags. It is cool down here, so that should help to preserve the bodies. Of course, they have already been in here for at least a day. Not much we can do about it.”
    “ I think they are well past the rigor stage.” He bent down and lifted the second man’s arm. It was flexible. But, the smell was there and it wouldn’t get any better.
    “ I’ll be back in a minute.”
    Matt turned and walked back up the stairs. He went up to the front of the plane and pulled two body bags out of one of the cases,