Free Samurai Code by Don Easton

though. The victim had a large garbage bag over his head and torso.”
    “How was he able to run so far down that path?” asked Connie.
    “It wasn’t the dark-green type of bag. Made of clear plastic. The type you would use for disposing of leaves and stuff in the fall.”
    “Someone figured it would help eliminate DNA from their vehicle.”
    “That’s what I figure. The victim was coughing up blood before he got here. The inside of the bag was sprayed from blood coming out his nose.”
    “Maybe the bullet in his back went through a lung.”
    “No. Wait until you see the bag. There was quite a bit smeared around inside. I think the bullet in his back was followed in short order by one to the skull.”
    “What’s your guess on why he was bleeding prior to arrival? Think he was punched in the face?”
    “No, it’s not a broken nose. I’ve seen this type of blood pattern before. My guess is someone took a bat or pipe to his ribcage to subdue him. Autopsy should confirm it, but I bet one of his lungs is punctured with a broken rib.”
    “A tough way to die.”
    “Yeah. I bet he knew it was coming. Slow and painful way to go. I’ve uncovered the route the victim took after arriving and have a theory from what I’ve seen. Where do you want to start? At the body or do you want me to show you the evidence leading to the body?”
    “May as well start at the beginning. If he was bagged, I doubt that there is much blood in the parking lot.”
    “There’s always some when someone is shot. Bagged or not.”
    “Too dry for foot or tire tracks,” said CC, thinking aloud.
    “This is the beginning as I know it,” said Dallas, pointing to an area in the gravelled lot. “You can see a double set of scuff marks in the dirt. Like a bounce followed by short drag marks that match the heels of his shoes. My guess is he was dragged out of a van by two people. If it was a car —”
    “He would have been lifted from the trunk. There wouldn’t be these patterns in the gravel from being set down.”
    “Exactly.”
    “Thought your specialty was blood?”
    Dallas smiled and said, “If you look closely, you’ll see a little blood smeared in the gravel.”
    “Got it,” said CC.
    “The pattern is repeated about two shoulder widths away and then repeated a third time.”
    “What the hell? You’re right.”
    “Let me take you through it,” said Dallas. “He was dragged backwards out of a van and dumped on the ground. Someone tried to shoot him in the face, but he likely saw it coming and moved. The first shot took out a piece of his ear and tore the garbage bag. He then rolled two complete turns, leaving blood from his ear about two shoulder widths away on each roll.” Dallas looked at CC and said, “Are you with me so far?”
    “Hang on,” said CC, clasping one hand over her ear and then stepping sideways while spinning around to simulate a roll. “Got it. Explains the gap in between.”
    “Exactly. And here we have a small ball of duct tape. I think he got that off while being transported and it probably stuck up inside his pant leg. He still has a short piece of it on his ankles, but I figure he was kicking in his panic. His legs broke free at this point and he got to his feet and started running.”
    CC then followed Dallas a short distance down the path, where he used a flashlight to point to a new blood trail that was easily visible.
    “Here is where he took one to the inside of his thigh, but kept running,” explained Dallas. “By the large amount of blood, I’m sure the bullet hit his femoral artery. If whoever murdered him hadn’t finished the job, he would have bled out pretty quick.”
    CC paused to envision the nightmare. Beaten with a bat or pipe … broken rib through your lung … bound in duct tape … kidnapped and laying on the floor of some van … dragged out and shot in the face … escape while more bullets are flying … trying to run with your hands tied behind your back … shot through