Free Cold Dead Past by John Curtis Page B

exclamation point.
    "I would say that the wound to his throat came first, though."
    "Why?"
    "Because tearing out someone’s voice box is a damned good way to keep them quiet.  His heart was ripped out of him while he was still alive.  I don’t know about you, but me, I’d scream like a banshee.  And there’s something else."
    Gary crushed out his smoke and said, "I don’t like the sound of this."
    "Some of Jack Hauser’s wounds were similar to these.  It’s possible that the same person got to him. Some animals could have come along later and gnawed on him.  He laid there for what, a couple of days? I sent the autopsy photos to the state pathology lab for comparison."
    "That’s just great, doc.  Wonderful.  You know that the sheriff is gonna go off his nut."  Gary held up his hands to frame the scene. "Cannibal Stalks Haddonfield."
    Franklin leaned back against the counter. "Well, I could be wrong."
    "I hope you are, but why do I get the feeling in my gut that it’s even worse than we think?"  Gary walked over to the exit. As he opened it, he turned back and said, "Bring the report on over when you’re finished.  He’s gonna want to see this for himself.  Oh, and take plenty of pictures, too.  He deserves a little payback for sending me to do this.  That gutless bastard."

 
                                                            CHAPTER 12
     
     
    The first thing Jay noticed the next morning was that he had had his first good night’s sleep in weeks.  No dreams.  No Frank staring up at him with those fear-filled eyes and clawing at the ice.  The second was Meg, her arm draped across his chest, soft and warm, and her cheek snuggled up against his shoulder.
    He smiled as he ran his hand down her back and along the soft curves of her hip, the skin dappled by the morning light and shadows.  He wasn’t sure whether he had made a mistake staying over.  Maybe it wasn't wrong since he still had feelings for her after all this time. She had made it equally as obvious to him that she felt something for him.
    He would have liked to just stay there in bed with his arms around her, feeling her warmth against his skin, listening to her breathe, and thinking about the possibilities.  The news that he saw the previous night precluded that, though.  A quick check of the clock on the nightstand said it was eleven-fifteen.  Half the day in bed and he needed to get downtown to see Gary about the man that they had pulled out of the alley.
    He untangled himself from her and sat up on the edge of the bed.  A short scan of the scatter of clothes on the floor and he found his briefs.  As he was pulling them on, Meg woke up and, moving over beside him, slipped her arms around him.
    She kissed his shoulder and asked, "How are you feeling?"
    "I’m great.  It was great.  I just… It’s late and there’s something I have to do."
    "Not even time for breakfast?"
    She kissed him on the shoulders and the nape of his neck, but he pulled himself away.  He sorted through the mix of their clothes on the floor until he found his pants and shirt.  As he zipped up his pants, he turned to her.
    "You don’t know how much I wish I could stay," he said, "but there’s someone that I have to meet.  Some business."
    Meg lay back in the bed, a disappointed look on her face.  Jay buttoned up his shirt and slipped on his shoes.  He knew that look.  Then she tried her pouty look, but this wouldn’t wait.
    "It’s really important," he said. "Please believe me when I say that I would love nothing better than to stay here with you, but this won’t wait."
      Jay leaned down to kiss her and she pulled him back onto the bed, not content to take no for an answer.  He slipped loose and smiled down at her.
    "I promise I’ll call.  It’s just that I have to get this out of the way."
    Meg rolled over with her back to him.
    "Okay," she pouted. "Fine."
    But as he went out the