Black Rose Revenge

Chapter 12

Detective Sierra Ryans POV

“Now, Mack, you have to be nice. The doctor has been up all day long, working on the bodies from the Market.” We were already late meeting up with the doctor because it seems there aren’t very many babysitters available in the middle of the night. Mack’s elderly neighbor, who lived next door to hm, finally agreed to watch Chancey.

“I will be nice to the emotionally stunted medical examiner.” Mack said as he pouted.

I hit his shoulder and glared at him. “It’s comments like that, that really piss people off! You have to set your hurt feelings aside and act professionally!”

He folded his shoulders over his chest. “You don’t have to worry about me acting unprofessionally. I want to find O’Grady just as bad as you do!” Mack then looked out the window, effectively silencing me. We rode the rest of the way in a tense silence. I understood Mack’s feelings, but He also just needed to take a breath, he isn’t the only one that was hurt due to Brent Cummings, O’Grady’s brother.

I was brought out of my thoughts once we parked. Mack turned to me then. “Look, I understand that you’re just looking out of me but you really don’t have to treat me like I am a child.” He said as he glared at me.

I glared back but quickly looked away. “Fine, I’m sorry too. Motherhood has changed me, besides you were actually acting like a child.” I said then stuck my tongue out at him.

He rolled his eyes. “Now who is being childish?” He said as he chuckled at my behavior. I smiled back at him as we hurriedly into the morgue.

I had a feeling that Mack’s poor mood had nothing to do with the scum bag that we were investigating and more to do with Cheryl. I stopped him just outside the morgue door. “Mack?” I waited until his eyes were on me. “I’m sorry that Cheryl didn’t answer your call. Just give her some time, she will come back to you.”

He let out a huff. “I know, I know. If Cheryl wasn’t the impossible, hard-headed woman that she is, I would never had married her or even fell in love with her like I did.” He flashed her a reassuring smile, in hopes that she would leave the subject alone.

I raised my hands up in surrender. “I get the point, I’ll back off. Oh, by the way, I really appreciate everything that you have done for me lately. You have been a great friend and I’m sure that Xavier will thank you when he comes out of hiding.” I gave Mack a big hug.

“You’re welcome, besides it’s not as though you haven’t been there for me and I wouldn’t have been able to sleep knowing that your house was unsafe.” Mack said as he hugged me back. “You and Xavier, and Chancey are my family too.”

As we opened the door, we were met with an unexpected sight. I groaned, not liking that fact that this was almost routine now a days. Dr. was cracking the rib bones to remove the breast plate. The doctor didn’t hear us enter so he was startled when Mack spoke up. “Hey doc, did you find any more roses amongst the bodies?”

“HOLY s**t!” He quickly put down the bolt cutters and put his hand over his racing heart. “You scared the s**t out of me! From now on there is a new rule when you hear bones cracking, knock before entering so you don’t kill someone, namely me!” He took his face shield off his face as he faced us. “Okay, I still haven’t been able to identify any more bodies. It looks to me that there is a possibility that there could be more than one killer.”

I was not surprised but looking at Mack’s face, he wasn’t expecting that. “Whoa, hang one, what do you mean more than one killer1?”

Dr. Evans was clearly getting irritated with the interruptions from Mack. “There is evidence that at least 2 people committed these murders. Now where would you like me to start?”

I quickly jumped in before Mack became unprofessional! “Well, we already know who the top victim is and who killed her so let’s focus on the unidentified victims.”

Dr. Evans let out a heavy sigh. “Very well, so far all I know is that whoever killed these girls is a pro. They were raped, beaten then strangled. He also cut off the fingertips from every victim and pulled out every tooth then gouged out both eyes.”

“So, what you’re telling me is that the only discrepancy is all victims is the top body in that hole?” Mack asked in confusion.

“Yes, she was also the most recent. The others have been there for at least 5 months, possibly longer. I think that Garrison O’Grady accidentally or intentionally found another serial killer’s dumping ground.”

“Thank you, Dr. Evans!” I turned to Mack, I was frustrated. “So, instead of getting closer to finding Garrison O’Grady, we have yet another serial killer and one that; by the looks of it, is worse than O’Grady himself!”

“Hey, doc, do you have any idea as to who the second killer is? We will take anything at this point.” Mack asked.

Dr. Evans scoffed. “Well, since you asked so nicely.”

Mack instantly lost all composure. “Look, I don’t have the patience to deal with your temper tantrums! Do you have anything or not?!”

Dr. Evans glared at Mack. “Because the bodies were nearly skeletal th3ere were no fluids, prints, no fibers, so no, I don’t have anything else for you Detective Mack, sorry. Now if you don’t mind, I would like to get back to work so that I can get you the answers that you need.” Dr. Evans coldly dismissed us by going back to snapping bones.

I quickly pulled Mack outside of the morgue. I pulled him in silence until we were outside of the building. “That was very smooth Mack! I told you to be nice, but you just couldn’t help but be insulting!”

Mack rolled his eyes. “I really did try to be nice to him but he just pisses me off!” He then walked off towards the car.

I had to run to catch up to him before he drove off without me. I made it just in time for him to put the key in the ignition. I quickly sat down in the passenger seat. I had barely shut the door when Mack put the car in gear and kicked dirt up in its wake. “Jesus Mack! Calm down or I will be the one driving!” I stared at him until he slowly decreased speed until it was the limit. “Okay, lets head back to the station. I think that we should see if there have been any other murders with the same M.O. as our victims.” I had barely gotten the last word out before waves of agonizing pain ripped through my soul. I opened my mouth but I could only manage a silent scream. Then my stomach roiled with nausea. “MACK STOP THE CAR, I NEED TO PUKE!”

“What’s wrong?!” Mack asked as he immediately pulled over.

I opened the door and immediately bent over and vomited violently. I have no idea what is happening to me right now. I closed my eyes but what I saw froze me in fear. I saw Chancey playing her bedroom one minute then the next she was growing wings! This wasn’t my pain that I was feeling, it was my daughters! She was somehow channeling her pain and fear to me. I was thrown off guard when the pain stopped suddenly. I slowly stood up and composed myself. I then walked back to the car and grabbed he travel size mouth wash from the center console of the car. I spit it out the side of my door, then quickly shut it.

Mack sat beside be silent for about 20 minutes before he spoke again. “Sierra, what the hell just happened?”

I took in a shaky breath. “Apparently Chancey took more traits from me than I had realized!”