Story-A-Day #389: Treads

TREADS

It's hard to tell what exactly happened here, but it is clear that there is only one vehicle that was present at the scene. That could indicate a single perp, but there are no real discernible prints, so it's hard to be sure.


He walks back across the lot to where the bodies lie, dusted in a light coat of snow.  The fact that they are covered in any snow at all, means that the crime must have occurred a minimum of six hours earlier.  Possibly longer than that, but he wasn't a coroner, so he wouldn't be able to say for sure either way.  He would leave that decision to the experts.


For now, he will focus on what he does know.  He ducks under the yellow police tape, his badge already glinting in the dull glow of the lights, and steps up to the bodies.  Caucasian female, early twenties; naked except for the scarf binding her wrists.  Naked Caucasian male, late thirties, possibly early forties; also naked and also bound at the wrists, this time with a length of rope.


He nods to one of the investigators and motions the the bodies with a nod of his head.  The investigator shrugs as if to say, "sure, go ahead".


He brushes the snow off the first body, the male.  Signs of blunt force trauma.  Massive bruising to the face and chest.  He is not surprised to see the same injuries inflicted upon the corpse of the female victim.  Both victims suffered from slashed throats, and upon a cursory examination, mutilation of the genital area.


"Any ideas?" he asked.


"Double homicide," the inspector replied with a laugh.

"Any suspects?" he replied, ignoring the expected gallows humour of his coworker.


"Just the treads, only one set leading in, and the same set leading out."


A dump.  It explained the lack of blood.  It was pretty clear that this would not be an easy case to crack.


"Let me know when the coroner's done with the body.  I want a full report."


"Yes sir," the inspector replied.


He waited until he was back in his car to light a cigarette.  Nights like this were never easy, and he was unlikely to make it to bed before late tomorrow.  It was time to go get a coffee.