RATED M DUE TO: Graphic Violence, Graphic Sexuality, Strong Profanity, Racism

DEXTER

Here we were again, back in the briefing room. Angel was running the show this time, laying out all the evidence we had so far, trying to put the pieces together, hashing out the strategy as we go along.

"Five bodies, three weeks." said Batista. "First two were in Liberty City, third in Opa-Locka, fourth in Overtown, and now this latest in Hialeah. We're looking at about an 11 mile radius from the spot of the first two disposal sites. We're in cooperation with the local police precincts, keeping a pulse on any unusual crime. Usually with the amount of bodies, and the brutality of the damage inflicted, somebody's trying to send a message to someone regardless."

'Or if you're a monster.' I said in my head. 'Which is why it takes one to catch one."

"Dexter, what have you got for us on the lab front?" asked Batista. "Anything new?"

"Some clues from the scene, but nothing conclusive yet." I replied, bullshitting my way through as usual. "Traces of cornstarch powder, indicative of latex gloves or similar; if it was some kind of gang initiation it was pretty elaborate, more likely drug or RICO related"

I continued with my description

"Partial thumb on the latest victim's forearm but so far no match within the database." I explained. "By the small amount of blood at the scene, they were probably killed someplace else and dumped there, and wherever they were killed probably has fast access to easy liquid disposal. All the blood matches the victim's. Size 9.5 mens shoes, wide, no viable indentations to reveal anything. Last but not least, there's the bleach swab to all three body cavities, and no trace of DNA or semen to be found."

"Looks like our guy has done this before." chimed in LaGuerta. "Sergeant Batista, any suspects?"

"I was just about to turn that over to Detective Morgan here." said Batista, motioning to my sister. "Please fill us in detective."

"We've canvassed the dump site neighborhoods, and have been met with the usual 'hear no evil, see no evil' response from the locals." replied Debs. "However, there has been an ongoing feud between two crime operations in Liberty City and parts of Hialeah; the Colombian-run Fraternidad de Huesos drug ring, and the Haitian-run Asasen Kochma drug and sex trafficking ring. 39-year-old Ronel 'Rabid' Tellier, top-of-the-food-chain enforcer for the Asasen Kochma, has been recently released after serving time for and he was seen as recently as two days ago in Liberty City; he earned his nickname due to the brutality of the beatings he gives to anyone who crosses the gang. He's got a history of domestic abuse with girlfriends and spouses, and it was his last girlfriend, Lupita Garcia, who turned him in and landed him in prison, after he brutally beat and starved her for over 15 days. He should've gone away for much longer, but thanks to a monumental Rodney-King-sized fuck-up by local police and federal agents that made top headlines, he only ended up serving 3 years for possession with intent to distribute."

Not bad Debs, the top muscle of a Haitian gang, and what better way to make a "fresh out of jail" statement for his gang by chopping up the girlfriends of rival gang members. Not a subtle message. I looked at the Tellier's picture that Debs put up on display for us to see; I saw a calculated, cruel, scarred black face, a deceptive grin, long but neatly kept dreadlocks, and an expensive-looking suit. Maybe he was stylish all-around, including footwear.

"After running through the sex offender database, we came back with a fuckload," said Deb, stopping herself. "Excuse me, an overabundance of hits. We're still combing through the data, but we've extensively looked at the most serious offenders, particularly those with a history and/or convictions of rape or forcible sodomy against women, and we found these two gems."

Debra put two more photos of male suspects on display. One was a Hispanic guy in his late 40s, with a green plaid jacket and a wifebeater, salt-and-pepper hair and goatee, with hair beginning to thin on top. The other was a tall, muscular Caucasian man in his early 30s, with icy blue, crazy looking eyes, and wearing a white polo.

"Suspect number two, Abelardo Ortiz, age 47." Debra continued. "Small-time criminal, big time felon ex-con due to sex offenses, and has been living in the Milander Manor projects in Hialeah since his parole."

"Wasn't he the one who called the police after finding Juno Gregory?" asked a surprised LaGuerta.

"That's correct Captain." replied Debs. "Though we questioned him extensively as a witness, as Batista can attest, and not everything seems to add up."

"How so?" asked LaGuerta. "What's his background anyway?"

"Well for starters, the times on when he say he came across the body conflict." replied Debra. "Turns out he waited an hour before calling the local precinct. Furthermore, he said he was beachcombing but had no metal detector on him, and lied about his convictions history. Turns out he liked to act like a big shot in his youth, and has several drug and assault convictions since he was a teen, but the one that landed him in Coleman State Penitentiary for 20 years was brutally raping and beating his 19-year-old sister when he was 26, ended up turning her into a parapalegic he beat her so hard."

Now I was really starting to hope it would be Ortiz, I could feel my dark passenger drooling. The thought of anyone doing something that cruel, to their own sister nonetheless…there was a special kind of torture on my table awaiting those individuals.

"Last but not least, we have Gomer Pyle here." said Debs. "Former Corporal William "Willie" Proctor Jr., age 34, dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Marines for attempted rape of a female Marine, and conduct unbecoming of a U.S. Marine, all at the ripe age of 20. After his dishonorable discharge, he moved back in with his mother, and was arrested within a year of manslaughter, statutory rape and statutory sodomy after severely beating and strangling an underage prostitute to death in some weird autoerotic asphyxiation scenario. Instead of being convicted, he spent 12 years in the psych ward at Chattahoochee, during which mommy died, and when he got out he was all on his own. Since then, he's been working as a short-order cook at the Caballito del Mar 24 Hour Diner in Overtown, and aside from the occasional drunken bar fight, he's managed to stay out of trouble."

I hid the expression, but in my mind, I felt like Christmas had come early. Three scumbags all in a row, ready for the slicing. But, of course, the logical side of my brain prevailed. I couldn't kill them, not until I'd proved them guilty; anything less would be against Harry's Code.

"It's not much to go on, but it's what we got so far." said Angel. "Alright everyone, class dismissed."

I left the briefing room and started towards the lab.

Time to go on that familiar quest, the quest for the truth.