True Form

"Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth."

Nick was holding his head in his hand and pressing against his temples as he sat hunched over at the precinct desk.

"You okay?" Hank asked, walking in. "You look like you could use a few more hours of sleep."

Nick shook his head. "Slept fine, just woke up with a headache." He looked over at the office espresso machine. "But more coffee's never a bad idea."

"Take it on the go," Captain Renard called. "Two hikers found dead halfway up Bridal Veils."

"Bridal Veils? It's a little ways out. They're asking for our help?" Nick asked.

"No. I'm just mentioning for entertainment" he replied. Nick through up his hands in appeasement.

"Hiking accident?" Hank asked, hopeful.

Captain Renard snorted. "Unlikely. Get going and let me know what you find."

"Nick, I love you but you gotta change the music." Hank reached for the radio dial.

"Hey! That's a good song," Nick protested, batting Hank's hand away.

"You're kidding right?" Hank asked.

"Ok, it's pretty bad," Nick laughed, "but we're here."

"Captain said halfway up?" Hank groaned, getting out of the car and looking at the steep slope ahead of them.

"It's about an hour hike uphill," a brunette park ranger informed them, smiling. "If you want to do it the hard way and get a morning workout in. Or our buggies can make it in half that with no problem. I'm Ronda. Got the report from some other hikers this morning."

"Think we'll skip the workout this morning," Nick replied.

A little while later, Hank was holding onto the side of the ATV buggy for dear life. "Not to tell you how to drive, ranger, but we're no good to the investigation if we die before we get there."

Ronda chuckled. "Not sure if they'd gotten lost or were trying to get someplace more private, but they certainly were off the beaten path." Finally, she pulled off to the side. "They're just through those trees."

"Oh!" Hank exclaimed, walking into the scene. "You guys get a lot of bear attack ups here?"

"Some," Ronda answered, "But with bears the whole body's normally mauled, not just one spot."

"And there's the footprints leading away," Nick noted. "Were there any reported survivors?"

Ronda shook her head. "Not that we know of. Just the hikers who said they found them this morning."

"We'll need their contact information so we can talk with them," Hank requested.

"Of course," she answered.

Nick was examining the scene. One male and one female, both approximately in their thirties, were splayed on the ground with their necks apparently chewed out. "It doesn't look like much of a fight." He noted a short scuff mark about a foot away from the bodies, but that was it. "Almost like whatever did it jumped them and then went for the necks."

"Why didn't the other run, then?" Hank asked.

Nick looked back at the tracks amidst the blood littered forest floor. "It's possible there were two, but…I don't think so. I think the other did try to run," he motioned to about 4 long strides of footprints. "But they didn't get far…There's not as much blood as you'd expect for an arterial injury. I think it's just one and whoever it is was, was fast. And strong."

"You think it was a person?" Hank asked. "Who would rip out a neck like that?"

"I'm not sure," Nick answered hesitantly, frowning and carefully combing through leaves. "But there's definitely footprints leading away from here. And they attempted to cover it up, even if poor..ly." Nick trailed off, freezing at the site of something glinting by a tree. He reached out and retrieved an antique looking, silver faced watch with a hand-braided, brown leather band.

"Do we know if either of the victims is missing a watch?" Hank asked.

Ronda shook her head. "I wouldn't know."

"Nick? What is it?" Hank asked, bringing over an evidence bag.

Nick was still staring at the watch, biting his lip and shaking his head as he looked back at the bodies. At that moment, his phone rang and he answered it worriedly. "What is it? Yea, ok I'll be there soon as I can." Nick hung up and sealed the watch inside the bag. He turned to Hank and said quietly. "That was Monroe, sounding very freaked out. And if I'm not mistaken, that's his watch we just found."

"What?" Hank responded, suddenly looking back at the bodies. "You don't think…? He wouldn't do this."

Nick shook his head. "I hope not, but something's not right."

Nick pulled up to Monroe's house and didn't bother knocking. "Monroe! I need you to…" Nick stopped short as Monroe walked around the corner in a panic.

Monroe's hair was a mess, his feet covered in dirt and his hands covered in blood. "Nick, I think I may have…I don't know. I think something happened."

Nick grabbed his hair, not wanting to believe it but unable to ignore what every past case and instinct was telling him. He demanded tightly. "Please tell me you weren't on Bridal Veils last night."

Monroe shook his head, hands up desperately. "It was a nice day and so I went out for a hike. But, I can't seem to remember where or what happened after that."

Nick pulled the evidence back out of his pocket. "Is this your watch, Monroe?"

Monroe stared at it in horrified confirmation. "Nick, come on. You know me. I wouldn't just kill someone. I haven't been that in years."

"And yet, your watch was found at a crime scene and you're covered in blood. I have no choice." Nick pulled out his handcuffs, clasping them around Monroe's wrists. "Monroe, you're under arrest for suspicion of the murder of John Daniels and Karen Montgomery. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights?"

"Nick," Monroe pleaded. "We're gonna sort this out right?"

Nick lead him out to the patrol car. "I just can't believe it took me this long to see you as you were. Get in."

"Nick? What the hell? I haven't even interviewed witnesses yet!" Hank called. He'd just pulled up to the precinct to interview the witnesses when he saw Nick leading a bloodied and disheveled Monroe in handcuffs to booking.

"There were witnesses?" Monroe asked anxiously.

Hank looked at him suspiciously for a second. "Two hikers found the bodies this morning."

Nick explained, "I found him with blood on his hands and he admitted to being on Bridal Veils last night. It's enough to hold on suspicion. Get the interviews and see they'll confirm it.

In booking, Monroe was informed, "Bail's been denied, but you're still allowed one phone call. Do you want to use it now?"

"Are you serious?! Yea, I want to use it now." Monroe answered, looking in disbelief as Nick was already walking out without so much as a glance back. Monroe yanked the holding phone off the receiver and punched in the number harder than was necessary. "Come on, babe, pick up, pick up," he muttered furiously. After three rings she answered giddily. "Helloo? This is Rosalie!"

"Rosalie! Are you…" he glanced at the guard. "…enjoying a girl's night?"

She laughed guiltily. "You could say that…But, Monroe…" she sobered for a moment and became serious. "I think we have a problem."

"I'd say. Listen, though. Whatever it is, I've got a bigger problem. I'm in jail and they say there's no bail."

"What?!" She answered sharply.

"They think I killed someone!"

"What? What did Nick say?"

"He's the one that booked me!"

"Ooh no," she seemed to realized. "Monroe, I don't think it's just you. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"What time did you leave this morning?" Hank asked for the second time this afternoon.

"I left my house about 5:30 and drove to meet Shannon at her place to carpool out. We left her place about 6. It's a bit of a drive and we didn't want to start our hike too late."

"Can anyone confirm those departures?"

"Shannon has some roommates that were home, but they were all just barely getting out of bed. I live alone."

"Ok. And can you confirm where you were hiking and what you say?"

"We started hiking from Bridal Veils about 7 o'clock. We were making good time. Had just passed Angel's Rest a little over an hour later and we found…" he trailed off. "Oh god. It was…terrible. These two other hikers…they looked like they'd had their throats ripped out."

"A male and female?"

"Yes."

"But they weren't found on the main trail?"

"No. Shannon and I know the area really well, so we'd go foraging and exploring off-trail at some areas like we had here and…"

"Alright. Was there anyone else at the scene? Or did you see anyone else on the trail?"

"No. No one else was there. And we didn't see anyone on the trail. It was an early start and getting late in the season. The quiet is why we like it this time of year….Wait. I didn't see who was driving it, but there was a red Ford truck leaving just as we ran back to the car."

"Is it odd for someone to be leaving there that early? Seems like a long hike and camping's not allowed."

"Right. It's always possible someone wanted to try for a sunrise summit or had to turn around, but that's pretty rare."

"Was the car there when you arrived?"

"Come to think of it, yes. But, we definitely didn't see anyone else on the trail."

"Ok. Thank you. That's all for now."

A/N: Opening quote from Revelation 6:8. No, I promise this doesn't take a religious angle, but it is part of what sparked an idea.