Case 15: Family Blood
The two detectives were just finishing their reports when they were called into the Chief's office.
"Gentlemen, we have a delicat situation, a young woman was murdered beside her babies crib."
Both detectives went pale.
"Quite, and the victim is Aileen Greene, Alden Greene's daughter in law."
JJ swore fluently in French, sounding as Creole as they came.
"Lets go and get this done quickly before I have a headache and Alden starts looking over our shoulder." David shivered, a spark of arousal going down his spine.
When they entered the house they felt their hearts clench at the babies cries that echoed through the rooms.
"Hey guys." One of the officers spoke to them looking pained. "Kids not stopped the whole time. He's with his nanny Mrs Irma Fusslepot, they're in the kitchen."
JJ went right past and easily spotted a slightly frazzled woman frantically shushing a small baby.
The red-head gently picked the baby up, cradling him against his chest, slowly swaying from side to side, murmuring softly in French, almost as if singing a lullaby. The crys began to settle almost instantly, a few more hiccups escaping before the baby snuggled closer, face almost buried against the man's neck, something falling from his hand.
JJ quickly grabbed it and realised that it was matted hair, matted with blood, he bagged it one handed, never stopping his murmurs.
"Morning ma'am, I'm Inspector David Jones and this is my partner-"
"Sargeant James Jensen, I've heard of you both." She smiled at them, seeming grateful to the southerner. "Thank you. Oliver has been crying all morning, I'm sure he knows."
"Children are often smarter than we give them credit for." David smiled. "Can you tell us what happened this morning?"
"I got here at 7am, Mrs Greene liked to sleep in, she was not a devoted mother if you catch my meaning. Mr Greene knew his wife couldn't be relied upon so I was the only one who took care of Oliver." She told them primly, keeping a firm eye on her young charge.
"And Mr Greene, where is he?"
"He'll just be coming in from his run now." She told them just as the door opened and closed.
JJ stopped speaking, Oliver complete limp in his arms, fast asleep after exhausting himself.
The nanny took him back and the two men walked the stairs up to the nursery.
JJ felt like he was going to hurl as he saw the battered body tied up right next to the crib and the corners taking photos as they worked around them.
There was a piece of paper with half of it erased, and a toy chest stuffed full of bloody cash.
No words fell from their tongues because they would have been sick, It was always worse when it involved kids.
They finished up quickly before going down stairs to find Mr Paul Greene in the kitchen drinking coffee.
"Detectives, I expect you to solve this double quick, who ever came into my house."
"We understand you're upset, but we're here to help you, Mr Greene. Did your wife have any enemies?" JJ could see his lover was ready to lamp the arrogant man and he agreed.
"Aileen had trouble making friends, but who in this town would be foolish enough to attack the Greene name anyway?!" He looked so indignant JJ snorted.
"You'd be surprised how often I hear that and the killer never cares because it doesn't make a difference." The man glared at the red-head. "Regardless we'll do our best as always." The New Orleans native smiled charmingly as his lover held back a laugh.
"Mr Greene we found some money inside your son's toy chest. Would you know how it got there?"
Paul Greene glared at the brunette as if he were an idiot.
"Why would I keep money in a toy chest when my father owns the best bank in town?"
"We never said you would." They were enjoying slowly watching him steam under their gazes.
"Maybe it was Aileen, she has an ex-husband, Hunt, maybe it was for him though I can't see how she'd dare." He sneered and JJ so wanted to punch him.
"Well thank you for your time. Ma'am." He nodded to Mrs Fusslepot before they left and walked out to the car, JJ working on the note/address while David drove.
Back at the lab Alex soon found the address, STH D3 WAR6 becoming south dock 3 warehouse 6.
While Industrial had been cleaned up it was still industrial, derelict in places people have forgotten like the deserted room.
Two things looked out of place, a photo that was in good condition except for being torn to shreds and a high end shopping bag with a credit card receipt inside.
JJ worked his reconstruction magic putting together a snapshot of the victim and a scruffy brunette in a green beanie hat.
A shuffling reached them and neither hesitated as they drew their guns aiming them down the hall to see a scruffy brunette in a green beanie.
"Mr Hunt I presume." Both men put away their guns but they were ready to move on a hair trigger.
"Yeah who's asking?" He drawled, looking at the blearily as if he was suffering from a hangover.
"Detetives Jensen and Jones, Aileen Greene was murdered last night, anything you can tell us?"
The man stumbled more before collapsing to the floor, head in his hands.
"Aileen... Aileen's dead? She's my wi... my ex-wife. She got a divorce and just disappeared, five years ago. I only just managed to track her down to this town, and now she's dead?"
Hunt let out a bitter laugh.
"I wanted a second chance, but I'm sure she only came to see me to rub her new marriage in my face along with her money. Food, whisky and arrogance."
The detectives just left, shaking their heads.
"Jensen!" He ducked into the chief's office. "Why haven't you handed in your report yet? Should I remind you how important Mrs Greene's murder is?"
JJ smiled darkly, pressing both hands onto the oak desk, leaning forward slightly.
"With all due respect sir." The boiling rage layered into those words made King internally recoil. "I don't give a damn about Greene and if you think I give a fuck about politics you're wrong. My report will be on your desk when I'm done and you interfering won't help with that, understood?"
King nodded once, slowly in shock, looking at the pure bred predator before.
"Alden Greene requested a meeting with you perhaps it will help?"
"Perhaps it will." As the Sargeant walked away Samuel felt his heart stutter, suddenly understanding just how dangerous he is.
Outside David looked at him with heat burning in his eyes even as he kept his expression neutral.
"Grace says that the hair Oliver was clutching wasn't his mother's so the killer is a brunette and the killer got blood on that money. They're A positive."
"Come on, let's get to Greene and see if he has anything useful." JJ sighed.
Talking with Alden was worthless, as was Alex telling them that the credit card receipt was from Aileen but Ramirez telling them about the disturbance opposite the Greene residence proved fruitful.
A shoe print by a blood covered baseball bat and up in the tree house there was a telescope pointed at the Greene house and torn card.
David collected finger prints off the telescope while JJ pieced together a baseball card, looks like the killer was a fan.
They went back to the lab and got sets of prints put through, JJ having the telescope prints checked against Tom Hunt's, the man was then arrested for stalking.
The shoe print however was from a running shoe.
"Well Paul Greene wears them, he went running this morning, so does Mrs Fusslepot."
"Great, that narrows it down." JJ layer on the sarcasm thick and David flinched slightly. "I'm sorry, this case is just wearing me thin, I hate the Greene's but, I don't think we've met our killer yet."
Suddenly Alex beeped him to come up and they did.
"You could have just given me a doorknob, it would have less prints."
JJ walked forward, gripping the kids shoulders a little to tight.
"Alex, I'm already pissed off, don't push me."
Alex paled, gulping harshly as he nodded, a chill going through him.
"Right! All members of the family have touched the bat including the baby by the looks of it. The most common however is Scott Greene, Paul Greene's son. And Nathan wants to see you."
"Thanks kid." The red-head left abruptly, David giving the genius an apologetic smile before he followed.
Down in the morgue the brunette watched his lover. He could see the tension curling under his skin, anger burning in his eyes and tension set in every line of his body even as face remained relaxed, a mask of charm layer over it all but thinly veiled.
He vaguely heard Nathan say that the baseball bat was their murder weapon and that the killer wanted control, plus spitting whisky in the victim's face.
He watched as more rage curled under his lovers skin.
He watched for the rest of the day as that anger boiled further, how the flame in his eyes flared at Scott Greene's explanation, the disregard for the horror he'd caused, then at Alden Greene's disbelief and trying to buy his grandsons way out.
The moment they got home it was a clash of hot lips, gripping hands and biting teeth.
Every ounce of anger and frustration pouring out to marking bruises into his lover's flesh until it had abated in seventy six different marks against the white.
David looked wrecked, eyes hooded, a trail of saliva sliding out over bruised lips as his breath came out in harsh pants.
The next time his lips were claimed it was deep and passionate, a thank you and apology for accepting how dangerous JJ was and still being with him, something he'd never dreamed of and would hold onto with everything he had.
