DARK CITY a gripping detective mystery by CHRISTOPHER M. COLAVITO Read Free Book Online Page B

his friend didn't hear how the words sounded to anyone else, but struggled to believe he hadn't slipped up and said something crudely offensive in front of someone with a less understanding disposition. Even if he never talks about work when he's off the clock, Knox told himself, no one with such a tenuous grip on his mouth can possibly keep the wrong thing from slipping out every now and again, which must prompt reactions Knox wished he could see.
    “How so?”
    “Well, you see, there's no evidence whatsoever to go on.”
    “What do you mean there's no evidence?”
    “There's no foreign substances on the body, no foreign DNA, nor any wounds that would suggest a struggle. The only thing distinguishing the body from that of a living man is the stab wound.”
    “Which is quite a difference, I would say.”
    “Indeed it is.”
    “What can you tell me about it.”
    Dr. Morse didn't need to resort to notes to recall the details; they remained filed away in his mind. He possessed an ability to recall any detail about the thousands of bodies he had examined over the years, a trait that made him invaluable as a resource, but not much fun at the precinct holiday parties.
    “It was a clean cut, with precision unlike any I have ever seen in a murder. I was quite impressed, I must say, with how it was done.”
    “What about the knife?”
    “I can't really say. The entry was clearly done with a blade of supreme sharpness. I didn't find any distinctive markings, so I can't say with any confidence exactly what it was.”
    “Damn.”
    “Yes, it is a bit frustrating not to know more, especially since it's such a beautiful cut. The way the knife sliced through one wall of the aorta, but didn't completely sever it, was truly artistic.”
    “No offense, Doc, but that sounds a bit creepy.”
    “Does it? I suppose you lose sight of those things when you spend so much time down here.”
    “I can certainly believe it.”
     
    * * *
     
    Detective Knox returned from death's waiting room, a privilege afforded to few people. Lucky though he was to be only a visitor, frustration was building inside him, threatening to overflow the walls he constructed to hold back the tide. Nothing would be easy during this case, he knew, but that didn't mean he had to be blind as he reached into the blackness.
    He asked himself what he was supposed to do with the case. He could feel his colleagues' eyes watching his every step, and he knew he was carrying the expectations of the city on his shoulders. Not much could be done about the circumstances, only going back to the scene to see if there was anything they had missed, digging deeper into George Hobbes' life. If he was lucky, he thought, maybe he would be struck by lightning.

Chapter 9
    Blessing In Disguise
     
    The members of the Hobbes family arrived together at an awkward intersection in the lobby of the precinct. An air of unease hung over them, as suspicion took root in each one’s mind. Glances were nervous, smiles were fake. The three of them shared the same tempestuous disposition, but although they were bound by blood, little else united them. The saying that you can choose your friends but not your family rang true in their case. Each wanted as little as possible to do with the others. In that way, the death of George Hobbes was a blessing in disguise.
    A sense of foreboding hung over them, an understanding that their ties had been severed, and that soon they would be relieved of the burden of appearing to care about one another. They would relish the chance to tear off their masks, but could not avoid the trepidation that would follow from walking away from everything they had ever known. Each thought they wanted to move on, but taking the first step proved difficult.
    “We need to talk, but not here.”
    The thought was on all their minds, though only Faith managed to say it. The others nodded in agreement, and dutifully followed their mother as she led them to a safer place. Anywhere