Pandora's Children - Part 11

"Do you think it'll work, the press conference?"

"For a while, maybe, but we need to put our #pride aside and get help from wherever we can. Garcia, go work with Narcotics on the Jackson murder. Thibodeaux, I want you to check out leads on the Marcus murder and cult."

***

"We work better together, sir," Jaci said.

"That wasn't a #request, detective. Scoot! As for you," he looked at me, "do you have a lead?"

"Mrs Marcus probably kept trophies of her kills in the house. The CSIs were only looking at the murder evidence."

"Go find them."

***

I knew how dangerous Mrs. Marcus and Pandora's Children were and needed an #ally to search the house. Jaci wasn't available, so I wanted the next best thing. My old mentor, Eric Albright. He was a sergeant in patrol. He'd refused promotions to detective to stay on patrol.

***

"Hey Thibs, long time. What's up?"

"I need your help," I said and outlined the situation. "Can you meet me?"

"Give me the address and we'll meet you there," he said. "I'll ask #Judge to join us. He won't want to miss this."

Derek "Judge" Scanlon was his old partner.

***

By the time I got to the Marcus house, Judge and Albright were already there, along with a woman I didn't recognize.

"This is Stevie Wonder," Albright told me. "She's a #rookie."

"Wonder's my married name," Stevie said in explanation.

"Shall we do this?" Judge asked.

***

"Wow," Stevie said when we entered the house.

"Rich folk houses all look the same to me," Judge added. "Footballers shouldn't get this much money," he added and now you know why he got that nickname.

"It looks like one of the huge mansions from that TV show, #Empire."

***

"More like a #parody of one," Albright muttered.

"Let's go find these bones shall we?" I asked. "Stay alert while you're looking. One owner is dead and the other is an escaped serial killer, responsible for at least 34 deaths."

"Damn," Stevie muttered as we split up.

***

I searched the master bedroom & the walk in closet that was almost the same size as the bedroom, & followed the #creed drilled in by my forensics professor. Always look up. I saw a ladder hidden in a recess & pulled it out. There was a gap between the shelf & ceiling.

***

I put up the ladder and climbed to the top. I was shorter than she was but I could still see a box up there. I reached across to grab it, pulled it out and carefully climbed down. I set it on the bed and opened it. Her #greed was evident in the stacks of money, and bones.

***

"I found them," I called out & the others came running.

"Wow!" Stevie realized the bones represented bodies & shuddered. "It's still cool though."

Her excitement gave me an idea. "Can I borrow her?"

"What for?"

"I want to #infiltrate Pandora's Children," I told them.

***