Page 23 of Hunting Justice
He slipped into his car and pulled out of the parking lot.
On the way to the ME’s office, he finalized his plan.
Find his latest victim, eliminate the proof of murder and his special gift to his girls, then set fire to the room. Making it look like an accident would be challenging. He doubted he’d have that opportunity. So why not go for it and make a statement? After a quick stop to acquire muriatic acid and a bottle of lighter fluid, he’d destroy the evidence and light the bodies on fire for good measure.
And maybe, if the situation allowed, take care of Dr. Harris at the same time.
* * *
After a straightforward autopsy, Jonah collapsed in his office chair and pulled a file from the messy stack to his right. The office’s administrative assistant, Bonnie, had already railed on him for his lack of organization when she’d attempted to find the document earlier that morning. The truth of the matter—he knew the location of everything on his desk. Or at least which pile. His office only looked like chaos to others.
He flipped open the file and scanned the report, confirming he’d grabbed the correct one.
“Did you find it, Doc?” Bonnie asked from the doorway.
“Yup. Here you go.” He held out the report.
“I have no idea how you know where anything is in here.” She accepted the file and tapped it on the doorframe before she hurried down the hall.
He ran a hand over his head and glanced around the messy room. Maybe he should ask Noelle to help him get it organized. A smile tugged on his lips. The disaster he called his office would drive her nuts. She’d probably go running and screaming at the idea of trying to dig through it all.
Pushing the thought away, he sat and opened the bottom drawer on his desk. After last night, his instincts had told him to hide the information he’d procured from Ken’s office. He had no clue what details his boss had planned to tell him, but Jonah figured he’d start with the man’s current cases and see if anything aroused his curiosity.
Papers in hand, he noted the names, identification numbers, and the basics about the cases. Nothing jumped out at him, but his inquisitive side nudged him to continue investigating his hunch.
His focus never leaving the documents, he retrieved his cell phone from his pocket and tapped the corner of it against his chin. Another set of eyes might help. Someone who had a police background and looked at deaths and crimes from a different angle. Matt and Decia were out of the question since he hadn’t come clean with them—yet. He trusted them but wanted solid proof before accusing a well-respected man—a man he considered a father figure and who had mentored him when he’d made the switch to the medical examiner’s department—of hiding evidence. Even if Ken had admitted it.
His thumb swiped the phone screen, and he hit speed dial for Noelle.
“Burton.”
“Hey, Elle.”
“Jonah. Is everything okay?” Concern laced her tone.
He wanted to smack himself. He hadn’t thought about her worrying about his call. “A little stiff, but I’m still doing okay. That’s not why I called.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I’m going to pull the two bodies from the cold storage cabinets and take them into autopsy two. I want to examine the bodies.” He let the unsaid reason hang in the air, unwilling to chance someone listening.
“That sounds like a reasonable plan.”
“I’d like you to join me. Give me your opinion.” And working beside her wouldn’t be a hardship either. He shook his head. Wonderful. Now his brain was making up more ways to spend time with her. “You know, from a law enforcement point of view.”
“Got it.”
Man, speaking in vague sentences killed him, but he had no intention of saying his concerns out loud. “Will you come?”
“Of course. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.” He heard the shuffling of papers, then the jingle of keys in the background. “Let Bonnie know so she’ll let me in, then I’ll find you.”
“Thanks, Elle.”
“Anytime.” She clicked off the phone.
He called Bonnie, approved Noelle’s visit, then leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined his friend and boss would so blatantly disregard his oath.
Why, Ken? Why?