Page 50 of Hunting Justice
“What do you have there?” Juliette pointed at the box from her spot next to Alana.
“I have permission from Mayor Isaiah Lewis to read y’all in on these cases.” Matt plopped onto the couch. “As if I needed it,” he mumbled.
Jonah wiped his hand over his mouth to hide his smile. The mayor had the utmost respect for EGA and called the bodyguards in frequently to help out.
“By the way, Decia sends her apologies for not coming. Her boys had baseball games this weekend. I’ll fill her in on what we find.”
“She works long, hard hours. Her boys deserve her undivided attention on her days off. They come first.” Noelle lifted a file from the box and flipped it open.
“Want to give us the rundown so we’re all on the same page?” Matt popped the tab on the Pepsi that Jonah had given him.
Noelle nodded. “Okay, boys and girls, here’s the deal. We have multiple cases that Ken falsified reports on. Plus the cold cases I’ve reopened. You all know the details of my story now. Jonah and I discovered a possible connection.”
“Why do you think they connect, beyond the obvious cuts across the victims’ arms and chests?” Juliette took a sip of her iced tea.
“Because of this…” Jonah handed the tattoo photo to Matt, who passed it around the small circle. “The girls from the cold cases have the Chinese symbol for truth inked behind their ear. Noelle has the same one.”
All eyes shifted to her.
She shrugged. “I try to keep it hidden.”
Jonah hated that he’d brought unwanted attention to her, so he continued. He handed another image to Matt. “Thanks to Ken, we have the same photos for the newer cases. The only exception is that the killer branded the symbol instead of inking it.”
Matt glared at the picture. “Copycat.”
“That’s what we think.” Jonah crossed the room and sat beside Noelle.
“It could be the same person,” Alana said.
“We considered that.” Noelle’s hands fisted in her lap. “If so, then where has he been for nine years?”
“Prison. Injured. Found another hunting ground for some reason.” Juliette ticked off the possibilities on her fingers.
The color drained from Noelle’s face.
Jonah placed a hand over her fists. “Let’s focus on the investigation and not speculation.”
Juliette’s shoulders drooped. “I’m sorry, Noelle.”
“No. You’re right. It’s possible. We have to consider everything.”
“How about we examine the police reports? They might help us find a direction to investigate beyond the physical evidence.” Matt tossed files to the two bodyguards sitting on the floor.
“On it.” Alana opened the document.
For the next couple of hours, they pored over the cases. Jonah and Noelle searched online for anything and everything the others threw at them.
Matt raised his arms above his head and stretched his back. A series of cracks and pops filled the living room. “From what we’ve found, I agree that the cold cases and the current cases are somehow linked. I have to go with my gut on this one. I don’t think it’s the same killer.”
“As much as I’d like to disagree, I concur.” Alana straightened her legs under the coffee table. “There are definite similarities, but the differences stand out. Tattoos to brandings. The time between killings—although both of those could be explained away. It’s the way the bodies are found that is the most telling.”
Jonah nodded. “The cold-case victims were dumped along the side of the road for anyone to find. The newer victims are concealed, as if the killer doesn’t want them discovered. Why falsify autopsy reports unless you’re hiding something?”
“But why?” Matt rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger.
“Several possibilities.” Alana rattled them off. “He’s worried they can be traced back to him. The killer is protecting someone. He’s a copycat and isn’t confident in his abilities.”
“He’s someone in power.” Juliette stared at the documents in her hand.