He pulled it out. “We’re up,” he said.

“Already?”

“Dr. Hawkins wants us. Drink up.”

“What’s he got?”

Tyler slid his phone under Cael’s nose. The text message read: You boys are going to want to see this.


6

 

 

The London Metropolitan Police Headquarters didn’t have its own autopsy room. Instead, any medical assistance required was carried out by subcontracted doctors and surgeons at the nearby London General Hospital.

It was closing in on 11 p.m. While the rest of the world slept, Cael and Tyler were summoned to what many would refer to as the hospital basement. At the pinnacle of a descending stairwell, a seasoned doctor arrived to meet the detectives.

“Dr. Hawkins, good to see you again,” said Tyler. Cael followed with a similar gesture.

Cael had worked with Dr. Hawkins regularly for the past 10 years. He had thick grey hair, despite the fact that he was in his 60s, and he possessed an unrivalled aura of authority. For years, he had been giving law enforcement the facts as they were regarding murder victims. Sometimes the theories didn’t match the bodies, and it was Dr. Hawkins’s job to deliver the truth, however much it may disprove their beliefs.

“Gentleman, step into my office. I’ve got some good news and some bad news.”

Cael and Tyler followed Dr. Hawkins down the stairwell and into the green-tinted medical office. When Dr. Hawkins used his keycard, the giant double doors opened to welcome them. Inside, the smell of medical fluids combined with the decomposing body from Epping Forest overwhelmed the detectives.

“What we got, doc?” asked Tyler, holding his nose.

“First, we no longer have to refer to her as ‘the victim.’ Her name is Stephanie Brady. She’s 23 years old and she’s from the Gloucester Road area. Her friends reported her missing two days ago.”

“How long’s she been dead?”

“Less than 24 hours. That’s lucky, some might say.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, here’s the bad news. As you’re both two of the more competent detectives on the force, you might have noticed that quite a large chunk of her is missing.”

Cael and Tyler remained silent.

“See these cuts?” asked Dr. Hawkins. “These lacerations are perfectly straight. Too straight. You know what that means.”

“They weren’t made by hand,” offered Cael.

“Correct. Also, the reason you’re lucky is because I found trace evidence of steel in the surface of the skin.”

“Steel? Like from a knife?”

“No, actually.