Goodbye
Chapter 2

Part 2

So, the forensic team was doing their thing, patching me up with like five or six people pulling all–nighters. Meanwhile, my body was just lying there on the table. I was feeling queasy at the sight of all those body parts.

Xander pointed to my body and said, “Look, the head’s gone, fingers too and there’s a chunk missing from the ankle.”

Meanwhile, Steven was silent, probably thinking about what made those parts different.

Finally, he spoke up, “So, who’s the unlucky one?”

Xander shook his head. “We gotta wait for the DNA results. As soon as someone files a missing person report, we’ll jump on it and try to ID our mystery guest.”

My husband nodded, but he wasn‘ t giving my body more than a quick glance. Was he grossed out? But to be real, this whole mess was thanks to him.

Later at the meeting, Steven threw out his wild theory.

“I’ve been poking around recent cases and it seems like we’ve got a pattern here. Similar stuff’s gone down in Yorehaven. They’re into some seriously twisted stuff–gutting people, bleeding them out and cutting them into pieces. Looks like someone’s trying to make a statement to gain some street reputation.”

Xander’s eyebrows shot up like he was trying to catch a fly with it.

“Yorehaven… So, like, you‘ re saying this is just like what those drug gangs pulled?” Xander asked, scratching his head.

Steven nodded and answered, “Pretty much.”

Xander acted fast by giving an order, “Alright, let’s hit up Yorehaven PD. Maybe they could lend a hand.”

After the meeting, a junior cop was practically glued to Steven, singing his praises. “Mr. Craig, you are a legend! You figured out our next move in a flash!”

I was dying to chime in with the praise, wondering how Steven would react when he cracked the case wide open. But Steven just gave a nonchalant nod. From childhood, he had so many admirers that he got sick of hearing that kind of praise a long time ago.

“Hey, Mr. Craig, hold up!” The young cop suddenly stopped him, plucking a long, curly hair from Steven’s jacket.

The cop smirked. “Your missus doing alright?”

Steven’s tone was as cold as ice. “None of your business.” He snatched the hair and shoved it in his pocket, then strode off.

Left behind, the cop awkwardly rubbed his nose. I wished I could give him a pat on the back, but my hand just passed through him.

I wanted to tell him, if he found my head, he’d see I had short, straight hair. That one on Steven’s shoulder belonged to Kelly.

That night I got murdered, Kelly was snuggled up to my husband, leaving behind that little souvenir.