Murder Most Grimm Ch1: Three Little Pigs

The transcript from the first episode of a murder mystery series on my podcast, From the Mind of Maro. For more stories like this as well as other genres, feel free to check out the podcast itself on Spotify, Iheart, Itunes and Spreaker.


Enjoy!



The sound of agonizing screams and tearing flesh shattered the silence of the night, as the clock was nearing two in the morning. Naturally it didn’t take long for someone to report the disturbance, which seemed to emanate from the city zoo. By the time the police arrived, it was already too late.


They came upon a gruesome scene, one that would traumatize even the most seasoned of veteran cops. Within the wolf enclosure, there was blood, entrails and severed limbs scattered everywhere, some of which were still being gnawed on by the wolves with their bloodstained maws.


One officer, a rookie who had been on the force for barely a month, vomited at the sight. Even his partner, a more experienced officer, had a hard time keeping his most recent meal down. “You alright?” He asked his younger companion, who was still emptying his stomach of its contents before replying “Dear God, who would do something like this!?”


“Easy, Rogers. We’ll get to the bottom of this and bring whatever sick bastard did this in. Why don’t you go back to the car and call this in? I’ll sweep for any potential clues.”


The rookie did as he was told, not wanting to look upon the grizzly sight any longer than needed. His partner, Officer McBrady sighed as he watched him make his way back to their patrol cruiser. The kid’s heart was in the right place, but he had a long way to go, he thought as he turned on his flashlight and began to examine the area.


Within an hour forensics and more police had arrived. After tranquilizing the wolves with darts, the C.S.I. crew began their routine. After all was said and done, it was determined that the victims had been drugged and kidnapped, having presumably awoken naked and covered in sheep’s blood, before the wolves had been released.


The victims in question, identified by their dental records as policemen, turned out to have been under investigation for corruption. All the security cameras had been deactivated around the zoo so there was no video evidence of what had happened. This led investigators to suspect someone who worked at the zoo was the perpetrator. But upon interviewing all potential suspects, they were found to have solid alibis.


The incident marked the third mysterious murder in the last month, each more violent and bloody than the last. Police began to think these murders were linked, but had no real leads on who would commit such horrendous crimes. Which was why they decided they had only one choice. They had to bring him out of retirement.


Far from the city, at an isolated farmhouse, a police car slowly makes its way up the dirt road leading to the home of Robert F. Steel, former inspector for the local police department. McBrady exited the cruiser and approached the front door of the house. He hadn't made it halfway there before the door opened, and out stepped an older man with mostly gray hair and gruff demeanor about him, dressed in overalls and work boots, holding a cup of freshly brewed coffee in one hand.

To anyone else, the man would have seemed rather unfriendly and intimidating, like he wasn't one to welcome unexpected company. They would be right about that last part but regardless, McBrady gave a light smile and waved. "Hey, Bob. Been a long time." The man grunted in response, taking a sip from his mug as McBrady came closer. "Good to see you again, Don." said Steel, though his voice didn't really reciprocate that statement.

"Do you mind if I come in?"

"Sure, what the hell? You drove all this way out here. I'd be a real ass if I said no."

The two men stepped inside the farmhouse, taking a seat across from each other on a beat up old sofa and a leather recliner in front of an outdated television set. "So, have you heard what's going on in the city?" McBrady asked. Steel nodded as he took another swig of coffee before reaching for a cigar box on a nearby end table. "Want one?" He asked as he lit up. McBrady shook his head "You know I don't smoke." Steel chuckled roughly "Just thought maybe you might have started since I retired. What with all the crap you see in that line of work, you gotta find something to help get your mind off it. You sure you don't want one? They're Cuban."

"No thanks. Anyway, you've heard about these recent murders, you said."

Steele nodded again. "I have seen some sick stuff during my time on the force, but based on what I've heard about these killings, this is a whole other level."

"Yeah. Just last night we found three more, the third case this month. The chief doesn't want the press to know, but we have absolutely no clue who could be behind it. We are really up the creek on this, pal. That's why the chief sent me here. He wants me to convince you to come back for this case."

Steel sighed. He knew from the beginning, that was where the conversation was going. "Alright." McBrady was taken aback by his response, to say the least. He had expected it would take a lot more persuasion to convince his old partner to come out of retirement. "Really? Just like that?" Steel nodded, inhaling from his cigar and blowing smoke before responding. "Just between you and me, the quiet life isn't as great as they say. I've been here, what, seven years now? It's a far cry from the city, sure. But Mary is gone and the kids are grown now. I really got nothing to occupy myself anymore. In other words Don, I'm bored. So count me in."

McBrady was thrilled and relieved. Steele's exploits as a detective were legendary! If he couldn't bring in their killer, nobody could. Standing from his chair and extinguishing his cigar, Steele retrieved his old service pistol from a box in his hallway closet. "So, is there anything we do know about these murders?"

"Just the manners of death and the victims." McBrady replied "The first one was an up and coming politician , George Gallowman. Found him hanging from a noose in his own garage. At first we thought it was a suicide, seeing he had been under investigation for corruption and the case against him was pretty solid.”

Steel grunted in response as he got out his coat and hat before finishing his coffee. As he sat back down to finish his cigar he asked “And the other two?” McBrady continued “Second victim was Belinda Stratford. Hers was especially gruesome. She was reported missing for about two weeks, until we got a tip to check the old steel mill. Whoever our perp is, it looked like they took an industrial blowtorch to her feet. There was nothing left below the ankles but charred stubs. Looked like she was still alive when they did too.”

“Did you get a trace out that tip?” Steel asked, and McBrady shook his head. “Whoever it was, they used a payphone to call in it. Can you believe those things are still even around? Turns out, Belinda wasn’t exactly innocent. We found out later she was abusing her three step daughters pretty badly after their father passed away in a car accident.”

At this, Steel had an expression of contemplation on his face. “I think I’m beginning to see a pattern. What about the most recent case?”

“Latest victims were found just last night. Three cops doused in sheep’s blood and literally thrown to the wolves at the city zoo. Turns out they were the kind of cops that give the rest of us a bad name, if you know what I mean. Taking bribes, excessive force, planting evidence, you get the picture.”

“So all our victims weren’t exactly pillars of the community.” Steel said as he took one last puff of his cigar before extinguishing it in a nearby ashtray. “Yeah, that much we figured out for ourselves.” Said McBrady “We figure we’re dealing with someone trying to send a message. Most likely a serial killer or a vigilante.” Steel nodded. “You’re probably right. But we won't know for sure until we catch them, whoever they are. Are there any leads?”

McBrady sighed in disappointment. “No. Not so much as a single witness. No camera footage, not even a stray hair. Like I said, we are really up the creek on this.” Steel couldn’t help but chuckle. “Come on, pal. You and I solved tougher cases than this back in the day. Don’t tell me you’ve gone soft since I retired?”

McBrady would normally have gotten angry if anyone else had accused him of such a thing, but he knew his old partner was just joking. “Well, what can I say? You were always the best detective this department’s ever had. It just hasn’t been the same without you.”

Steel stood and holstered his pistol under his coat. “Well, we won’t catch this killer by just sitting here. Let’s get going.” The two of them stepped outside and walked to McBrady’s patrol car. “It’s good to have you back, partner.” McBrady said, giving his old friend a light punch in the shoulder. Steel smirked. “Save the pleasantries, buddy. We have a killer to catch.”