Chicago or Milwaukee
Nathan was already investigating Ms. LeRoy’s disappearance from the library. Teressa LeRoy was twenty-seven. Now this thirtysomething woman’s dead body, too, appeared in Library Park. Hence, the investigation about the latter woman was assigned to him.
Nathan went to the coroner’s office in the morning. Dr. Goodman was ready with the report. She explained, “It’s murder. The victim was indeed asphyxiated. Absence of ligature marks on her neck though contradicts the fact of asphyxiation… also, the x-rays showing no damage to her windpipe ….. yet .... Her broken rib … especially, rib bones four and seven pierced into her lungs. Both right and left lungs were punctured. Hence, she was asphyxiated.”
Nathan had to know, hence asked, “Disfigurements? Of fingers? And the face?”
Dr. Goodman explained, “From huge blood coagulations around ruptured tissues, it is obvious that disfigurements were caused to her before she died. Pulled out nails, charred fingertips indicate that she was tortured. Then she was killed. The breaking of rib bones was too due to torture. Probably the perpetrators could not fathom that their victim would be dead before they would let her die. Hence, they dumped the body as soon as they could.”
Nathan needed more, “What about the DNA?”
Dr. Goodman smiled and reminded, “Latest by tomorrow .... I’m expecting to get the DNA analysis results later tonight.”
X-ray analysis of the victim induced in Nathan an instinctive rush for obtaining all surveillance footage around Library Park and Metra Station. Hence, his next stop was the District Attorney’s office.
Nathan was thinking fast. The perpetrators might drive from Chicago to Kenosha to dump the body at Library Park. Otherwise, they might be staying at Kenosha. If perpetrators were aware of Jack living in Kenosha, they would try penetrating into Little Abode for children and would find Jack in the foster children’s network.
Around afternoon he reported everything to Captain Brown. She suggested, “Why are you only looking into Chicago? Why not Milwaukee? Metra Station can be a spot for gathering for anyone living in, coming to Kenosha.”
Nathan shared, “I’ve checked with both the police departments at Chicago and Milwaukee. Chicago PD reported that one Susan Crawford disappeared from Chicago on the same night as Teressa. When I interviewed children from Chicago rescued by Little Abode for Children and living in different foster homes around Kenosha, Jack O’hara mentioned that he had invited Ms. Crawford to the gala.”
Nathan also added, “In the interview Jack reported, ‘Ms. Crawford is a witness in the murder case of my elder brother Joe. The Meatloaf gang was trying to recruit seniors in Joe’s school. They killed our parents to make Joe join them. Sensing the situation, Ms. Crawford tried to ship us brothers off Chicago. She brought me from my school and bought me the ticket to Kenosha and asked me to wait for the city Child Services Department at Metra Station. She learnt about it from the Facebook page of Little Abode for Children. But she couldn’t rescue Joe. To terrorize other kids in the school and to show them how horrific could be a denial to gang recruitment, they hacked Joe to death. Ms. Crawford found Joe’s mangled body at the school football ground.’ Since then Ms. Crawford was living under police protection pending her testimony in the court.”
Next Nathan met the head of the city Child Services department. He explained, “Jack is vulnerable to attack by some criminals. We need to shift him to police custody. Please, allow me to keep him in my home.”
But the department policy was against unmarried men or women below the age of forty fostering children. Nathan explained the situation to Captain Brown. She took custody of Jack. She was married to another detective. Their son was almost the same age as Jack.
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