In Sunshine or In Shadow ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 11.1 - Let it Go

The body was found off of a jogging trail in a nearby park, the poor man who found the body had to rush over to the bushes to vomit before finally calling the police. Because it was state land dispatch contacted Riddhima immediately. She'd been happy to accept the case mostly because any distraction was a welcome one.

That didn't mean she walked into the crime scene with confidence, she didn't have any of that anymore. She knew that people were going to stare at her, all wondering how soon she would breakdown, if it would happen today, or tomorrow or next week. It didn't matter; they were all waiting for the big show.

But those kinds of looks were quickly becoming normal for her; they were easily ignored and shoved out of her mind. It was the stares from the team that grated on her nerves. These weren't stares brought on by idle gossip but stares that stemmed from pity, fear, and shame. She hated those looks and Riddhima was finding it difficult to stop herself from unleashing that anger…she wasn't sure if she wanted to stop herself anymore.

Riddhima put aside these thoughts as she walked up to the marked off scene. Ishani was already there, as were Kabir and Angre. In a few minutes Vansh and Sara would join them, making the team complete.

The victim was a lovely young woman, she would never have been described as gorgeous but her features had been soft, subdued, the kind of pretty that sneaks up on people and then captivates them. Right now her eyes were closed and her blonde hair was fanned out around her. Riddhima might have thought that she was asleep…if it wasn't for the white pallor of death that marked her.

"What do we have?" She asked Dr. Ishani. Vansh walked up to stand beside her, meeting her eyes briefly. That was enough of an acknowledgement that she would allow. He didn't say anything but turned his attention back to the body, Riddhima was grateful once more for this distraction.

"No I.D. with the victim so right now she's a Jane Doe," Dr. Ishani explained calmly. She reached up to open the victims eyes gently, "Petechial hemorrhaging suggests that she died from asphyxiation." She then pulled down the high collar of the victim's shirt; "From these marks I'd guess he strangled her with his hands."

"That's not all he did to her," Vansh stated, his voice was very calm but Riddhima knew him well enough now that she could tell that he was being affected by something.

She raised an eyebrow and said her first words to him. "Care to explain?"

Vansh met her eyes and she saw real reluctance there, as if this was the absolute last thing he wanted to do with her now. But he quickly covered it up with as much professionalism as he could muster. "A lovely young woman like her would never have buttoned up her clothing so high."

Riddhima looked down to see that he was right; her blouse was buttoned up all the way to her neck, something that was unusual. Even a relatively conservative dresser such as her would have left the top button undone more for comfort than anything else.

"You think she was redressed," Riddhima inferred.

Vansh didn't look at her but instead kept his attention on Dr. Ishani. "Check her wrists."

Dr. Ishani quickly drew up the long sleeves of the woman's blouse. Dark angry bruises that looked like finger marks covered her wrists and arms. Riddhima felt the bile build up in her throat while her stomach rolled. She knew what all of this meant.

Dr. Ishani did too if the worried glance she shot Riddhima's way meant anything. "I'll check for sexual assault when we get her back to the lab."

Riddhima simply nodded; she couldn't take her eyes off of those bruises. She remembered what it felt like, to have someone pin her down, to block any defense and force his way in. Visions swam before her eyes of her lying like this poor girl was now, helpless and alone…and destroyed. Finally she had to turn away before she did something stupid like break down and cry…or maybe just freak out.