Roads of Reckoning

Shadow

End of May, 2006
I get out of the car as Dean grunts in annoyance.
"You know, I've gotta say Dad and me did just fine without these stupid costumes." He gestures to our outfits. We are dressed as employees of an alarm system company. "I feel like a high school drama dork." He grin creeps across his face as he turns to his brother.
"What was that play you did? What was it...Our Town. Yeah, you were good, it was cute."

I raise my eyebrows at Sam. He sighs at me.
"Look, you wanna pull this off or not?"

"I'm just sayin, these outfits cost hard earned money okay?"

I turn to Dean and put a hand on my hip.
"Whose?"

He glares at me.
"Ours. You think credit card fraud is easy?"

The landlady lets us into the house and Sam smiles politely.
"Thanks for letting us look around."

"Well the police said they were done with the place so...You guys said you were with the alarm company?"

I nod.
"That's right."

She gives me a once over with her eyes and shrugs.
"Well, no offence, but your alarm's about as useful as boobs on a man."
I chuckle as Sam and Dean exchange a look.

"Well that's why we're here." I say. "To see what went wrong and stop it from happening again."

"Now, ma'am, you found the body?" Sam asks and she nods. "Right after it happened?"

"No. Few days later. Meredith's work called, said she hadn't shown up. I knocked on the door. That's when I noticed the smell."

"Any windows open? Any sign of a break in?" I query.

"No. Windows weee locked, front door was bolted. Chain was on the door, we had to cut it just to get in."

"And the alarm was still on?"

"Like I said, bang up job your company's doing."

I give her small smile and nod.
"You see any overturned furniture, broken glass, signs of struggle?" She shakes her head.

"Everything was in perfect condition. Expect Meredith."

"And what condition was Meredith in?" Sam speaks up.

"Meredith was all over. In pieces. The guy who killed her must have been some kind of whackjob. But I tell you, if I didn't know any better, I'd have said a wok animal did it."

I look to Sam and he nods.
"Ma'am, do you mind if we take some time? Give this place a once over?"

"Oh well, go right ahead. Knock yourself out."

Once she leaves, Dean opens his toolbox and removes the EMF meter.
"So a killer walks in and out of the apartment: no weapons, no prints, nothin."

"I'm telling ya. The minute I found that article I knew this was our kind of gig." Sam says as the meter beeps frantically.

"I think I agree with you." I say

"So you talked to the cops?" Sam asks Dean.

"Uh yeah." He smirks and I already know where this is going. "I spoke to Amy, a uh, charming, perky officer of the law?"
I roll my eyes and continue around the room. Sam, unfortunately, falls right into the trap.

"Yeah? What'd you find out?"

"Well, she's a Sagittarius. She love tequila, I mean ~ wow. Oh, and she's got this little tattoo~"

"Dean!" Sam exclaims.

"What? Yeah. Uh, nothing we don't already know. Except for one thing they're keeping out of the papers. Meredith's heart was missing."