MR. MANIAC

CHAPTER 5

Down in the basement of the FBI building in the morgue, everyone gathers around the latest victim of these killings. Tug, Chase, Montgomery, and Prescott as well as the respective coroners examining the body.

"Imprints on the upper wrist of the victim are rope marks. You say he was bound to a car somehow, judging from the multiple tears and rips throughout the victim's back I'd say he would've had to have been tied to the back bumper of the car, with a lot of rope between his wrist and the bumper. The imprints on his wrist would have greater emphasis on cut off from blood flow if he were tied directly to the bumper, thus the marks on his back would rather be more towards the back of the legs. Also, he was stripped of his clothing for this. There would have been some fibers from the shirt he'd be wearing in the wounds but alas there are only bits and pieces of asphalt. So whoever did this, wanted him to feel every single second." Explains the doctor while the agents look on listening, learning.

"Was this how the victim was killed?" Tug asked, gazing at the body

"No actually. There are bruises on his head that indicate the killing blow was a large, blunt weapon. Which is actually similar to the same bruise on the last victim's head." The doctor said, a tone of hope in his voice

"Are you saying he is doing all these killings in different fashions to disguise a pattern?" Chase quickly said, his eyes lighting up now

"It's possible, yes. Whoever is doing this might be disguising this killing blow to the head with various forms of torture and mutilation to throw you off." The doctor said matter-of-factly

"What kind of instrument would cause such a blow to the head?" Montgomery said hands firmly on hips

"Well this blow was obviously saved for last, indicating that the killer knew it would be a fatal blow. Now that can mean one of three things; One, it was a weapon of sorts that he couldn't torture any of his victims with without possibly killing them. So it would've had to be a hard, blunt instrument. Like a hammer or something. Two, he wants to leave a signature, his mark on his victims, but doesn't want it to be that easy for the authorities to spot it so he can get away with it before we even know it's him. Or three, all of the above."

"We're gonna go with three. You said a hammer did this, are you sure?" Tug said sternly, not wanting to waste any more time contemplating

"It could have but this wound is too big for your average tool store hammer. The dent in the skull suggests something larger but with the same density of a hammer." The doctor said problematically, probing the wound with his gloved fingers.

"Like a crowbar?" answered Prescott

"No, something harder, heavier. I'd say something like a sledgehammer." The doctor said, sure of himself

"It does explain why our guy would save this for last. Sledgehammer isn't just something you pick up. After the torture routine he already has his victim submitted, unable to run or cause any problems, gives him the time he needs to lift that big boy up and swing." Tug said

"But a sledgehammer to the head? If it only cause a dent in the head then we know the guy isn't that strong." Montgomery said

"Get us one pronto." Tug ordered

Ω

Tug, & Montgomery, being the strongest ones in the room out of the four, took turns swinging the hammer at an imaginary victim. They both concurred, it'd take a bodybuilder type to correctly bash a head open.

"This guy isn't that strong, I'd say average build. The projector of the blow came in the middle of the head" Montgomery said demonstrating with the hammer to everyone

"The victims would've had to have been on his knees, and the killer bending his, sort of hunching over to get a good swing out of it. I'd say this guy would be about six foot even. Not that heavy or slim, probably around 152-160 lbs." Montgomery said, impressed with himself.

"That's something. But we still have nothing to go on. We need a face, a description." Chase said smoothly

"Forensics just came back with the tire samples." Prescott said as she entered the conference room

"Racing tires, not the official stuff. But you can buy these at any tire shop. I'm afraid it's not much of a lead." Layla said apologetically

"Yeah but you don't put those kinds of tires on just any car. Those kinds of tires have almost no traction on regular roads. Our guy owns a muscle car. Have the local police wire us with any suspicious characters owning one. It's not much but it's something."

"I'll get right on it." Layla said determined, excited, and a tad bit frightened.