Forgive or Forget

Chapter 18

-Detective Mike Riggs-

I walked into my office this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see a message from the coroner. I don't even set my coffee down before I return to the door. I make the trek across town to the coroner's office.

I knock before entering, and he looks up from his work. "Good morning, Detective Riggs. I see that you got my message."

"I did. What'd you find?" I inquire.

"Everything that you'd expect from this unsub, except for the beating, and he left behind his identity." He discloses with a grin.

A lead! "Yeah? How?"

The coroner explains, "You find him, and we'll be able to identify him with this."

The coroner pulls back the sheet to reveal an unmistakable bite mark on her left shoulder.

I look closely at the bite mark. "He never bit before."

The coroner acknowledged my statement. "I believe that you were right when you said that it is someone that she knows. There's an elevated level of anger with all of her injuries. Even though several of her injuries are identical to our unsub's MO, there is obvious overkill in those wounds."

I look at all of her injuries. "Cause of death?"

"As expected, strangulation." He replies dryly.

"Do we have her identity?" I question.

"We do. The forensic team ran the victim's fingerprints through IAFIS (Integrated Automated Fingerprint System), and they came back as belonging to Miss Patricia Dee Conrad. She lives and works in Philadelphia at the Franklin Institute as the children's group activities director. All employees must get fingerprinted due to working around children." He explains.

I'm shocked. "Philadelphia? No fucking way!"

The coroner raises his eyebrows at my remark. "Does that mean something to you?"

"It sure does. Our guy has hit there about five times. I first spoke to the detective on the case there about three years ago. I have been in contact with him for years, but he has had no more cases. Now, this victim connects us with Philadelphia once again." I know right away that I have to contact Detective Lynch.

***

**Ring, Ring**

"Detective Lynch."

"Detective Lynch. Detective Mike Riggs here."

"Detective Riggs, how are you?"

I sighed, "I could be better."

Lynch sounded concerned. "I don't like the sound of that. What happened?"

"I'm sorry to say we have another victim," I said.

"Well, damn! Our guy?" Lynch inquired.

"I am afraid so, but here's the thing: she's from Philadelphia," I replied.

"No shit?" Lynch exclaimed.

"I shit you not. Lynch, there's more. I believe this victim was personal. In addition to his MO, the victim had a severely beaten face, and he bit her," I informed him.

I can hear Lynch take a deep breath, "This could be the break we need to catch this asshole."

"I agree, but I need your help," I admit.

"Anything. What can I do?" Lynch quickly responds.

"I need you to discover everything possible about Patricia Dee Conrad," I requested.