Gotham's Detective

Chapter 5

As the coroners walked back into the bedroom one of them handed over a suit to Heather. They were impressed when she slipped it on with ease.

"I've done this before," she told them through her mask. "Who wants to go first?" she asked.

They all grimaced.

"Fine you babies," she laughed, "just be prepared to catch bodies," she said and headed back inside the closet. She pulled the stairs down and climbed up them. Wade waited outside the door of the bedroom, making sure no one else walked in.

The coroners put on their hazmat suits and grabbing body bags, they headed up the stairs after Heather.

What Heather saw was enough to make her ill. There had to have been a half a dozen decomposing bodies in the attic.

The men grimaced as they climbed in after her.

"How could no one know these were here?" she asked. "The stench alone was unbelievable."

The men nodded and got to work. Heather stayed with them to make sure that nothing was left behind. She would wait until the attic aired out before she came back to look for more evidence. Just seeing all of those bodies was enough to make anyone want to throw up.

It took a few hours to get the bodies in the bags, some of them were pretty decomposed. Heather was just grateful she could not smell them.

"Some of these have been here for weeks," she said to the men, "and yet others have been here for maybe a week, tops."

"Yes, it looks like the man had a few secrets in his closet," one of the men said.

"Yes, and I wonder if that is what got him killed. Did he do this, and was feeling guilty, so someone killed him? Or was he letting someone stuff bodies up here, and he was getting paid to keep his mouth shut? I might have to check out his bank account," Heather stated.

"Okay, all done, finally," one of them said and began to take bodies down the stairs. Wade was in shock when the coroners came down with one body, and then another, and then another. Six in all. He suddenly felt ill and he hadn't even been in the attic. Finally, Heather emerged.

"Six bodies?" Wade asked, following her out the door and outside.

"Yes, six bodies," she claimed, taking off the mask, breathing in the fresh air. "We have work cut out for us, Wade. The man who lived here either killed them, or he knew who did. We have to check this guy's bank account. I bet he was making a hefty sum, and I found two sets of men's footprints up there," she said, pointing to her phone where she had taken pictures. "I would like to go back up there and collect more evidence, but I have not eaten today, and that stench is making me very ill."

Wade nodded. "Come on, it is past dinner; I will take you somewhere."

Heather shook her head. "I just want to go home, Wade. Make sure the house is secure for the night and perhaps post an officer to watch it. I don't want it messed with until we can come back tomorrow."

"I will get one of the guys on graveyard shifts to cover the house for the night," he said.

"Good, and call me if you have trouble, but I am going to the precinct, file my report, then I am going home," she stated, "I am exhausted."

"I think you can file your report tomorrow," he assured her. "I think the Chief will understand."

"I hope so, I don't think I can handle two hours of filing, and debriefing right now. Will you tell him what has been going on? He can call me if he needs too," she said.