Chapter 31

Riley's night had been long and tense, and the condition of the victim had imprinted itself on his mind. How, he wondered, could one human being be so brutal with another? Leslie Finnegan had suffered both a broken arm and cracked ribs, a concussion and severe bruising and tearing in the vaginal area. He was sickened by the medical report and more determined than ever to find this piece of scum who had invaded the peaceful environment of his town. The worst part of it was they had no leads whatsoever. Today, after he managed to catch an hour or two of sleep, he and his partner would start the door-to-door canvas in the neighborhood to find out if, hopefully, someone had seen something out of place.

"He may not live in the neighborhood," their lieutenant had cautioned them. "Or even in Calderwood."