Chapter 67

Jenny had been rather shaken at the discovery and had left with the others. I pulled my phone out to call Mathew like I had promised.

"What's up?" I sighed.

"Long story short. I found Jessica. She's been in the city morgue for…" I looked at the paperwork. "Five and a half months." He growled.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes. Jenny was here. Chad identified her body. Something about a fight and she lost the little toe on her left foot." Mathew sighed loudly.

"Fuck… not many people would have a scar like that." I nodded.

"I also got a copy of the autopsy report... and... there's no easy way to say this. So here it is. She was murdered… most likely tortured for weeks as there were signs of healing on some of the wounds."

"What?"

"Maggy is nearly eight months old now. She'd been here for five and a half… with Derick for a month after the birth... that leaves about a month where she was in the hands of her captures. There's… a lot of signs of trauma…" he hissed.

"Fuck… can you make anything else out?" I remembered what Chad had told me about her being a fighter.

"Not much, Chad said she was a high Gamma meaning someone at Beta level took her. But right now I need to know what arrangements you want. They're releasing the body and it's not going to be an open casket." I heard him shout and talk to someone then his phone shifted hands.

"Danica?" It was Derick, his voices was shacky and full of tension. "You found Jessica?" I sighed. Honestly, I didn't want to talk to him and hoped Mathew would tell him later, but it appears they were together. I decided to confess to finding the book and my current situation.

"I saw the photo album you keep in Maggy's diaper bag… I have a lot of connections in the police so I thought I could see if I could track her down…"

"And Chad… positively Identified her?" I could hear the sorrow in his voice.

"Sorry… he did. I can also say she had a ring in her person. Two gold wolves like a Yin Yang with a ruby heart in the middle." He sighed.

"With D&J engraved on the back…"

"Yeah." I gave him a moment. "What would you like done with her body? They're willing to release her for burial." I heard the phone shuffle again and Mathew answered.

"Would you recommend… Family seeing her body?" I cleared my throat.

"Definitely not… I won't go into detail but there was a reason Chad had to identify her by her foot…" I heard Mathew make an unpleased sound.

"We have a small crematorium out here. If you get her transferred… or shipped here, I'll get it sorted…" I nodded.

"And… since I'm here… do you have information on… Emma?"

"Emma?... Do you mean Emily?"

"Yeah, sorry… I just think its suspicious that Jessica is dead and someone tried to catch Lisa." I heard him growl and my phone began to vibrate with messages. "Ok, I'll get to work." We hung up and I turned to the receptionist.

"Is there something you need?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I have the address of a crematorium to send Jessica too." The woman nodded and tapped on her keyboard.

"Not a problem." I showed her the address and she nodded. "All done. We will call them up let them know that she's arriving and have her shipped there tonight." I nodded. "Anything else you need?" I looked sheepishly to my phone.

"Another missing person… but she went missing over a year ago." She gave me a worried look.

"How many are you looking for?" I sighed.

"Just Jessica and this lady… Emily Muller." She nodded and I was shown to a room where a few people milled around and was sat in front of a computer.

By the time I had finished giving the details for Emily and collecting Jessica's personal belonging, the ring, it was nearly seven. I got on the bus and road across the city to the nearest stop by the steakhouse. The ring weighed heavily on my mind especially once I had read where it was found.

In the cool of the night air I strolled to the restaurant. Looking up I could see Rodger standing by the streetlight outside his hands in his pockets. He was looking up at the sky but after a few moments he turned his head and smiled as he saw me.

"Hay Toots." He looked back to the sky and sighed. "It smells like rain." I nodded and he shrugged and turned to the door of the steak house then offered me his arm. "Ready to eat?" I nodded and entered the restaurant where we were seated in a booth at the back.

"Been waiting long?" He shook his head as he opened his suit jacket.

"No, I arrived about five minutes before you did." He smirked. "I had thought you'd have an entourage again. Did the big bad Beta and his mate let you out unchaperoned?" I smirked.

"You know I don't need someone to protect me." I looked to the menu and flicked through the pages. "So what were you wanting to talk to me about?" He shuffled around the table so he was closer to me.

"I have some paperwork I need you to sign. Then there's the fight this Friday. I got you all the VIP passes and have everything set. However, I think you should watch some of the footage of the Bulldog's fights." He seemed slightly off as he talked in a quiet voice.

"Why? It's not like I've done that before." He nodded.

"Yeah, but this guy is on a level you haven't fought before. I'd say he'd be right up top if he was younger. The only advantage you have is his age… and someone is trying to push for a three way with you two." I frowned.

"Three ways aren't that strange. I've taken on two opponents before." He lowered his menu.

"Yeah, but the Bulldog is Curt's man the third guy is coming from Vox…" he smiled as the waiter came over. "Ready to order dear?" He asked in a cheery voice and I nodded.

"I'd like to try the sirloin tonight with the salad a side of fries, onion rings and extra gravy." Rodger nodded.

"I'd like the same, with the garlic shrimp for starters and a bottle of the house wine." He looked to me. "Do you want a starter?" I nodded.

"What the hell, the prawn cocktail and a large cola." The man nodded and took our menus as he left.

Rodger stretched his neck and looked around then put an arm around my shoulder.

"You seem down. How was Uni today?" I shrugged.

"I spoke to the section head, and he has agreed to let my start my last year of accounting in the next Semester. Basically, I've passed the year third and will finish the fourth by the end of the year." Rodger nodded.

"That eager to get it finished?" I nodded.

"Yeah." I sat back as the drinks arrived. "Also, I spent time at the morgue… I found one of the Alpha's missing girlfriends." He growled in surprise and took his drink.

"One… missing girl friend?" I nodded and showed him a pic.

"I am now looking for her." He nodded and looked at my phone.

"Send me a copy of her photo and her details." I nodded and flicked through a few messages. His phone beeped and he nodded.

"What do you plan on doing?" He grinned as he began to construct a message.

"Use my connections to see if we ca find her... or at the very least what happened to her." After a while Rodger nodded then sent his message away. "The bird has flown the nest. Lets see what this little sparrow will bring back." He slipped his phone into his pockets and smirked as he leant closer.