Sergeant MacMaster's POV:

 I,  Micah MacMasters, saw blood stains and smears outside a door that leads to the basement.  I went down there with the chief of police right behind me.

     I  gasped when I saw it at the bottom of the stairs behind a few boxes and the furnace.

    It was a horrendous sight.

    "Sir, you might want to see this," I said as calmly as I could as I lifted the tarp.

       I   heard him gasp in response.

  I  gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

 "It comes with the territory,"  I remarked.

  I knew it was not any help, but what more could I say?

    By the looks of it, the practical joke I thought we stepped into turned out to be a legit homicide.

       "See, all the fingerprints and marks on the victim's arm, left foot, neck, and chest areas?"

       "Yes, what of it?" The police chief snapped at me.

    I tried not to take his attitude lightly.

  I knew the situation must have been stressful for him.

  I recalled he was supposed to go on an anniversary trip with his wife.

  I felt bad for him that he might have to cancel it.  

I further examined the body.

"I believe she was stabbed, sir. The fatal blow was to her chest area right here."

  I   recognized her.

  I intended her BBQ two weeks ago.

  "It is Mrs. Jacklyn Keller, I am sure of it,"  I stated.

  I watched as the K-9 Lance sniffed the area and walked back to his owner.

 The chief police looked pale as the dog approached him.

  I felt bad for my boss and business partner.

  I was relieved that the body was discovered today.  At least this way, it would not have time to decay.  I believed maybe we could find out soon who the killer was and the possible motive.

    Little did I know how impossible at least part of that would turn out to be.

   Little did I know it was only the first body.

 Find out more in Chapter 9

  -Summer out!