"Wait, so all classes are cancelled today?" Jo wondered aloud, pausing in her stroll around the small campus with the two females she met earlier. One's name was Anna and the other, Lavender. They were making sure that she knew where all of her classes were being held and even about registering some of them as her online courses.
"Yeah, apparently a few of the local shops are closed too," Anna told her, showing Jo the text message from the girl's group of friends. Immediately, concern hit her and Joanna pulled out her cell phone. From what she gathered, the body was found not too far from the high school and the majority of her family members were there now.
To: Clark, Joseph, & Auggie
Message:
Hey! Everyone ok? Classes are cancelled. Body found. Checking it out soon.
Message:
Hey! Everyone ok? Classes are cancelled. Body found. Checking it out soon.
No doubt, Clark would probably disagree with her trying to get anywhere near where the attack happened, but Anna's interest was peeked and it kinda helped that her Dad was a Deputy. An excuse like wanting to check on him was viable enough for the moment. All Jo needed was a few moments to look, to observe. And if the body was still there, they might be able to see a few things.
If the Sheriff didn't make sure that everyone kept their distance.
Nodding to Anna and Lavender, Joanna allowed them to lead her off the campus. It was only about a twenty minute walk to the high school and the woody area nearby. During that time, Jo learned that the Sheriff was a Volks and that she had a few kids in school. Nothing too important, nothing to be particularly worried about for now, but it was good to know. Jo kept the two girls talking, especially about the veterinarian clinic. It was the only one in town and the doctor who worked there was said to be rather...intimidating, at best. The older woman did have a rather disconcerting tone, near emotionless if Jo truly thought about it. They were at the location before she could process the travel.
And what a sight it was!
The police tape was out, separating the small crowd of people from the actual scene. It definitely wasn't that far from the school; Jo could see the back of the building and the small area of the parking lot along with a few benches and tables where the kids probably could eat lunch. Her eyes took in the dark and dead leaves on the ground, the brown overshadowing what should have been green. It was a dreary sight, especially considering that the sun decided to play hide-and-seek with the clouds.
"Oh my God, poor Tracy!" Anna exclaimed, a delicate hand over her tiny mouth and Jo followed her line of vision, cringing at the sight of the near mangled body atop the crunchy leaves. The girl was pale, paler than she probably was in real life. Her body was twisted at an awkward angle at the hips, as if she had tried to turn but the force of whatever attacked her had snapped her spine. Her face was tilted towards the sky, eyes stuck in a forever staring contest with the clouds. Her mouth was ajar too, as if she herself were surprised by her death. But her chest was the sight that truly surprised Jo. The four slashes on her chest were deep and she could tell, even from here, that the cuts had reached her ribcage; you could see the white of the bone peeking out from the red of her blood and maroon of her dress.
"What could she have been doing out here?" Jo asked quietly. She noted the uneasy expression on Lavender's face; the pretty redhead looked like she was ready to vomit. It wasn't too horrific of a sight, but it was enough to affect the most sensitive of stomachs.
"I don't know. Tracy liked...researching and if you go further up the hill, you'll reach the peek. You can see the whole town and lights from the nearest city." Jo nodded absentmindedly, eyes trained on the figure looming over the body. The woman's dark hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall of black silk, green eyes fixed on the dead corpse. The gloved hand traced over the wound gingerly. As if sensing someone's gaze, her own eyes rose to meet Joanna's inquisitive stare and the cold gaze caused Jo's breath to catch in her throat.
She had a feeling she just met her boss.