Dunk's Daily Blog

The DI's ID

Lying in the open park-land, Alicia's young face remained stunning. Her blue eyes held open as the wind blew strands of golden hair across her soft complexion. A river of deep crimson had stained the dirt beneath with its ugly beauty. A vicious end it had been, to a beautiful life.

This was by no means the first scene of its type to be commanded by DI John Stephenson, but it was clearly the cause of a most uncommon atmosphere. There was shock and revulsion from the team of junior constables as one would expect, but the reaction of their experienced leader was unsettling. Standing with his back to the rain, the DI drew a deep nasal breath. His eyes remained tightly shut as he held the stale air, shaking his aching head slowly. His shoulders shook out the sigh in a series of uncontrolled convulsions. How could this be? How?

No-one at the station could have foreseen this anguish; the connection hitherto unknown. The most unsatisfactory identification of Alicia Stephenson was complete.