William E. Manning
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The Coroner came in and sat at his desk. "Help yourselves to the coffee guys. Let’s analyze what we have. I think she was punched while sitting on the bed and then hit on the head rendering her unconscious. The dust on the floor didn't indicate a struggle occurred away from the bed. I think the assailant straddled her and stabbed her while she was on her back. A right handed person would automatically stab her on the left side while in that position, but the head and face injuries are indicative of a left hander. The coloration of the abrasions and contusions and the hemmorhaging surrounding the ribs, lungs and spleen were minimal as opposed to the extent of the injuries. She was barely alive when she was being kicked. I can almost see the guy standing on the bed and kicking her after he stabbed her. Death occurred immediately after that, because there wasn't any noticable hemmorhaging on the hymen or the hand. I can tell you she was dead when she was raped and her fingers cut off. Rayburn found footprints on the bed linen to back up my theory. I have the pathologists report here."
He picked up some papers from his desk. "Your suspect has A positive blood."
They started for the door when the Coroner called out to them. "You better nail this bastard, he isn't finished."
How much time did Detectives Hawke and Slaughter have?
Bill Manning is retired on the lower eastern shore of Delaware after forty years in law enforcement. He was known for his precisely written crime reports and his attention to detail. Upon retirement he put these skills to work and began a writing career. This book is an excellent example of his active imagination. He has penned an exciting spellbinding fictional murder mystery chiller. It will hold the reader in suspense wanting to turn to the next page and unable to put the book down.
Hawke was playing with the scales on the Statue of Justice on his desk.
“Did you ever wonder who this statue is modeled after?” he asked.
Larry Donahue, the District Atorney answered his question.
“When I was a law student at Georgetown, I took Greek mythology as an elective.” He pointed to the statue. “Her name is Themis, the godess of law, order and justice. She was born to Uranus, the first ruler of the universe, the heavens and of Gara, ruler of the earth. They had twelve children called Titans, six men and six women. Uranus was afraid his children were going to rebel against him, so he imprisoned them. Cronus, one of his sons with the rest of the Titans, and the help of Gara, disposed of him and ruled the universe. They castrated him thereby taking away his power. From the blood of Uranus that fell to the earth sprang “The Three Furies”, the godesses of revenge, jealousy and murder. Their function was to punish wrongs committed against blood relatives, regardless of the circumstances. When called upon to act they hounded their victims until they died in torment. They should be called the Statue of Justice. The Three Furies were ugly. They were usually represented by three ugly withered old women with bat wings, dog heads and snakes for hair. How’s that for a lesson in Greek mythology men. Now there’s some vigilantes I wouldn’t want on my ass."
