Shawn Spencer tossed a paper ball towards the trashcan but once again missed, it may have had something to do with the fact that it was way past full. With no cases and absolutely nothing on TV, he had passed boredom an hour ago. He picked up his phone and hit the redial button. "Gus! Where are you? Pick up some food on your way."
He hung up and drummed his fingers on his desk while flipping channels. He hit Channel 8 and stopped. "Dreamer arrived in Santa Barbra today to begin preparations for their summer tour. Rumor has it they will spend a few days getting some R&R before getting ready for what should be the biggest tour of the year."
"Really so I'm going to have to fight my way through crazed teenage girls in order to get anything done. Maybe that's why Gus is late."
He flipped through the channels before settling on Phineas and Ferb. They had barely gotten around to asking where Perry was when Gus came in rolling his gray sample case behind him. "Shawn did you really have to leave me five messages?"
"You were late buddy. I was worried."
"More like you wanted this." Gus threw a hamburger on the desk in front of Shawn.
"Not true, what did you do run into a crowd of screaming teenagers?"
"How did you know that?" Shawn brought his hand to his head, his classic move. "I know you're not psychic Shawn."
"Fine I was flipping channels because there was nothing on and I saw a news report about it." Shawn opened the wrapper of the burger and took a bite.
"That and I had to pick up some more stops on my route. We haven't had a case in two weeks." With a huff, Gus sat down at his desk, grabbing the remote and changing it to the History Channel. They had satellite TV and Gus insisted on the History Channel. Shoot, they had 16 sports channels, yet it was always the History Channel.
"I know and I'm bored." Shawn balled up a piece of paper and threw it into the already overflowing trashcan.
"You're going to pick that up."
"Eventually." Before Gus could respond, the police scanner in the corner beeped. "Here we go."
"Attention all units we have a body found on the northern beachfront. Body was found by a small group of teenagers who are still present at the scene."
"This is Detective Lassiter eta is ten minutes."
"That's our cue." Shawn grabbed his jacket giddy at the thought of a case. He needed to get back in the action.
"Just because a body was found doesn't mean we need to rush to the crime scene." Gus took a bite of his burger.
"Gus, don't be a three hole punch!"
"I'm driving." Gus grabbed his jacket before storming out of the office.
Thanks to a stop for Jappa Dogs, they arrived at the crime scene shortly after Lassie. The usual crowd had gathered: forensics, cops, reporters, Lassie, Jules, Dreamer… wait a second. "Gus what is Dreamer doing here?"
Without waiting for an answer, Shawn made his way over until he was right behind them, almost running into a man who was coming up to Dreamer.
"You know he's not here." The man pulled, if Shawn remembered right it was Nathan, to the side making him look away from the body.
"But he was."
"Who was?" The girl next to him asked.
"Lefty." All three said in unison. Shawn zeroed in on their matching watches. Why hadn't anyone noticed that. All three members of Dreamer wore identical watches that looked extremely high tech. Even the girl, Shawn had a gut feeling that eventually he'd have to learn all of their names, had one granted a little smaller but it was the same.
"Gus we are on to something."
"His signature is the missing left hand and the propped open eyes."
"Showtime." Shawn turned away from the boys and made his way to the tape. "Lassie, I'm getting something."
"Spencer, get away from my crime scene. Alright, Ohara we've got a John Doe, cause of death looks to be a shot through the heart."
As usual Shawn blew him off. "Lassie you say get away but I know you want me to stay. Don't you want to at least know what I have to say?"
"I'd rather take a bath in acid."
"Jules?" Shawn turned to his girlfriend, Juliet Ohara.
"What do you have Shawn?"
"You always take his side!" Lassie glared at Shawn but Shawn just smiled back.
"If you two are done, doesn't anyone want to know what I have to say?"
"I do. And he's not a John Doe." Shawn turned around to see one of the Dreamer boys had spoken up. Shawn couldn't remember his name, but had a feeling he was the one who forgot his own lyrics.
"Who are you?" The girl asked.
"Shawn Spencer, head psychic of the SBPD. What do you mean he's not a John Doe?" Gus went over to give them a business card while Shawn scoped out the scene.
"His name was Thomas Miller, he was one of our stage hands. He must have come up here a couple days early since the crew wasn't coming until the weekend."
Shawn focused back on the body noticed that it hadn't been killed there but it seemed as if it had put there to be found. Second, if he had to guess he'd say the bullet was still in the chest. Third, the eyes, cause of death had to be a broken neck, which would have caused a quick death not enough time to close the eyes. Lastly the body had been dead for at least a day maybe longer.
"Spencer would you get on with it?"
"First off, why are they here?" Shawn pointed at Dreamer.
"Technically they have more of a right to be here than you do."
"Right since they were the teens who discovered the body. I guess that ruined your pre tour R&R."
"How did you do that?" The boy in the middle spoke. Why did people make this so easy?
"You. Tell me all about this killer dude. There's a Kurt Russel marathon on tonight and Gus, I, and a case of red vines will be in front of the TV back at the Psych office for it."
"What?" Middle Dreamer took a step back in shock.
"Close enough. You see, Dreamer boy whose name I feel I'll have to learn, its what I do."
"McNabb get him away from my crime scene."
"Woah, woah, wait a second, the key to your crime scene isn't actually here at the crime scene." Shawn knew he was holding all the cards right now.
"What are you talking about?" Jules turned away from the body and gave him a confused look.
"The spirits are telling me that this is not our killer's first victim. That he's done this before."
"How do you know that?"
"The key is… the key is…" Shawn started waving around his left hand. "Gus what's happening?"
"Looks like psychic spasms Lassie."
"This again?"
Shawn stopped on the left side of the body. "I sense it. The pain, man the pain, the left hand chopped off while he was still alive. Followed by a snap," Shawn found a piece of driftwood on the ground and snapped it in half. "and a gunshot for show. Lassie I sense at least the bullet is still in there."
"Tell Woody when he does the biopsy to check for the bullets." Lassie told one of the coroners who was starting to move the body.
"Tell Woodson we're still on for karaoke next weekend." Shawn yelled after them.
"Is that all Spencer?"
"For now, but trust me Lapalosa you'll be the first to know." Shawn put his hand on Lassie's shoulder.
"Don't touch me." Lassie threw it off.
"Gus I believe it's time for Jappa Dogs. Jules you'll keep us posted?"
"I'll let you know."
"Traitor." Lassie muttered.
Shawn walked off but not before noticing that the man that had joined Dreamer was already gone.