Wesley grimaced. “Damn! I’ll call the coroner. Where exactly are you?”
“Not far from that disturbed area you showed me.”
“I’m on my way.”
Charlie let out a whistle. “I was hoping it would turn out to be an animal.”
Wesley notified dispatch to contact the crime unit and any deputies in the area. Then he contacted the coroner and gave him directions. Sticking his head in Chief Smith’s office, he said, “Wildlife and Fisheries found that gator at Palmetto Park. Looks like we have a death. I’ve notified everyone. Charlie and I are on our way.”
“Keep me informed.”
Wesley nodded. “Oh, here’s the file on the hunting incident. We can close this one. It’s an accidental shooting.” After putting the file on Chief Smith’s desk, Wesley and Charlie hurried out the front door.
Wesley turned on the emergency lights and accelerated down the rain-slicked road. He encountered little traffic and reached the scene in about twenty minutes. Two coroner’s vehicles hugged the shoulder of Caney Road near the spot where Susan and A. K. had parked earlier. That was followed by the local TV van and flashing blue lights from two sheriff’s units.
“How does the news media get word of things so fast?” Charlie asked.
“They have scanners and informants. If they approach you, just say, ‘No comment.’ We want to be sure of our facts before we say anything.” Wesley grabbed two slickers from the back seat and handed Charlie one. After they slipped them on, Wesley glanced up at the menacing clouds. “Hope this weather doesn’t compromise any evidence. Let’s go find the coroner.”
When they reached the clearing, two white canopies marked the site of the investigation. Beneath both lay a tarp. The one next to the disturbed area contained human remains. In the middle of the other tarp, the alligator lay sprawled on its back with its stomach incised. Someone had used the branches Charlie had collected, and the entire area was circled with crime tape.
Agents from Wildlife and Fisheries continued to comb the area around the swamp, while sheriff’s deputies fanned out across the clearing and into the nearby woods. One deputy remained near the tarps and kept the news media at bay.
Coroner Vince Leggio, wearing protective booties and rubber gloves, crouched next to the large reptile. He removed a human arm and placed it on the other tarp where it joined other recovered body parts.
“How come you always beat me to the scene?” Wesley asked, stopping short of the tarp.
“’Cause I’m more proficient in my job than you are in yours,” Vince answered with a grin. His windbreaker glistened from the rain. “Looks like you boys have a gruesome one here.”
The sixty-two year old, five-foot five coroner rose to greet them. Water trickled down his bald head. “You’ll excuse me if I don’t shake hands.” Rubbing his pug nose with the back of his gloved hand, Vince moved with a slight limp from one tarp to the other. He was born with one leg an inch shorter than the other, but it had never hampered him in the performance of his duties. The doc had served as coroner for twenty-three years, and Wesley would put him up against anyone.
“I know it’s early but can you tell me anything?”
Vince drew his thin lips tight and shook his head. “Not much. There’s enough of the pelvic bone that I can say with certainty the victim is female and probably in her late twenties or early thirties. I’m hoping for more remains. Wildlife and Fisheries said they’d keep searching. Cut marks on the bones around the shoulder and neck resemble those of a hatchet or axe. I’m guessing the killer wanted to dismember the victim as much as possible and let the gator dispose of it.”
“Hey, Charlie, a deputy called, “I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
While Charlie stepped away to talk with the deputy, Vince motioned over one of his assistants and took a clear, plastic bag from him. We found this around the upper torso.”
Wesley saw a flash of yellow.
“It’s the collar and the upper part of a blouse,” Vince said, handing the bag back to his assistant.
So, Susan was right all along. The gator did have someone in its mouth. If not for the splashing and the moonlight, she might have missed seeing it. Or would she? She had seen the Indian by then, although she believed him to be a real person. Was he a foreshadowing of things to come? Wesley scratched his head and wondered where all this would lead.
Charlie rejoined Wesley and the coroner just as Captain Reddick approached. Two of his men followed with clear bags and placed them on the tarp.
“We found a head,” Reddick said. “It’s definitely a girl, but the hair is so caked with mud, I can’t tell what color it is. While not a pretty sight, it might help with dental records. We also found one of her legs. It’s pretty well mangled, but a good part of the hip and buttocks are intact.” Reddick gave a nod to Wesley and Charlie. “No way the gator tore this woman into so many pieces, not when it could have swallowed her whole. Looks to me like someone butchered her then fed her to the gator.” He turned to his agents. “Come on, men. Let’s keep searching.”
“Reddick and I think alike,” Vince said, as the Wildlife and Fisheries men walked away. “From the amount of blood at this site, it looks like she was killed and mutilated here at the water’s edge. It wouldn’t have taken long for the gator to pick up the scent. Blood and hair samples will give us DNA. And now we’ll have dental records to consider. Hopefully, we’ll find some trace evidence that will identify the killer. I want to get all this back to the lab before the weather compromises things further.”
Vince signaled to his nearby assistants. “Okay, fellows, let’s get what we have into the van. That includes the gator carcass. If they don’t find anything else in the next hour, we’ll head back to the morgue.” Vince turned to Wesley. “Come by in the morning. I should have more information for you then.”
By the time Wesley and Charlie reached their unmarked unit, the clouds decided to turn loose a steady rain.
“You mind if we stop by the boutique on the way back?” Wesley asked.
“Not at all. It’ll give me a chance to talk with Debbie or Sheila.”
“The news media isn’t going to waste any time releasing the story. Since Susan was spot on with what she saw the night of the fun run, I’d like to tell her what Wildlife and Fisheries found before it hits the airwaves. One of these days, I’m going to stop doubting her.”
Wesley parked close to the boutique’s front door, and he and Charlie hurried into the shop.
“Hi, Charlie,” Sheila said. “How do you like this weather?”
“I don’t. The cold I can take, but I can do without the rain.”
“Is Susan here?” Wesley asked.
“She’s in the office with A. K.”
“I won’t be long,” Wesley said to Charlie.
Susan and A. K. sat side-by-side in front of a computer monitor, their backs to the door. Wesley tapped on the glass partition. “Mind if I interrupt?”
They turned at the sound of his voice.
Susan swiveled around in her chair. “Sure, I told A. K. what Professor Alexander said about the Chitimacha. We Googled the tribe to see what else we could find.”
“We can finish our discussion later,” A. K. said. “I’ll leave you two to visit.”
Wesley shook his head. “I think you’ll want to hear what I have to say.”
A. K. turned her chair to face Wesley, and he took a seat across from Susan.
“Wildlife and Fisheries found the alligator. They were forced to shoot it.”
“And?” Susan asked when he paused.
“You were right. We have a victim. The yellow you saw was part of her blouse.”
A. K. gasped. “Was she—”
Susan cringed and hugged her arms.
“Yes, she was dismembered, but there’s no need to go into all the gruesome details. You’ll hear about it soon enough on the news. The TV station had a reporter there before I arrived. The coroner thinks the killer probably murder
ed the victim where you found that disturbed area, Susan. It was also there that the killer partially dismembered her body to make it easy for the gator to find and devour the remains. If it hadn’t been for the alligator thrashing the water the night of the fun run, and the two of you snooping around on the other side of the swamp, we might never have discovered the crime.”
“Any idea as to the identity of the victim?” Susan asked.
“Not at this time. Maybe I’ll know more tomorrow, after the coroner completes his autopsy. Because Wildlife and Fisheries were able to act so fast, they managed to recover most of her remains.”
“What is it with this town?” A. K. asked, screwing her mouth into to a snarl. “First, Jack’s life was threatened, then Myrtle’s sister, Lorraine, was murdered, and now this. Are we under some kind of curse? Is there an evil spirit in our midst? I can imagine the nightmares I’ll be having. Good thing Jack’s a surgeon. I’m definitely going to need something to help me sleep.”
“No curse or ghost caused that carnage,” Wesley said. “We have a maniac on our hands. One who has big feet. What worries me is that the nut case probably got a good look at you, Susan. What if he thinks you could identify him?”
A. K. glanced at Wesley. “Heck, he might be able to recognize me, too. We don’t know how long he was watching us.”
“True. The best thing either of you can do for now is to stay vigilant and don’t venture off alone.”
“You don’t have to worry about me,” A. K. said. “Susan, count me out on any more of your field trips.”
“I know you mean well,” Wesley said to Susan, “but I want you to promise you’ll check with me before you act on one of your hunches.”
Susan blew out a long breath and nodded.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Wesley said.
“And I’m going to tell on you if you don’t,” A. K. said, giving Susan’s arm a squeeze. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I’ll be at headquarters for the rest of the evening. Charlie and I have lots to do. I don’t know when I’ll see you next, but I’m as close as my phone.”
A. K. took his arm. “Come on. I’ll walk out with you.”
After Wesley and A. K. left, Susan put on a fresh pot of coffee and returned to her desk. She kept visualizing what it must have looked like at the crime scene. Solving a mystery was one thing, but the thought of having to look at such brutal remains turned her stomach.
Reaching into her purse, she pulled out the arrowhead and turned it over and over in her fingers. Was it by accident or design that she found the stone? What secrets did it hold? Would she see the Indian again? While contemplating the possibilities, a sudden burst of thunder snapped her back to reality. She placed the artifact on her desk. Turning back to the computer, she visited sites for new merchandise.
“Susan?” Melanie’s soft voice interrupted her concentration. “Your sister-in-law is here and would like for you to help her select an outfit.”
Susan followed Melanie to the front of the boutique.
Kara, who was looking through a rack of newly arrived dresses, stopped and gave a cordial hug. “Good to see you, Susan. I really need your expertise. Edward’s company is having a cocktail party to schmooze some Atlanta businessmen. They’re talking a possible merger, and that calls for something trendy and eye catching. Don’t you think?”
“Why of course. I have several things you might like.” Susan selected three outfits from a well-known designer and ushered Kara to a dressing room. “If you need any help, let me know.”
When Kara emerged, she handed Susan a black, backless cocktail dress. “This one.”
“Excellent choice.”
“I’m sorry Edward and I haven’t had you and Wesley over for dinner. Seems like it’s taking forever for us to get settled.”
“No hurry. Maybe one night we can all go out together.”
“I’d like that.” She handed Susan a credit card.
While Susan had been hospitable to Kara, she hadn’t gone out of her way to make her feel at home. That wasn’t fair to Edward. She really should do more to make Kara feel a part of the family. Her doubts about her sister-in-law’s psychic ability shouldn’t interfere. “Do you have time for a cup of coffee?”
Kara face lit up. “I’d love one.”
Susan led the way to her office. “Please, sit here,” she said, pulling out a chair from the bistro set opposite her desk.
Kara put her purse on Susan’s desk and eased onto the dainty, wrought iron chair.
After serving the coffee, Susan joined her. “This is much nicer than hovering over my desk.”
Kara took a sip of her coffee. “I was wondering if Wesley had found any more evidence on his cold case.”
“Not that I’m aware of.” Susan wondered why Kara didn’t mention the victim found at the park. Surely by now, she had heard about it on the news. “Wesley said you kept seeing the letter N. Any idea what it might represent?”
“Probably a name, but sometimes it can remain a mystery.”
Susan topped off their coffee. Had Kara really foreseen the murder in the swamp? Would the letter N be significant? Was she aware that something terrible had already happened? “Since we’re talking about the paranormal, and especially since we’re now family, there’s something you should know. I also have psychic abilities, as did my grandmother. Only a handful of people know, and I would prefer you not mention it to anyone.”
Kara’s eyes widened. “Edward never mentioned anything to me.”
“Mother and I waited to see if he might have inherited such capabilities, but when he didn’t show any signs, we saw no reason to tell him. Now that he’s been exposed to your world, he shouldn’t have a problem believing in my gift. Feel free to tell him.”
“So, you consider your ability a gift,” Kara said, running her finger around the rim of her cup. “So do I. It means a lot that you would confide in me, and I’ll keep your secret. You should be the one to tell Edward.”
“I love my brother and know it would make him very happy if we could become good friends. After all, we’re family now.”
Kara’s eyes misted. “I’d like that.” She cleared her throat. “So, tell me more about your gift.”
Susan gave a slight chuckle. “For the longest time, I thought it was a curse. I know differently now.”
“When did you first realize you were...uh, special?”
“A while back, I had a terrible fall. Things changed after that. I began to have visions. I have no control over when one might occur, and more often than not, I don’t understand what I’m seeing. However, in the end, things become clear. I’ve helped Wesley on several cases, unofficially, that is. But I’ve drawn a blank on the one involving the missing girl, Edith.”
Kara pushed back her chair and crossed to the sink. After rinsing her cup, she turned to face Susan. “Well, between the two of us, maybe we can help him.” At the sound of voices, Kara looked out into the boutique. “I see more customers have arrived. I should be going. Thanks again for sharing your story.”
When she gathered her purse, she paused. “What’s this?” She picked up the arrowhead. In that instance, her hand tightened around the object and she shook violently. When she turned loose of the artifact, she stumbled backward against the door frame.
“What happened?” Susan asked.
“I...I don’t know. For a moment I was spellbound, consumed by an overwhelming sense of dread. Whoever owned this object suffered much sorrow.”
“What else can you tell me?”
“Nothing, but I will consult the Tarot cards. Since we’re being honest with one another, there’s something else you should know. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t resist doing several readings with you in mind.” A frown crossed her brow. “I didn’t like what I saw. The cards warned of darkness and water. Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“Well, that’s not something I wanted to hear. Of course, I’ll be careful.�
��
When they passed the front counter, Susan handed Kara her purchase. “You should knock ’em dead in this outfit.”
“I just want to make Edward proud.” Clutching her purchase, Kara headed to her car.
“Is everything okay?” Melanie asked. You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine. Must be the lighting or maybe my makeup needs refreshing.”
Back in the office, Susan checked her appearance. There was nothing wrong with her makeup. It was upsetting to know that Kara’s warning had affected her more than she thought. Sitting at her desk, she gazed at the arrowhead, such an unpretentious looking object, so why was her stomach jittery? Why was her hand trembling?
She picked up the stone to put it back in her purse, but it was hot to the touch. She dropped it on the desk and pushed back her chair. Kara had felt an overwhelming sense of dread and sorrow. Not so for Susan. Unbridled rage and anger engulfed her. She bolted out of the office and slammed the door.
Melanie and Sheila looked up at the sound. “Is something wrong?” Sheila asked.
“My bad. I didn’t mean to do that.” Susan forced a laugh, and hoped Sheila would buy her explanation. “Okay, ladies, let’s work on the display window.” Susan wanted to put time and space between her and the arrowhead. Why was it emitting such volatility? Had Kara’s touch caused the change?
Chapter 7
Seven o’clock the following morning, Wesley and Charlie arrived at the coroner’s office. The red brick structure was the last in a line of municipal buildings and set farther back from the street. Considering its function and contents, it seemed appropriate that the morgue be somewhat separated from the other public buildings. For sure, it wasn’t Wesley’s favorite place to visit.
Although the weather was somewhat chilly, the temperature dropped another ten degrees upon entering the building, and at least another five degrees when they entered the lab. The floor tiles glistened from a recent washing, and the smell of Clorox hung in the air. Two large sinks and shiny countertops lined a side wall. Tools of the trade were fastened to hangers within easy reach of the coroner. Across the room, there was a wall containing cold chambers, each sealed by a metal door.
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