by D'Ann Lindun
Austin sat in uneasy silence until Rae returned. “You watch out for her, you hear? Her deputies are good people, but none of them have your experience.”
Austin didn’t want to make this promise. He’d vowed to look out for Marisol and she died on his watch. His throat clogged. He forced the words out. “How do you know what I can do or not do?”
Rae’s bright blue eyes looked right through him. “I can see it written all over you. I don’t know where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, but you’re no rookie. In fact, I bet your battle scars run pretty deep.”
Austin didn’t deny it. “I’ll do my best.”
“Make sure you do.”
The suffocating weight of unwanted responsibility pressed in on him. “I need to get to work. Let Jamie know I’ll call her later to check in. Thank you for the meal.”
Austin hurried out before the churning in his belly made him lose his lunch.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The morgue was attached to the small medical clinic. In a town the size of Confluence, Austin was surprised there was either. He entered the morgue and found the coroner in his office. A glass wall faced the autopsy room. Austin was glad the autopsy had already taken place. He had no desire to see Kate’s body being hacked up. He’d been present at other autopsies and had no wish to repeat the process.
Austin stared at the coroner as they sat in the man’s small, stuffy office. “You’ve done the autopsy already?”
“I did it as soon as she came in. It’s not like we’re overrun by death.”
“You’re a forensic doctor? In a town this size?”
The man nodded his balding head. “I am.”
“Then tell me what killed Kate Hollenbreck.”
Doc Baines ran a hand over his shiny head, then adjusted his glasses. “Strangulation.”
“Anything else I need to know?”
The doctor cleared his throat. “By the bruising pattern, it looks like it was by someone’s hands. Probably someone fairly large. Kate was a tall woman, and strong. Her nails are broken, but there’s no skin under them. Tiny remnants of fabric, looks like from a shirt.”
“Was she raped?” Austin fought off memories of Marisol’s broken, violated body.
“Maybe. She had intercourse.” Doc Baines looked at his notes. “I would say within a couple hours of her time of death.”
“Which was when?”
The doctor fiddled with the papers in his hands. “Approximately around noon, yesterday.”
“And you think she was raped?” Austin leaned forward.
“Whoever she was with used a condom. There is no DNA.”
“But—?”
“It was rough sex. There is some tearing and some bruising.” Doc shifted uncomfortably. “No one knows what goes on in someone else’s bedroom, but this doesn’t fit with the Katie I knew.”
“Why is that?”
“I’ve known Katie all her life,” Doc said. “She’s been divorced for years and I’ve never seen or heard of her running wild. She wasn’t hanging out at The Moon, picking up men. She had no boyfriend. And she worked too hard keeping that ranch running to have time or the inclination to go look for a party.”
“Could she have had sex with a ranch hand?”
“If she had one, maybe.”
Austin raised his brows. “She didn’t have help?”
Doc shook his head. “Just Walter White Hawk, and he’s pushing ninety. That’s what I’m telling you. Katie worked that land all alone. She did it all by herself. No assistance whatsoever. I’m frankly amazed she found time for sex. Or someone to have it with.”
“Could she have used a sex toy?”
“She could have, but whoever penetrated her was human. Of that, I’m certain,” Doc said. “There are unmistakable differences.”
Austin ran the facts through his mind. Kate Hollenbreck had gone to the corner of her property alone. She’d had sex within a couple hours of her death. With someone who had a condom. Been strangled. None of it made sense. If the same guy who killed her had taken the other women, why had he left Kate’s body and not the others?
“There’s one more thing,” Doc said. “I found traces of powdered sugar in Katie’s nose, along with cocaine.”
“She was snorting it?”
Slowly, Doc nodded. “Looks like it.”
Austin stood as he thought of the ramifications of that. Had the victim thought she was snorting cocaine, but ingested powdered sugar instead? “Thanks, Doc. If you come up with anything else, let me know.”
“I will.” Doc didn’t stand; he was already making notes.
Austin was at the door before he remembered something. “Do you recall seeing a belt buckle with Kate’s body when she came in? Or even at the scene?”
Doc lifted his head. “Not offhand, but I keep a log. Let me check.”
Austin waited while he skimmed his notes.
“Here it is. One trophy belt buckle.” He looked up. “Why?”
Taking the few steps back to the desk, Austin said, “Because it was stolen out of here last night.”
Doc’s eyes bulged and his face turned red. “Impossible. I have the only key and I took it home with me.”
“Look and see if it’s here,” Austin suggested.
With shaking hands, Doc found his keys in his pocket, then moved to the gray filing cabinet by the wall. He slipped on a pair of plastic gloves, unlocked the top drawer and lifted out a pile of clothing. One item at a time. Jeans. Shirt. Boots, then socks. Plain white bra. Panties. A turquoise bracelet. Leather belt. No buckle. With a horrified look, he sorted through everything twice. Then three times. “It’s not here.”
“Are you sure you had it?”
“Positive.” Doc hurried to his desk, ran his finger down the page of his notes. “It’s logged right here. Trophy belt buckle.”
“Who had access here last night?”
“Absolutely no one but me.” Doc’s Adam’s apple bobbed like a cork on a windy lake. “And the assisting nurse.”
Austin crossed his arms over his chest. “Who was with you during the autopsy?”
“Haley Spencer.” Doc looked ready to cry. “But she wouldn’t do anything wrong. She’s always been above board on everything.”
Austin reined in his disbelief. “She’s never done anything suspicious before?”
“Never.” Doc removed his glasses and wiped them with the hem of his smock. “But it had to be her because she placed the items in the cabinet.”
“Did you watch her?”
“No, I was busy with the body.” Doc replaced his glasses. “I asked Haley to place the clothing in the cabinet for safekeeping. I had no reason not to trust her.”
“Who works here besides you and her?”
“Just Edwina MacPherson. She’s the secretary. No one else.”
“Was Edwina around for the autopsy?”
Doc shook his head vehemently. “No. I wanted to get it done quickly because I knew the sheriff would need the details as soon as possible. She called and said she was sending you over. In fact, I expected you sooner. I phoned Haley on the way down from the crime scene, and she met me here.”
“Did you leave the room at any time?”
“No, no.”
Austin pressed harder. “And this nurse? Did she go out for anything? A smoke? A restroom break? Anything?”
Doc looked uncertain. “I don’t think so.”
“Think hard,” Austin said.
He looked helpless. “Not that I recall.”
Austin saw he’d gone as far as he could; he wasn’t going to get any more information. “Where do I find this Haley?”
“She works at the high school, does some home care and helps me when I do an autopsy.”
“Busy lady,” Austin commented. “Do you have her number?’
He scribbled it on a piece of paper. “I hope you get the truth out of her. Something like this could ruin me.”
Austin didn’t comment. He was more concerned about a de
ad woman and who made her that way, than he was the old man’s job worries. He took the note and stuck it in his pocket. “Thanks. I’ll be in touch.”
~*~
Austin found Haley Spencer in the nurse’s office, filling out paperwork. In her mid-thirties, with bleached blonde hair showing dark roots, she was an attractive lady. She wore a white nurse’s smock, tight Wranglers and boots. The way she smiled when Austin introduced himself made him feel like Tweety Bird about to be consumed by the big bad cat.
“What can I do for you?” she asked.
“I need information about last night’s autopsy. Actually, not the procedure itself, but something else.”
A cloud came over her painted face. “Like what?”
Austin didn’t see any point in beating around the bush. “An article of clothing is missing, and Doc Baines claims you were the only one with access to the storage unit.”
Her heavily made up face flamed. “Doc accused me of losing evidence? That miserable old shit.”
Interesting. So they weren’t as cozy as Doc had insinuated. Austin cocked one hip on her desk and let his leg swing as if he had all the time in the world. “Did you? Steal evidence?”
“Hell no!”
“Do you know any reason why Doc would accuse you?”
She jumped to her feet and began to pace. “No. Absolutely not.” She stopped and faced him. “You’re certain Doc said I took something? Why would he do that? He might be a cranky old fart, but to say something like that. I’ll be damned.”
With a shrug, he said, “You tell me why he’d throw you under the bus.”
“I don’t know. We’ve never had any serious problems. Just little disagreements here and there.” She looked ready to vomit. “What did he say I took?”
“You know I can’t tell you that,” Austin said. “But if you’re guilty, you would already know.”
“I don’t. I swear. I need that job. Why would I risk it all for nothing?” She shook her head and not one hair moved. He wondered how much spray it took to get it locked in place like that. “This makes no sense.”
He had to agree. Of course, most criminals didn’t jump to confess, but what reason would she have for taking the buckle and hiding it in Jamie’s bed? Why would the coroner accuse her? Austin couldn’t see him sneaking it into Jamie’s house, either. “Do you have a key to the morgue?”
She nodded. “Yes. Doc gave me one in case I get there before him.”
“May I see it?”
“Of course.” She moved to her desk, opened the bottom drawer and withdrew her leather purse. She dug around in it and lifted a key ring. A frown flitted over her face. “It’s not here.”
“The morgue key?” He wasn’t surprised.
“Yeah. It’s not here, and neither is the one to the filing cabinet.” Her hands shook. “Someone took them.”
“Where did you go after the autopsy?”
“The Moon. I was a little shaken. I knew Kate, went to a few rodeos with her. I thought a drink might help.”
Austin waited.
“I had a few too many.” She blanched. “I got a ride home.”
“From who?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. A man.”
“You were that drunk?”
“I shouldn’t have been. I only had two.” She bit her lip. “I think.”
Had someone slipped her a date rape drug? Sounded like it. “Can you recall who you were talking to before you got drunk?”
“No.”
He’d make a stop at The Moon on his way back to the sheriff’s office. “Do you have anything against Sheriff English?”
“Jamie?” She looked genuinely surprised. “No, I voted for her dad. As far as I can tell, she’s doing a good job. Like everyone else, I wish her people would find our missing girls, but I know she’s doing her best with a small staff and not a lot of resources.”
He glanced into the hallway when a few giggling teens passed by. “Did you know the girls who went to school here?”
“Sure. Confluence’s a tiny town and this is a small high school. Everyone knows everybody else.”
“Can you think of a reason they might have taken off?”
She pursed her lips. “That was a quick change of subject, Deputy.”
He waited without responding.
“Like I told Deputy Thomas, no, I don’t have a clue. Both girls seemed to get along well with everyone else. They had no problems I ever noticed.” She looked at her open door and lowered her voice. “Nothing out of the ordinary anyway.”
“You ever hear anything about either being connected to witchcraft?”
She fidgeted. “Nothing concrete.”
“Care to share?”
She paused, and he thought she was going to spill something juicy. Then a shadow crossed her door and she clammed up tighter than a horseshoe to a hoof. “I don’t know anything, and I need to get back to work. Unless you’re arresting me—?”
Austin stood and touched the brim of his hat. “Not today.”
~*~
The Moon was empty except for a short blonde with spiky hair mopping the floor. Austin straddled a barstool and waited until she circled behind the bar. “Coffee. Black.” He waited until she served it before asking, “You Misty?”
“I am.” She looked wary. “Why?”
“Did you work with Rosie White?”
“Yeah.”
He showed his badge. “I’m looking for her. Anything you could tell me would be helpful. She have a boyfriend? Anyone special?”
“Not that I knew about,” Misty said. “She dated Mark a few times.”
“The bartender here?”
“Yeah.”
“They have any problems? Any reason he’d want to harm her?” Austin tasted the god-awful brew they called coffee.
“Not at all. Mark loves her.” She looked around. “She wasn’t as into him as he was her, though. She liked that Mexican cop.”
“Benny Torres?”
“Yeah. She had a big thing for him.” She grabbed a rag and wiped the bar top. “Always talking about him. Trying to get him to notice her.”
“Did they date?”
“I don’t think so. He’s a snob.” She twisted the rag in her hands. “He thinks he’s above the rest of us.”
“Was he here the night Rosie went missing? Could she have tried to hook up with him?”
She frowned. “I can’t remember. Maybe.”
“What about Tad Carver? Was he here?”
“The blond cop? Kind of mean? Lousy tipper?” She dunked the rag again. “Yeah, he was here. He’s always here. I remember that night because he was hitting on Rosie, and it was making her spitting mad that he wouldn’t lay off. Even after she asked him to several times.”
“I’ve heard she was kind of wild. Why wasn’t she responding to Carver’s advances?”
“She didn’t like him, Agent. Besides, she thought if she did anything with him, it would ruin her chances with Benny Torres.”
“What about last night? Was Carver here?”
“I don’t know. I was off.” She shrugged. “But it’s likely. He practically lives in this place.”
“Was Mark working last night?”
“No. We have the same nights off. It was probably our fill-in guy. He lives over in Chipeta. Comes up to cover for Mark.” She began scrubbing a spot on the gleaming bar. “Not that Mark likes him.”
“Why not?” Austin lifted the cup, then set it back down without tasting.
“Because he’s always high and Mark hates that shit.”
“High on what?” Austin leaned forward. “Coke?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” She tossed the rag in a bucket. “I better get back to work, Agent.”
He slid off the barstool. “Thanks for your help.”
Her eyes were bleak. “Don’t thank me. Just find Rosie.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Dani grabbed Jamie’s hand. “Come on, Mommy.”
Jam
ie’s aching head pounded as Dani dragged her across the parking lot. After a quick hug, Dani streaked away to meet her team and coaches across the field. Jamie nodded at several parents as she took her seat next to Rae. Her mom had insisted on coming to watch the game, but Jamie was certain she was actually keeping an eye on her, not Dani.
As the crowd waited for the game to start, someone behind Jamie tapped her on the shoulder. She looked around into the angry face of one of the girl’s father. He’d moved here recently and she had never met him before. “Taking a night off, Sheriff?”
She twisted around so she could face him. “Watching my daughter’s game, just like you.”
“Sitting here while our women are vanishing like flies in the rain?” He sneered. “Why aren’t you out looking for whoever did it?”
“I assure you that we’re doing everything we can.” Jamie fought to rein in her temper. “My team is on duty tonight.”
The man’s lip curled into an ugly ribbon. “Shouldn’t you be leading the charge, not sitting here doing nothing?”
Rae started to rise out of her seat, and Jamie put a hand on her arm. “Mom, it’s okay. I assure you, I am doing everything I can to find the girls. But right now, I’m watching my little girl play soccer.”
“I won’t be voting for your father next election.” He sat back with a huff. “He never should have put a girl with no experience in charge around here.”
Jamie glanced around and saw the same doubt and anger on several familiar faces. She opened her mouth to defend herself, then changed her mind, nodded once and turned back toward the field.
Rae patted her hand. “Don’t let them get to you, baby. Everyone knows you’re doing your best.”
“Not everyone,” Jamie muttered.
“Everyone who matters,” Rae said loyally.
Jamie sighed. “Thanks, Mom.”
Dani’s team scored and Jamie wished she could celebrate like the other parents. But the back cloud hanging over her kept her from true joy. Maybe she should step down. God knew she wasn’t making any progress in locating the women.
Maybe her team had a fresh perspective.
She needed to talk to them.
