teddy bear propped up in the corner on top of a set of drawers.
“There’s blood on the bear’s face,” she said, touching its ear.
If only it could talk, Anya thought. She pictured her own son having conversations with his soft Dalmatian puppy when he was supposed to be asleep. That dog had been with him for every milestone of his five years, whether it was tucked inside a kindergarten bag or snuggled in his bed.
This bear’s fur was well worn in patches. One arm and hand were particularly threadbare. It, too, looked as though it had been through a lot and for a while had been inseparable from its owner. The blood spatters across its fur made the scene suddenly even more vile.
Anya moved toward the wall. Above chest height, small stains marked the wall nearest the foot of the bed. Each series of fine droplets was splayed in vertical lines.
Kate’s gloved hands flicked through some magazines on the night stand and routinely tipped them up for notes or missing pages—any possible clue. “Has anyone located the panties?”
Jeff shook his head. “Not that I’m aware. Maybe they were taken as a souvenir.”
“Did someone mention missing knickers?”
Anya turned and looked up to see the grinning face of John Zimmer from the crime scene team. With his usual blue overalls and baseball cap, he held a digital camera around his neck.
“Guys, I’m serious. If they’re here, I’ll find them.”
Anya caught Liz rolling her eyes. Kate tensed her shoulders and jaw.
Doctor Sales looked up. “Anya, what’s caught your attention?”
The pair moved closer to the wall.
“It’s cast-off from the weapon. Can’t be arterial spurts, there’s not enough blood and the force isn’t strong enough. The droplets are too fine.”
She turned and faced the body. “My guess is that the killer was on the bed, probably straddled on top when he stabbed her.” She lifted her fist above her shoulder with a slightly bent elbow. “He used a lot of force because he’s pulled the knife out and up. The blood’s come from the knife and traveled backward through the air. And he’s done it more than once.” She looked over at the bear.
Zimmer smiled again. “Top of the class. Why can’t my officers be more like you?”
“Then they wouldn’t sleep with you,” Kate quipped. She turned to Anya. “Your lot don’t usually bother with blood spatter patterns.”
Jeff Sales joined in. “Can you blame us—if it’s not in the report to the coroner and directly relevant to cause and manner of death, there’s no point. And some lawyer will tear us apart in court anyway for going beyond our level of expertise.”
Anya knew he was right, but she had been around enough crime scenes to learn a lot more than study and exams had taught her.
“Ah, might have just found the missing item of clothing.” With latex-covered hands, Zimmer reached down behind the set of drawers. Wedged between the wall and the back was a pink piece of material.
Zimmer carefully unfolded the item. It turned out to be a small cropped top.
“Jackpot! Look at the size of this little beauty.”
Liz whacked Zimmer’s back with her hand. “For Pete’s sake, show some respect—”
“I was.” Zimmer held up the top indignantly. “I was merely worshipping at the altar of good fortune. What we have here is akin to perfection. A bloodstained fingerprint.”
Liz blushed. “With your track record, what was I supposed to think?”
“Don’t sweat it. If I didn’t deserve it this time, you probably owed me one anyway.”
Anya knew Zimmer had a point. He frequently pushed the boundaries of decency with female officers and techs. She also knew how seriously he took his work, which was how he redeemed himself.
He proudly clutched his find.
“If the bastard’s on file, we’ve just nailed Rachel’s killer.”
7
Anya signed over the forensic specimens to Shaun Wheeler who dropped her home on his way to the crime lab.
She appreciated not having to
“There’s blood on the bear’s face,” she said, touching its ear.
If only it could talk, Anya thought. She pictured her own son having conversations with his soft Dalmatian puppy when he was supposed to be asleep. That dog had been with him for every milestone of his five years, whether it was tucked inside a kindergarten bag or snuggled in his bed.
This bear’s fur was well worn in patches. One arm and hand were particularly threadbare. It, too, looked as though it had been through a lot and for a while had been inseparable from its owner. The blood spatters across its fur made the scene suddenly even more vile.
Anya moved toward the wall. Above chest height, small stains marked the wall nearest the foot of the bed. Each series of fine droplets was splayed in vertical lines.
Kate’s gloved hands flicked through some magazines on the night stand and routinely tipped them up for notes or missing pages—any possible clue. “Has anyone located the panties?”
Jeff shook his head. “Not that I’m aware. Maybe they were taken as a souvenir.”
“Did someone mention missing knickers?”
Anya turned and looked up to see the grinning face of John Zimmer from the crime scene team. With his usual blue overalls and baseball cap, he held a digital camera around his neck.
“Guys, I’m serious. If they’re here, I’ll find them.”
Anya caught Liz rolling her eyes. Kate tensed her shoulders and jaw.
Doctor Sales looked up. “Anya, what’s caught your attention?”
The pair moved closer to the wall.
“It’s cast-off from the weapon. Can’t be arterial spurts, there’s not enough blood and the force isn’t strong enough. The droplets are too fine.”
She turned and faced the body. “My guess is that the killer was on the bed, probably straddled on top when he stabbed her.” She lifted her fist above her shoulder with a slightly bent elbow. “He used a lot of force because he’s pulled the knife out and up. The blood’s come from the knife and traveled backward through the air. And he’s done it more than once.” She looked over at the bear.
Zimmer smiled again. “Top of the class. Why can’t my officers be more like you?”
“Then they wouldn’t sleep with you,” Kate quipped. She turned to Anya. “Your lot don’t usually bother with blood spatter patterns.”
Jeff Sales joined in. “Can you blame us—if it’s not in the report to the coroner and directly relevant to cause and manner of death, there’s no point. And some lawyer will tear us apart in court anyway for going beyond our level of expertise.”
Anya knew he was right, but she had been around enough crime scenes to learn a lot more than study and exams had taught her.
“Ah, might have just found the missing item of clothing.” With latex-covered hands, Zimmer reached down behind the set of drawers. Wedged between the wall and the back was a pink piece of material.
Zimmer carefully unfolded the item. It turned out to be a small cropped top.
“Jackpot! Look at the size of this little beauty.”
Liz whacked Zimmer’s back with her hand. “For Pete’s sake, show some respect—”
“I was.” Zimmer held up the top indignantly. “I was merely worshipping at the altar of good fortune. What we have here is akin to perfection. A bloodstained fingerprint.”
Liz blushed. “With your track record, what was I supposed to think?”
“Don’t sweat it. If I didn’t deserve it this time, you probably owed me one anyway.”
Anya knew Zimmer had a point. He frequently pushed the boundaries of decency with female officers and techs. She also knew how seriously he took his work, which was how he redeemed himself.
He proudly clutched his find.
“If the bastard’s on file, we’ve just nailed Rachel’s killer.”
7
Anya signed over the forensic specimens to Shaun Wheeler who dropped her home on his way to the crime lab.
She appreciated not having to
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