respond. “I have orders from Sheriff Blackwood to stay here with you.”
Since David
liked Anna and trusted her judgment, he decided to honor it. It wasn’t like he
had much choice.
“Right. You can
stay. Everyone else – please see yourselves out.” Although David had a somewhat
rude demeanor, people had become used to it and didn’t take it personally. Once
everyone left the room, David and Jason carefully removed the body from the bag
and stood over it, staring. Aaron walked up to join them.
“Take a look at
this, son,” David said as he lifted the head to reveal the long, yellow object
protruding from the back of the neck.
“What the hell
is that?” Jason asked.
“An excellent
question. Quickly, stabilize the head while I attempt to remove it.” Jason did
as he was told. David placed his fingers around the object and lightly pulled
on it.
“It’s in there
good,” he observed. He stuck out his tongue as he worked, trying not to do too
much damage to the neck.
“It looks like
it went in just under the brainstem,” Jason said.
“Good eye,”
David replied. After a few pulls, the object was freed. The three men stood in
silence as they surveyed it. David noted that it was approximately four inches
long. If he didn’t know better, he could have sworn it was a tooth.
“That’s damned
sharp,” Aaron said. “We may have the murder weapon.”
“That may be
true, but we cannot yet be sure,” David said. “From the looks of it, and I’m
just taking an educated guess here, it was inserted into the neck prior to
death.”
“This would have
killed him, right?” Jason asked.
David frowned.
“Well it probably wouldn’t have helped him much.”
Aaron stifled a
laugh.
“A strange
specimen,” David continued. “From the looks of it, I would say it’s a tooth.”
“Are you
shitting me?” Aaron cried. David ignored him.
“Perhaps an
animal tooth that has been sharpened. Maybe even a small claw that has been
stained.” David laughed at himself for thinking that someone would paint a claw
yellow.
“Dad?” Jason
asked, excited.
“Yes, you need
to drive this to the university and give it to Dr. Bearson. He should be able
to tell us what animal this comes from.”
“Are you sure
it’s an animal?” Aaron asked.
“As sure as I
can be at this point.”
“Is there any part
of the autopsy that will help to reveal what may have happened to Mr.
Brickton?” Aaron asked. It seemed obvious he was not very comfortable with his
surroundings.
“Outside of the
wounds to the neck, I doubt anything I find will have been inflicted by the
killer. But then again, one can never be sure. I need to let the body tell me
the story.”
“Okay, then,”
Aaron said. “I need to get to the station and let Sheriff Blackwood know what’s
going on.”
“Then I suppose
you should be on your way,” David urged. “Give Anna my regards.” Aaron walked
through the door. Once David heard the cruiser start up and drive away, he
turned to his son.
“So what do you
think, Dad?” Jason asked.
“I think it’s
too early to think anything,” he said. “We are scientists, Jason. We don’t
speculate. But I do know two things.”
“And they are?”
“First, whatever
this might be is what killed Mr. Brickton.”
“And second?”
“No animal could
have done this.” David resumed his work on the body. Jason stood motionless,
his jaw slightly open in shock.
“Don’t you have
a trip to take?” David asked his son.
“But it’s over
an hour away,” Jason said.
“Stop whining.
Call Dr. Bearson on your way and let him know you will see him first thing in
the morning. Or better yet, if he isn’t busy, have him meet you halfway so we
can talk to him tonight.”
“That seems like
an imposition.”
“Well, I’m sure
Mr. Brickton would disagree. As would the next victim.”
“The next
victim?” Jason asked, worried.
“I doubt this is
the last we’ll see of this,” he said as he pointed to
Since David
liked Anna and trusted her judgment, he decided to honor it. It wasn’t like he
had much choice.
“Right. You can
stay. Everyone else – please see yourselves out.” Although David had a somewhat
rude demeanor, people had become used to it and didn’t take it personally. Once
everyone left the room, David and Jason carefully removed the body from the bag
and stood over it, staring. Aaron walked up to join them.
“Take a look at
this, son,” David said as he lifted the head to reveal the long, yellow object
protruding from the back of the neck.
“What the hell
is that?” Jason asked.
“An excellent
question. Quickly, stabilize the head while I attempt to remove it.” Jason did
as he was told. David placed his fingers around the object and lightly pulled
on it.
“It’s in there
good,” he observed. He stuck out his tongue as he worked, trying not to do too
much damage to the neck.
“It looks like
it went in just under the brainstem,” Jason said.
“Good eye,”
David replied. After a few pulls, the object was freed. The three men stood in
silence as they surveyed it. David noted that it was approximately four inches
long. If he didn’t know better, he could have sworn it was a tooth.
“That’s damned
sharp,” Aaron said. “We may have the murder weapon.”
“That may be
true, but we cannot yet be sure,” David said. “From the looks of it, and I’m
just taking an educated guess here, it was inserted into the neck prior to
death.”
“This would have
killed him, right?” Jason asked.
David frowned.
“Well it probably wouldn’t have helped him much.”
Aaron stifled a
laugh.
“A strange
specimen,” David continued. “From the looks of it, I would say it’s a tooth.”
“Are you
shitting me?” Aaron cried. David ignored him.
“Perhaps an
animal tooth that has been sharpened. Maybe even a small claw that has been
stained.” David laughed at himself for thinking that someone would paint a claw
yellow.
“Dad?” Jason
asked, excited.
“Yes, you need
to drive this to the university and give it to Dr. Bearson. He should be able
to tell us what animal this comes from.”
“Are you sure
it’s an animal?” Aaron asked.
“As sure as I
can be at this point.”
“Is there any part
of the autopsy that will help to reveal what may have happened to Mr.
Brickton?” Aaron asked. It seemed obvious he was not very comfortable with his
surroundings.
“Outside of the
wounds to the neck, I doubt anything I find will have been inflicted by the
killer. But then again, one can never be sure. I need to let the body tell me
the story.”
“Okay, then,”
Aaron said. “I need to get to the station and let Sheriff Blackwood know what’s
going on.”
“Then I suppose
you should be on your way,” David urged. “Give Anna my regards.” Aaron walked
through the door. Once David heard the cruiser start up and drive away, he
turned to his son.
“So what do you
think, Dad?” Jason asked.
“I think it’s
too early to think anything,” he said. “We are scientists, Jason. We don’t
speculate. But I do know two things.”
“And they are?”
“First, whatever
this might be is what killed Mr. Brickton.”
“And second?”
“No animal could
have done this.” David resumed his work on the body. Jason stood motionless,
his jaw slightly open in shock.
“Don’t you have
a trip to take?” David asked his son.
“But it’s over
an hour away,” Jason said.
“Stop whining.
Call Dr. Bearson on your way and let him know you will see him first thing in
the morning. Or better yet, if he isn’t busy, have him meet you halfway so we
can talk to him tonight.”
“That seems like
an imposition.”
“Well, I’m sure
Mr. Brickton would disagree. As would the next victim.”
“The next
victim?” Jason asked, worried.
“I doubt this is
the last we’ll see of this,” he said as he pointed to
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