teaching purposes. The biggest plot we ever scan with students is maybe ten meters square. Sorry,” she added when he scowled. “If you need an area that big scanned I can recommend some geophysical survey companies that are really good. They’ll have bigger units they can drag with a tractor.”
“With big price tags,” he said. “We can’t afford to hire a contractor. Our department budgets have been cut so much . . . We simply don’t have the funds.” He threw her a cautious glance. “Can you give us four or five hours?”
She checked her watch. Her stomach had already started to rumble. “Can your department budget spring for pizza? I didn’t have lunch.”
“That we can do.”
Chapter Three
Philadelphia, Sunday, January 14, 2:30 P.M.
V ito stopped the truck behind the CSU van. “This is the place.”
“I kind of figured that out for myself,” she murmured. “The yellow police tape and CSU van were my first clues.” Before he could say another word she opened her door and hopped out, flinched, then swallowed hard.
“It’s strong,” he said sympathetically. “
Eau de
. . . what did you call it?”
“
L’odeur de la mort,
” she said quietly. “Is the body still here?”
“No. But removing the body doesn’t always remove all the odor right away. I can get you a mask, but I don’t think it really helps.”
She shook her head and the big hoops at her ears swayed. “I was just surprised. I’ll be fine.” Her jaw set determinedly, she grabbed the two smaller cases. “I’m ready.”
She said it with a hard little nod, more as if to convince herself than anyone else.
Nick climbed from the CSU van and Vito had the satisfaction of seeing his partner’s face go blank. Jen McFain’s reaction was much the same. Of course they weren’t getting the full effect as Johannsen had braided the hair that hung an inch past her butt.
“Jen, Nick, this is Dr. Johannsen.”
Jen hurried forward with a smile, craning her neck to see Johannsen’s face. The difference in the women’s heights was almost comical. “I’m Jennifer McFain, CSU. Thank you so much for coming out to help us on such short notice, Dr. Johannsen.”
“You’re welcome. And please call me Sophie,” she said.
“Then I’m Jen.” Jen eyed the small suitcases. “I’ve always wanted to play with one of these. If you don’t mind, could you take off the earrings?”
Johannsen immediately dropped her earrings into one of the pockets of her jacket. “Sorry. I forgot I had them on.” She glanced over Jen’s shoulder at Nick. “You are?”
“Nick Lawrence,” Nick said. “Vito’s partner. Thanks for coming.”
“My pleasure. If you’d take me to where you’d like me to begin, I’ll get set up.”
They walked across the field, Jen and Johannsen in front, Vito and Nick trailing far enough behind that they wouldn’t be overheard.
“She’s not . . . what I expected,” Nick murmured.
Vito huffed a chuckle. He was keeping himself calm, cool, and collected. And would continue to do so. “That’s an understatement.”
“You’re sure she’s Katherine’s friend? She seems very young.”
“I did finally get in touch with Katherine. Johannsen’s the real deal all right.”
“And you’re sure she can keep this to herself?”
Vito thought of the memory-zapping gun and had to smile. “Yeah.” Then they came to the grave and he sobered. Now they would know if Jane Doe was a single or one of many.
Johannsen was staring at the grave. Her mouth drooped and he remembered how she’d dropped her eyes, ashamed of the calloused way she’d referred to the body. She hadn’t meant it, he knew. That she was so quick to apologize he could respect. She looked over her shoulder and met his eyes. “You found the woman here?”
“Yes.”
“The field is big. Do you have a preference on where you’d like me to start?”
“Dr. Johannsen thinks it will take four or five hours to scan the whole field,” Vito
“With big price tags,” he said. “We can’t afford to hire a contractor. Our department budgets have been cut so much . . . We simply don’t have the funds.” He threw her a cautious glance. “Can you give us four or five hours?”
She checked her watch. Her stomach had already started to rumble. “Can your department budget spring for pizza? I didn’t have lunch.”
“That we can do.”
Chapter Three
Philadelphia, Sunday, January 14, 2:30 P.M.
V ito stopped the truck behind the CSU van. “This is the place.”
“I kind of figured that out for myself,” she murmured. “The yellow police tape and CSU van were my first clues.” Before he could say another word she opened her door and hopped out, flinched, then swallowed hard.
“It’s strong,” he said sympathetically. “
Eau de
. . . what did you call it?”
“
L’odeur de la mort,
” she said quietly. “Is the body still here?”
“No. But removing the body doesn’t always remove all the odor right away. I can get you a mask, but I don’t think it really helps.”
She shook her head and the big hoops at her ears swayed. “I was just surprised. I’ll be fine.” Her jaw set determinedly, she grabbed the two smaller cases. “I’m ready.”
She said it with a hard little nod, more as if to convince herself than anyone else.
Nick climbed from the CSU van and Vito had the satisfaction of seeing his partner’s face go blank. Jen McFain’s reaction was much the same. Of course they weren’t getting the full effect as Johannsen had braided the hair that hung an inch past her butt.
“Jen, Nick, this is Dr. Johannsen.”
Jen hurried forward with a smile, craning her neck to see Johannsen’s face. The difference in the women’s heights was almost comical. “I’m Jennifer McFain, CSU. Thank you so much for coming out to help us on such short notice, Dr. Johannsen.”
“You’re welcome. And please call me Sophie,” she said.
“Then I’m Jen.” Jen eyed the small suitcases. “I’ve always wanted to play with one of these. If you don’t mind, could you take off the earrings?”
Johannsen immediately dropped her earrings into one of the pockets of her jacket. “Sorry. I forgot I had them on.” She glanced over Jen’s shoulder at Nick. “You are?”
“Nick Lawrence,” Nick said. “Vito’s partner. Thanks for coming.”
“My pleasure. If you’d take me to where you’d like me to begin, I’ll get set up.”
They walked across the field, Jen and Johannsen in front, Vito and Nick trailing far enough behind that they wouldn’t be overheard.
“She’s not . . . what I expected,” Nick murmured.
Vito huffed a chuckle. He was keeping himself calm, cool, and collected. And would continue to do so. “That’s an understatement.”
“You’re sure she’s Katherine’s friend? She seems very young.”
“I did finally get in touch with Katherine. Johannsen’s the real deal all right.”
“And you’re sure she can keep this to herself?”
Vito thought of the memory-zapping gun and had to smile. “Yeah.” Then they came to the grave and he sobered. Now they would know if Jane Doe was a single or one of many.
Johannsen was staring at the grave. Her mouth drooped and he remembered how she’d dropped her eyes, ashamed of the calloused way she’d referred to the body. She hadn’t meant it, he knew. That she was so quick to apologize he could respect. She looked over her shoulder and met his eyes. “You found the woman here?”
“Yes.”
“The field is big. Do you have a preference on where you’d like me to start?”
“Dr. Johannsen thinks it will take four or five hours to scan the whole field,” Vito
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