victims’ fingernails had snagged fine threads from the clothing they were wearing.”
“You didn’t mention that before,” Lynch said.
“I wasn’t sure if it meant anything. But it’s a bit unusual when it’s the fingers on both hands of both victims.”
“I noticed that,” Dr. Ross said. “But I’m embarrassed to say that it didn’t lead me to the answer that you found. So you think that the clothing on both corpses was changed?”
Kendra nodded. “When we put on shirts and jackets, we move our fingers in the sleeves to navigate past the fabric. The dead, of course, can’t do that. Their fingers get caught at every twist and turn, and their nails snag at the threads. This couple was killed, then their clothes were changed.”
Lynch grimaced. “Who the hell would do something like that?”
“Wayne Shetland,” Kendra said.
“Who?”
“It’s another one of my cases,” Kendra said. “Up in Fresno. Check the file in your tablet. Wayne Shetland murdered his victims, then dressed them in different ways. The press dubbed them the Paper Doll Murders.”
Lynch nodded. “So our copycat replicated another case from your past. He wanted to be absolutely certain that the police would see this for what it was. And he wanted it brought to your attention.”
Dr. Ross sighed. “If you’ll excuse me, I now have still more amendments to make in my report.” He cocked his head at Kendra. “Unless you have something else for me?”
“Not right now, but it’s early yet.” She headed back down the hall. “Thanks, Dr. Ross. I’ll keep you posted.”
* * *
LYNCH’S MOBILE PHONE RANG JUST as they reached his car. He unlocked her door for her but stood outside talking while she climbed inside.
She watched him speaking into the phone, obviously growing more tense and agitated by the moment. Since gaining her sight, she had been fascinated by the visualization of human speech—the delicate interplay of lips, tongue, and teeth. But her burgeoning lip-reading skills were now handicapped by Lynch’s intermittently turning his back to her as he paced. In any case, she didn’t need special skills to know this call wasn’t making Lynch happy.
He finally put away his phone and climbed into the car.
“Bad news?” she asked.
“Annoying news. I have to leave town.”
“When?”
“In about three hours. I’m afraid I’ll have to take you home.”
“Ah-hah. On orders from your boss who’s not really your boss?”
“Something’s come up in D.C. I guess I shouldn’t have cultivated the reputation of being so damn indispensable.”
“Really?” she said mockingly. “How sad that it’s come back to bite you in the ass.” She gave him a sideways glance. “Just out of curiosity, what’s come up?”
“It’s classified.”
“That, I figured. I also figured you would tell me anyway. I believe I’ve proved I can keep a secret.”
He laughed. “Yes, you have.”
“So spill it.”
“What the hell.” He threw up his hands. “Someone in one of the congressional offices has been leaking sensitive information.”
“Leaking it to whom?”
“To whoever will pay the most, probably. Lobbyists, defense contractors, journalists … Depending on what the information is. I’ve been charged with finding the leak and plugging it.”
“When you say ‘plugging,’ you’re not speaking in terms of a 1930s gangster movie, are you?”
He smiled. “As in, plugging someone full of lead? I love this dangerous and romantic conception you have of me.”
Actually, she could see Lynch in that tough, reckless role. The romantic concept was a harder stretch. Unless it was heavy on the sex. There was no question about Lynch’s sexual abilities and inclinations. “I just knows what I sees.”
“Well, no. I’m speaking purely in terms of stopping the leak. I’ve been planting false information during the past few weeks, and this morning it finally yielded something. Unfortunately, our
“You didn’t mention that before,” Lynch said.
“I wasn’t sure if it meant anything. But it’s a bit unusual when it’s the fingers on both hands of both victims.”
“I noticed that,” Dr. Ross said. “But I’m embarrassed to say that it didn’t lead me to the answer that you found. So you think that the clothing on both corpses was changed?”
Kendra nodded. “When we put on shirts and jackets, we move our fingers in the sleeves to navigate past the fabric. The dead, of course, can’t do that. Their fingers get caught at every twist and turn, and their nails snag at the threads. This couple was killed, then their clothes were changed.”
Lynch grimaced. “Who the hell would do something like that?”
“Wayne Shetland,” Kendra said.
“Who?”
“It’s another one of my cases,” Kendra said. “Up in Fresno. Check the file in your tablet. Wayne Shetland murdered his victims, then dressed them in different ways. The press dubbed them the Paper Doll Murders.”
Lynch nodded. “So our copycat replicated another case from your past. He wanted to be absolutely certain that the police would see this for what it was. And he wanted it brought to your attention.”
Dr. Ross sighed. “If you’ll excuse me, I now have still more amendments to make in my report.” He cocked his head at Kendra. “Unless you have something else for me?”
“Not right now, but it’s early yet.” She headed back down the hall. “Thanks, Dr. Ross. I’ll keep you posted.”
* * *
LYNCH’S MOBILE PHONE RANG JUST as they reached his car. He unlocked her door for her but stood outside talking while she climbed inside.
She watched him speaking into the phone, obviously growing more tense and agitated by the moment. Since gaining her sight, she had been fascinated by the visualization of human speech—the delicate interplay of lips, tongue, and teeth. But her burgeoning lip-reading skills were now handicapped by Lynch’s intermittently turning his back to her as he paced. In any case, she didn’t need special skills to know this call wasn’t making Lynch happy.
He finally put away his phone and climbed into the car.
“Bad news?” she asked.
“Annoying news. I have to leave town.”
“When?”
“In about three hours. I’m afraid I’ll have to take you home.”
“Ah-hah. On orders from your boss who’s not really your boss?”
“Something’s come up in D.C. I guess I shouldn’t have cultivated the reputation of being so damn indispensable.”
“Really?” she said mockingly. “How sad that it’s come back to bite you in the ass.” She gave him a sideways glance. “Just out of curiosity, what’s come up?”
“It’s classified.”
“That, I figured. I also figured you would tell me anyway. I believe I’ve proved I can keep a secret.”
He laughed. “Yes, you have.”
“So spill it.”
“What the hell.” He threw up his hands. “Someone in one of the congressional offices has been leaking sensitive information.”
“Leaking it to whom?”
“To whoever will pay the most, probably. Lobbyists, defense contractors, journalists … Depending on what the information is. I’ve been charged with finding the leak and plugging it.”
“When you say ‘plugging,’ you’re not speaking in terms of a 1930s gangster movie, are you?”
He smiled. “As in, plugging someone full of lead? I love this dangerous and romantic conception you have of me.”
Actually, she could see Lynch in that tough, reckless role. The romantic concept was a harder stretch. Unless it was heavy on the sex. There was no question about Lynch’s sexual abilities and inclinations. “I just knows what I sees.”
“Well, no. I’m speaking purely in terms of stopping the leak. I’ve been planting false information during the past few weeks, and this morning it finally yielded something. Unfortunately, our
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