Page 80 of Little Girls Sleeping

Katie nodded. “I’m sorry, is this too much for you?”

“Uh, no, it’s okay. Anything to help.”

“Please take a look.”

“Why in the world would anyone… Those poor girls.” He picked up the photo showing the end pieces. “Whoever made this is a master craftsman. See here.” He indicated the detail. “This is dovetailing, and it’s some of the best I’ve seen. This isn’t just a carpenter, but an artisan.”

“So someone who built houses wouldn’t be this skilled?”

“Not in my experience. This person deals with specialty items, custom-made would be my guess.”

Katie thought about it for a moment. In her mind, she skimmed through all the people she had spoken with. None of them had seemed especially gifted in woodworking specialties.

“What are you thinking?” asked McGaven.

“It never occurred to me that someone might have ordered the coffins from an experienced business. They could have bought them online or from a company or individual in any other state.”

Charles pointed at another photo. “If you look closely here, the grain matches up perfectly. So I doubt this was made on an assembly line, but rather, from a special section of wood.”

Katie looked at him. “Would you know of anyone who could do this type of woodworking with such precision or attention to detail?” She watched his response and body language as he appeared to be searching his recollection.

“Of course, there are many people in town who could make a coffin, but that extra care and craftsmanship is something else.” He looked at the photograph again. “There’s this wood workshop and store just west as you go toward the town of Stewart.”

McGaven nodded. “I know it.”

“It’s a place where people who might create something like this congregate,” said Charles.

“We’ll take that under advisement,” said Katie. “Is there anything else you can tell us from these photographs?”

He paused, and then shook his head. “I’m sorry, nothing else comes to mind.”

“Thank you, Charles, it’s appreciated,” Katie said.

As Katie and McGaven sat in the SUV, Katie’s phone alerted with a text. It was from the forensic supervisor, with some information about the fabric from inside the coffins:The silk is specially dyed that shade of pink and three textiles companies carry it: Colors Fabrics, Chinese Silk Company, and Fabric by the Yard. Hope this helps.

McGaven read the message over her shoulder. “Are we going to visit those warehouses?”

“Two are in Sacramento and the other is located in San Jose. Let’s see if we can get some information from them about anyone ordering that fabric. I’ll ask Denise to call them and then take it from there,” Katie said. She was completely exhausted and thought she would cut out of work early. She wanted to pick apart everything the investigation had yielded to date.

She quickly replied to the text with a thank you.

“That’s it?” said McGaven.

“What?”

“You should say something a little bit nicer. You know… make it sound like you’re approachable and not this hard-ass ex-military homicide detective.”

“Is that how you see me?”

“Well, you are a bit difficult to get to know. I would say, guarded.”

Katie turned the key and the SUV roared to life. She backed up and then made a three-point turn heading back down the long driveway. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The deputy stared at her, trying not to smile.

She laughed. “I promise. I’m just not one of those soft, cuddly kitten girls.”

“Wow, now I can’t get that image out of my mind,” said McGaven. “Hey, you know you look tired.”