Page 15 of The Whispering Girls (Detective Katie Scott #14)

FOURTEEN

“What is it?” said McGaven barely five feet behind her.

Katie continued to stare at TJ, remembering the pretty young woman at her door. Katie remembered she’d had several ear piercings and a leather beaded choker—all of which were now gone from her face and seemed to be incorporated into the totem.

McGaven joined her and surveyed the body. “Do you know her?”

Katie nodded. “Yes. She was the young woman who knocked on my door and brought me to the first body. She told me her name was TJ. But…that’s not all; her appearance has a striking, if not twin-like, similarity to the first victim, Theresa Jamison.”

“Do you know anything about her?”

“No. She disappeared before the chief showed up. When I described her, no one seemed to know who she was.” Katie turned to see Officer Clark standing near his cruiser watching them and waiting. “Officer Clark, can you come here?”

The officer hesitated, but then hurried over.

“Do you recognize this woman?” said Katie.

Clark took several seconds and shook his head. “I’ve never seen her before.”

“Could you please set up the lights?” she said. “Place them there and there.” Katie indicated on each side of the crime scene area and hoped it would assist in their search.

“On it.” The officer jogged back to his car.

“What do you need?” said McGaven.

“Bags for her hands and feet…and the fabric,” she said. “We need to document with a cell phone until…I don’t know when Jack will get here.”

“Jack?”

“Dr. Thomas.”

McGaven eyed his partner.

“He was the one who worked the last crime scene and stored the body until the county medical examiner’s office can pick up.”

“What about the evidence?”

“The chief said they have to send it to the state lab in Sacramento…”

“That seems extreme. Is there a closer crime lab that can run tests?” he said.

“I’ll see what they can do.” Katie looked back at TJ’s face and remembered how frightened she was about the Woodsman. She would see if McGaven could work his tech-savvy skills to find out more and if there was anything to this fear.

McGaven headed back to the Jeep to get the crime scene supplies they needed. Clark readied the lights and began setting them up. Katie took a few photos of the overall scene, a close-up of TJ’s face, and the totem.

When McGaven returned, headlights emerged into the parking area. Katie could see it was the white truck belonging to Jack .

Jack remained solemn as he carried his kit to the scene. He retrieved his digital camera and readied himself. “Is there anything specific in addition to the usual photos you need?”

It seemed as if something was bothering him. Katie decided not to pry because they all had a job to do. “The totem gathering and any areas that could be entries and exits for the killer.”

He nodded.

“Jack,” she said. “Does this girl look familiar to you?” Maybe he had never heard of a TJ, but he might remember seeing her before.

He studied her and then shook his head. “No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her before.”

“Okay.” If she’d seen TJ, someone else should have seen her as well. They just had to find them.

Katie and McGaven moved out of the way to let Jack work.

“I’m going to check out a few things around the scene,” said McGaven.

Katie nodded as she watched Jack document the area.

He was methodical and moved around with ease.

She had been so shocked by a vet working a crime scene the first time that questions now plagued her mind.

She could tell he felt comfortable and was experienced.

But if the town of Echo Forest had only had one other homicide fifteen years ago, where did he get his training?

There was more to veterinarian Dr. Jack Thomas than he let on.

“Detective,” said Clark, “lights are in place.”

“Thank you. Do you have crime scene tape?”

“Yes.”

“Please rope off the area as far as the two big trees.”

“You got it,” he said and turned to leave.

“Oh…I know it’s late, but can you update the chief or at least leave a text on what’s going on?” said Katie.

“Of course. ”

“Where’s Officer Banning?” she said.

“He’s patrolling and had a couple of prowler calls.”

“I see.”

“Do you need him here?”

“No, I think we have it covered for now. But we are going to need some legwork of canvassing, interviewing people, and making phone calls.” Reality hit Katie hard that they were in a really tiny town with little assistance, which would make everything much more tedious.

Navigating this investigation would be a big learning curve for her and McGaven. Her biggest fear: more victims.

The officer nodded as he returned to his vehicle.

“I have something,” said McGaven.

Katie turned and saw that her partner had been searching the surrounding area, the entrance to the hiking trail. The area was definitely unmaintained and looked long forgotten. She jogged up to her partner, who had searched an old, dented, rusted trash can. “What do you have?”

McGaven carefully pulled out a large clear plastic bag. Inside were some articles of clothing.

“Wait.” She looked closer and saw faux-fur-lined boots. “Those clothes and boots look like what TJ was wearing when I met her. Jack, we need this documented when you get a chance,” she called. “Is there anything else in the can?” she asked McGaven.

“It’s pretty battered and I don’t think anyone has used it in years…” He turned the trash can on its side and reached in farther. He shook his head. “Nothing. Not even an old soda can or bottle.”

“What do you have?” said Jack.

“This bag of clothes that I believe TJ was wearing.”

Jack took the appropriate photographs.

“We’ll wait to take them out,” she said.

“How can we do this without forensics?” McGaven asked .

“We have the best forensic person,” she said.

“But John isn’t here.”

John Blackburn was Pine Valley Sheriff’s Department’s forensic supervisor and part of Katie’s team. His help was integral to their solving of cases.

“That’s where technology comes in,” Katie said.

“Oh, I get it. We’ll get him in a conference call.”

Katie smiled. It was becoming more obvious that they had a bigger task than the average homicide or cold case. They would have to wear other hats in order to get the investigation moving in the right direction; otherwise, the case would be taken over by state or federal law enforcement.

“I think the doc is done with his work,” said McGaven, looking over to the body.

“Then let’s get to work.”