“Don’t wrinkle those khakis.”
He didn’t appreciate the humor in her comment, but apparently both techs did.
“All the way up to the branch he used to secure the rope,” she prompted.
Since he wasn’t vertically challenged like his partner, it wasn’t necessary for him to climb onto that final branch. He could see what she’d discovered by standing on the one just below it.
Letters had been carved into the bark. He frowned, considered what the combination spelled. “How do you know this hasn’t been here for weeks or months?” Anyone, some kid or whatever, could have done this.
“Arborist.”
Braddock sent his partner a look. “An arborist? You had an arborist out here? Today?”
She nodded. “He says the work is fresh. The last forty-eight hours for sure.”
Braddock didn’t even want to know how she’d gotten an arborist out here on such short notice. On Sunday at that.
“Remember the guy I told you about with the shoe fetish?”
Jesus Christ. “I remember.” He definitely didn’t need to hear that story again. “Enough said.”
“He was more than happy to come take a look,” Cooper said with a wicked smile.
“It’s nice to have friends,” Braddock commented, distracted now by the carefully shaped letters. Whoever had done this hadn’t rushed. The work was too meticulous. Perfectly straight. Precisely spaced. Took major balls to spend this much time at the scene of a crime, before or after.
The bastard thought he was untouchable.
The idea that he or one of his minions might have staged the scene first and then come back with the body was gaining ground in Braddock’s opinion.
“I checked with information,” Cooper advised. “There are six listings with that last name. But none whose first name begins with anE.”
Interesting. He doubted it would be a name. A clue to puzzle over, probably. The killer wanted to show Braddock who was boss. This was a game to him. Didn’t matter about the collateral damage.
“Could be something.” Braddock moved down one branch, then jumped to the ground.Could be nothing. He dusted off his khakis. “Whatever it is, you know it won’t be this easy.”
“It never is.” She cocked her head, narrowed her gaze thoughtfully. “I figure it’s an anagram.”
“That makes the most sense.” He reached for his Wayfarers, then slid them into place. “But you’ll have to knock on doors just the same.” They’d spent most of the morning tracking down and interviewing everyone close to Shelley. They still hadn’t located Banks, the ex-boyfriend. But Braddock had a plan in place for that hurdle. They’d have him before this day was over.
He wanted Ricky Banks. Though he didn’t believe for a second Banks was the killer, with the right incentive Banks just might decide he was far more afraid of losing his freedom than he was of the repercussions of seeking immunity.
“Yep,” she agreed. “Gotta follow all leads, no matter how unlikely.” Stripping off her gloves, Cooper started back in the direction of thestreet. “Thanks, guys,” she called to the techs as she ducked under the tape. “Gimme a ring when you finish up here.”
Once beyond the tape, Braddock shed his gloves and shoe covers.
“So, what’d the sister have to say?”
Braddock trailed after his partner, ducked to avoid a limb that went right over her head. “Not much.”
“You think she knows anything that might be useful? Maybe she heard from the vic recently.”
“She doesn’t know anything,” he assured Cooper. “I’ve got Jenkins watching her just in case she makes contact with Banks.” If he knew CJ, she would be pounding the pavement looking for the scumbag. Having Jenkins keep an eye on her was as much for her own protection as it was to observe any contact.
“Good idea. About the other ... did you tell her?”
“No.”
“That’s going to come back to bite you in the ass, partner. She already doesn’t like you. She finds out you’re keeping something like that from her, she’s going to be out for blood.”
