“Please let me see her, Dad.
Chris picked up his tablet.
“When I said I couldn’t, there was a reason, Caspian, and not the one you think.”
He looked up.
In that moment, to save this man, Chris lied his ass off.
“We don’t have her body here, Caspian. We released her to the tribe. While we loved Rayna, she wasn’t ours. She belongs to her people. They have very specific ways of handling their dead. They don’t allow autopsies, and they have to be prepared for the Happy Hunting Grounds a certain way.”
Well, that was mostly the truth.
A tear dripped down his face.
“She’s gone?” he asked, knowing that her father would never let him see her.
Lance RunningWolf hated his guts.
“Unfortunately, yes. Once the notify was done, he wanted her moved,” he offered,PRAYINGthat the man wouldn’t speak to the Reservation Chief.
Chris was hoping the man’s dislike would keep Caspian away from him.
If he saw him, the shit was hitting the fan.
Chris continued.
“But I did fill out the Certificate of Death. Would you like to see her via film? I can give you that much to help you say goodbye.”
Slowly, he nodded.
And Raphael stared at the man.
What was this?
Was Chris crazy?
Elizabeth had told them allNOTto let Caspian see what had been done. This was the opposite. Was he trying to shove Caspian over the edge?
Truthfully, Caspian needed this to be able to say goodbye, and to see what Devon had done to her.
“Yes, please,” he whispered. “Did she suffer?”
Here’s where Chris protected the other victim in this. Caspian had lost someone he loved, and the family of a victim always needed compassion.
“No, she didn’t. It seems that your concern about her was perfectly timed. He didn’t get a chance to do anything to her. Elizabeth got there before that could happen.”
There was that audible sigh of relief that came from Caspian. In that moment, he was damaged, but not as badly as he could be.
Chris looked up and saw Raphael watching him.
He simply signaled by nodding.
“I would love to have given you time to say goodbye,” he said. “But tribal laws…she was found there. We don’t have jurisdiction even if we suspect it was part of our case.”
Oh, the lies continued.
Caspian found his words.
