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“I don’t believe you want to keep that as a memento, do you?” Dr. Whitmore asked, holding a large trash bag open. He’d collected everyone’s coveralls and was patiently waiting for hers. His smile was kind, but his eyes were sad, the way she’d seen them at certain crime scenes.
She unzipped the coveralls and peeled it off her clothes. Filled with static electricity, it clung and sparked in protest, but eventually, it was off. She crumpled it into a ball and shoved it into the bag.
“Thank you, my dear,” the medical examiner said.
Without a word and not really knowing why, she stood on her toes and placed a kiss on Whitmore’s cheek. They’d worked together for a few years when she was a San Francisco profiler, and he was the county’s medical examiner before he semiretired to Mount Chester, yet she’d never done that before.
Slack-jawed, the medical examiner watched her as she approached the three young men who’d found the body. They sat on the same boulder as before, uncuffed yet guarded by Novack with undiluted suspicion. They’d buttoned their shirts all the way up, although it was getting hot.
As she approached, the three men stood anxiously. “Where were you last night between six and midnight?”
They looked at one another briefly, then Bryan Danko took a step closer. “We drove from the city yesterday. At about six thirty, we checked into the hotel, then we went to dinner.”
“We had some beers on the restaurant patio,” Pete added.
Kay was losing her patience. “When did you leave the restaurant?”
Bryan’s eyes darted toward Zack, then back at Kay. “About one in the morning?”
“You mean to say that three young men like yourselves spent, what, six hours having dinner?” Novack intervened, uninvited.
Kay stifled a frustrated sigh. The deputy always rushed to conclusions; he wanted to make detective one day and was looking for easy collars to impress Sheriff Logan, but was screwing things up. The hotel had cameras everywhere. The boys’ alibi was an easy one to check.
Unfazed, Bryan grinned. “Pete had his guitar, and when he plays, people come and listen.”
“You’re free to go,” she said, looking around for Elliot. He was bringing the ATV. “Make sure I can find you if I have more questions.” She took one step closer to the three men and lowered her voice. “I better not find any crime scene photos online because I’ll know where they’re coming from, and I’ll hit you with an obstruction charge faster than you can say social media.” She looked at each of the men for a second. “Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Bryan replied, nodding enthusiastically. “You have my word.” The other two followed suit.
Elliot pulled the ATV by her, but she wasn’t ready to leave yet. “We need to find the primary crime scene,” she told Novack. “I need a K-9 here within the hour; clear it with the sheriff first, all right? And confirm with me once they’re inbound.”
The deputy acknowledged her silently. His lips were pressed together tightly, with a hint of disapproval etched on his features. The man carried grudges like no other cop she’d worked with.
She climbed onto the ATV and held on to the bars while Elliot drove downhill through the rugged terrain, the vehicle bouncing on rocks and ruts. A few minutes later, they abandoned the ATV and took Elliot’s Ford, heading back into town.
They traveled in silence for a while, Kay looking at the sky with a frown on her face. Several dark clouds, a rare occurrence for August, had clumped together over the peak of the mountain. In the distance, toward the ocean, more clouds were gathering. She checked her phone. Rain was forecast for later that afternoon. With it, their crime scene would go straight to hell.
“I can’t wrap my mind around it,” Elliot said, stealing a quick glance at her. “Jenna’s clothes, I mean.”
“What about them?”
“Would you climb the ridge wearing a skirt?”
“Why not?” She thought for a moment. Maybe he was on to something. “I, personally, wouldn’t. But Jenna—”
“Isn’t it uncomfortable?” He cleared his voice quietly. “Not seeing where you’re stepping?”
“Skirts, gathered ones especially, give freedom of movement, and they’re comfortable to wear.”
“Gathered?”
“Frumpy ones with lots of fabric.”
“Ah.”
“But you’re right. I would’ve worn that with leggings or something.” A thought ridged her brow. “We might find that at the primary crime scene.”
