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"Did anyone see Jack around here?" Ethan asked.
Tom shook his head. "No one's seen him. But he's got a place up in the hills, not too far from here."
Rachel nodded. "Can you show us where it is?"
Tom hesitated. "Gotta see..."
"See what?"
He shot a look at Samuel again.
The coroner was now poking around the body, muttering to himself as he stepped one way, then the other, frowning as he did.
"Going to take some time," he said to no one in particular. He shot a look at Rachel, frowned, and shook his head. "I was delayed."
"No rush," she replied. "Well...somerush."
He nodded urgently, sighing and returning his attention to the body.
The coroner added, trying to keep her voice steady, "The more time we waste here, the colder the trail gets."
Tom kept trying to intervene, approaching the coroner in an intimidating manner.
But Ethan stepped forward, blocking the bigger man's path. There was hostility at every turn, Rachel realized, and she was beginning to grow impatient with it.
Tom glowered at them both, his jaw clenched tightly. After a tense moment, he finally stepped aside with a growl, allowing the nervous coroner to proceed.
"Appreciated," Rachel said softly, keeping her irritation in check, watching as the coroner returned his attention to Sarah's body, hands trembling slightly as he continued his examination.
Rachel took a deep breath, inhaling the sharp scent of pine needles mixed with the faint coppery odor of spilled blood. She surveyed the clearing where the body lay, noting the trampled grass and crushed leaves underfoot. Her gaze lingered on the victim, a stark contrast against the verdant backdrop.
"Where do we start?" Ethan asked, his voice hushed but determined. He stood beside her, observing the scene with equal intensity.
He had decided to ignore Samuel and Tom's suspicious gazes. Rachel didn't blame him. She was finding the desire to do the same.
"Footprints, signs of a struggle, anything out of place," Rachel replied, her mind racing through potential evidence. She knew they had to be thorough, lest they miss something crucial.
Ethan nodded, his eyes already scanning the ground for any promising leads. They split up, each taking one side of the small clearing. As Rachel moved cautiously around the perimeter, she couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine - the knowledge that a killer had walked these very grounds haunted her every step.
The area was well-trodden, though. Likely from the children who'd discovered the body.
But as her eyes moved along the ground, she hesitated, her gaze shifting back to the tree.
The arm was wedged in the Y of the lowest branches.
Intentional. The body was left there intentionally.
So she approached the tree, eyes moving along the bark.
And that's when she saw it. A small stain of pink paint caught on a rough patch of bark just a few inches above the arm. She leaned in closer, her fingers reaching out to touch the paint. It was dry to the touch.
"Hey Ethan," she called out, her voice low but urgent. "Come over here."
He rushed over, his eyes scanning the area around the tree. "What did you find?"
Rachel pointed to the paint stain.
Ethan leaned in closer. "Paint?"
