Chapter 5
FIVE
Amanda explained the situation to Malone, and he was sending backup ASAP but cleared them to proceed. Maybe the chemical smell was nothing more than the home being deep cleaned for the showing. She wished she could believe that, but every nerve ending in her body was saying they were too late.
Several pieces of abstract artwork lined the wall along the staircase going up to the second level. “There’s not one distinctive touch. It’s like no one is even living here.”
“Staging. It’s about eliminating clutter and personal mementos, including photographs. It’s supposed to help potential buyers see themselves in the home.”
She could understand the logic. “Someone’s in the know. And how did you come to possess this knowledge? You selling your house?”
“Nope. Kelsey loves watching those home shows. The makeovers, the flips, the buy ’em and sell ’em. Or I should say, she’s obsessed with them.”
“I see.” She rarely had five minutes to watch TV, and whenever she dropped onto the couch, she was quickly nodding off. Sitting still didn’t happen often. Maybe this week, she didn’t need to cram every minute with something.
They went up the stairs, and the chemical smell became stronger. But there was a strange sound that Amanda couldn’t place. She looked at Trent, who must have heard it too.
“Prince William County PD,” Trent called out.
No response.
Amanda hurried her steps as she followed the direction of the sound.
She entered the primary bedroom, a magnificent setting for rest and rejuvenation from the trayed ceilings to the soothing paint colors on the walls, the furniture, and the bedding.
There was a sitting area next to a window overlooking the yard.
One door led to an en suite bathroom, and Amanda glanced in on her way by. A jacuzzi tub and marble everywhere.
The noise became more defined and pinpointed.
“It’s coming from under the bed,” she said.
Trent bent over and looked under but was quick to straighten back up. His face was pale as he took out his flashlight without saying a word and shined the beam under the bed.
Amanda got down on her knees.
A robot vacuum was stuck on a blue polyethylene tarp. Something was inside it.
That’s one way of storing something…
But as Amanda visibly traced the shape of its contents, another smell hit Amanda’s nose. Faint but unmistakable. Decomp.
Now there was no question in her mind about what she was seeing. “There’s a body in there.”