30
Anger radiated from Noelle as she walked away from the crime scene.
After Emma left, she and Max had examined the area while Rowan explained how Thor had behaved. She also pointed out the remains of an old rope swing. “Emma turned pale when I asked her about that. I bet someone—probably her father—cut it down as a punishment.”
No wonder Emma wanted away from this place.
Noelle wondered if deep down, Emma had sensed that something violent had happened here.
“What a mess,” said Max. They’d returned to the view of the pile of trash and rubble that had been Emma’s home.
“I know she was shocked at first,” said Noelle, her fury calming a bit. “But now I’m thinking this is a good thing. That place needed to be destroyed. Sort of symbolic, you know?”
“True.” He put a hand on her arm. “What else is bothering you?”
Am I that obvious?
“Belle Beason.” The little girl’s face had been haunting Noelle for hours.
“We really shouldn’t be out here, Max. We need to get back to work on Belle’s case.
All we’re doing right now is waiting around for forensics, and then Dr. Peres will take over if that body has been there for ten years.
” More anger washed over her. “That poor little girl. Her world’s been turned upside down. ”
Max eyed her for a moment, and Noelle realized her last comments could be about Emma or Belle.
“We’ve got twenty other people—at least—following up on those new leads in Belle’s case. Mercy’s going full bore on them and so is Evan,” he told her. “Tips are thinning out. We don’t have near the quantity we did just yesterday.”
“But still—”
“Detective Marshall!”
Noelle spun and was surprised to see Dr. Peres and her assistant walking their way. The forensic anthropologist’s arms were full of tools, and the assistant was pulling a wagon with more equipment.
“Victoria,” Noelle greeted her. “You’re a bit early. Forensics hasn’t even been here yet.”
“Thor knows what he’s found,” said Dr. Peres. “After what happened Sunday, I trust that dog as much as GPR.” She looked from Noelle to Max. “And I understand that it’s likely that body’s been here for ten years, correct?”
“That’s the current theory,” said Max.
“Well, I don’t see any point in waiting, then.” Dr. Peres shifted the heavy bag over her shoulder. “We’ve got good light for another four hours. I’d like to get as far as we can today with this recovery, so if you’d call the county for some lights to use tonight, I’d appreciate it.”
Noelle wanted to hug the woman.
She’s jumping ahead in the process because of Emma.
“Thank you,” said Noelle. “I’ll get you some lights. What else do you need?”
“I’ve got someone else coming with the rest of my equipment. Can you show us the way?”
“Head that way,” said Noelle, pointing. “You can’t miss the yellow tape. I’ll be there in a minute.”
The women strode in that direction, and Max turned to Noelle. “I’ll go back to town and check in with Evan to see where we’re at with Belle Beason,” he told her. “But I don’t think it will be a problem if you stay here for a bit.”
She exhaled in relief. “Thank you. I want an answer for Emma.”
Max glanced around, and seeing no one else, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.
Noelle sank her hands into his hair, relishing the private moment in what had been a long, stressful day.
And wasn’t over yet. He released her, holding her gaze as he gave the wide, warm smile she’d fallen in love with. She touched his bare cheek.
“Sometimes I miss the beard,” she said. “There are no scars from the explosion,” she added. “It’s as if nothing ever happened.”
“Oh, I know that it definitely happened,” he said with a smile. “I was damn lucky.”
“So was I,” she said, feeling the words very, very deeply. She couldn’t imagine her life without him in it.
Dr. Peres’s assistant appeared from the trees and headed their way, no doubt going for another load of equipment.
Noelle gave Max a quick kiss and they said their goodbyes. She caught up with the assistant and offered her help.
A few minutes later Noelle approached Dr. Peres with a stack of buckets, along with some screens to filter the dirt. Dr. Peres had already begun to string a grid across the area.
Here we go.
An hour after, the doctor had removed a few layers of dirt but still hadn’t exposed the remains. She said, “I can tell by the smell that this body hasn’t been here for ten years. It’s a lot more recent.” Her assistant nodded emphatically.
Does that mean it’s not Crystal Chambers?
Eventually they were joined by Dr. Peres’s other assistant and Abby, the forensics tech from the sheriff’s office.
She’d brought the requested lights. Earlier Noelle had driven Emma’s car out to the main road to find cell reception and call Evan to tell him that Dr. Peres was starting the recovery and ask for lights.
It wasn’t long before Dr. Peres announced, “The victim is on its side, sort of curled up. From what little I’ve seen, I’d estimate it’s about eighty percent skeletonized.” She’d barely exposed the remains.
From Noelle’s view she could make out what appeared to be part of a skull and some clothing. The odor had grown stronger as the forensic anthropologist removed more dirt. “Do you want the ME out here?” asked Noelle.
“Can you have a deputy get them a message?” asked Dr. Peres. “They’re not needed tonight. This falls under my purview.” She continued to remove the smallest scoops of dirt as Noelle sent one of the deputies out to the road. Even their radios didn’t work in the area.
Chances were shrinking that this was Emma’s mother. Noelle didn’t know the sex yet, but listening to the doctor and her assistants discuss the amount of decay, the area’s weather patterns, and the type of soil, she gleaned that they believed the person had been there less than a year.
Dr. Peres exposed more of the skull and exchanged a look with her assistants, who both nodded. “The victim is most likely male,” she told Noelle. “Has huge eyebrow ridges. But don’t quote me on the sex yet,” she added quickly.
She’s sure. Even her assistants know.
“Thank you, Victoria,” said Noelle. She’d studied Crystal’s photos. The woman did not have large eyebrow ridges in the slightest.
Could this be Gage?
“Buried in his own backyard?” she mumbled to herself. That would be a slap in the face. Supposedly he’d been murdered by the same militia leader who’d held Emma hostage, who was about as big an asshole as they come. She could imagine that man doing this. He’d been manipulative and vengeful.
“If you don’t mind, Doctor, I’m heading out,” she told Dr. Peres. “The two deputies will stay. Do you think you’ll finish this evening?”
“I don’t want to come back tomorrow. Someone would have to stay overnight to keep an eye on the site,” said Dr. Peres. “So we’ll be here until we’re done.”
“Have one of the deputies contact me if you find something to help identify the body.”
“I will.” Dr. Peres turned back to the victim, her hands gentle as she removed more soil around the skull.
Noelle strode back through the trees and brush.
The sun wouldn’t fully set for another half hour, but the tall ridge behind the property had blocked all direct light for the last hour, making the temperature drop ten degrees.
No doubt Dr. Peres knew Noelle would call Emma with the news that the remains couldn’t be her mother, and since the doctor hadn’t told her not to call Emma, that confirmed Noelle’s suspicion that the doctor was confident about the sex.
It was good news and bad: Crystal hadn’t been buried on their property, but Emma still wouldn’t know what had happened to her mother.
What do I say if Emma asks if it could be her father?
“Wait and see,” Noelle said out loud. If there wasn’t anything identifying with the body, then she’d suggest Emma do a DNA comparison. Noelle got into Emma’s car, drove out to the main road, and pulled over on the shoulder before driving back to town. Her call to Emma went straight to voicemail.
“Hey, give me a call as soon as . . . well . . .” Noelle didn’t want to leave this news on a voicemail, but she also didn’t want to make the young woman wait if Noelle couldn’t answer her phone later.
“The body is male, Emma. Don’t share this with anyone because Dr. Peres isn’t ready to make it official. Call me back.”
Noelle then checked her security system app and saw Emma hadn’t gone back to the house after she left with Ollie. No doubt Ollie had taken her somewhere to keep her spirits up. Max hadn’t been to the house yet either. It had been a long day for everyone, and it wasn’t over yet.
Noelle quickly scanned her voicemail and email and saw nothing that couldn’t wait.
Pia Jones had emailed some more photos of Elise Nunevillier, Sydney’s missing roommate, which reminded Noelle she needed to try Elise’s parents in South Carolina again.
She checked the time. It was after eleven on the East Coast. Rather late for phone calls, but she dialed anyway.
No one had picked up the phone that morning, so maybe this would be a better time to catch someone.
A worried-sounding woman answered the phone. “Hello?”
“I’m Detective Marshall with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Department in Oregon. Is this Kathy Nunevillier?”
“Is this a scam? I swear—”
“I’m calling about Elise, ma’am. Elisabeth.”
The woman went silent for a long moment. “You said Oregon? What about her?” she asked in a flat tone.
Noelle frowned. “Have you heard from her recently?”
“I haven’t heard from Elise in more than a decade,” she said in the same flat tone. “She made it clear she was done with our family, and I respected her wishes.”
That wasn’t the answer I expected.
“Police never call with good news,” Kathy continued. “What happened to her?”
She’s so emotionless.
“We’re trying to find her, Ms. Nunevillier. She may have . . . witnessed a crime. Do you know of anyone who keeps in touch with her?”
“I don’t. One of her old school friends thought she was living in Idaho, but that was years ago. Can’t even remember which friend it was. My husband had bumped into her at a store.”
“Maybe your husband—”
“He passed a year ago.”
Noelle closed her eyes. “I’m very sorry for your loss, Ms. Nunevillier.”
“My only daughter left and now he’s gone. Makes for empty holidays.” Bitterness filled her tone.
“I’m so sorry.” Noelle hated to press the woman any more.
“You said Elisabeth may have witnessed a crime, but you actually mean she may have committed a crime, don’t you? I watch TV. I know how it works.”
“Honestly, we’re not sure what happened. At the moment we don’t know if she committed a crime, witnessed a crime, or is the victim of a crime. We believe she vanished at some point last week.”
“She’s good at that,” said Kathy. “When she left us last time, I thought she’d be back within a month. Instead, she deleted all her social media and blocked our numbers. Haven’t seen or heard a peep since. Sorry I can’t be of any help. And I don’t know who could help.”
“I’m sorry too,” said Noelle.
Now what?
“Um, Detective . . .” The woman paused.
Noelle’s ears pricked up. “Yes?”
“Since you’re looking for her, does that mean you have some current photos?” she asked hesitantly.
She hasn’t seen her daughter in years.
Sympathy for the lonely woman squeezed her heart. “I have a driver’s license photo,” said Noelle. “The other photo we have isn’t good. The brim of a baseball cap covers most of her face.”
“Could you email me a copy of the license photo?”
Noelle couldn’t think of a reason she shouldn’t and asked for her email.
“Thank you, Detective. I appreciate it.”
“Not a problem. I’ll send it when we’re done talking. Hang on to my number in case you think of someone who might know where Elise could be.”
“I will.” She ended the call.
Noelle searched for the license and then cropped the photo to keep Elise’s address private, figuring that if Elise didn’t want her mother to know where she was, then Noelle would respect that. She attached the photo and sent the email.
I hope that gives her some comfort.
Kathy Nunevillier might have first sounded disinterested in her daughter, but Noelle had heard the change in tone when she asked about the photo. The woman was still Elise’s mother.
Noelle sent Max a text: Where are you?
Max: DCSD w/Evan
Noelle: It’s male
Max: Does Emma know?
Noelle: I left a message
Max: Going home?
Noelle: Nope. I’ll see you in 30
He sent a heart and she replied with the same.
Noelle started the car and headed toward Bend, thinking about Kathy Nunevillier’s emotional pain.
Layla Holder and her mother were also estranged for a long time.
Coincidence?