Chapter 8
EIGHT
Ellie filled the disgruntled Deputy Rouse in on Cord’s findings and grimaced as he shrugged off concerns that this death was anything but another suicide on Midnight Ridge.
“I don’t know why you’re trying to make a big deal, but do you know how many jumpers we’ve had around here this year?
” the deputy groused. “It’s almost comical, as if one suicide got so much attention that now everyone wants to be on some Suicide Wall and get their name in the press.
If you look, you’ll find the first two girls’ initials etched on the rocks behind the stream.
Teens are even taking pictures in front of them. ”
Ellie grimaced. She’d have the ERT examine and photograph them.
“For the record, I don’t see anything comical about a young girl’s death,” Ellie said, striving for patience.
“The fact that there has been more than one in this location in one year should raise your suspicions and make you want to put an end to it.”
“I can’t control these crazy chicks who decide to take their own lives,” he mumbled. “The law here is a one-man show. We don’t have enough money or resources to post a guard here to stand watch day and night.”
“Maybe not. But it’s our job to investigate each death that happens under our jurisdiction.
Perhaps you simply want to write it off, but I want to know exactly what happened and this girl’s personal story.
” Ellie pinned him with a challenging look.
“Have you even checked to see if there was any connection between the other girls?”
“They were suicides. What other connection could there possibly be?”
Ellie had to take a deep breath or slap him. The breath it was. Not only was he rude, but he was inept. “You don’t know unless you investigate,” she said tersely.
He shot her a venomous look and ran his hands through his tangled hair. “So you’re one of those, huh?”
“One of those what?” Ellie said, her temper boiling. Local law enforcement didn’t always welcome the help of outsiders, but she detested arrogance and lack of empathy for a lost life.
“Bleeding hearts,” he muttered.
She fisted her hands on her hips. “Listen to me, Deputy, this teenager’s family deserves to know what happened to her and I intend to find out. Since you’re a one-man show as you pointed out, stay in your lane and handle the town. I’m taking over.”
Anger oozed from his pores and he spoke through gritted teeth. “What the hell? You can’t come here and ride roughshod over me.”
Ellie forced a sardonic smile. “Yes, I can. I belong to a task force instigated by the governor to investigate crimes and suspicious deaths along the AT. I’ll be calling in my partner, Special Agent Derrick Fox, so unless you want to be charged with obstruction, stay out of our way.”
He gaped at her, but she left him fuming as she went to meet the ME and ER. She quickly explained about the witness and his statement. “SAR is looking for him.”
“Copy,” Lt. Williams said.
While the ERT set up their equipment, complete with portable floodlights to illuminate the scene, Ellie explained about the witness.
“You think he was involved?” Lt. Williams asked.
Ellie shrugged. “He appeared homeless, was probably seventies, frail and walked with a limp, so it’s doubtful he had the strength to push the girl, especially if she fought. But I’d still like to question him. Maybe he saw something else about the person he thought was with the girl.”
“We’ll search the perimeter for evidence. When Dr. Whitefeather finishes, we’ll collect forensics from the body.”
“Please examine the rocks over there,” Ellie said as she pointed to the boulder the deputy mentioned. “The local deputy said there are initials of the names of the other two suicide victims etched on the rock. That teens are coming here and taking photographs in front of it.”
His eyebrows rose in interest. “You think we’re looking at a suicide pact?”
Ellie shrugged. “It’s possible. It’s also possible that this girl’s killer may have lured her to the ridge to make us think it was a suicide. I want to determine if there’s a connection between her and the other suicides.”
Williams nodded. “We’ll photograph the rock and brush for fingerprints, although no telling who’s touched the rock or the initials.”
“True. Just do the best you can.” She gestured toward the crow feathers. “Definitely catalog detailed shots of the feathers before collecting them. I don’t know exactly what they mean, but I think they’re significant to the crime and could be a killer’s calling card.”
Lt. Williams and his team began working and Ellie turned to the ME. Although it was the middle of the night, Laney looked fresh, her reddish-brown hair held back by a clip, but instead of her black slacks and blouse, she wore jeans, a long T-shirt, jacket and boots.
“If the girl jumped from that ridge, she probably died on impact from internal injuries,” Laney said. “But we’ll definitely perform an autopsy. Let’s go check her out.”
With her medical bag in hand, Laney followed Ellie, and they carefully made their way across the rocks. “She reeks of alcohol,” Ellie said.
“Sure does,” Laney murmured as she neared the girl.
“I’ll be sure to run a detailed tox screen.
” They grew quiet as Laney scanned the rocks then knelt beside the girl.
They both lapsed into a pensive momentary silence in respect for the life lost, and Laney pulled on gloves.
She was meticulous and often recognized signs of foul play by letting the body tell the story.
“Poor baby,” Laney said in a raw whisper as she gently raked tangled black strands of hair from the girl’s bruised face. Blood streaked her hair, forehead and cheeks and still swirled in the water. “I wonder what would drive her to kill herself in such a brutal way,” Laney commented.
Ellie always wondered that about suicides, especially shootings. Most women chose pills or a method not as gory and bloody as a gun or high jump. “Maybe the publicity about the other suicides gave her the idea.”
Laney carefully examined the girl’s arms, fingers and legs while the deputy stood by and watched, still sullen.
“One arm is broken, her left hand also, and both legs.” Laney used a handheld magnifying glass to examine her hands and fingers more closely.
“Nails are broken as well but I’ll see if there’s particulates beneath them that could indicate she wasn’t alone, that she might have been pushed. ”
Ellie simply nodded.
“Now, let’s see what she looks like,” Laney said as she gently rolled the body to her side.
Ellie gasped at the pretty young girl’s disfigured face.
Laney leaned closer to examine in more detail. “A broken nose and jaw are obvious. Her mouth is bloody and three of her teeth have been knocked out. She probably has crushed ribs and possibly her pelvis. We’ll know the extent of her injuries after the autopsy.”
A wave of nausea washed over Ellie, and she turned her head away for a second.
“Blue eyes. A heart-shaped face. She was attractive,” Laney murmured. “Just a teenager.”
Tears burned the backs of Ellie’s eyelids. She’d seen a lot of bodies on the job and should be used to it. But seeing death so close up always got to her.
This poor young girl had her entire life ahead of her. Why would she throw it away like this?
Or if she was murdered, who would want to kill her?