Chapter 8
EIGHT
Katie managed to take care of everything, including switching back to her personal vehicle at the station and quickly going home to get Cisco ready for the search.
Their focus would be tracking and finding out where the suspect entered and exited the crime scene.
There was no indication they’d approached it head-on or from the road—Katie was determined to find out how they had.
Once Katie parked, Cisco excitedly moved from window to window.
She stepped out of the Jeep wearing more appropriate clothing for a search: tactical training attire with heavy pants and her utility belt.
She had put in a phone call to the owner of the property, Martin Sills, and left her name and phone number with a message to say she would be on his property near Heritage Road.
Since it was exigent circumstances—a body part resulting in a crime scene—searching the nearby field was justified.
Deputy Anderson approached her. He was now dressed in khakis and a heavy, long-sleeved shirt. He still wore his sidearm and appeared to be ready for anything.
“Hi, Anderson,” she said.
“Detective.” He nodded. He seemed to be a bit nervous, but was trying to hide it.
“Have you ever done this before?” she said.
“I was cover officer for the K9 unit a couple of times with a fleeing subject.”
“Okay,” she said. “This is a trailing type of assignment. I’m trying to track where the perpetrator entered and exited the scene. It’s important to stay behind and out of the dog’s wind tunnels.”
The deputy nodded.
“Your job is to make sure there isn’t anything potentially dangerous for either Cisco or myself as we search. Basically, you have our backs.”
“Copy that,” said Anderson. “Where do you want to enter?”
“At the location you showed me.”
Katie went to her Jeep and let Cisco out.
Wearing his search vest, he took a few turns and waited patiently until Katie attached his long leash.
He made sure he received many pets before heading to the crime scene area.
The crime scene tape was still in place, as the other deputy would remain on scene until otherwise directed.
“How far are you going to search?” said Anderson.
“It depends on how long Cisco gets the scent.” She smiled. “You have a camera?”
“Yes,” he said and jogged back to his cruiser.
Katie missed McGaven, but he would be back to work on Monday. After so long, she never had to explain anything to him and they worked together almost seamlessly.
Katie and Cisco headed to the spot where she had entered the field over the dilapidated fencing.
Finding the sturdiest area, she easily climbed over as Cisco patiently waited.
When Katie was ready she had him jump and gently guided him over.
It reminded her of some of the missions in the Army where there were difficult areas to pass—having to get the dog to climb over, under, or find other ways to move forward.
Anderson climbed over the fence without effort and slowly followed the K9 team, knowing how to stay away from scent cones and not be distracting to Katie or Cisco.
Katie stopped for a moment. She tried to imagine how someone would enter the property carrying a dismembered arm. Did they carry it in a bag? A sack? Transport it wearing gloves? It could be almost anything. The big, nagging question was why—and why here?
Cisco faced the crime scene. He appeared to be interested in something. Like most K9 handlers, Katie’s search motto was: trust the dog.
“Cisco, such,” she said in German, giving a search command.
The jet-black dog didn’t miss a step. He trotted to the crime scene area, ears alert and forward, body relaxed, and tail in a neutral position. The dog seemed to be frolicking in the weeds, but Katie knew it was a sign he was interested in something—and that’s when the track began.
Katie glanced behind her and saw Anderson in position, trailing and a little bit to the left of the K9 team. She was glad he paid attention and was in the correct placement.
Cisco slowed as he turned to move through the open pasture.
He would pause with his nose at ground level, then raise his head a few inches and continue moving.
Katie was relieved seeing him moving from the crime scene, it should mean he was backtracking where someone must’ve entered the property.
She remained quiet and followed the dog.
Cisco seemed intent in his tracking and made a slight right turn. He continued until Katie saw there was a path—it was faint, but there was definitely an area that had been traveled over recently.
She put up her hand and instructed the dog to down. “Cisco, platz.”
Anderson remained quiet and stopped; stood his position. He scanned the area and waited.
Katie said, “Blieb.” Then she dropped the leash and put on gloves.
Cisco remained in a down position and kept his eyes on her.
She walked to the area and saw recent footprints from what appeared to be boots. Leaning down to the left side of the trail, she examined the shoe impression.
Anderson finally spoke. “What do you have?”
“Shoe prints.”
“Do you need me to photograph?” He sounded breathless.
Katie reached into her pocket and retrieved her cell phone. “Do you have a dollar bill?”
Immediately, Anderson searched his pocket and found a banknote. He walked to the detective and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” Katie glanced about them. She felt shivers up and down her arms for some reason, but the three of them were clearly alone.
There was a slight rustle from birds in the trees above.
Other than that it was quiet. Perhaps there being no noise in the distance made it seem a bit more eerie and gave the location a lonely quality.
The sun was almost directly above now and the warmth made her fidget in her gear. Cisco lightly panted in the shade as he too noticed the warming of the environment.
Katie carefully laid the bill next to a shoe print. It fluttered a moment in the light breeze and then settled down, allowing her to take several photographs. She backed up, taking some general photos of their surrounds, as well as the path that led back to a dirt road and then to the main road.
She made a phone call.
Eva answered. “Hey, Katie, what’s up?”
“I hate to do this, but…”
“There’s more evidence at the Heritage site?”
“How’d you know?” said Katie, smiling.
“I know you, Katie. You are a pitbull when it comes to evidence.”
Katie laughed. “Thanks, I think. Here, let me send you what I’m talking about.” She sent the photos she’d just taken.
“Okay got it.” There was a pause. “I see. We need to get a casting.”
“I’m going to finish the search with Cisco, but there will be an officer here. What’s your ETA?” said Katie.
“About fifteen.”
“Great. Thanks, Eva.”
“You got it.”
Katie ended the call, then turned to Anderson who had been patiently waiting. “Do you have cones or flags in your cruiser?”
“Yeah. I’ll go get some,” he said and hurried back to get the markers.
“Let’s go,” she said to Cisco.
The team carefully made their way around the trail and shoe impressions. There was no assurance, of course, that the footprints were made by whoever left the appendage.
Katie walked slowly, making her way to the narrow gravel back road that intersected with Heritage Road. It seemed reasonable to think this would have been the best way to get to the body part’s drop-off location without being seen or heard.
Katie stopped once Cisco didn’t seem too interested in the area. Letting out a breath, she said, “Let’s head back, Cisco.”
She was returning to the old fence when suddenly Cisco’s ears perked up and his body held still.
Something had caught his attention. Katie let the dog move to where he needed to.
They hurried back to where they’d been, but instead of turning toward the fence the dog led them in the opposite direction.
After about thirty feet, Cisco stopped with his head down, then he slowly sat. Katie jogged up to him and looked. There was what seemed to be a rolled-up piece of paper—no, a napkin. Plain. Generic. No name of a restaurant or any type of identification.
Katie carefully picked it up and unrolled it with her K9 handling gloves. It was clean except for some red dots toward a corner. The closer she examined it, the more she realized they were most likely dried blood droplets. She pulled out a bag from her pocket and carefully slid the napkin into it.
Anderson was marking the other areas so Eva would be able to quickly identify them. He looked back. “Did you find some evidence?”
Katie and Cisco walked toward the officer. “Maybe. It looks suspicious and I think it’s blood.”
He raised his eyebrows. “What would that be doing out here?”
“Don’t know, but I want the blood tested.” She paused. “Great job, Anderson.”
“Thank you, Detective.”
They made their way back to the fence and climbed over.
“I just need one of you to stay until Eva gets here and then for as long as it takes for her to identify and document the evidence.”
“I’ll stay,” said Anderson.
“Okay,” she said. She called out to the other officer to release him then turned back to Anderson. “Any particular reason?”
“I don’t mind. And… I… like forensics.”
“Okay,” said Katie with a slight smile. She had a feeling he liked Eva too. “Take this for Eva to make sure a chain of custody is filled out. Do you remember the location it was found?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Katie watched the other officer leave while Anderson went to his patrol car. “Let’s go, Cisco.”
The dog made his way back to the Jeep.
Katie took another look at the area and cataloged in her mind everything that had transpired since she received the call from the watch commander.
She had to wait to see what the medical examiner’s office and forensics had to say, but as she scanned the surrounds, her instincts told her something wasn’t right.
And that a woman’s arm and index finger were just the beginning.