Well, nowI told you Roan married his childhood sweetheart. Erin Stuart-shed been a classmate of Roans, all the way back to kindergarten, I believe. And her dad, Boyd Stuart, hed befriended the boy, too, knowing he was growing up fatherless. Roan looked up to Boyd and respected him as he would a father, and Boydwell, you could tell he loved Roan like a son. In fact, Boyd was so tickled when Roan married Erin, he signed over the deed to his ranch to the newlyweds and moved into the ranch foremans cottage. Miss Ada chuckled, then took a quick breath as if it were a shot of whisky she was tossing back to fortify herself before going on.
Well then, two years later Erin and Roan had a little girl. They named her Susan Grace, after their late mothers-Erins mother, Grace-she was a Pascoe, from over in Lewiston-had passed away, too, when Erin was still in high school. For the next three years-that was when Roan ran for and was elected sheriff-the family was so happy. Truly blessed. She paused, and when she went on her voice had a quiver in it.
Thenone night while Roan was out of town on a case, there was a fire. It woke up Boyd down in the cottage, and he came running Oh, he tried his best, but he was only able to save the little girl. His own daughter, Erin, died in the fire. Boyd and the child were both seriously burned.
My God, Mary whispered. She felt cold clear through, and a little queasy-and how in the world had she let this county sheriffs unhappy story slip past her radar and take dead aim at her heart? Shed taken care to keep her feelings sandbagged and fortified against just such an assault. She couldnt afford the luxury of caring. Now more than ever.
Miss Adas tear-bright eyes flicked upward and softened when they found Mary so obviously touched by the story. Yesyes. Poor Roan, he was just devastated, as you can imagine. He tried to pick up the pieces after the tragedy, I think for his little girls sake as much as anything, but I do believe he carries scars from that fire still, just as surely as Susie Grace and Boyd do. The only difference is, Roans scars dont show. She heaved another sigh. I dont imagine it helps, either, that hes never been able to find out who did it-who killed his wife and maimed his child.
Marys hands stilled, a curler half rolled. She fought to control a shudder of horror. You meanit wasnt an accident?
Oh, no, dear, Miss Ada said softly. The fire was deliberately set, no doubt about it. It haunts Roan, I think, that the crime remains unsolved to this day.
Im sure it does. It must be awful for him, Mary murmured. But it was only words, and once again safely distanced from feeling. Her defenses had slipped momentarily, but they were back in place, now.
It was terrible for everyone, Miss Ada said, firmly, reaching up to pat the tissue paper band Mary was fastening around her hairline to protect her skin from the dryers heat. The worst time this towns had since the mines closed, I do believe. And now this. She threw Mary a look as she accepted the hand she was offering to help her out of the chair. Her eyes were fierce again, and her voice brisk-it was the tone and the look that had kept jurors in line for so many years. I am sure of one thing: Roan wont let it happen again. Whoever it was shot Jason Holbrook, the sheriff will find him. I know he will.
Yes, maam, Mary murmured. She was confident that, with the dryer humming away, even Miss Adas keen senses couldnt have caught the tremor that had just rippled through her.
Dave Salazar, Hart Countys coroner, was also both a licensed physician and deputy medical examiner for the State of Montana, and, as such, fully qualified to conduct autopsies, which he did, on the relatively few occasions one was called for, in a basement room at the county hospital. That was where Roan caught up with the two detectives from the states Special Cases Unit.
Kurt Ruger was short-legged, barrel-chested and looked like a college football player, with a brushy blond crewcut, prominent brow ridge and sharp, rather small and close-set blue eyes. His partner, Roger Fry, appeared to have been picked to balance the team in just about every way, being tall, lanky, dark-haired and balding, with benign brown eyes behind rimless glasses perched on the end of an oversized nose. He reminded Roan of an economics professor hed once had.
After murmured introductions and handshakes all around, both SCU men sidestepped to make room for one more in the cramped space against the observation window, well out of the way of any stray odors or splatters.
Roan had seen his share of autopsies and had pretty well gotten over being squeamish about the process. He folded his arms on his chest and stepped closer to the partially draped nude body on the stainless-steel table, startling the coroner, whod been so engrossed in his examination of the body he was oblivious to everything else, including the arrival of one more observer.
The doctor glanced at him in mild surprise. Hey, Sheriff.
What you got for us, Doc?
Havent started the autopsy yet, but I found a couple of things that are kind of interesting. He nodded his head, swathed in a green surgical cap, toward the two SCU detectives. Like I was saying to these two gentlemen, I wanted to wait until you were all here-no sense in going through everything twice. Roan nodded, and the doctor reached up to adjust the overhead lamp, then pointed with a gloved finger. The two SCU detectives moved in closer.
See this here? Laceration on his lower lip? He delicately inserted a fingertip into the victims mouth and turned the lip downward to expose the puffed and discolored inside. Thats a bite mark. Not self-inflicted-the curves wrong. Definitely human, definitely ante-mortem, Id say two hours, at least.
Roan frowned. You mean
Unless Jason Holbrook had a secret nobody knew about, theres only one way I can think of that could have happened. And that is, he forced himself on some gal, and she bit him.
One of the detectives let slip a snort of laughter, hastily stifled. Roan said dryly, Yeah, that sounds about like Jase. You said a couple of things. What else?
The doctor turned away from the table and gestured for the others to follow as he moved to some articles of clothing spread out on a stainless-steel countertop. He paused in front of the light gray Western-style shirt that was liberally soaked with blood, shifting to allow Roan and the SCU guys to move in close. He pointed, careful not to touch. Okay, this is interesting-theres some blood here on the left sleeve-see that? Nowlook at the way he went down. Fell backward, arms went straight out, right? Never came in contact with either of his wounds.
One of the state detectives-Kurt Ruger-cleared his throat and frowned. Spatter, maybe?
The doctor shook his head. Its a smear, not a spatter. And its on the back side of the sleeve. Again, the way he fell, theres no way spatter wouldve hit there. Nolook here. Think about it. What do you do when you get hit in the nose or mouth, and youre bleeding? You wipe with your sleeve, right? He demonstrated. That puts a smear right about where this one is.
Okay, so he got his lip bit and wiped the blood on his sleeve. Roger Fry sounded as if he wanted to add, So what?
Roan waited. He knew Doc better than the two newcomers did, well enough to know he wasnt finished.
Salazar took a breath, threw the three lawmen an expectant look, and backed up a step. Okay. Now look at his other sleeve. The right one. You got more blood smears here, see? But on the inside this time. Now, you try wiping your mouth with that part of your sleeve. Again he demonstrated. Its awkward-unnatural. Youd have to really twist your arm to put a blood stain where this one is. Anyway, I thought that seemed odd, soI tested it. He paused, eyes gleaming. Just a preliminary, so far, but Ill tell you this, it doesnt match Jasons blood type. And something else. Its female.
Roan felt a chill go down his spine, but he kept his arms folded and said mildly, You got a scenario in mind, Doc?
The coroner nodded. If I mayDetectiveRuger, is it? Mind if I borrow you for just a second?
Roan felt a chill go down his spine, but he kept his arms folded and said mildly, You got a scenario in mind, Doc?
The coroner nodded. If I mayDetectiveRuger, is it? Mind if I borrow you for just a second?
The muscular blond cop half grinned and lifted a wary eyebrow in his partners direction, but allowed himself to be maneuvered into an awkward sort of embrace with the slightly built ME, who narrated as he demonstrated.
Okay, Ive just been bitten by this lady, right? Whats my first reaction gonna be? If Im the sort of guy to force myself on a woman to begin with, Im probably gonna strike back. The doctor doubled up a fist and grazed Rugers square chin with it, as Ruger obligingly offered a falsetto squeal of pain. So, I smack you a good one, Salazar went on. Your mouth is bleeding, too, now. But thats not enough for me, Im good and riled up, not to mention intoxicated-
Is that theory, Doc, or fact?
Salazar jerked Roan a look over his shoulder. Fact-blood alcohol level was way up there. Anyway, now Im really gonna get rough with this lady. Something like this Turning his demo partner around, he placed his right arm across the detectives broad chest. Now, shes gonna be struggling, trying to get loose, so I tighten my hold, pull my arm higher, up to her necklike this, see? And my sleeve brushes across her mouth-or anyway, the blood from it. He let go of Ruger and held up his right arm, pointing to the wrist in triumph. Voila! Right there, and thats just where you see that smear on the victims sleeve. The ME subsided, looking expectantly from one member of his audience to another.
Roan and the two SCU detectives looked back at him, not saying anything for a moment or two, none of them smiling. Then Fry pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, gave a small cough and said what they were all thinking.
So, are we thinking rape, here?