Walk the Wire (Amos Decker #6)(62)

“But how many more people have to die before we do catch them?”

Decker stared down at Ames’s body and didn’t answer, because he had no answer to give.





KELLY SHOWED UP with the clothes and lots of questions.

While Jamison filled him in on Decker’s deductions, Decker took the clothes and laid them over Ames’s body in the exact same manner in which she had worn them.

When Jamison was finished giving Kelly the rundown, Decker said, “Look at where the clothes drop on her.”

They clustered around the body as Decker methodically pointed out the different strike points. “Here, here, and here. Lividity’s fixed. There’s no way the skin and blood pool presents like what we’re seeing right now if she were wearing those clothes when she was killed. They were so tight they actually cut into her skin, there and there.”

Kelly nodded enthusiastically. “She was dressed in something else, then they changed her into these clothes to make it look like the encounter was paid sex.”

“Then they took her real clothes and deposited her in the shed on the ATV.”

“And took Parker. You think he’s dead?” asked Kelly.

Decker shrugged. “I wouldn’t bet against it. Did Walt Southern have access to these clothes?”

“Of course. He had to examine them for trace and then for purposes of the postmortem. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know that. I just wonder if he does.”

Decker picked up the skirt and one of the shoes. He eyed the sizes on both and then eyeballed Ames’s body. “Alex, help me out here. Would these sizes be right for someone like Ames?”

Jamison looked at the skirt and shoe sizes and then tried to put one of the shoes on Ames’s foot. “This is two sizes too big. No way she’s walking around in these. And I’d say the skirt and top are at least two sizes too small. I get that she might have wanted it tight, but not that tight.”

“I thought that when I noted how deeply they had cut into her body,” said Decker. “That would not have been too comfortable.”

“They might have killed her before they even got to Parker’s,” suggested Jamison. “Then drove her out there and then dressed her.”

“Which would explain the lividity being fixed and also the absence of blood on the ATV and in the shed. Whoever was behind this knew something about forensics—look at Cramer’s postmortem—but not the finer points, like livor mortis.”

“Are you folks going to make a habit of barging in here at all hours?”

They turned to see Walt Southern standing at the door. His wife was beside him.

Decker turned to face them and said, “I take it the guy who let us in called you.”

Southern entered the room and his wife followed. He saw the clothes draped over Ames’s corpse.

“What’s going on?” he asked. “Why are those things on the body?”

“Just verifying some details that weren’t in your report,” said Decker.

“You saying I missed something?”

“There was nothing in your report about the lividity presentation.”

Southern came forward and picked up the report Decker had set on a table.

“I hadn’t finished it yet.”

“Regardless, it should have been in the preliminary report.”

“Okay, what about the lividity?”

“It was off. She was killed earlier than you said, and then after lividity was set, she was dressed in those clothes and placed in the shed on the ATV.”

“That’s only speculation on your part.”

“It’s a conclusion based on the evidence.”

Liz spoke up. “Anything else that struck you?”

“Well, if there is, there’s no need for you to know,” said Decker bluntly. “Your husband provides us information based on the forensics of the body. We don’t keep him apprised of our investigation. Even if you trust the person doing the post.” Decker fell silent and stared Southern down.

Southern dropped the file on the table and gazed pointedly at Decker. “I really don’t like your attitude.”

“I’ve never felt the need to be liked by anybody.”

“We’re all on the same team.” This came from Liz Southern, who had advanced farther into the room and now stood, in solidarity it seemed, next to her husband.

“My confidence has been shaken in my ‘teammate.’ ” Decker moved closer to the couple and leaned down. “Maybe you can help me out on that.”

“If you’re accusing me of some sort of negligence—” began Southern in a loud voice.

“No, I’m not accusing you of negligence.”

“Well, that’s something.”

“Because negligence implies a mistake was unwittingly made.”

Liz Southern sucked in a breath while her husband glowered at Decker.

“What exactly are you saying, Decker?” asked Kelly.

“You want to tell us, Walt?” asked Decker. “I mean one big mistake, okay, that happens, if rarely. But two? Now that’s what I call a pattern.”

“I’m not going to stand around and listen to this garbage,” exclaimed Southern. “You can talk to my lawyer.” But then he took a provocative step toward Decker, his face flushed and his features angry.