Page 24 of Wolf's Mark

“Wait…” Too late. She’d already hung up and I knew better than to think I could press the redial and get anywhere with the call.

It looked like I was starting the week off early. Maybe I shouldn’t have told that little white lie to my friends.

Payback for being a really bad girl was hell.

CHAPTER 8

Sedona

Gloomy.

While my office, including the laboratory and examining rooms, wasn’t what every other thriller movie depicted in design, today everything had a shadow hovering over it.

Maybe it was my glum mood along with the cloudy day that I was snarling about as I pulled into the parking lot. Whatever the case, my stomach was growling, but I hadn’t found time to grab a bite to eat after taking a quick shower.

The drive was still fifteen minutes even this early on a Sunday.

I’d barely gotten out of my vehicle when two others pulled into the parking lot. One was a traditional black van with no markings and no windows in the back. The other wasn’t a sedan I’d expected an agent to drive but a silver Prius. Boring but efficient.

I closed my car door and waited. I could just make out two burly-looking men in the van, while the blonde climbing out of the other vehicle also wasn’t what I expected.

She was in her thirties but nice looking in a haughty Barbie doll kind of way. Maybe stereotyping wasn’t a good idea.

What did appear as straight out of a movie was the gray pantsuit she was wearing. Her badge was in her hand before she closed the distance.

“Thank you for meeting me here, Doctor Willis. I do appreciate your help as does the bureau.”

“I didn’t believe I had a choice. Did I?”

She smirked and shook her head. “How long do you think this will take you?”

“It depends on the condition of the body.”

“An hour. Two?”

I laughed. She obviously had no clue. “As I said, it depends on the condition of the body, but usually around two to three hours. Then I need to run laboratory tests, which depending on what you’re looking for will take a little time. I should be done prior to two this afternoon at the latest.”

Was the woman sweating? It was a cooler day than normal. Yes, she was.

She even dragged her tongue across her lower lip. Something was up with this.

“Just try and be as expeditious as possible if you can.”

“I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary on my day off. That I assure you of.”

She motioned to her guys to bring the body. I watched the two men move to the back of the van, unlocking the door.

Why were they being cautious about opening it? Maybe I’d seen one too many movies, but this had an air of complete oddity to it.

“What can you tell me that might prove helpful and allow me to be more expeditious?”

The agent waited until the two men pulled the body off the gurney. They even seemed hesitant rolling the cart in my direction.

I moved inside, turning on the overhead fluorescent lights. Of course one of the bulbs had to flicker, giving a slightly eerie look to those just walking in.

Everything else was brightly lit; my office and the one used by my computer technical wizard had windows. Even the breakroom did.

“Bring him in here.” I pushed open one of the two steel doors, allowing them to roll the body in. “Put him on the table, please.” I turned back toward Agent Drummand, noticing she was completely uncomfortable. “Age? Where was the body found? Was the body in extreme elements? Local?”

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