Page 31 of The Dollmaker

“For the killer to position her like that would require that she still have flexibility in her limbs,” Vargas said.

Sharp studied the wide, vacant eyes. “Twenty-four hours for rigor mortis to set the muscles, so she would have been dead at least fifteen hours before he brought her here and posed her.”

“Jesus, what was he doing with her for fifteen hours?”

He had an idea but didn’t want to voice it yet. Instead, he focused on her pale arms. “There’s one needle mark. Any signs of trauma?”

“Other than the needle mark, no. The medical examiner will be able to tell us how she died. I’m betting asphyxiation or overdose.”

“What about fingerprints?”

“We were able to pull prints. We’ve sent them to AFIS.” AFIS was the Automatic Fingerprinting Identification System managed by the Virginia State Police.

Sharp studied the tattooed heart-shaped lips. “This tattoo work took a lot of time and planning. You think she consented to all the tattooing?”

“Any scenario is possible,” Vargas said. “She could be a working girl who attracts fetish customers.”

“I’m not so sure. She wasn’t dumped. She was posed. And whoever put her here wanted her found. A panicked john wouldn’t take the time.”

“So what are you saying?”

“Whoever left her here was a careful planner,” Sharp said.

“It’s not his first time?” Agent Vargas asked.

“My guess is no, but if it is, he’s been fantasizing about doing this for a long time.”

“I’m going to input the case into the FBI’s violent crimes database and see if I get any hits,” Vargas said.

“Not a bad idea.” Sharp studied the intricate detail work on the victim’s face. “Whoever worked on her face is one hell of a talented artist. The fine lines under her eyes are perfectly smooth.”

“Amazing in a very creepy sort of way,” she said.

Sharp rose and took a step back. He’d thought he’d seen it all. He was wrong. “I’d like to follow this case with you.”

She studied him. “I’m glad you said that. I think this one is going to take a hell of a lot of detective work.”

“Understood.” He turned away from the body, knowing his expression was hard. The stone-face mask, as Tessa had once said.

“I’ve put a call in to the medical examiner,” she said.

“Dr.Kincaid’s one of the best.”

“She’s in a meeting now but will return my call soon. I’ve requested her to be on scene.”

“Good idea.”

He looked again at the dead woman’s wide-fixed eyes. Jesus. What kind of sick fuck did this? He started walking, needing a moment away so he could calm the fury smoldering and threatening to erupt.

Agent Vargas followed, her long legs matching his strides as he ducked under the yellow tape and pulled the cigarette pack from his pocket. He lit one and inhaled.

“That will kill you,” she said. “Fast track.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Black lung. COPD. All that shit is linked to those sticks.”

A trail of smoke drifted up and coiled above his head as he studied the parking lot, trying to imagine the killer driving in here late last night. With only the condos to the west, it would have been easy to come in unnoticed. There was a strip mall south of the entrance, which meant there was a chance a security camera caught an image of a passing car between one and four in the morning. “Send out a few uniforms to check the area stores. See which vehicles came up on camera last night.”

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