Page 154 of Everything She Feared

“You’ve presented a compelling case,” she said. “Give me the bottom line here in plain language.”

“Everything points to Katie Harmon killing Anna Shaw in a number of scenarios—striking her with the rock and pushing her off the cliff, or pushing her off the cliff and dropping the rock on her. Maybe for the necklace, maybe not. But everything points to Katie killing Anna Shaw and knowing it was wrong.”

“Alright,” Mullen said. “Can you give me a few minutes with my team?”

Pierce and the others left to get a coffee at the cafeteria.

By the time they’d returned, Mullen and the others were ready.

“We think we’re as close as we’re going to get,” Mullen said. “While you tie up loose ends with forensics, we’ll proceed preparing a charge of second-degree murder against Kaitlyn Jean Harmon.”

75

Seattle, Washington

Developing fingerprints fromthe rock used in Anna Shaw’s death was more challenging than Kelly Jensen had expected.

At times the senior forensics analyst had to interrupt her effort for cases coming to trial. Still, she always returned to processing the rock. But even with the kit and guidance from the Israeli police on new techniques, every attempt seemed futile.

She wasn’t giving up.

At her worktable she resumed studying the guide. Using cyanoacrylate and ninhydrin hadn’t worked. For the past couple of hours, she’d tried the more advanced chemical and imaging methods set out in the guide.

Now she was completing her analysis of the latest results.

She looked at them.What?She looked again.

Jensen sat stock-still.

Something was emerging.

She waited.

It’s for real. It’s emerging. Oh, my God, it’s really working. We’re getting something!

She turned the rock to view different angles.

There and there.

Jensen captured images and soon filled one of her large monitors with fuzzy patterns. Tapping on her keyboard and using her mouse, she adjusted, enlarged and sharpened the focus to distinct groupings of loops, whorls and arches. They were good enough to run a comparison to a suspect.

Jensen shot a quick glance to one of her other computer monitors.

The one that displayed Katie Harmon’s fingerprints.

76

Seattle, Washington

That afternoon, while Val RossireadCrime and Punishmenton her tablet in the living room of the Harmons’ home, Bingo left her side to trot up the stairs to Katie’s bedroom.

Panting, tail wagging, the retriever put his head on Katie’s lap and she rubbed her hand over his back.

She was at her desk, working carefully, drawing on a sheet of paper.

Mom had gone to Bothell to see Grandma. Katie wanted to go, too, but Mom said she needed to go alone.

It was serious. Everything was very serious now.

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