Page 34 of Their Wicked Games

“I can think of a ton of reasons.” Carter shrugged. “Maybe she wasn’t trustworthy.”

Blowing out a breath, Jenna looked from one to the other. “The second one everyone would know for sure is Bill Ripley. He is some kind of genius and was in the same year as the victims in high school until he jumped a year and went straight to college.” She looked at the faces around the table. “He plays violent video games, hunts with a crossbow, and knows everyone. I figure he’s our man.”

“From what you said in your notes”—Jo scrolled through the files on her screen—“he’s a loner and introverted. Someone led a group of three people into the forest to hunt humans. He doesn’t fit the profile.”

Shaking her head, Jenna shrugged. “We’ll see.” She glanced at her watch. “Heads up on the time. The autopsy is at two.”

Thirty minutes later, they filed into examination room two for Alicia Palmer’s autopsy. To Jenna’s surprise, Norrell was waiting inside for them. “Hi there.” Jenna nodded to her. “Are you conducting the autopsy today?”

“No, I just dropped by to speak to you. Shane will be right in.” Norrell’s blue eyes twinkled above her mask. “I just wanted to tell you not to expect too much information about the graves in the forest just yet. Excavating graves of this type can be a very complicated process. It’s not something I intend to rush. If for instance they’re ancient Native American burial sites, we have to take into account the customs of the local tribes. We can’t just go hell for leather and disturb them. If I uncover artifacts of any kind, the dig must be postponed until they can be identified. The list of gravesites Atohi Blackhawk has given me could take as long as six years to complete. I figured you would appreciate why I won’t be sending you weekly reports. If, however, I do find anything of interest, you’ll be the first to know. These people all have the right to have their stories told, just the same as any murder victim of today.”

Sobering, Jenna nodded. “I wouldn’t expect any of less of you, Norrell.” She smiled behind her mask. “How are you settling in?”

“Like one of Shane’s family.” Norrell’s eyes danced with amusement. “I’ve never been so contented.” She looked at Kane. “Thanks for introducing us. How did you know we’d get along so well.”

“Just a hunch.” Kane shrugged. “You both like playing with dead things.”

The door whooshed open and Wolfe walked in. “Who likes playing with dead things? Has Emily been visiting the body farm again?”

Jenna laughed, which seemed so inappropriate at the start of an autopsy. “No, Kane was saying what you and Norrell have in common.”

“It seems to run in the family.” Emily followed close behind him. “And no, Dad, the body farm was last week. Do you think we’re creepy, Jenna?”

“Time is getting away from us.” Wolfe’s tone stopped the conversation in its tracks when his cold gaze moved over everyone. He hated discussing his private life and his budding relationship with Norrell was a no-go zone. “Alicia Palmer is waiting for us to find answers. Let’s get at it.” He went to the gurney and pulled down the sheet.

Jenna stepped forward. “The on-scene examination was very detailed. What more can you tell us?”

“As you’re all so busy, I went ahead and completed an initial examination. If you want to stay for the full autopsy, that’s fine by me, but I’ll only be validating what I already know and Colt will be here as your representative.”

Nodding, Jenna met his gaze. “Okay, that works for me. With all the murders, we are snowed under.”

“There are some key points.” Wolfe turned away from the gurney. “I’ve examined the incisions of both victims microscopically and measured the depth of each one.” He lit up the screens behind him to display a hunting knife. “This is the type of hunting knife used in the murder. I cross-referenced these incisions with the ones inflicted on Miles Nolan and they match. I have no doubt the killer used the same knife in both murders.”

“The depth would indicate the strength of the killer, and type of attack.” Carter moved closer to examine the wounds. “These look even and deep.”

“They are.” Wolfe indicated to the screen again. “I usually use a pig carcass for experiments with knives and to determine the force used to inflict incisions. We have three different types of people here, and all of us stabbed the carcass with force, as we would during an attack. The depth of the blade would indicate someone with the same body mass as Colt and without the experience of hand-to-hand combat is the perpetrator. The knife didn’t enter the flesh up to the hilt, but deeper than the blows inflicted by Emily. For her, I recognized a drag on the edge of the incision, which would indicate her difficulty in removing the knife before striking again. This wasn’t evident in the incisions on either victim.”

Jenna shrugged. “So really, you’re eliminating the fact it might be a woman or a younger man without the upper-body strength of Webber?” She turned to Kane. “That would blow my theory to shreds. I figured that the killer is Bill Ripley. Emily could take him down with one hand tied behind her back.”

“I wouldn’t discount him just yet.” Kane moved to her side. “Rage or anger play a very important part in strength during combat. From what I’m seeing here, my first instinct would say it’s a frenzied attack, but as Wolf will tell you, usually the incisions are deep at first and then as the killer tires, they become shallow. Here the depths of the incisions are the same. I’ve seen torture victims with similar cuts. As I’m sure Wolfe will agree, it is almost as if he avoided hitting any vital organs.”

“Yeah, I agree.” Carter adjusted his face mask. “It was the same in the alleyway with Miles Nolan. He was slit open just enough to make him suffer, when a close-up attack like that should have been fatal.”

Considering what had been said, Jenna turned to Wolfe. “How long would it have taken her to die?”

“She had many superficial wounds, so he could have kept her alive until she bled out, but he didn’t choose to, did he?” Wolfe indicated to the neck wound on Alicia Palmer’s throat. “The incision on her neck is consistent with sharp force trauma directly to the carotid artery. I figure he had hold of her hair, pulled her head back, stabbed, and then cut. The stab wound would have killed her in a rush of blood.”

“You’ve obviously examined Miles Nolan.” Kane looked at Wolfe. “Do you have any conclusions? It would save us time attending another autopsy.”

“I have theories but no conclusions as yet.” Wolfe straightened and gave Kane a direct stare. “From the injuries, he died from sharp force trauma to the heart. I’ve completed an MRI on both victims. Miles Nolan’s heart was dissected. He died instantly from the final blow. From the blood loss, he lay in the alleyway for maybe as long as five minutes before the death blow. It would have been an agonizing death.” He gave Kane a short nod. “You need to catch this guy.”

“We will.” Kane frowned. “The coins?”

“No trace evidence. He’s very careful.” Wolfe shook his head slowly. “Washed in bleach before use, inserted post mortem. I guess that’s a blessing.”

“That’s the same MO as Jimmy Two Cents.” Jo shook her head. “Nobody knows that information. How is this happening? Did he have an accomplice we don’t know about?”

“I spent most of last night reading the casefiles.” Carter folded his arms across his chest and blew out a long breath. “He worked alone. Trust me, from his profile, he wasn’t sharing his kills with anyone.”

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