Chapter 34

THIRTY-FOUR

BLUFF COUNTY MORGUE

The whistle of the wind brought the sounds of the dead crying out to Ellie as she parked at the morgue. In her mind, she saw the twins' tiny little hands reaching for hers so she could help them to safety.

But it was too late to save them.

At the moment, all she had was a working theory. If the motive here wasn't personal and the killer was an unrelated child predator, he might strike again.

They had a possible person of interest although no proof that he was guilty. She'd sent the blood sample from Modelle's farm to the lab. Hopefully that would give them some direction.

Derrick was waiting in front of the building as she walked up to the steps, his hands digging in his pockets, his expression as grim as the gray clouds that hovered above. A blast of wind hit her, and she tugged her scarf up over her face to ward off the cold.

Derrick's dark eyes skated over her, then his expression closed down. All business.

"Let's get the autopsy over with," she said. "Hopefully Dr. Whitefeather has some answers."

He gave a clipped nod, and they climbed the steps and entered the building together. A quick walk and they reached the morgue. Laney buzzed them in, her expression tired as if she might have been working all night. Her auburn-streaked brown hair hung in a braid down her back although strands were coming loose. Her lab coat looked wrinkled and was dotted with body matter that Ellie tried desperately to ignore.

Typically, Saturday was the ME's day off, but she made the exception when the case had urgency to it or if it involved children.

Laney removed her protective head gear and led them toward the autopsy room. Ellie inhaled before entering, bracing for the pungent odors of chemicals and death. The starkness of the children's pale, gaunt faces took her breath away.

Derrick's jaw tightened but he moved to one side of the first body. Laney stood by the girl's head and lowered the sheet covering her torso, revealing the Y-incision.

Ellie swallowed hard at the bruising. Poor babies.

Laney cleared her throat. "First of all, cause of death for both girls was internal bleeding from the impact of the fall from the top of the ridge."

"So they were alive when they fell, not dumped post mortem?" Derrick murmured.

Laney nodded. "Both girls sustained multiple injuries, including broken bones, head wounds and abrasions when they hit the jagged rocks." Laney gestured to one twin's hands. "This girl was a fighter."

"Were you able to retrieve DNA?"

"I've scraped and the samples are being analyzed. I can tell you that she got particulates beneath her nails." She pointed to a small, bagged sample. "Some of the particulates are tiny black threads, probably from his clothing. Won't know if epidermal cells are present until the lab analyzes the samples. I've also sent all their clothing and the bows in their hair to the lab for testing."

"Were any of the injuries premortem?" Ellie asked.

Laney nodded and pointed out bruises on the girls' arms. "These marks indicate someone grabbed them hard."

Ellie's stomach roiled as an image flashed through her mind. The little girls running, a man in chase, grabbing their arms.

"The toes of the girls' shoes also indicated that at some point they were being dragged."

Derrick cleared his throat. "Did they fall or were they pushed or thrown over?"

Laney shrugged. "That's more difficult to say but if you look at the bruises on the first girl's upper shoulders, I'd say she may have slipped and fallen while running. Girl two came at their attacker, clawed at him, hence getting the particulates under her nails, and he shoved her. She sustained bruises on her chest which appear to be from hands."

"Signs of sexual assault?" Derrick asked.

Laney shook her head. "Thankfully he spared them that."

Yes, thankfully, Ellie thought.

"The girls' ages?"

Sadness tinged Laney's voice. "Approximately eight years old."

"Prints?" Derrick asked.

"No," Laney said. "He must have worn gloves."

"Not surprising," Ellie said.

"What about the DNA sample from the woman in the hospital?" Derrick asked.

"I ran it several times and confirmed it's a match to the girls."

Ellie straightened. The DNA match supported her theory about Barbara being the twins' mother. Although the woman in the hospital claimed she didn't have children.

Questions assaulted Ellie. Why would she lie about that?

Where was she now? Did she know her daughters had been in danger or were dead? Had she been with them when their killer had taken them?

If so, why hadn't she told Derrick?

Because she was involved?