CHAPTER 84

Two officers entered the front doors slowly, the strong beams of their flashlights sweeping over the dark interior. At first glance, the house looked perfect. The large expanse was all cream furniture and gold accents, the scent of fresh flowers light in the air.

The officers crept in, their shoes creaking on the polished floors. Sweeping the room, the female uniform pointed to an open marble staircase. "Apparently, the victim is upstairs."

"God, this house is a big bitch," the man said. "This is going to take a while to clear."

"I'll tell J to let in the others."

"This all looks in order; let's go upstairs."

On the second floor, the group stopped at the landing and swept their flashlights to the left and the right, a rusty scent strong in the air.

"Look." She pointed at a bloody heel print and they turned left, following the scent and the print's origin, moving slowly and opening doors as they passed.

An office, all wood paneling and dark colors. Empty.

Another office, this one in delicate blues and creams. Empty.

A bedroom with two queen beds and pale-green floral wallpaper. The beds were made, everything in order.

Another bedroom with a single large bed and a sitting area, everything in place, no personal items in sight.

A laundry room with a long marble counter and two sets of stainless steel machines, everything sparkling and white, save for a small pile of clothes on the floor in front of the washer. Bloody clothes.

"J, we're going to need CSIs up here, ASAP," the male officer said into the radio on his shoulder. "Lots of blood and evidence. Haven't gotten to the vic yet."

Taking care not to disturb the footprints, they came to a stop at the double doors at the end of the hall. The doors were closed, their exterior decorated with limp pink streamers. An arched paper banner was mounted above the doors, each piece of paper a different letter.

H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y

One of the doorknobs was smeared with blood, and here, the smell of it was strongest. The duo halted, looking at each other.

"You want to take dibs on going in there first?"

"Yeah, don't mind if I do." He reached forward and turned the unbloodied knob with a gloved hand, then pushed the door open. They both stayed back, guns drawn, and waited as the slow open of the door revealed the scene. He cautiously stepped in. "Well, shit."

Beside the king-size canopy bed, a white cotton blanket was spread over the wood floor, the fabric wrinkled around a woman's prone body, lying face down in a pool of blood. She wore a clear plastic jumpsuit over a black outfit and plastic booties on her feet, which were each stuck in different directions.

Walking carefully around the edge of the display, the male officer played a flashlight over the scene. The beam revealed a bloody knife still in the woman's grip. Her eyes were open and still, her mouth agape.

A second beam joined the first as the female officer crouched beside the man and swung her light from the body to the other faces in the scene.

A blonde girl, sitting upright, her hair perfect, tiny glasses perched on her nose as she held a stack of books against her chest.

Another girl, this one with red hair and freckles, ski goggles on her head, her body encased in a fluffy down ski suit.

The dolls were at perfect forty-five-degree angles to the dead woman, one beside a plastic tin of cupcakes, the other smiling toward the officers, her eyes glassy, head slightly cocked to one side.

"This was called in as a suicide?" the female officer asked, sweeping her flashlight back to the woman's body.

"Yep."

"Detectives are going to have a field day with this one." She stood, then glanced over her shoulder at the others. "Welcome to the party."