Sheriff Cole Caldwell. Her skin was soft, but her handshake was firm.
One thing was clear: the FBI agents of his memory were nothing like the stunning woman standing before him. It was obvious she was Native American. Her skin was a dusty bronze, and her cheekbones were high and well-defined.
She had doe eyes, round and dark and long lashed, and her hair was a rich, deep black that was captured in a braid that fell down the length of her back.
Worn jeans hugged long legs, and the bright yellow T-shirt she wore seemed to make her eyes darker and her skin glow with an inner light.
She took a step closer to the victim, and he watched her through narrowed eyes. First of all, Im not sure what your thinking is, but no self-respecting Native American would have done this and left those cheap Made In China dream catchers at the scene, she said.
In truth, hed wondered if perhaps the perp was a Native American, but he wasnt about to admit that to her. You have an ID? she asked.
Victim is twenty-seven-year-old Barbara Tillman.
A local? she asked.
Cole nodded. She worked as a teachers aide at the grade school and lived in an apartment complex just off Main Street.
And there have been two others before her?
A fire of frustration burned in Coles gut as he nodded once again. Twenty-six-year-old Gretchen Johnson was found in front of a trash can next to a pizza place, and twenty-five-year-old Mary Mathis was found in front of the library.
And dream catchers were hung at all three scenes?
Yes. When Gretchen Johnson was found, my first suspect was her boyfriend, but I couldnt break his alibi for the time of death. Then Mary showed up. Both women had been stabbed multiple times at some unknown location, then left at the sites, and the dream catchers were hung at both scenes. Both bodies had Taser marks and indications that theyd been bound and gagged.
So, he Tasers them to
incapacitate them and then ties them up and takes them someplace else, where he stabs them and then stages the dump scene with the dream catchers. She frowned thoughtfully. And how long has it been since Marys murder?
Two weeks. And it was four weeks between Gretchens and Marys murders. Have you seen enough? Id like to start processing the scene. We havent even allowed the coroner in yet.
Knock yourself out, she said with a step backward.
As the coroner, a fat, balding man named George Thompson, moved in to assess time and method of death, Cole called to the three deputies who hed meticulously trained in crime-scene procedure.
He gathered them in a group just far enough from where Agent Nightsong stood that he hoped she wouldnt hear the conversation. Do your jobs and do them well, he said in a low voice. I dont want any mistakes. Especially with the eyes of the FBI watchingjudging their every move.
Once the coroner was finished with his examination of the body, he announced that he believed the murder had occurred at some point the night before, probably between the hours of midnight and three. Method of death was obvious, multiple stab wounds to the chest. He then stepped back to allow the deputies to begin their work.
Cole moved to stand next to Agent Nightsong. Beneath the odor of death that hung in the still air, he could smell the faint scent of her, a welcome smell of blooming exotic flowers.
The scent, so distinctly feminine and wafting from such a beautiful woman, stirred him on a base level that made him slightly uncomfortable.
I suppose you already have a profile of the killer, neatly tied up with a bow, he said, vaguely aware that he sounded a bit surly.
She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with an edge of amusement. You arent the vision of a small-town sheriff that I had in mind while I was driving here, and hopefully youll discover Im not the uptight, upright FBI agent that you assume I am.
He narrowed his gaze as he stared at her. And what vision did you entertain of me on your drive here?
Definitely shorter and rounder. She turned her attention to his men, meticulously moving around the crime scene with evidence bags and tweezers, their feet covered in booties. I anticipated nobody who knew the first clue about a murder investigation, because I doubt if you see much of this kind of crime in this size of town, but it looks like your men all know what theyre doing.
He didnt know if she expected him to be pleased about her assessment of him or his mens work. To be perfectly honest, he didnt much give a good damn about what she thought.
And no, she continued, I dont have a profile all neatly tied up with a bow in my head. Its far too early in the game for a full profile. Once this scene has been processed, Id like copies of the files of the other two murders.
Once were finished up here, you can follow me to the office, and Ill see to it that you get copies. He was confident she would find nothing wrong with the way hed conducted his investigations so far.
Unfortunately, there werent many leads to follow at the moment. Hed already had one of his deputies find out the availability of the dream catchers and discovered that they were sold in most dollar stores and some craft and hobby shops in and around the area.