“Sheriff Graves?”Dr.Stark's voice cut through their conversation.“Deputy Hawkins?You might want to see this.”
They crossed back to where Dr.Stark crouched beside Claudia's body.With her silver hair pulled back in a practical bun, Dr.Stark was a formidable woman who commanded respect with her cool efficiency.The coroner pointed to a small, almost imperceptible mark on the side of the victim's neck.
“See that?”Dr.Stark said, her gloved finger hovering just above the skin.“That's consistent with an injection site.”
Jenna leaned closer, squinting at the tiny puncture.“Injection of what?”
“That's what the lab will tell us, but my guess would be some kind of toxin.”Dr.Stark's eyes, sharp and analytical behind her glasses, met Jenna's.“Something fast-acting, judging by the lack of defensive wounds or signs of struggle.”
“She was subdued first?”Jake asked.
“Or taken by surprise,” Dr.Stark said.“I'll know more after the autopsy, but I can tell you this much—I'm not seeing any visible injuries that would account for death.No strangulation marks, no stab wounds, no blow to the head, no blunt force trauma at all.”
“Time of death?”
“Based on body temperature and lividity, I'd estimate sometime around dusk yesterday evening.”Dr.Stark stood, her knees cracking slightly with the movement.“But that's preliminary.I'll narrow it down once I get her on the table.”
“Anything else?”
“Not yet,” Dr.Stark said.She turned to her assistants, who stood ready with a gurney and body bag.“Let's get her prepped for transport.”
The team moved efficiently, treating Claudia's body with a quiet dignity that Jenna always appreciated.She watched as they carefully placed her in the bag, zipped it closed, and lifted her onto the gurney.
As her team wheeled the body toward the waiting van, Dr.Stark peeled off her gloves and stepped closer to Jenna and Jake.
“Off the record,” she said, her voice pitched low, “this is getting out of hand.”
“What do you mean?”Jake asked, though Jenna suspected she already knew.
“It's been such a short time since I had those two strangulation victims in my morgue.”Dr.Stark shook her head.“The bodies are piling up in Trentville, and I don't like it.Not one bit.”
A technician called to Dr.Stark from the van, and she held up a finger in acknowledgment before turning back to Jenna.
“I don't have a superstitious bone in my body, Sheriff,” she continued, “but I'd be lying if I said recent events haven't got me unnerved.”
Jenna felt a familiar tightening in her chest.“I know, Melissa.We're working on it.”
Dr.Stark glanced around, making sure they weren't being overheard, then lowered her voice further.“I'm not speaking just as a colleague now, Jenna, but as someone who's known you since you and your sister were kids.”
The sudden shift to the personal caught Jenna off guard.“What is it?”
“People are talking.”Dr.Stark's expression softened with concern.“The community's nerves are frayed, and when that happens, folks look for patterns, explanations...someone to blame.”
“And they're blaming me,” Jenna said.It wasn’t a question, though her pulse quickened.
“Not directly, but there's talk.About how the violence seemed to escalate after you became sheriff.How the worst cases seem to find their way to you.”Dr.Stark hesitated.“Some are even suggesting a connection between your...unusual insights and the nature of these crimes.Of course it’s ridiculous.But fear makes people irrational.And right now, Trentville is afraid.”
This wasn't anything Jenna hadn't heard or didn't already know.Only a handful of trusted people actually knew the truth about her abilities.But rumors existed, and they cut deeper than she wanted to admit.
“I appreciate you telling me this, Melissa,” she said finally.“It’s really important that we keep this one quiet if I’m going to have a chance to track this killer.Please be sure that none of your staff will be talking about the details of this crime scene outside your office.”
Dr.Stark studied her face.“I’ll do that Jenna.But you know how hard it is to keep something like this from getting out.”Then she frowned and added, “Just be careful, Jenna.Watch your back.”She glanced at Jake.“Both of you.”
With that, Dr.Stark turned and walked to her van, calling out instructions to her team as she went.
Jenna stood motionless, watching as they loaded Claudia's body into the vehicle.The morning had grown brighter, but the shadows around them seemed to have deepened.
“You okay?”Jake's voice pulled her from her thoughts.