Page 11 of Dirty Looks

“I’m about to do the autopsy.”

“That’s my cue to leave,” he said.

“Have a good class,” I said. “I’ll be home at some point.”

“Don’t worry about me,” he said. “Jack gave me a backlog of work to do for the sheriff’s office. And then I’ve got a date withCall of Duty.”

“Interesting,” I said. “Maybe you’ll meet a girl and get an actual date.”

“Hey, the ladies love me. The Wizard never disappoints, on the screen or off.”

“Good to know,” I said. “Be safe and keep the security system on.” And then I disconnected.

The reinforced steel door that led downstairs to the lab gave a whoosh of air as it opened and Lily and Sheldon came through. Both of them looked surprised to see me.

“What happened?” Lily asked. “I thought you were going with Martinez to question the neighbors.”

Sheldon pushed his glasses up on his nose and shuffled his way toward the coffeepot, looking at it skeptically. I wasn’t known for my coffee-making abilities. But all that mattered to me was the caffeine so I usually made it too strong for most people.

“Change of plans,” I told her. “All the neighbors directly across from where the body was found were grouped together in their own little encampment. Plank had already questioned them by the time we made our way over.”

“Ahh,” Lily said. “I was wondering about all the old people. A guy that looked about a hundred years old jumped out in frontof me when I tried to drive past the barricade. I still don’t know what he was trying to accomplish.”

“Did you know nearly one-third of all people over the age of eighty-five have some form of dementia?”

“No,” Lily said. “But that’s as good of a reason as any to jump in front of the coroner’s van.”

“Plank said our geriatric observers were in bed before the murder took place and none of them heard anything unusual either last night or early this morning.”

“I saw the extent of damage done to that girl’s body,” Lily said. “She has a lot of physical trauma. I can’t imagine she went out quiet.”

“No,” I agreed. “I think we’ll find a witness. Sometimes people don’t realize what they’re hearing or seeing and blow it off as unimportant. Martinez decided priority was getting an identity on the girl. This was a violent and personal death. Once we can start digging into her history we can start narrowing down suspects.”

“Twenty-three percent of child homicides under the age of thirteen are killed by a family member,” Sheldon said, still eyeing the coffee. “I’m going to Lady Jane’s to get donuts and a mochaccino. Anyone want anything?”

“Yes,” Lily and I both said together.

My stomach rumbled at the thought of fried dough and warm sugar, and I ran into my office and grabbed twenty dollars that I kept in the top drawer of my desk in case of emergencies.

I looked Sheldon up and down and said, “Don’t you want to take your coveralls off?”

“No,” he said. “I’m not wearing anything underneath. I was in such a hurry when Lily called I forgot my regular clothes. My mom is supposed to bring me my work clothes before the funeral home opens.”

My mouth dropped open and I saw Lily’s nose scrunch at the thought of Sheldon’s doughy body loose inside his work coveralls.

“Besides,” he said, “the girl behind the counter thinks it’s cool to work with the dead. She might even go out with me if I’m wearing these.”

“Just get my coffee black,” I said before he could go into too much detail. “You’re a lifesaver, Sheldon.”

“Did you know that Life Savers candy was invented in 1912 because it lasted better in the summer months than chocolate?”

“I did not know that,” Lily said. “Get some of the cinnamon cake donuts. I’ve got to study this afternoon and I need the extra sugar.”

Sheldon didn’t bother with his jacket, but pulled his wool cap out of the pocket of his coveralls and pulled it down over his comb-over. He gave a half-hearted wave and headed out the door.

“I’ve seen that girl at the donut shop,” Lily said once he’d left. “She’s into some weird stuff. You think Sheldon is going to get mixed up in some voodoo ritual sacrifice?”

“I wish I could say no for certain,” I said. “I guess we’ll know for sure if bodies start going missing.”

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