Page 79 of The Hanging Dolls
FORTY-FOUR
“Is there any emotion in your job that makes you curious?” Aiden asked.
Zoe sipped her chocolate milk and curled her legs underneath her. This couch was getting too comfortable. And so was his company. “Curious? I don’t know…”
“For me, it’s that conflict between the predator who wants to kill and then the morality construct that killing is wrong and how some of us succumb to the former,” he offered.
“That’s interesting, I suppose. For me, it’s the aftermath.”
“Aftermath of what?”
“Of doing something wrong.” Her mind began to float away as Rachel’s face transpired in her mind. “Guilt. How people deal with guilt. Even though I’m not around for that part, but I always wonder.”
“Not all killers you catch lack a conscience…”
“Exactly.”
He scribbled something down—the only thing that annoyed her. “Do you wonder what you would do in their situation?”
“Yes.”
“And what would you do?”
She lifted her eyes, smiling coyly. “Guilt is a private affair, Dr. Wesley. There are some emotions that I don’t share with anyone.”
“Terri!” Zoe called over the middle-aged woman with a prominent mole on her cheek. “Did you get a chance to check Sam Buster’s alibi?”
“I did. He did have a job interview at three thirty but he left it an hour later.”
“Four thirty, eh? That falls within our window.” Zoe crossed her arms. “How long would it take for him to reach Lucy’s place?”
“Ten minutes.” She shrugged. “I’m still digging into where he allegedly went after that.”
Zoe was surrounded by stacks of case files and a series of crime scene photos spread out before her. The harsh fluorescent lights overhead flickered slightly, casting a cold, sterile glow on the room. She picked up one of the photos, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the image of a small stuffed animal lying on the ground a few feet away from the crime scene hidden in the ferns. It had been recovered days later.
Why was the killer leaving toys? It was a symbol of innocence. The stuffed animals didn’t belong to the victims. Did they belong to the killer? They had no prints. Why would this be left at such a grisly crime scene? She closed her eyes, casting her mind back to the crime scene.
The ancient trees with gnarled trunk and knotty roots that looked like tentacles. Trees that looked like witches lived there. The ropes hanging ominously. It all meant something to the killer. Every little detail.
“That’s a rare find,” Terri said casually, preoccupied with something on her phone.
Zoe looked up at her. “The bear?”
Terri nodded, stepping closer to get a better look. “Yeah, it’s an antique. Not the kind of thing you’d see just lying around. My mom had one like it when she was a kid. They don’t make them anymore.”
Her interest piqued. “Are they easy to come by?”
“Not really,” Terri replied, rubbing her chin. “I tried to buy one for my kid a few years ago. Thought it’d be cool for grandmother and granddaughter to have the same toy but I couldn’t find one. No store has it. This must belong to the killer.”
Zoe’s gaze returned to the photo, her eyes scrutinizing the toy. Something didn’t add up. The bear didn’t look old. There were no signs of wear and tear, no discoloration in the fabric. In fact, it looked like it had been well preserved, almost as if it had been kept safe for years. Not something that had been used or played with. “This doesn’t look like it’s been around for decades. If it’s new, then maybe we can trace where it’s from.”
“Let me do a quick search. If it’s an antique piece, then maybe some collectors sell it.” She tapped away on her phone. “No stores are selling this model, but… there was a buyer on eBay. The seller listed it as sold two weeks ago.”
“Contact the buyer. We need to find out who purchased that bear.”
Her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw her sister Gina’s name flashing. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She could use a break.
“Hey, Gina!” Zoe answered, trying to inject some cheer into her voice.
