Page 6 of Silent Scream
Kim leaned in closer and saw two marks above each breast.
‘Pushed down?’
‘I’m thinking so. Preliminary exam shows no other injuries. I’ll tell you more after the post mortem.’
‘Any guesses on how long?’
Kim could see no evidence of the liver probe, so she was guessing he’d used the rectal thermometer before she'd arrived.
She knew that a body dropped temperature by 1.5 degrees centigrade in the first hour. Normally it was between 1.5 and 1.0 degree centigrade every hour thereafter. She also knew that figure to be affected by many other factors. Not least that the victim was naked and submerged in now-cold water.
He shrugged. ‘I’ll do further calculations later but I’d say no more than about two hours.’
‘When can you ... ’
‘I’ve got a ninety-six-year-old lady who expired after falling asleep in her armchair and a twenty-six-year-old male with the needle still in his arm.’
‘Nothing urgent then?’
He checked his watch. ‘Midday?’
‘Eight,’ she countered.
‘Ten and no earlier,’ he grumbled. ‘I’m human and need occasional rest.’
‘Perfect,’ she said. It was the exact time she had in mind. It would give her chance to brief her team and task someone to attend.
Kim heard more footsteps on the stairs. The sound of laboured breathing came closer.
‘Sergeant Travis,’ she said, without turning. ‘What have we got?’
‘Officers are canvassing the area. The FOA rounded up a couple of neighbours but the first thing they knew was the fire service rolling up. Alert call was from a passing motorist.’
Kim turned and nodded. The First Officer Attending had done a good job of securing the scene for the forensics team and corralling any potential witnesses but the houses were set back from the road and separated by a quarter acre. Not exactly a mecca for the nosey neighbour.
‘Go on,’ she said.
‘Point of entry was a smashed glass panel in the back door and the fire officer states that the front door was unlocked.’
‘Hmmm ... interesting.’
She nodded her thanks and headed down the stairs.
One technician was inspecting the hallway and another was dusting the back door for fingerprints. A designer handbag sat on the breakfast bar. Kim had no idea what the gold monogram fastener meant. She never used handbags but it looked expensive.
A third tech entered from the dining room next door. He nodded towards the handbag. ‘Nothing taken. Credit cards and cash still intact.’
Kim nodded and headed out of the house. At the doorway she removed the shoe coverings and placed them into a second box. All protective clothing would be removed from the scene and examined for trace evidence later.
She stepped under the cordon. One fire tender remained on watch to ensure the blaze was totally extinguished. Fire was clever and just one ember that went unnoticed could set the place ablaze within minutes.
She stood at the car, surveying the bigger picture of the scene before her.
Teresa Wyatt lived alone. Nothing appeared to have been taken or even disturbed.
The killer could have left safe in the knowledge that the body would not be discovered until the following morning at the earliest and yet they had started a fire to expedite police attention.
Now all Kim had to do was work out why.
