Page 46 of Little Girls Sleeping
Both girls laughed.
“Okay, the fruity cereal.”
“I knew it. You’re so like me,” said Jenny. “Now, I promise I won’t tell anyone.” She sat up straight as if it were something of great importance. “What boy do you like here?”
“No,” said Katie. “I’m not saying.”
“You have to.”
“No way.”
“I bet it’s Travis.”
“No.”
“Travis.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Jenny laughed and threw herself back on the bed, chanting, “Katie likes Travis. Katie likes Travis.”
Katie stared at Chelsea lying on the steel gurney and couldn’t help but compare her to her friend. It felt almost as if she had spoken with Jenny barely a week ago. She wondered if Jenny’s family had stood where she stood now, staring at the once vital, happy girl.
“Detective Scott, I have to say that I’m impressed you were able to find the bodies with so little to go on. You have single-handedly brought closure to the grieving families. I’m sure they are forever in your debt.”
“Have the Comptons been here to identify the body?” Katie managed to say, trying not to sound like a frightened little girl.
“Mrs. Compton has. Mr. Compton is still in Idaho and won’t be viewing the body.”
“How did she seem to you?” asked Katie.
The doctor turned and picked up a file from the counter. “Nothing out of the ordinary. Genuinely upset, showing all the typical signs of grief, if that’s what you mean.”
Katie nodded. She noticed that the deputy was staring at the little girl’s body as though unable to avert his eyes, almost mesmerized at the sight. It was obvious that he hadn’t seen many dead bodies, and children were the most difficult to process.
She leaned toward him and suggested softly, “You don’t need to be here. I can fill you in with the details.”
“You sure?” he asked, trying to keep some semblance of control. “It’s not a problem.”
“It shouldn’t take too long.”
McGaven swiftly left the room.
“Well, now it’s just the two of us,” said Dean with a hint of sarcasm, “I have to say, you’re not at all what I expected. Police officer, army veteran, and rogue investigator. I’m honored to be in your presence.”
“Just following some leads and instincts.” Katie didn’t know what else to say. She quickly changed the topic. “Any signs of sexual assault?”
“No.”
“Cause of death?”
“Asphyxia. Generalized hypoxia evident throughout the organs and body. Her eyes show a slight redness and petechial hemorrhage consistent with strangulation and asphyxia.”
“Why was there so little decomposition?”
“That bothered me too, at first, until I found distinct traces of formaldehyde and methanol in her system.”
“Was she embalmed?”
