Page 28 of Fade Out
“Does that suggest she was strangled with two hands?” I asked.
“It does to me. You have two hands, though, so it doesn’t help us much.”
“To be clear, she was strangled and then her head was cut off.”
“And presumably her hands at the same time.”
“Why do that?” I wondered.
“Well, so she can’t be identified.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. If you’re planning to kill someone why not poison them? Or simply drug them? Once they’re out you can amputate to your heart’s content. And Rita has poisoned before.”
“Are you saying you think this wasn’t planned?”
“Up to strangling the girl, no. After that, that does show planning. Or at least improvising.”
“Your credit card was used. I assume it was stolen?”
“I think just the number. It’s mostly for business so I keep the bills at my office.”
“When do think Rita stole the number?”
“On Sunday morning I found a note on my desk from her. It said, ‘You will pay for what you’ve done. I will make you sorry.’”
“Do you have the note?”
I had no idea if it was floating around with the rest of the trash on my office floor. “I don’t know,” I said. “And I don’t know that it matters. It was typed. Probably on my typewriter. They’ll say I did it myself.”
“All right. We know that Rita was in your office the night Jane Doe was killed. Keep that in mind in case we can figure out a way to prove it.”
“Did Jane Doe have any tattoos, scars, strange moles?”
“Nothing that’s mentioned. Do you know if Rita does?”
I thought for a moment. “No, I don’t. What about hair?”
“I don’t see anything about hair.”
“I think Rita’s hair is red or reddish-brown. I mean, I think it’s dyed black now. Or maybe blond, who knows? But she’s originally a redhead. What about freckles? Are they mentioned?”
“No.”
“Don’t most redheads have freckles?”
Owen got a sly look on his face. “Well, the field research I’ve done would suggest they do. And then there’s the pubic hair. Which isn’t even mentioned here.”
“Really?”
“It just says there were no signs of sexual trauma and that the genitalia appear normal.”
“Rita’s also very busty.”
Owen smirked and then full out giggled. “Looks like I’m going to have an interesting afternoon talking about women’s breasts and pubic hair with the ASA.”
I stood up, ready to go. “I’m glad you enjoy your work.”
Chapter Eight
