Page 65 of Cold, Cold Bones
“Bon. First off, let me say that hanging is much less common in homicides.”
“Tough to pull off with the victim wriggling and all.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”
“Most hanging suicides involve either partial or total suspension.”
“Partial is definitely not the situation with my case,” I said.
“Double neck ligatures are involved slightly more frequently in homicides than in suicides. A single ligature and a single neck wrap are present in most of the latter. Sliding knots, like slip knots, occur more frequently, and suicides usually have a single-factor knot.
“Fixed, or immovable, knots are more prevalent with homicides, and the knot is more frequently positioned at the back of the neck. In suicides, the knot is more frequently in front or at one side.”
Quintal sounded like she was cherry-picking relevant data while skimming.
“In the homicide cases that I observed, the ligature was tight, usually smaller than the circumference of the victim’s neck and often deeply embedded in the soft tissue. Suicides were more frequently characterized by loose ligatures and an invertedVmark in the neck tissue at the point of suspension.”
“Let me summarize,” I ventured, wanting to be sure I understood. And to move this along. “In suicides by hanging there’s usually only one neck wrap, the ligature is loose and may leave aV-shaped mark, the knot is usually one factor, sliding, and less frequently placed in back.”
“Tres bon, madame. But keep in mind, our sample wasn’t large, and the differences we observed were not statistically significant. These are very rough guidelines.”
“Thank you so much. This has been enormously helpful.” Maybe.
“I’d be happy to view images, should you wish to transmit them.”
“I may do just that.”
I was opening the hanging man’s file when Nguyen appeared at my office door.
“Oh, my!” she said upon seeing my bruises and abrasions.
“Just a wee mishap. I’m fine.”
Nguyen didn’t press. Which I appreciated. “I trust you’ve found the latest requests.”
“Yes.”
“The bucket is not urgent. But the Mount Holly police officer has rung me twice.”
“That case was just logged in yesterday.”
“Officer Condor is a very impatient man.”
“That’s his name?” Fighting back a smile.
Nguyen nodded.
“Then he should allow us at least six days.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s a book title. I’ll head over to look at Condor’s cremains now.”
That’s not what happened.
15
