Faces of Evil [4] Rage (8 page)

“I have nothing scheduled this afternoon.” He held up his hands. “We could have a quick lunch and then make your stop.”

She hadn’t heard from Leeds or Baron. There might very well be no news at this point. Why not take Wesley up on his offer? “That works. Sure.” She pushed a smile into place. “I’ll drive.” She could pick his brain about how the Lopez situation might relate to the Grayson case. Not that she really believed it did, but it was one of those avenues that had to be fully investigated.

They were barely out the door when Jess’s cell clanged. She dug in the bottom of her bag while ensuring she kept Wesley marching toward the elevator. What she really wanted to do was get out of the building before Burnett saw them together. He would drive her nuts about it.

…
Drive her nuts
.

People tossed that phrase around all the time. Had Gabrielle Grayson meant it literally or was she just using a common expression when she made the statement in front of the pool guy about her child?

Jess managed to get her cell to her ear and said, “Harris,” at the same time she paused at the elevator and hit the down button.
Hurry. Hurry. Hurry.

“Chief Harris, this is Dr. Sylvia Baron.”

The elevator doors slid open but Jess ignored them. “You have news?” She couldn’t imagine any other reason for the call. The woman already disliked her immensely. She certainly wasn’t looking for a lunch partner.

“Before you get excited, Harris, understand that we’ve completed only a very preliminary exam, but we have narrowed time of death to a smaller window and we have a few other details confirmed.”

The elevator doors had closed with Jess too caught up in the conversation to act. She stabbed the button again. “I was actually just about to have a quick lunch and then drop by your office but, please, don’t keep me in suspense, Dr. Baron.”

Jess turned the phone away from her face and to Wesley whispered, “It’s the medical examiner about my case.”

Wesley made an “oh” face and gave her an understanding nod.

The elevator doors glided open once more and Jess started to step inside, determined not to let it get away this time. She stopped just in time to prevent running into Burnett on his way out.

As he looked from her to Wesley and back, Jess silently swore at her bad timing.

“Gabrielle died between nine and midnight,” Dr. Baron said, dragging Jess’s attention back to the phone conversation. “That’s as close as we can narrow the window with any real accuracy at this stage and considering the fact that she was lying on a cold tile floor. Be that as it may, I suspect what you’re going to find the most interesting, Chief Harris, is cause of death.”

One hand held up for Burnett to give her a second, Jess’s full attention zeroed in on the conversation. She tuned out the sound of the elevator doors trying to close with Burnett blocking their path. Every instinct warned that whatever Baron was about to tell her, it was pivotal to the case and finding Gabrielle Grayson’s killer.

“First, we found no evidence of sexual assault.”

Jess was thankful to hear that.

“The beheading, which I believe was accomplished with a saw, something with
teeth
, was done postmortem. The stab wounds were postmortem as well, but I’m sure you surmised that much already,” the associate coroner announced. “Ironically, cause of death was manual asphyxiation. Now, my question to you, Chief, is, unless the killer was trying out for a part in the next
Saw
movie, what was the point of all the theatrics?”

That was a damned good question with only one clear answer.

Distraction
.

Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, Cooper Green Hospital, 2:45 p.m.

D
r. Sylvia Baron waited next to the stainless-steel table where the body, along with the detached head, of Gabrielle Grayson waited for the next step in the final act of her time on this earth. Jess hoped the wounds that told the story of her horrifying death would guide them to some answers about her killer or his motive.

Dr. Martin Leeds stood next to his protégée like a beaming father about to introduce his one and only debutante to society.

Weird. Just weird. Why would the ex-wife of the victim’s husband want anything to do with this? Was she that elated over the woman’s death? Had the two been friends? Seemed a stretch considering the victim stole her husband.

Sergeant Harper waited next to Jess. She’d called him en route and asked him to meet her here. Two sets of eyes and ears were always better than one. On the way in they had talked about how odd this particular aspect of the situation was. Jess opted not to mention the awkward moments in the elevator when she’d smiled and informed both Wesley and Burnett that she would catch up with them later. She’d left them in BPD’s lobby with the suggestion that they have lunch together. Just because she couldn’t join them was no reason the two shouldn’t get to know each other better.

Now
that
was weird.

Jess wished she could be a fly on the table wherever Burnett and Wesley ended up sharing a meal, assuming they took her advice. As far as she was concerned, about the only difference between that scenario and this one with Sylvia and Gabrielle was that both men were still breathing. Maybe that fact made the situation even stranger.

Maybe she and the snobbish Dr. Baron had more in common than either one would want to admit. The primary example was the nontraditional track they had both taken. Here they were in their forties with no husbands and no babies. Not to mention some sort of abnormal connection with an ex.

“Due to the sensitive nature of this case, we’re giving Mrs. Grayson top priority,” Leeds announced, kicking things off and promptly evicting from Jess’s head thoughts of her two exes and her life’s wonky pattern. “I’ll be performing the autopsy at eight tomorrow morning. Based on our preliminary examination we, Dr. Baron and I, concur that the manner of death was, of course, homicide, and the most probable cause of death appears to be manual asphyxiation.”

Like a well-choreographed dance routine, Baron stepped in next. “Note the slight bulging of the eyes and the petechial hemorrhaging.” She gestured, Vanna White style, with a gloved hand. “The lips are swollen and we found traces of blood in the mouth and nostrils, despite the absence of tissue injury in those areas. Based on that evidence, we anticipate that when we have a look at the lungs in the autopsy, we’ll find them gorged with blood and darker in color, confirming the assessment of manual asphyxiation.”

Jess was impressed. She hadn’t expected such a thorough call this quickly. “That certainly adds a new twist to our investigation.” It definitely pushed Gabrielle’s murder even farther from the possibility of being related to the Lopez war. Jess felt confident there was no connection whatsoever. Yet someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make it look related. A
distraction
. A cunning killer worked extra hard to throw an investigation off his trail.

“We will notify you as soon as the final report is available,” Leeds assured Jess. “For now that’s the best we can give you.”

That was actually more than she had expected this early in the process.

“I appreciate your assistance in our efforts to move swiftly on this one,” Jess said to Leeds. She acknowledged his colleague with a nod. “As you say, due to the sensitive nature of the case, time is more of an enemy than ever. The media will pounce on the idea that if the police can’t protect their own who can they protect? We don’t need another reason for folks to take the Stand Your Ground law the wrong way.” God knew national headlines had shown the bad end that resulted far too often from that misguided choice.

“Chief Burnett conveyed that sentiment earlier today,” Leeds said. “Unfortunately, some of the toxicology can’t be rushed and will require time, which will, in turn, delay issuing the official final report.” He held up both gloved hands to halt the protest she’d started to launch. “But we’ll do everything possible to have a preliminary report on our physical examination findings late tomorrow.”

“I can’t ask for more than that.” Jess felt relieved. She hadn’t expected this level of cooperation after last week’s Chandler case and the head butting between her and Deputy Chief Black. With Black’s seniority in the department, the coroner’s office had leaned in his direction when it came to choosing sides.

Sylvia Baron peeled off her gloves. “Since I intercepted you on your way to lunch, Chief Harris, why don’t I make it up to you by taking you to my favorite sandwich shop down the street?” She produced a credible smile. “I’m certain you’re as famished as I am.”

Under the circumstances Jess wasn’t sure her appetite would return anytime today and she did have that briefing with Burnett at five thirty. She shouldn’t take the time… Burnett hated waiting as badly as she did. But she couldn’t resist the opportunity to learn why Baron had barged her way into this case. “You have a deal, Dr. Baron.” Jess turned to Harper. “Sergeant, why don’t you carry on and I’ll meet you back at the office at five or so.”

Harper gave her a nod. He’d been on his way to talk to his gang contacts when she’d diverted him here.

Before he could be on his way, Jess snagged him by the sleeve of his jacket. “And, Sergeant, don’t forget what we talked about.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Daniel Burnett was Birmingham’s chief of police but he had no business checking up on her via her detectives. She’d warned him about that already. Since giving Burnett what for hadn’t done any good, she’d spoken to both Lori and Harper about her feelings on the situation. She made a mental note to ensure Officer Cook got the same lecture. She had her own way of doing things. Having Burnett all up in her business cramped her style.

Jess tucked her glasses into her bag as she followed Dr. Baron to her office. The room was smaller than she’d expected. Seemed to Jess it should have been considerably larger to house such an enormous ego.

Small or not, the lady had her prestigious diplomas and awards adorning the walls. Each was framed in rich wood and surrounded by regal matting. Her desk sported a nameplate, a crystal vase with a single long-stemmed white rose, and the surface was totally free of any clutter whatsoever. Reminded Jess of Burnett’s desk. Maybe they taught neatness skills at that fancy private school he and all his pals had attended.

Jess sure never got classes like that at her school. Not that she would have paid attention anyway. Her sister had always been the studious one.

The doctor’s wall of pride had Jess wondering why a woman of such means would go into the business of dissecting the dead. Jess spent most of her time studying the dead as well, but that was different. Since she had never been rich or the daughter of a senator her options had been somewhat limited.

Dr. Baron removed her lab coat and turned to Jess as if she’d read her mind and realized her mistake. “I don’t actually have time for lunch, Harris. I wanted a moment of your time in private.”

Well, well. Seemed Jess wasn’t the only one who had a nosy boss.

“And here we are.” She propped a smile in place. “What’s on your mind?” So much for lunch. Or manners, for that matter. The doctor couldn’t have talked and eaten at the same time?

“Yesterday Gabrielle Grayson called me.”

Now there was a revelation Jess hadn’t expected. “Were the two of you friends?”

Baron laughed. “Hardly. I hadn’t spoken to her since the day she tried to apologize for fucking my husband.”

There was that. “If you hadn’t spoken in all that time, what was her reason for suddenly calling you, after what”—Jess shrugged—“two years?”

Baron leaned against her desk and crossed her arms over her chest. “I made it a point not to get to know anything about the
other
woman. For the first year or so I hated her. Then I decided she wasn’t worth the emotional expenditure. I put it behind me and moved on.”

“Ten years was quite an investment to just put behind you,” Jess countered. Sylvia Baron and the lieutenant had been married for a whole decade. Seemed to Jess that would be about like her trying to pretend the relationship she and Burnett had shared was dead and buried.

“Touché, Chief,” Ms. Hoity-Toity confessed rather than going off on Jess as she’d expected. “It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing I’ve ever done but I managed.”

“Have you spoken to your ex-husband since the divorce?”

“Not once.” She laughed, the sound deep and rich yet tinged with a hint of self-deprecation. “That’s what lawyers are for.”

“You were saying that Gabrielle called you yesterday.” They’d gone off course there for a moment.

“She did. I was frankly”—she turned her palms up—“stunned when she identified herself. I almost hung up on her.” Baron shook her head. “But there was something in her voice.” She paused, appeared thoughtful. “Gabrielle was worried. Afraid even. Whatever it was about, it involved Larry and she wanted to talk to me. I think you’ll agree that for her to take that step required considerable desperation and no small amount of courage.”

Certainly explained why the associate coroner had insisted on showing up at the scene. “I take it you didn’t learn what
it
was.”