you can tell me?” Suzie asked. “Is there any sign that can clear Paul?”
“Actually,” Dr. Rose frowned. “I'm sorry, Suzie, but the killer was right handed, as is Paul. From the evidence left on the body it's clear that Paul had close contact with Trent. I even found a few hairs that match Paul's color and texture on Trent's shoulder.”
“You know he didn't do this, don't you?” Suzie asked incredulously.
“It isn't my job to know who did what,” Dr. Rose said firmly. “It's my job to report my findings. Based on the angle of the blows it is possible that the murderer was a similar height to Paul as well. Trust me, I'm not pinpointing Paul, but I am reporting my findings.”
“If it was Paul, then it must have been in self-defense,” Suzie said anxiously. “He must have been under attack.”
“There isn't any evidence to indicate that Trent was the attacker, but there isn't any evidence to dispute it either,” Dr. Rose frowned. “I will know more once the tox screens come back, and I'm able to process some DNA I found underneath Trent's fingernails.”
Suzie's stomach flipped. She wondered what would happen if that DNA came back to match Paul's. Trent had clawed at Paul's hand when he was holding him up against the wall. There was little doubt in her mind that Paul's DNA would be there. But she also knew that Paul hadn't done this. She didn't think he could, even if he was threatened.
“What about his clothes?” Suzie asked quickly. “Did you find anything in his pockets, or anything like that?”
“There was something,” Dr. Rose said with a slight frown. She picked up one of the evidence bags on the metal table next to her. “It wasn't in his pocket, but it was around his neck. Are you familiar with this symbol?” she asked as she met Suzie's eyes.
Suzie studied the gold necklace inside the plastic bag. The pendant that hung from it looked similar to a medal that would represent a saint. However, instead of there being any kind of religious symbol there was a swirl in the shape of an uppercase A.
“No,” Suzie said as she narrowed her eyes. “Should I be?”
“Not necessarily,” Dr. Rose said as she set the bag down. “The A represents a gang in Los Angeles. It's not a very well-known one, but I have heard of some very ruthless murders that these gang members are involved in. I'm only telling you this, because I want you to understand that Paul likely had no idea who he was getting onto that boat with. Like I said, I have to report the evidence, but if Trent was involved with this gang, then he was likely a very dangerous man.”
Suzie felt sick to her stomach, not just because of the chemical smell. If Trent was such a dangerous man, what did that say about the men who had killed him and were now holding Paul hostage?
“Thank you, Dr. Rose,” Suzie said with a frown. She left the medical examiner's office without much more certainty than she had entered with. But at least she had a lead on who Trent might actually be.
Chapter Nine
When Suzie returned to Dune House she noticed the door to Mary's room was closed, which meant she was likely taking a nap. Mary hadn't slept much the night before either. As tired as Suzie was she couldn't wait to get in front of her computer. She wanted to find out about the gang that Trent was associated with. After a little bit of searching she came across some information about them. Dr. Rose had been correct, they had a reputation for being especially violent and ruthless. But that wasn't the only information Suzie found. She also discovered that their main criminal activity was dealing in drugs.
Suzie suddenly recalled what the woman on the beach had said. She had dismissed it as just a little ranting and raving from an unclear mind, but now she realized that the woman had been trying to answer her question. The men who had Paul must have been looking for drugs. It all began to snap together and make sense to
“Actually,” Dr. Rose frowned. “I'm sorry, Suzie, but the killer was right handed, as is Paul. From the evidence left on the body it's clear that Paul had close contact with Trent. I even found a few hairs that match Paul's color and texture on Trent's shoulder.”
“You know he didn't do this, don't you?” Suzie asked incredulously.
“It isn't my job to know who did what,” Dr. Rose said firmly. “It's my job to report my findings. Based on the angle of the blows it is possible that the murderer was a similar height to Paul as well. Trust me, I'm not pinpointing Paul, but I am reporting my findings.”
“If it was Paul, then it must have been in self-defense,” Suzie said anxiously. “He must have been under attack.”
“There isn't any evidence to indicate that Trent was the attacker, but there isn't any evidence to dispute it either,” Dr. Rose frowned. “I will know more once the tox screens come back, and I'm able to process some DNA I found underneath Trent's fingernails.”
Suzie's stomach flipped. She wondered what would happen if that DNA came back to match Paul's. Trent had clawed at Paul's hand when he was holding him up against the wall. There was little doubt in her mind that Paul's DNA would be there. But she also knew that Paul hadn't done this. She didn't think he could, even if he was threatened.
“What about his clothes?” Suzie asked quickly. “Did you find anything in his pockets, or anything like that?”
“There was something,” Dr. Rose said with a slight frown. She picked up one of the evidence bags on the metal table next to her. “It wasn't in his pocket, but it was around his neck. Are you familiar with this symbol?” she asked as she met Suzie's eyes.
Suzie studied the gold necklace inside the plastic bag. The pendant that hung from it looked similar to a medal that would represent a saint. However, instead of there being any kind of religious symbol there was a swirl in the shape of an uppercase A.
“No,” Suzie said as she narrowed her eyes. “Should I be?”
“Not necessarily,” Dr. Rose said as she set the bag down. “The A represents a gang in Los Angeles. It's not a very well-known one, but I have heard of some very ruthless murders that these gang members are involved in. I'm only telling you this, because I want you to understand that Paul likely had no idea who he was getting onto that boat with. Like I said, I have to report the evidence, but if Trent was involved with this gang, then he was likely a very dangerous man.”
Suzie felt sick to her stomach, not just because of the chemical smell. If Trent was such a dangerous man, what did that say about the men who had killed him and were now holding Paul hostage?
“Thank you, Dr. Rose,” Suzie said with a frown. She left the medical examiner's office without much more certainty than she had entered with. But at least she had a lead on who Trent might actually be.
Chapter Nine
When Suzie returned to Dune House she noticed the door to Mary's room was closed, which meant she was likely taking a nap. Mary hadn't slept much the night before either. As tired as Suzie was she couldn't wait to get in front of her computer. She wanted to find out about the gang that Trent was associated with. After a little bit of searching she came across some information about them. Dr. Rose had been correct, they had a reputation for being especially violent and ruthless. But that wasn't the only information Suzie found. She also discovered that their main criminal activity was dealing in drugs.
Suzie suddenly recalled what the woman on the beach had said. She had dismissed it as just a little ranting and raving from an unclear mind, but now she realized that the woman had been trying to answer her question. The men who had Paul must have been looking for drugs. It all began to snap together and make sense to
Similar Books
