Read Online The Green-Eyed Doll by Jerrie Alexander - Free Book Online
Authors: Jerrie Alexander
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“I’ll walk you out.”
“I cooked. You clean,” she said pointedly.
Matt could’ve told her then and there, he’d never lock the door again if it meant she might be waiting for him. He put out fresh water for the ungrateful, unnamed dog lying under the mesquite tree, and headed to the county morgue while analyzing the tingle in his fingers. Damned if it didn’t happen every time he touched her.
****
Tuesday, Aug 1st, 8:30 a.m.
Matt radioed Sue before he reached the morgue in San Antonio. The long stretch of interstate surrounded by dry, parched land numbed his brain. “I’ll be out of pocket until after the autopsy.”
“Let me know when you’re back on call.”
“You got it.” Matt always checked in with Sue, yet she never failed to remind him to call.
“Is there anything I can do from this end?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Drummond insisted on making a visual identification this morning. Doc’s going to try and close her eyes.” Matt’s chest ached for Julia. “After they get back to Curry, you might check on them. See if they need anything.”
“Hmmph.” Sue huffed out a sound of disbelief. “A sheriff with a heart. That’s a new concept in this county. Anything else?”
“Yeah. Can you call the florist shops in Curry and Butte Crest. Get me the name and address of anyone who bought African Violets in the past two weeks. Jake needs to find out if Julia Drummond mentioned having a secret admirer to anyone.”
“Have you learned something?”
“Too soon to say. I need to know if Julia had a stalker.”
“I’m on it. Stay in touch.”
“You got it.”
Though he wasn’t required to attend, the autopsy was important to Matt. He wasn’t taking any chances with this case. Each individual scrap of evidence would be vital for the prosecution of Julia’s killer.
Matt signed in and was escorted further back into the building where Mr. and Mrs. Drummond waited with an ME’s assistant. Julia’s mother collapsed into her husband’s arms when the curtain slid back and revealed her daughter’s face. Matt swallowed a couple of times to control the ache in his chest. Dr. Reinhardt had worked a miracle, because through the glass, Julia’s eyes appeared to be closed.
After helping the Drummonds to their car, Matt followed the assistant to the back of the building where the ME and his team would perform the autopsy. Matt’s shirt clung to him, damp from the heat and humidity. Cold air and a musty, dank smell slammed into him when he entered.
“Sheriff. Have a seat on the stool and we’ll get started.” Dr. Reinhardt's receding hairline, short legs and perpetual scowl reminded Matt of the detective who'd trained him. One he'd liked and respected. The ME passed him a smock and latex gloves. Even though he wouldn’t touch the body, there were strict protocols to follow.
The doc’s back had a permanent stoop. Matt wondered if years of bending over the autopsy table had caused it.
Today was about the business of death. There’d be no small talk, no chitchat. The ME turned on the recorder before he read the deceased’s identification and case ID number out loud. Thus, the forensic investigation into what lead up to and ended Julia Drummond’s life began.
Matt blocked out his anger and focused on the sound of Reinhardt’s voice. The killer had washed the body, making the ME’s search for biological evidence such as hair, saliva, and semen difficult. A Y-STR analysis would target male DNA, in case some small clue remained.
Finally, Reinhardt backed away from the table and directed his assistants to complete the last few details. They stripped off their gear and walked in silence to the ME’s office.
“I was right in my initial assumption.” Dr. Reinhardt closed the door and sat behind his desk. “TOD was last Sunday between ten and midnight. The young woman died...”
“Julia. She had a name. It was Julia Drummond.” Anger heated, boiled, and scorched his insides. Matt wanted, needed
“I cooked. You clean,” she said pointedly.
Matt could’ve told her then and there, he’d never lock the door again if it meant she might be waiting for him. He put out fresh water for the ungrateful, unnamed dog lying under the mesquite tree, and headed to the county morgue while analyzing the tingle in his fingers. Damned if it didn’t happen every time he touched her.
****
Tuesday, Aug 1st, 8:30 a.m.
Matt radioed Sue before he reached the morgue in San Antonio. The long stretch of interstate surrounded by dry, parched land numbed his brain. “I’ll be out of pocket until after the autopsy.”
“Let me know when you’re back on call.”
“You got it.” Matt always checked in with Sue, yet she never failed to remind him to call.
“Is there anything I can do from this end?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Drummond insisted on making a visual identification this morning. Doc’s going to try and close her eyes.” Matt’s chest ached for Julia. “After they get back to Curry, you might check on them. See if they need anything.”
“Hmmph.” Sue huffed out a sound of disbelief. “A sheriff with a heart. That’s a new concept in this county. Anything else?”
“Yeah. Can you call the florist shops in Curry and Butte Crest. Get me the name and address of anyone who bought African Violets in the past two weeks. Jake needs to find out if Julia Drummond mentioned having a secret admirer to anyone.”
“Have you learned something?”
“Too soon to say. I need to know if Julia had a stalker.”
“I’m on it. Stay in touch.”
“You got it.”
Though he wasn’t required to attend, the autopsy was important to Matt. He wasn’t taking any chances with this case. Each individual scrap of evidence would be vital for the prosecution of Julia’s killer.
Matt signed in and was escorted further back into the building where Mr. and Mrs. Drummond waited with an ME’s assistant. Julia’s mother collapsed into her husband’s arms when the curtain slid back and revealed her daughter’s face. Matt swallowed a couple of times to control the ache in his chest. Dr. Reinhardt had worked a miracle, because through the glass, Julia’s eyes appeared to be closed.
After helping the Drummonds to their car, Matt followed the assistant to the back of the building where the ME and his team would perform the autopsy. Matt’s shirt clung to him, damp from the heat and humidity. Cold air and a musty, dank smell slammed into him when he entered.
“Sheriff. Have a seat on the stool and we’ll get started.” Dr. Reinhardt's receding hairline, short legs and perpetual scowl reminded Matt of the detective who'd trained him. One he'd liked and respected. The ME passed him a smock and latex gloves. Even though he wouldn’t touch the body, there were strict protocols to follow.
The doc’s back had a permanent stoop. Matt wondered if years of bending over the autopsy table had caused it.
Today was about the business of death. There’d be no small talk, no chitchat. The ME turned on the recorder before he read the deceased’s identification and case ID number out loud. Thus, the forensic investigation into what lead up to and ended Julia Drummond’s life began.
Matt blocked out his anger and focused on the sound of Reinhardt’s voice. The killer had washed the body, making the ME’s search for biological evidence such as hair, saliva, and semen difficult. A Y-STR analysis would target male DNA, in case some small clue remained.
Finally, Reinhardt backed away from the table and directed his assistants to complete the last few details. They stripped off their gear and walked in silence to the ME’s office.
“I was right in my initial assumption.” Dr. Reinhardt closed the door and sat behind his desk. “TOD was last Sunday between ten and midnight. The young woman died...”
“Julia. She had a name. It was Julia Drummond.” Anger heated, boiled, and scorched his insides. Matt wanted, needed
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