All that remained of the bed was the frame and that ominous blue tarp and overeager robot vac determined to suck it up. Her eyes watered from the smell of decomposition, which was stronger with the box springs and mattress gone.
No one spoke while they all got their first good look at the scene. The tarp was wrapped tightly, following the curves of the corpse inside, and bundled with rope.
Amanda studied the size and shape of the victim. It was a woman. Most likely Christine. “The killer probably rolled or pushed the body under the bed.” The obvious observation slipped from her lips. After all, it was doubtful the killer had removed the box springs and mattress.
“I’d say so,” Trent said.
CSI Stuart, who had set her camera down to move the bed, retrieved it from the floor next to her collection kit. Keller grabbed a large evidence bag, and Amanda guessed the vacuum was her target.
Malone winced, and Amanda turned to face him. His hands were on his lower back and hips. She walked over to him.
“You all right?” Malone wasn’t one for having a fuss made over him when he had a cancerous brain tumor almost four years ago. She doubted he’d want any made over a hurt back.
“It’s nothing. Please don’t…” Malone’s eyes darted toward the others in the room. At his age, he was still concerned about other people’s opinions. It must be an affliction that lasts a lifetime to varying degrees.
Trent, who had glanced over, quickly put his gaze back on the tarp.
“You should get your back looked at. You do have a chiropractor?” Not a jab at his age. She had one.
“Pfft.” Malone waved a hand, hissed, and placed it back on his hip. “I’m going to head out. Call me if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
Malone hobbled out of the room, despite trying to redeem his gait. She just hoped he didn’t fall down the stairs.
“His back?” Trent said when she returned to his side.
“Yep, and the stubborn mule refuses help.”
“Not surprised.”
Stuart let her camera dangle from the neck strap, stood back, and looked over the area. After snapping a few more photos, she set the camera back on the floor next to her collection kit.
Keller hit a button on the top of the robot vacuum. It stopped, but Amanda swore she could still hear its whir. Keller lifted the vacuum overhead to look at the underside. “There are some long brown hairs wrapped around the spinner brush. There may be more in the rubber brushes.” She took care as she sealed it in the bag.
“You’ll want to find the vacuum’s station too,” Trent said. “Just in case it dumped into the bin before getting stuck on the tarp.”
“I will do.” Keller smiled at Trent.
She had a more graceful way of accepting input without taking everything as an insult. Maybe Keller knew as little about robot vacuums as Amanda. She still hauled out her parents’ oldFilterQueen, a hand-me-down from them when she married Kevin. It might be time to retire the machine, but this wasn’t about her or her random memories.
Amanda looked again at the blue tarp. Surely, it was Christine Lane inside, but what if it wasn’t? Then they’d have a whole other set of problems.
EIGHT
Amanda forwarded the contact card for her chiropractor to Malone with a note.
She’s great.
His reply came fast.
I took an Aleve. I’ll live. Focus on the victim, who wasn’t so lucky.
Before putting her phone away, her eye caught the little tape icon in the top left corner. She stepped into the hall to listen to her voicemail.
“Amanda, I just wanted to let you know I filed the missing person report. I’m back home now. My mind’s too scattered to be any good at work. If you find out anything, please,pleasecall me right away.”
At the end of the playback, she hit delete. It was worsethan she thought. Was Spencer that distressed about Christine he couldn’t think of anything else until he knew she was safe? Or was there more to this?Is he making himself appear to be the concerned doting boyfriend when all along he had…She shook the thought, not able to let herself continue down that path. Not able to consider this was a ruse on his part to cover his back. Putting away her phone, she also shoved aside the disloyal thinking and returned to the primary suite. She came in to hear Stuart updating Trent.
