He took a deep breath as he pulled into the parking lot of the coroner’s office.The autopsy was complete, and the coroner had informed the detective investigating the case that they had something.Derek hadn’t been told yet what that was.He hoped it would crack the case, but if this was the same killer as before, there was little chance of anything significant.Still, the smallest detail could help.
Derek parked the car, got out, and headed into the building.He wasn’t officially part of the case yet, but the departments had been talking, and he would be on the case by the end of the day.There wouldn’t be any problems from the lead detective.It had been three days since Katrina was found dead in the park, and the more time that passed, the less likely it was to find the killer.The FBI's help on the case would be welcome.
"Special Agent Sullivan," Derek said, showing his ID at the front desk.
"You can go through," the receptionist said."She’s expecting you."
Derek knew the way and the coroner.He and Alison had investigated multiple serial killers over the past two years, and that meant many visits to the coroner’s office.He walked down the long white corridor, stopping halfway to turn into the small office.
"Special Agent Sullivan," Dr.Connor greeted as he entered."How are you doing?"
"Hopefully better after speaking with you," Derek said as he sat."Looks like the streets of Oakland are keeping you busy."
"Always," Dr.Connor said."There’s never any recession when it comes to dead bodies."
"And this one?"Derek asked."I was told there might be something here worth looking at?"
"Maybe," Dr.Connor replied with a frown.
Derek didn't let himself get too excited about the news.He and Alison had been in the same position multiple times, and so far, everything had led to a dead end in the Emma Payne case.
"The word is that you’re looking at this in connection with four other cases dating back over twenty years," Dr.Connor continued.
"That’s right," Derek said.
"I pulled those cases," Dr.Connor said."Three of them are from before my time.I was here for the one seven years ago, but I wasn’t the one who performed the autopsy, and of course, I just finished this most recent one."
"And?"Derek asked, once more downplaying his hopes and expectations.
"Yeah," Dr.Connor admitted, nodding in agreement, "I can see how they could be connected.The cause of death is the same in each: asphyxiation through strangulation.The fact that no killer has been caught in any of the cases could back that up, but it could also be a case of correlation over causation."
"What’s your professional opinion when looking at all five together?"Derek asked.
"I can't give an opinion other than that based on the evidence that I see, so I can't tell you the women were all killed by the same person.What I can tell you is that they were all killed in the same way.All five were strangled, no sign of any other major injuries, no sexual contact before or after death, and no signs of a struggle, meaning the deaths were quick."
"Five young, female joggers," Derek pointed out.The killer was choosing the same type of victim.Even as they aged, their victims didn’t.
"Also, no trace of narcotics or alcohol in their systems," the coroner said."The killer didn't drug them before killing them, which also leans into the deaths being quick.They were all killed in secluded areas, but any screams from the victims would have drawn some attention, even late at night."
"So, what is it about this one?"Derek asked."This is all stuff we already know.There’s something more here, right?"
"Maybe," Dr.Connor admitted."It could be nothing, or it could be something."
Dr.Connor turned her monitor around to face Derek.There were two photos on the screen.One was of the victim’s nails—a close-up that showed under the nails at the tips of the fingers.The second was a small dish with white specks.
"Is that…flakes of skin?"
"Epithelial cells," she confirmed, nodding."We were able to scrape them out from under her fingernails.She scratched someone, and that was the result.There was so little there that it couldn't have been an attack, and it might have gone completely unnoticed.There’s a chance it could be her own skin.We won't know until we do an analysis."
"There’s also a chance it could be the killer’s skin," Derek said, his heart beating a little faster."I want to know the results as soon as they come back.Please give me a call ASAP."
"You got it," Dr.Connor said."Hey, I know there’s no official investigation linking all five of the murders to each other or even linking two of them, but I really hope you find what you’re looking for."
"Yeah, you and me both," Derek said.He got up from his chair, thanked the coroner, and left the office.
He exited the building, and the fresh air revitalized him when it hit him.He still didn't want to get his hopes up, and the skin under the fingernails could tell her own.Even if it wasn’t, there might be nothing to match it to.
Or, there might be a DNA match in the database.If that was the case, they might have finally found exactly what they were looking for.
