“A hiker didn’t retrieve it,” Jack said. “He saw what appeared to be a human skull and reported it to the police. The police recovered it.”

“Why put it there then? Why risk your life to put it in a place where it was unlikely to be found?” Val asked.

“This is why you should always visit the scene. It was probably tossed into the water upstream, then hit the rocks and got caught. That could be how it got to be broken,” Jack said. “So, the answer to your question, Val, is simple. I don’t think this particular skull was meant to be found.”

29

Val wasn’t having an easy time checking on Francine’s prescription for doxycycline. The doctor listed on the pharmacy records insisted that he had never prescribed it.

“Are you certain, doctor?” Val asked. “It was called into the pharmacy. Maybe you forgot to record it?”

“I don’t forget to record medications I prescribe by phone.” His answer was strong and to the point. The implication that the doctor could have made an error was not taken lightly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest any omission on your part. It could have been simply overlooked.”

“Again… I do not overlook such issues.”

“Of course,” Val said diplomatically, almost humble at this point. Do you have any idea why she would need to take this drug? Did she ever complain of an infection?”

“No.” There was silence after the one-word answer. Val sensed this discussion was over and thanked the doctor for his time.

Francine must have had an infection. Julia also had one. They both needed the same antibiotic. They’re both now dead, killed the same way.

There’s another person connected to this case who currently has an infection, Val thought. Colin Turner’s girlfriend has one. The one that Julia was accused of purposely giving her. This couldn’t be a coincidence. Three women tied to this case that had infections? Two murdered? Why is this woman the only one still alive?

“Today,” Jack told Val, “You are going to learn to question suspects.” She happily agreed because that suspect would be Lauren Fitzgibbons, Colin Turner’s girlfriend. Val was Thomas’s and Jack’s best choice to be at the interrogation. She had a good knowledge of drugs and infections, plus she had some insight from Julia DeHaviland herself that this woman somehow helped Colin set Julia up.

The big problem with all of this though: Dr. Blythe must not find out what Val is doing.

“Val, to protect your identity, you’ll be working undercover,” Jack further explained. He said it like this was no big deal.

To Val, it was huge. “Holy crap, what do I do?”