Under magnification the irregularity looked circular and more porous than the surrounding bone. The edges of the circle were clearly defined.

A puzzling lesion, unlike usual findings in nasal bones. I had no idea what it meant.

I spent the next hour mining fragments, stripping flesh, and recording observations. Though I found no other signs of disease, I decided to request X rays of the rest of the skeleton. The nasal lesion looked active, suggesting a chronic condition of some sort.

At three-thirty, Hawkins delivered the ribs and pubes. He promised to take a ful set of films when Larabee finished with the passenger’s body.

I was placing the pubes and ribs in a solution of hot water and Spic and Span when Larabee entered, fol owed by Sheila Jansen. Today the NTSB

investigator wore black jeans and a sleeveless red shirt.

Hours of exposure had numbed me to the smel of the passenger’s unrefrigerated head, now decomposing on my table. My greasy, soot-stained gloves and scrubs undoubtedly added to the room’s bouquet.

Jansen’s lips and nostrils tightened. Her expression went opaque as she attempted to regain control of her face.

“Time to swap stories?” I asked, peeling off mask and gloves and tossing them into a biohazard container.

Jansen nodded.

“Why don’t I meet you two in the conference room?”

“Good idea,” Larabee said.

When I joined them, the ME was going over his findings.

“—multiple traumatic injuries.”

“Soot in the airways?” Jansen asked.

“No.”

“That makes sense,” Jansen said. “When the plane slammed the cliff face, the fuel tanks ruptured. There was immediate ignition and firebal . I figure both victims died on impact.”

“External burning was severe, but I didn’t find a lot of deep-tissue destruction.” Larabee.

“After impact gravity took over and the fuel cascaded down the cliff face,” Jansen explained.

In my mind’s eye I saw the trail of burned vegetation.

“So the victims were exposed to the firebal effect of the explosion, but the burning wouldn’t have lasted very long.”

“That fits,” Larabee said.

“Both bodies show evidence of a black residue,” I said, settling into a chair. “Especial y the passenger.”

“I found the same stuff al over the cockpit. I’ve sent a sample off for testing.”

“We’re screening for alcohol, amphetamines, methamphetamines, barbiturates, cannabinoids, opiates,” Larabee said. “If these guys were flying high, we’l catch it.”

“You’re cal ing them guys.” Jansen.

“Pilot was a white male, probably in his thirties, five-eight to fiveten, lots of dental work, great tattoo.” Jansen was nodding as she wrote it al down.

“Passenger was also male. Tal er. With his head, that is.” He turned to me. “Tempe?”

“Probably early twenties,” I said.

“Racial background?” Jansen asked.

“Yes.”

She looked up.

“I’m working on it.”

“Any unique identifiers?”