Kit didn’t like him. Harry did.
I was dialing Wal y Cagle when a series of beeps indicated another cal er was trying to reach me. I clicked over.
“Checked your e-mail, Dr. Brennan?” The voice was high and warbly, like an electronic dol ’s.
Tiny hairs rose on the nape of my neck.
“Who is this?”
“I know where you are. I know al about you.”
Annoyance alternated with anger. And fear. I searched for a snappy response, found none, repeated myself.
“Who is this?”
“The face in the glass.”
My eyes flew to the window.
“The dust bunny under your bed.” Singsong. “The beastie in the closet.”
Unconsciously, I drifted to the wal and pressed my back to it.
“Welcome.” The child-voice mimicked AOL. “You’ve got mail.”
The line went dead.
I stood rigid, clutching the phone.
This case? Some other case? A random nut?
I jumped when the ringer sounded in my hand. The cal er-ID window indicated a private number.
My finger sought the “connect” button. Slowly, I raised the receiver to my ear.
“Hel o?” A man’s voice.
I waited, breath stil frozen in my throat.
“Ye-ho? Someone there?”
High-pitched Boston accent.
Walter Cagle.
Slow exhale.
“Hey, Wal y.”
“That you, Tempe?”
“It’s me.”
“You al right, princess?” Wal y cal ed most women he liked. “princess.” Some were offended. Some weren’t. I saved my ire for bigger issues.
“I’m fine.”
“You sound edgy.”
“I’ve just had an odd cal .”
“Not bad news, I hope.”
“Probably just a crank.” Dear God, what if it wasn’t?
“Guy wanted to see you in hip waders and a Dale Evans bra?”
“Something like that.”
A tap at the window. My eyes whipped back up.
A chickadee was perched on the bird feeder. As it dipped for seed, the feeder rocked gently against the glass.
I closed my eyes and steadied my voice.
“Listen, I’m glad you cal ed. Did Detective Slidel fil you in on what’s going on?”
“He said you needed information on an old case.”
“A partial skeleton, found near Lancaster about three years back.”
“I remember it. No skul . No hand bones. Coroner should have my report on file.”
“That coroner is dead. The current coroner has nothing but the original police report, which is useless.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” Deep sigh. “Guy struck me as one notch above simpleminded. A teensy notch.”
“Do you mind discussing your findings?”
“Of course not, princess. Case went nowhere, as I recal .”
“We think we may have found the head and hands up here in Mecklenburg County.”
“No kidding.”
The line was silent a moment. I could picture Wal y crossing his legs, kicking one foot, composing his thoughts.
“I’m down in Beaufort, but I cal ed my lab, had a graduate student read me the highlights from my report. It was a complete skeleton lacking the head, mandible, first three cervical vertebrae, and al hand bones.”