In a while she’s going to transport them to the department and place them in a daisy room, as police call a comfortable nonthreatening setting they use for interviews with children. A counselor will be in to talk to and evaluate the girls, but the female officer isn’t going to mention that out here in the middle of the park.

She’s not going to explain that the twins will be treated the same way abused children are, and I can’t help but feel judgmental. It’s not appropriate for me to have personal opinions about cases I work, but it’s inevitable some things are going to hit me harder than others. I’m not good with bad parents, bad caretakers and bad pet owners.

The twin sisters are young and impaired, and what sort of person would allow them to be out and about unchaperoned, especially after dark? Is anybody wondering why they aren’t home and where they are?

“We can turn on the lights whenever you’re ready,” Barclay tells us rather than asks.

“The problem, Clay, is the minute we do it’s like we’ve lit up a baseball field,” Marino answers in an artificial avuncular tone, as if the young investigator is dim-witted and useless but a nice enough boy. “And if you build it, they’ll sure as hell come. So nope, Clay.” Marino says the name every chance he gets. “Not yet, right Doc?” He looks at me.

“Flashlights only for now,” I agree, and the diesel sound gets louder, then stops as the engine is cut. “It’s going to be difficult enough when people start noticing our mobile command center parked out here in addition to all the police cars.” I look at the twins watching us with owl eyes. “It’s pretty obvious there’s something going on, and I don’t want to draw attention until we can set up a barrier.”

I explain that right now the body is exposed to anyone who happens by or trains a telescopic lens on it. I can’t turn the lights on, and I can’t work without them, and it’s a familiar catch-22. I wouldn’t think of examining the body in situ without lighting if I’m given the choice, and I can’t cover her with a sheet before I examine her or I run the risk of disturbing or displacing evidence. So for the moment we’re stuck in the dark with only flashlights, and my attention wanders back to the twins again. I can’t stop looking at them.