Backer’s could be explained as reaching for support while he climbed the rickety stairs, then sauntering over to enjoy the view.

The only explanation I could find for hers was a sexual position.

Milo plodded in, drinking coffee.

“Morning.”

“Zippity-do-nothing to you, as well.” He sat, drank. “No one’s budging on telling me who DSD is and I can’t find a judge who disagrees. No call-back from Hal, which isn’t his usual style, no weapons registered to Charles Rutger other than flintlocks and muskets classified as antiques. He might be nuts but he’s never been in criminal trouble. Lab sent over prints from the scene but they don’t mean much.”

“Just read the report.” I offered my interpretation. “Sounds about right.” His phone rang. He clicked to conference. “Sturgis.”

A woman said, “This is Dr. Jernigan from the coroner’s returning your call.”

“Thanks for getting back, Doctor. I was wondering if you’ve had a chance to autopsy my victims.”

“The Holmby double?” she said. “Gunshot for your male, strangulation for your female.”

“That was quick, thanks.”

“No autopsy was done,” said Jernigan. “Not necessary. We also did a rape kit on your female. No sexual assault.”

“So the semen on her leg—”

“What semen?”

“There was a stain on her leg. I saw it at the scene.”

“Not when I inspected the body. How do you know it was semen?”

“I’m not an expert—”

“Exactly.”

“Was it something else, Doctor?”

Silence. “There was no stain of any kind, Lieutenant. Sorry to cut this short, but I need to go.”

“No autopsy necessary,” said Milo.

“You’ve been doing this for a while, Lieutenant, so you know we don’t cut unnecessarily. I x-rayed both of them. There’s a bullet in his head that we’ll pull out soon as we can, no metal in her and ruptures in all the right places. For all the talk about a crime drop, we’re swamped because the powers-that-be refuse to hire any more staff and the bodies are still coming in faster than we can process. Twenty minutes ago, I received four little kids from a house fire in Willow-brook and they do need to be opened up to check for soot in the lungs. Trust me, we’re taking your case seriously, the bullet will be pulled.”

“Okay, thanks. Sorry about Bobby.”

“You knew Bobby?”

“Only Bobby I know is Bobby Norchow.”

“Norchow retired last year, this is Bobby Escobar. Bright kid, spent a couple of years with us then left to get a master’s in bio at Cal State.”

“I heard he got shot near the crypt.”

“Few blocks away, vacant lot that’s actually county property,” said Jernigan. “He was here working, we gave him a little space so he could have peace and quiet. He had three little kids, including a baby.”

“Oh, man.”