The sheriff’s car pulled up the driveway and Dixon got out.

“We’re not good enough for the grand dame?” Mendez asked as their boss joined them.

“That’s right,” Dixon said. “Only the top of the food chain for Mrs. Bordain.”

“I wouldn’t mention food to her right now,” Mendez said. “She’s pretty shaken up.”

“The box was sent from Lompoc,” Hicks said. “No return address.”

Dixon’s face twisted as he leaned over the box for a look. “Glad I’m not the one taking that to Santa Barbara for the pathologist.”

“Don’t look at me,” Mendez said. “I just bought this jacket. I’m not spending an hour in a car with that smell.”

“Relax. I can’t spare you for running errands,” Dixon said as a pair of crime-scene techs came onto the porch.

“The box is evidence,” he told them. “The contents have to go to the morgue in Santa Barbara. The pathologist is expecting you.”

“Cal, thank you for coming.”

Milo Bordain had collected herself. She came as far as the front door, staying well back from the view and the smell of the box. The pastiness had passed out of her system along with her stomach contents. Ashen best described her now. She was still visibly shaking.

“I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this, Mrs. Bordain,” Dixon said. “You saw the mailman leave the box?”

“He brought it to the door along with the rest of my mail. I sat down here to open it.” She closed her eyes and shook her head at the memory. “Oh my God. It was ... I’ve never seen ...”

“You should sit down, ma’am,” Mendez suggested.

“No, no. I can’t stay out here with that box,” she said, waving a hand. “I can’t stand it. That’s part of Marissa. Someone did that to her. It’s sick!”

She turned and went into the house. Dixon followed her. Hicks and Mendez followed.

“I feel ill,” Bordain said. “I have to make some tea.”

They followed her through a great room that looked like something out of Bonanza to a huge kitchen outfitted with commercial appliances. She went about the business of filling a teakettle and putting it on the stove to heat. When she turned around and saw Mendez and Hicks, one eyebrow sketched upward in disapproval.

“I thought we would talk about this privately, Cal,” she said to the sheriff.

“Detective Mendez is my lead investigator on the case. Detective Hicks is his partner.”

“I thought you were handling the case personally.”

“It has my full focus, but an investigation like this is always a team effort.”

She didn’t seem to like that answer. She wanted the sheriff’s undivided attention.

“This is quite a place you have, Mrs. Bordain,” Hicks said. “Is it a working ranch?”