As she walked, Val was pleased to find that being back in a building with sufficient heat, her leg felt pretty normal again and her limp was just about gone. She opened the autopsy room door and then looked at her watch. Gavin and Warren should be arriving at any minute. A voice down the hall made Val turn her head.

“I was wondering when you’d get here. I’ve been following the story on the news,” Gwen Carmondy said, quickly running forward. Gwen was Val’s fellow death investigator. But she was more than a co-worker, she was Val’s friend. The two became roommates just last week. Val had an extra bedroom in her house and Gwen needed a place to stay. So far the arrangement had been good.

Val looked up at Gwen, who was five feet nine, a good seven inches taller than Val. She had deep blue eyes and long curly dark auburn hair that Val would have killed for. Her own long black hair was poker straight. This, coupled with dark eyes gave Val a distinct Mediterranean appearance. Attractive? Attention from the opposite sex said yes, but that’s all Val had to go on. “This case is crazy.” Val wheeled the gurney into the autopsy suite. “Want to help me set up?”

“Absolutely.” Gwen grabbed the gurney and wheeled it into place.

Val texted Dr. Maddox, letting him know she was in the autopsy suite and that she’d be ready for him in a few minutes. Val’s stomach growled. When was the last time she’d eaten? Breakfast maybe? Adrenaline pushed her forward. There was no way she’d be home before midnight tonight. She didn’t care. She wouldn’t be able to sleep and food was not on her mind.

Val put on latex gloves, walked over to the gurney and unzipped the white body bag just as Dr. Richard Maddox entered. He stood about six feet and had dark hair cropped short. His steel-blue eyes had an intensity that gave him a commanding, uncompromising appearance. Val often thought that if his edges were softened even just a little he’d be a very handsome man.

As she pulled the bag open and away from the body, exposing Gabrielle Morgan, Val gave him a summary of the crime scene and her findings at the church, ending with the fact that the victim had tree branches in her duct taped hands and seeds in her taped mouth. All of this could easily be seen through the clear plastic enclosure and being wrapped in plastic gave Gabrielle an even more macabre appearance.

“They didn’t report the branches and seeds on the news,” Dr. Maddox said, coming closer to get a better look.

“Detective Gavin doesn’t want that fact released to the public.”