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Back The Secrets We Bury
Chapters (49)
  1. Cover
  2. Love best-selling fiction?
  3. Also by Mary Bush
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. Acknowledgements
  47. A note from the publisher
  48. Love best-selling fiction?
  49. You will also enjoy:

“Screw that. You’ll never solve a case like this without determining motive. Motive dictates actions, and I think your tree branches and seeds are the starting point,” Jack said. “That’s what your killer, or person committing suicide, wants us to know about. The ritual, if that’s what this is, is what you need to look at first. And the fact that this was only found for Gabrielle, and not her son, means something.” Jack pushed his plate away. “Val, Gabrielle’s cancer is another starting point. Don’t lose sight of that, because it’s a big one.”

“I won’t,” Val said. Jack was right. Everything in this case pointed to murder–suicide, but not all those puzzle pieces Jack spoke of fit within this jigsaw. “The tree branches are a fir of some kind. The seeds, I haven’t a clue what they are.”

Jack shrugged. “I know of nothing offhand that uses this practice. We’ll need to find an arborist, a tree specialist, who can tell you what kind of branches she was holding. This person should be able to help with the seed identification too.”

“We’ll? Does this mean you’ll help with this case?” Val said, excited, knowing that there was something that aroused Jack’s suspicions too.

“Of course. I find it fascinating. Plus, there’s a lot I can teach you in the process. You two will be top criminalists in no time.”

“That’s awesome!” Gwen exclaimed, then her expression changed, becoming worried. “What about Thomas? Will he be happy that you’re part of this?”

While Jack and Thomas Hayden were partners, Thomas was the star investigator, almost akin to Jack’s boss. In the criminalistics world, his word was gospel. To work with these two was a career game changer—a catapult upwards, and to learn from either of them, well that was unheard of, especially a second time around. Would he let Jack do this?

“I’ll keep Thomas informed. It has enough to keep him engaged,” Jack said.

“Great!” Val said. “I’ll look for the arborist in the next day or two. Tomorrow, I’m going with Detective Gavin to talk to the victim’s parents.” Val sat up straight. “Oh, Jack, sorry! I won’t be able to spend time with you until later on.”

“That’s okay. I can take care of myself tomorrow. There are things you need to learn from her parents. She was estranged from them. Why?”

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