Lynn Sharp, the medical examiner, had arrived and was making her way through the crowd. Alyssa’s mind flashed back to the last conversation she’d had with the woman, the one where Lynn had informed her that Evan Bishop’s DNA indicated he was Alyssa’s sibling.

‘Damn vultures. They’re lucky I’m not holding my scalpel,’ Lynn groused as soon as she reached Alyssa’s side.

Alyssa chuckled. Despite the fact that the doctor was indirectly threatening mutilation, she was actually one of the gentlest women she’d ever met. And maybe that was because she had to be, especially when she was the one present for grieving individuals brought in to identify their loved ones.

‘Alright then, lead the way so I can make sure they’re preserving evidence the way they should be.’ As gentle as she may be, it was no secret that no one wanted to be on the receiving end of Lynn Sharp’s wrath if a deceased person’s body wasn’t handled the proper way – and by proper, she meant her way.

As Lynn snapped pictures, Alyssa pointed to the mark on the young girl’s hip. ‘Does that look familiar to you? I’ve seen it somewhere, but I can’t think of where.’

Lynn spared a glance before directing someone to place protective bags over the girl’s hands. ‘Off the top of my head, I can’t say. But once I get her on the table, I’ll have more time to check it out, and then I can let you know what I think. For now – based on the rigor mortis – I’d guess she’s been deceased between twenty-four and forty-eight hours.’ Gently, she placed a gloved finger on the girl’s chin. ‘Unfortunately, from the damage to her face, I don’t feel comfortable yet even guessing at an age range.’

By the time the young girl’s body was escorted to the morgue hours later, the sun was blazing high in the sky, making Alyssa hot and sticky. And irritable, because the heat and the scent of death were attracting flies and other critters she loathed. She moved over to Cord who was busy scribbling something in his notebook. He glanced up when she approached.

‘You’ve been quieter than usual. You okay?’

He went back to writing. ‘I’m fine. Aside from the obvious.’ He waved his hand around the abandoned building.

She wasn’t convinced, but she let it go. She waited for him to finish jotting down his thoughts then sucked in a deep breath before lobbing her verbal grenade. ‘Did that mark look like a branding to you?’

‘I’m not sure what I think yet.’

It wasn’t the answer – or lack of one – that concerned Alyssa; it was the delivery. Since it was the anniversary week of his sister’s suicide, she wondered if she needed to talk to him about stepping back from this case, as well as Rachel and Jersey’s, maybe even taking a little time off. Normally she wouldn’t even consider it, but this situation was different. Watching for his reaction, she said, ‘If it is, I can only think of a few reasons for those. Pimps marking their prostitutes or, worse, sex traffickers branding their product.’