Part 18 (2/2)
”The age and description fit.”
I felt a little weak.
”What physical characteristic were you referring to?”
”The victim has no lower molars.”
”Were they extracted?” I felt stupid as soon as the question was out.
”Dr. Brennan, I am not a dentist. There is also a small tattoo on the right hip. Two figures holding a heart between them.”
”I'll call Anna's aunt and get back to you.”
”I can-”
”No. I'll do it. I have something else to discuss with her.”
He gave me his beeper number and hung up.
My hand trembled as I punched the digits for the convent. I saw frightened eyes gazing from below blonde bangs.
Before I could think of how to frame my questions, Sister Julienne was on the line. I spent several minutes thanking her for sending me to Daisy Jeannotte, and telling her about the journals. I was evading what I had to do, and she saw right through me.
”I know something bad has happened.” Her voice was soft, but I could hear tension just below the surface.
I asked if Anna had turned up. She had not.
”Sister, a young woman has been found-”
I heard the swish of fabric and knew she was crossing herself.
”I need to ask a few personal questions about your niece.”
”Yes.” Barely audible.
I asked about the molars and tattoo.
The line was quiet only a second, then I was surprised to hear her laugh.
”Oh my, no, no, that isn't Anna. Oh heavens, no, she'd never allow herself to be tattooed. And I'm certain Anna has all of her teeth. In fact she often mentions her teeth. That's how I know. She has a lot of trouble with them, complains about pain when she eats something cold. Or hot.”
The words flew in such a torrent I could almost feel her relief rush across the line.
”But, Sister, it's possible-”
”No. I know my niece. She has all of her teeth. She isn't happy with them, but she has them.” Again the nervous laugh. ”And no tattoos, thank the Lord.”
”I'm glad to hear that. This young woman is probably not Anna, but perhaps it would be best to have your niece's dental records sent over, just to be sure.”
”I am sure.”
”Yes. Well, perhaps to a.s.sure Detective Claudel. It can't hurt.”
”I suppose. And I will pray for that poor girl's family.”
She gave me the name of Anna's dentist and I called Claudel back.
”She's sure Anna didn't have a tattoo.”
”Hi, Auntie nun! Guess what? I had my a.s.s tattooed last week!”
”I agree. Not likely.”
He snorted.
”But she's absolutely certain Anna has all of her teeth. She remembers her niece complaining about toothaches.”
”Who has extractions?”
My thought precisely.
”It's usually not people with happy teeth.”
”Yes.”
”And this aunt also believes Anna never went off without telling her mother, right?”
”That's what she said.”
”Anna Goyette has a better act than David Copperfield. She disappeared seven times in the last eighteen months. At least that's how many reports the mother filed.”
”Oh.” The hollowness spread from my breastbone to the pit of my stomach.
I asked Claudel to keep me informed, and hung up. I doubted he would.
I was showered, dressed, and in my office by nine-thirty. I finished my report on elisabeth Nicolet, describing and explaining my observations, just as I would with any forensic case. I wished I could have included information from the Belanger journals, but there just hadn't been time to go through them.
After printing the report, I spent three hours photographing. I was tense and clumsy, and had trouble positioning the bones. At two I grabbed a sandwich from the cafeteria, and ate it as I proofed my findings on Mathias and Malachy. But my mind was focused on the phone and wouldn't concentrate on the work at hand.
I was at the copy machine with the Belanger journals when I looked up to see Claudel.
”It is not your young lady.”
I stared into his eyes. ”Really?”
<script>