Part 19 (1/2)
”Strangled, this time, Joe said.
”What was your first clue? Diana said, her voice hollow. Karens eyes were open and bulging, her tongue protruded from her mouth, and her throat was one livid bruise.
To Liams everlasting shame, his first reaction at the sight was relief. Now Wy would never know what had happened in Lydias bedroom.
Joe did not change expression.
This time there had been a fight. The kitchen table and chairs were knocked over, drawers had been pulled out and dumped, cupboards opened and emptied on the floor. Broken dishes and spilled rice crunched underfoot, and the body was coated with powdered chocolate. ”Lets check the rest of the house, Liam said.
It was trashed. The bed had been ripped apart and the mattress dumped to the floor. The drawers to the filing cabinet had been opened and dumped. The shelves in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom had been swept clean, bottles of Bayer and boxes of Band-Aids and bars of scented soap winding up in the sink or toilet and all over the floor. Betsy Amakuk sat on the couch in the living room, where all the books had been pulled from the shelves. She was weeping into Stan Jr.s shoulder. Stan Jr. patted her awkwardly. He looked angry. Jerry wasnt there.
”Somebody was looking for something, Diana said.
”No s.h.i.+t, Liam said, and returned to the kitchen. Joe Gould was zipping Karen into a black plastic body bag. ”To the airport, Joe, straight to the airport and no stopping. He dialed Wys number on his cell phone. When she answered, he said, ”I need you to take the Cessna to Anchorage tonight. Right now, in fact. Can do?
”Are you coming?
”Yes. Youll be transporting a body. Silence. ”Wy?
”Whose body? she said, but he got the feeling she was only killing time.
”Karen Tompkins.
”What?
”Karen Tompkins, Lydias daughter. We just found her. I need to get her body to the ME in Anchorage tonight. Can you take it?
Another silence. ”I All right. Ill call Bill to stay with Tim and head for the airport to start pulling seats.
”Meet you there. He hung up and looked at Prince. ”You know the drill.
”I do.
”Well do a turnaround and come straight back.
”Okay. She was straining toward the door, eager to start questioning the neighbors.
”Go, he said, and she bolted for the door like the starter pistol had been fired.
”Give me a hand, Joe said, and Liam went to Karen Tompkins black plastic-clad feet. They lifted her easily and bore her from the room. Liam glanced back at the isolated island of faded linoleum in a sea of broken crockery, spilled flatware and a layer of white flour, an eerie reverse print of the dead womans body.
They were in the air half an hour later, the second and third rows of seats pulled and stacked in the shed next to the tie-down. ”Karen Tompkins?
”Yeah.
”Lydia Tompkins daughter?
”Yeah.
”What happened?
”It looks like somebody strangled her.
She made a noise of distress. ”Why?
”I dont know yet.
The night was clear and calm, and the moon rose in time to light their way through Lake Clark Pa.s.s, a narrow gorge hedged about on all sides by very tall, very steep mountains already covered with snow. They landed at Merrill seventy minutes later, to be met by the meat wagon. Brillo Pad was driving.
Brillo Pad, aka Dr. Hans Brilleaux, had a very thick, very wiry, very curly head of very black hair, hence the nickname. Brillo Pad was fifty-six years old and very proud of his hairs continued thickness and lack of gray. ”Liam, he said, big white buckteeth flas.h.i.+ng in a grin. His face was swarthy and his nose was large and red-veined.
”Hans Brilleaux, Wy Chouinard.
Brillo Pad gave Wy the once-over. ”Delighted. You folks staying the night in Anchorage?
”You done with Lydia Tompkins? Liam said.
”Who?
”Lydia Tompkins, Liam said, enunciating the name in careful, independent syllables. ”The woman I sent you two days ago.
Brillo Pad tore his eyes from Wy and said, ”Sure. I knew that. Ah, yeah. Head injury, whacked her skull pretty good, causing internal bleeding and a clot. Bam. On the physical evidence of the body, good chance it was accidental, not intentional. She clawed him, but no skin or blood, only fibers. If I had to guess, Id say they came from a Carhartts jacket.
”Great.
”I know, not many of those around Alaska, are there? He helped Liam maneuver the body bag out of the 180. ”Whos this?
”The first womans daughter. How quick can you look at her?
Brillo Pad whistled long and low. ”Daughter, huh? Man, youre the reason Ive been in business the last six months.
”Im figuring the same guy did both women. Any hard evidence you can find, say fibers from the same coat, would be most helpful.
”Ill take her straight to the lab, see what I can see. So, are you staying in town tonight?
”Were going home, Liam told Brillo.
”Okay. Ill give you a call when Ive got something.
He drove off, and Wy got clearance from the tower. They were back in the air five minutes later.
Liam felt a sense of relief as the lights of the big city receded behind them, and wondered at it. ”Its easier flying at night, he said over the headset.
She looked at him in the darkness of the cabin. ”Youre not as afraid to fly in the dark?
”I dont think I am. Or at least not as much as I am during the day.
”Its a miracle, she said lightly.
”Maybe its just that I cant see how far up we are. He peered out of the window, saw a flare burning on one of the Inlet oil rigs far below, and straightened hastily.