Page 51 of Made of Steele
Drew frowned. “I appreciate the expertise, but we’ll have to figure who will pay for all of this.”
Kelsey waved a hand. “No worries. We’ll work it out. If neither of your agencies can pay our going rate, we’ll write off the balance due.”
“No offense,” Drew said. “We’re grateful for sure, but seems like a bad way to run a business.”
Kelsey took a long breath. “We’re running a business, yes, and we all like to get our salaries to pay our bills. But sometimes finding a killer and restoring the dignity of their victims so casually discarded like this trumps everything else.”
Teagan’s respect for Kelsey grew exponentially. “I’ll do my best to get my LT on board with at least some payment.”
Kelsey gave a tight smile and gestured at the grave in front of her that ran perpendicular to the first grave. “This is grave two. My assistant is working number three and our intern number four. We’ve already determined that graves three and four appear to be the last ones dug and these victims retained enough flesh that I can tell they are both males. Due to the remaining flesh, I have called in the ME. She will likely take charge of those bodies for autopsy.”
“Please tell me it’s Dr. Albertson,” Teagan said.
“It is.” Kelsey rested a hand on her knee. “I take it you know her.”
“I do. She’s great to work with. Very law enforcement friendly.”
“Yes, and willing to come right away.” Kelsey ripped off her gloves. “Ainslie is trying to keep up with all the photos as we progress, but I’ve had to start taking my own shots while she shoots the other two. This is slowing me down, and I don’t have as many details for you as I would normally have before calling. But I wanted you to take a look at the drone view of the area. I know you’ll find it interesting.”
“Can we see it now?” Drew asked.
“Of course.” Kelsey stood to take an iPad from her nearby backpack. “I shot this video after we marked the corners of the graves and before we erected the canopies.”
She started the footage playing. The drone rose into the sky and hovered over the four graves.
Teagan peered at the screen. “They’re laid out to form the shape of a cross.”
Drew looked at her. “I wonder if that’s significant or simply where the killer decided to bury the victims.”
“I think the killer is really the only one who can answer that, but they seem to be too precisely placed for coincidence,” Kelsey said. “Maybe religion has a part in this murder.”
Drew glanced at Teagan, telling her in unspoken words that they would wait to discuss this new development until they were alone.
“Like I said,” Kelsey put the iPad away, “we should have more details soon. You might want to be here for that.”
“We do,” Drew said. “We’ll get out of your way so you can get back to work.”
“Thank you. I’ll let you know the minute we have information to share.” Kelsey slipped on a fresh pair of gloves and dropped down to the tarp.
Drew stepped to a box of booties and gloves that Kelsey had placed near the graves. He put on a pair of each and moved to the open area in the center of the graves that formed the middle of the cross.
He looked at Teagan. “Once Kelsey has more to go on, I’ll ask Harris to run a missing person’s report.”
“Hopefully these victims aren’t like Smiley and have been reported missing.”
“Most missing people are reported, so odds are likely in our favor here.” He knelt in the middle area of the cross and gently brushed crumbly rust-colored leaves out of the center.
Teagan put on booties and gloves to join him. “Should we be touching anything before Sierra gets here?”
He stared down at his feet. Frowned. “I can’t stand around and do nothing. Not with four people dead. We’ll document everything as we go.”
Teagan squatted next to him. “You think we’ll find evidence here after all these years?”
“Odds aren’t good for Smiley, but if the victims aren’t skeletonized, they might not have been here long.” He continued to gently move the leaves.
She started helping him, carefully setting leaves aside as she looked for anything out of the ordinary. Bricks pressed into the soil came into view. She stopped and sat back. “Look at this.”
Drew scooted closer his eyes lighting up. “Let’s keep clearing this space.”
