“I’m just getting a burger. Maybe a milkshake.”
His phone dinged with a text. It was from the medical examiner. The body from the cabin was ready for autopsy. “Or you can come with me to the medical examiner’s office.”
“For the autopsy?”
“Yes. Jessica Halpern was identified by her dental records an hour ago.”
She seemed to relax, as if forensics were a welcome respite from feelings. “You’re talking my language.”
“Good.” If Gideon kept to himself, he might come out of this intact. The last few years had had productive, satisfying moments. But he had not tasted the excitement he’d enjoyed while being with Joan these last few days.
But if he was really honest with himself, he would admit that his life was lackluster because he still missed Joan.
Joan and Gideon stood in front of the medical examiner’s computer screen and watched as Dr. Christopher opened a file. The digital image of the body appeared on screen, and a familiar sense of discomfort washed over her. When would she ever shake that damn College Fire?
The heat and fire had damaged the body, melting muscle and eating into bone. The carnage was more complete than it had been with Lana. Either the killer was wrapping up loose ends, or his destructive behavior was escalating. Either way, his quickened pace was putting him at risk of exposure. Good for the cops, if they could catch him before the next homicide and arson.
“As you can see, these are dental X-rays I took of the victim’s mouth,” Dr. Christopher said. “And on the left are Jessica Halpern’s records, which I obtained from her dentist. Both sets of teeth have the same patterns of fillings on the back molars, as well as both sets have caps on the front-right incisor. This is definitely Jessica Halpern.”
“Do you have a cause of death?” Gideon asked.
“Strangulation,” the doctor said. “Her killer all but crushed the hyoid bone in her neck.”
“No smoke in the lungs?”
“None. She was not alive when the fire was set.”
“Who knows that Lana died of smoke inhalation?” Joan asked.
“I told rescue and police crews that I saw Lana move before the fire reached her,” Gideon said.
“Overkill, with some pent-up rage, or fear of another mistake?” Joan asked.
“Fear of a mistake suggests a leak,” Gideon said.
“Cops gossip,” she said. “Good luck with that.”
Gideon frowned, as if wondering how many layers removed the killer was from the first responders. “Can you estimate the time of death?”
“Within the last couple of days, but the fire damage makes it nearly impossible to be more accurate,” Dr. Christopher cautioned.
“Her husband said he spoke to her yesterday,” Joan said. “Of course, that’s assuming he didn’t kill her earlier and is lying. Gideon, did she return any of your calls?”
“No. Detective Sullivan checked her phone records, and her last text was thirty-six hours ago,” Gideon said. “Assuming she sent the text.”
“Who did she text?” Joan asked.
“A travel agent. She was planning a trip to Mexico.”
“When?” Joan asked.
“Tomorrow.”
“Not sticking around for the investigation,” she said. “Was it a trip for one or two?”
“One.”
“She was worried. You should have your friend Bryce McCabe keep an eye on Mr. Pollock in Helena. He might also be spooked now.”
“Already took care of that,” Gideon said.
“What about Lana Long’s fetus?” Joan asked. “Do you have DNA results back?”
“I do, as a matter of fact,” Dr. Christopher said. “Just came in today.” The doctor adjusted his glasses and shifted his attention to a different set of files on the screen. He pressed several keys, and a series of DNA markers appeared. “These belong to the biological father. The other set belongs to Darren Halpern.”
Joan leaned in. She was no expert on DNA but knew enough to recognize a match. “Darren is not the daddy.”
“Correct,” the doctor said.
“If Lana was seeing Darren, she was also busy with someone else,” Gideon said.
“She would not have been the first woman to pass another man’s baby off as his own,” Joan said.
“Whatever game Lana was playing, she pissed off the wrong guy,” Gideon said. “Doc, could you compare these results to Elijah Weston’s DNA?”
“But you said yourself the two would not have been in physical contact,” Dr. Christopher said, looking puzzled.
“She was obsessed with him.” Gideon shifted his gaze from the body to the doctor. “And if I’ve learned anything about prisoners, they are incredibly resourceful. Elijah did work in the warden’s office, so he might have had more access than most prisoners. Also check the DNA against Ryan Davis’s. He’s playing the part of the wronged boyfriend, but I’ve been surprised before.”
“Was a diamond engagement ring ever found with Lana’s body?” Joan asked.
“No. But one was found with Jessica Halpern’s remains,” Dr. Christopher said. He moved to a bin filled with the few personal belongings that had not been destroyed by the fire. He held up three baggies, each containing rings. Two were melted beyond recognition, and though the third was also misshapen, the trio of diamonds was clearly visible. She snapped several pictures.
They each thanked Dr. Christopher and, in the adjoining room, stripped off their gowns and gloves. Outside, they stepped into the sunshine and drank in fresh mountain air.
“Tucker said Lana was showing off her big engagement ring to a waitress named Nora last week. A ring like that, if it was real, required deep pockets.”
“That suggests that Lana’s boyfriend had money.”
“Let’s talk with Nora,” Joan said. “It’s critical we find this mystery boyfriend.”
Gideon called the diner and discovered that Nora’s shift would not begin for another hour, so he and Joan headed to the woman’s apartment, hoping to head her off.
They pulled up in front of the apartment building a few minutes before four. As they were getting out of the car, a woman was exiting the building. She was wearing a pink Tucker’s uniform, a heavy black sweater, and sensible white shoes.
“That must be Nora O’Neil,” he said.
“You think, Detective? If I had a nickel for all the times I put on that pink dress,” Joan said, shaking her head. “I guess if one good thing came out of the College Fire, it was that it destroyed those uniforms.”
“Too bad,” he said, almost in a whisper. “I always thought they looked good on you.”
“You’re kidding.”
He shrugged. “Nope.”
They started moving toward Nora, a tall, shapely woman with thick, dark hair tied back in a ponytail. “Ms. O’Neil,” Gideon said as he held up his badge.
Nora came to a stop, her fingers tightening around her keys, but said nothing.
“I’m Detective Gideon Bailey, and this is Joan Mason.”
“Detective,” Joan corrected. “We came to ask you a few questions about Lana Long.”
Nora’s expression did not relax. “She ate at the diner sometimes.”
“Tucker said she showed you an engagement ring at the diner last week.”
“Yeah, it was something to see. Three big diamonds. She was proud of it.” Jessica Halpern’s ring had sported three large diamonds, but when Jessica had visited the incinerated salon, she had not been wearing the diamonds.
“Do you know who gave it to her?” Joan asked.
“No clue. She hardly talked about her guy, like it was a big mystery. But she sure was thrilled to say she was getting married.”
Joan opened the photo featuring the Halpern ring. “Did it look like this?”
Nora studied the picture. “Yeah. That’s the ring.”
“How can you be sure?” Gideon asked.
“Because of the three diamonds, and the setting was high like that one.”
That ring was not cheap, and the chances of two similar ones floating around town were slim to none. “You and Lana must have talked about something,” Joan said. “Tucker said she ate at the diner a lot.”
“I asked her once why she came there, and she said her boyfriend lived nearby, in Deer Lodge.”
“That’s over an hour away,” Gideon said. “Why would she not live there or in Helena?”
“Because her beau was planning on moving back to Missoula.”
“Was he a prisoner?” Gideon asked.
“That wouldn’t surprise me. Highest concentration of men in Deer Lodge are locked up.”
“Did he give her the ring, or did she pick it out?” Joan asked.
“I don’t know. I had orders to fill, and Dan hates it when I talk to the customers too long.” She glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I got to go. Dan’s not at the diner right now.”
“Where is he?” Gideon asked.
“He took the afternoon off to help my mom, if you can believe it.”
“What’s he doing?” Gideon asked.