Free Shattered by Dani Pettrey Page A

there.” He just couldn’t be a part of anything that could, no matter how innocently, corrupt the case.
    “Grainger,” Slidell hollered.
    Landon lifted his chin. “I better . . .”
    “See you at dinner.”
    “Yeah.”
    Landon entered Slidell’s office, his muscles tightening. “You wanted me?”
    “Booth just called. The preliminary autopsy on Karli Davis is done.”

    Landon entered the autopsy room. The stench of death enveloped the stale air. Karli Davis lay on the cold steel table, her chest covered with a series of stitched zigzags that formed a very dark Y.
    Landon popped a menthol cough drop in his mouth before stepping closer, finding the trick more helpful in masking the odor than smearing Noxzema beneath his nose, as some of the other cops did.
    “Landon.” Booth slipped on a fresh pair of gloves. “Perfect timing.”
    His thoughts exactly. He’d observed one autopsy in its entirety, and it was something he’d never forget. Being present for the initial external exam and then briefed after the completion of the internal suited him just fine.
    “Cause of death,” Booth said, bypassing the pleasantries, “was a lateral cut to the carotid artery.” Booth pointed to the incision on Karli’s neck. “She died fairly quick once the lethal cut was made.”
    Landon pointed to several gouges beneath Karli’s right knee. “And what about those?”
    “I’m unable to be certain which came first, the leg or the neck injury.”
    “So the killer was going for either torture or postmortem mutilation?” For the victim’s sake, he prayed it was the latter.
    Booth nodded.
    Landon shook his head. Reef killing in the heat of anger was one thing, but torture or postmortem mutilation? Was there any way Reef could be that sick, or did they have the wrong man?
    “It does look like the killer got interrupted before he could finish whatever he was attempting to do.” Booth indicated the jagged end of the three-inch gash on her leg. “Looks like he jerked away quickly.”
    Most likely when Ashley and Tug arrived. “What do you think he was attempting?”
    “Perhaps he enjoyed the kill but it went too quick for his tastes, so he decided to continue cutting. Or”—Booth exhaled—“he could have been carving some sort of mark or insignia into her.”
    Either reason demonstrated the killer’s need to exert power over his victim.
    Landon bent for a closer examination. “It looks like there’s scarring in the area.”
    “Yes. My guess is from a recent injury or surgery.”
    “How recent are we talking?”
    “Under a year, probably less.”
    “What about her blood alcohol?” Ash, Tug, and Reef all said Karli had been drinking. The alcohol in her system could have slowed her reactions and reduced her ability to struggle with the killer.
    “Analysis strip showed the presence of alcohol in her system. We’ll have to wait for the full tox screen results to know how much.”
    “Good work, Booth. As usual.”
    The lanky Louisiana native smiled. “Just hope it results in the clear-cut evidence you need to put the killer away.”
    Landon appreciated Booth not naming Reef as the killer—not until all the evidence was in. Though he knew most in town would not give Reef the same benefit of the doubt.
    “Let me know as soon as you hear something.” He was particularly interested in the trace-evidence results from the changing room. If they could prove another man had been in the women’s changing room, maybe, just maybe they’d have a new direction to head.
    “Will do, but you know they are short staffed at the lab. Could be weeks, and that’s if we’re lucky.”
    Lucky was the last thing Landon felt.

10
    Following the family’s visit with Reef, Gage headed to the Polar Espresso. The rich, roasted smell he loved brought little soothing to his troubled soul. But the more he adhered to routine, the better he believed he’d cope.
    He took his place in line, debating his beverage choice. The sweet scent