Free The Light Who Shines by Lilo Abernathy Page B

of the triceps brachii muscle to the bone is torn. Both
ankles show similar calluses and contusions at the top of the foot. The
injuries and bruising on both the ankles and the wrists show all stages of
healing, which means that the wounds were continuously afflicted over a period
of time lasting at least two weeks.”
    Holding my hand up for a pause, I probe, “Is it possible he
was tied with a rope or handcuffed?”
    Nathan’s face turns into a deep scowl. “If it was rope, I
would have expected to see fibers embedded and a rash. The skin is clean as
though it was metal encasing his hands and feet. But handcuffs are too narrow
to provide the wide grooving and callusing I see here. These injuries are more consistent
with having feet shackled and hands shackled over the head.”
    Nathan moves to the end of the table and gently folds back the
sheet that covers the boy’s feet and lower legs. A foul odor fills the air,
making my stomach roil in protest. I reluctantly join Nathan at that side of
the table.
    Nathan points to the bottom of the boy’s feet, which are black,
wrinkled, and covered in sores. “This boy had a condition commonly known as trench
foot. This is evidenced by the wrinkled skin on the bottoms of his feet and the
blisters and open sores on the bottoms and sides of his feet.”
    He points to the black, rotting toe and says, “Fungal
infection and gangrene had set in. This stage of trench foot lasts from two to
six weeks. Additionally, I found evidence of human fecal matter and urine on
the bottoms of his feet. Trench foot occurs when the foot is in damp and cold
but not freezing conditions for an extended period of time.” Nathan steps back
and covers the feet again.
    Nathan sighs. “I have one last area of injury to show you.”
He gently rolls the boy over on his side and lifts the sheet to show his back.
I can see wounds and bruising extending from his waist to his neck. “First of
all, he has a mark, a green circle on his lower back. I assume it’s a magic
mark, but you are a better judge of that than I am. As you observed at the
scene, this boy had lacerations and bruising covering his entire back. They’re in
various stages of healing. Because the wounds are deeper in this area,” Nathan explains
as he points to the boy’s mid-back where the skin is stripped away and muscle
is exposed, “I can estimate that some of this healing took place over the
course of three to four weeks. The forensic report will take some time, but I
found fibers in these wounds that appeared to be made of some sort of leather.
Preliminarily, I believe these injuries were sustained from a leather whip.”
    I step back, turn away, and clasp my shaking hands as I’m
filled with insurmountable rage. The sound of my blood pulsing through my body
fills my ears with a wild rushing sound as my head buzzes. I try to regain some
control, but the image of the boy is vivid in my mind. I see him starving,
chained, and shackled in some cold, dark place. I see him being whipped day
after day until his flesh peels away like the skin of an onion. With great
effort, I push the image into a corner of my mind. I need to carry on. My job is
to find the monster who did it. I will find him.
    With my back still turned, I ask, “Anything else?”
    Nathan answers, “No. But I did check for sexual assault and am
at least relieved that there are no signs he had to endure that indignity as
well.”
    “Well, thank goodness for small miracles. Our perpetrator is
a real saint, isn’t he?” Spinning around to face Nathan and the body again, I
inquire, “Did you send the preliminary report over to Detective Gambino?”
    Nathan smiles wryly. “Yes, about an hour ago. I included
images and measurements of the grill pattern.”
    I give Nathan a tip of my hat and a slight bow of gratitude.
“Thank you so much, Nathan, for doing that which needs to be done. Please give
me a call if you find anything else significant or when the pathology