Free Corpus de Crossword by Nero Blanc Page B

been a real sleepy place. A big crime is breaking the speed limit. And we’ve had our share of DUIs, but that’s it.”
    Lever returned to Jones. “How long do you think she’s been dead?”
    â€œLike I said, I’ve got to run more tests. Definitely over five years, I’d say, judging by how little remains of her flesh and clothing. But beyond that—maybe ten years? Maybe thirty? Maybe fifty? It’s a shame she didn’t have any dental work done. That could help us a lot. Technology’s changed over the years. Even a good clothing sample can give us an indication of dates.” Jones shrugged. “Considering a section of what was clearly an elasticized clothing material, we’re not talking ancient history, but at this point, it’s really up in the air. Soil conditions vary, meaning that states of preservation vary … also decomposition rates.” He turned back to Tucker. “As I mentioned, I picked up very few other textile samples in what you brought in … I took the liberty of driving out to the site yesterday evening, but it’s completely compromised. That storm’s turned everything into a huge mud pit.”
    â€œThat’s why I thought it was important to get the bones out of there as quickly as I could.”
    Lever and Jones exchanged another look that indicated they didn’t agree with Tucker’s decision.
    â€œWhat’s done is done,” Abe said as politely as he could. “So … Did you—or Ms. Mott—notice anything that might have been a larger clothing sample? Anything in the surrounding soil?”
    Tucker thought. “Nothing at all. But the dirt was very loose. The backhoe seemed to have scooped out underneath where the skeleton was and then a whole clump of earth sort of slid into the work site. The photos I brought don’t really show that very well.”
    â€œI’d like to have those negatives. Maybe we can get better prints than the one-hour photo place.”
    â€œAhh … sure,” Lonnie said. “Maybe you want to talk to the guys who were working the backhoe … They might be able to tell you how it ended up in the position where we found it.”
    â€œRight.” Al Lever coughed and cleared his throat. “Let’s get back to the who … Taneysville’s a small place. In your recollection, have there ever been rumors of a young woman going missing? Even old-time rumors?”
    Tucker shook his head. “I was born and raised out there … Well, I was gone for my twenty-two years in the navy, so I guess maybe then someone might have … Nah … I would have heard all about it. I always came home on leave. Christmas, Thanksgiving when I could. My pop would’ve told me about anything like that. We’re too tight-knit a community … News travels faster than folks can create it. You can’t step outside without a neighbor wondering where you’re headed.”
    â€œWhen did you finish with the navy?” Lever asked.
    â€œTwelve years ago. And I’ve been back in Taneysville ever since.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t be the first time someone dumped a body a good distance from the murder site,” Jones said. “If our lady here isn’t a local, then her killer probably isn’t local either.”
    Lever rubbed at his forehead. “Lonnie, can you recall what was on that particular site before the crew started digging the foundation for that addition? Was it similar to the way you described the rest of the property—just empty land?”
    Lonnie smiled. He was ahead of Lever on this one. “Right, I thought of that, too, Lieutenant. The body turned up exactly where the Quigleys used to keep their vegetable garden. Just behind the house there … If any dirt had been disturbed—somebody using it for a dumping ground, for instance—no one would have noticed … Aside from the growing season, of