"Don't know. They want me to come down for an ID." He swallowed hard, his voice cracking. "They think it could be Beth."
Like most FBI agents, Andie didn't often go to the medical examiner's office. Barring some connection to the federal government or some congressionally legislated federal offense, dead bodies were basically a matter of state and local jurisdiction. Locals frequently did call upon the FBI for assistance in certain areas of expertise. The FBI crime lab, for one. Criminal profiling, for another. Andie didn't need to be reminded, however, that the locals still ran the investigation, even after the FBI answered the call for assistance.
Fortunately, Andie had wasted no time reviewing the case files Isaac Underwood had given her. She was completely up to speed when he telephoned after dinner to tell her she needed to get down to the medical examiner's office right away.
The King County Medical Examiner's office was housed in the basement of the Harbor View Medical Center. Andie arrived a little after seven. One of the office attendants took her straight to the main examination room. A detective from the Seattle police department met her outside the door. He was a heavyset man with thinning brown hair and a broad, flat nose, like an ex-boxer.
"Andie Henning," she said, introducing herself.
He seemed taken aback, as if the "Andie" he was expecting was Andy a man. "Dick Kessler," he said as they shook hands. His tone was uninspired, like the beige and white office in which they stood.
"Isaac Underwood sends his regards." He didn't, really, but Andie could see from the immediate smile on Kessler's face that the mere mention of her boss's name was a sure ice breaker. Isaac had an excellent relationship with the Seattle police department; he had started his law enforcement career there.
"Good ol' Isaac," he said with a nostalgic smile. "What a kick it used to be watching that guy on the witness stand. Didyou know he still holds the department record for the most cocky criminal defense lawyers chewed up and spit out?"
"That doesn't surprise me."
"Is he coming?"
"He sent me. Said he got a call saying you were doing an ID tonight on the latest body the woman you thought might be connected to a serial killer. I was hoping I could talk you into putting it off until tomorrow morning, when our ISU profiler arrives from Quantico. She'll be on a jet tonight."
Kessler shook his head. "Can't put it off. Wouldn't be fair to the family. Assuming we have the right family." "Who's coming down to make the ID?"
"Gus Wheatley. Big-shot lawyer downtown."
"I've heard of him. What's his relation to the victim?"
"He reported his wife missing this morning. Honestly, we didn't do much with it. Not until this body was discovered."
"What makes you think it's her?"
"Not much so far. Unidentified white female. Mid-thirties. Brown hair. About a hundred twenty pounds. Could be her."
"No driver's license or other identification on the body, I presume."
"No"
"Clothing match?"
"Uh-uh. Body was found nude."
"No other distinguishing physical characteristics?"
"We'll need Mr. Wheatley's help with that. It's hard for us to say at this point. Birds and critters have already eaten away a good bit of the flesh. She's a little taller than the height Mr. Wheatley reported for his wife, but the body could be somewhat elongated from hanging at the end of the rope."
The door opened to the examination room. Dr. Rudolf Fitzsimmons, chief pathologist, stood in the open doorway. He had very blond hair, almost as white as his lab coat. The skin too was pasty. Andie had seen more color in cadavers. Too much time down here in the basement, she surmised. He invited them in with a wave of his arm.
."All set," he said. "Would you like a preview?" Kessler stepped aside, allowing Andie to enter first.
She was immediately struck by the cold and the lights. Autopsy rooms were like walking into Antarctica, bright and frigid. The body lay in the center of the room atop a stainless steel examining table. One leg, most of the torso, and the left side of the face were covered with white cloth, which didn't strike Andie as standard procedure.
Dr. Fitzsimmons explained, "I've covered the more gruesome wounds for Mr. Wheatley's benefit. No need to show a man which parts of his wife are now nourishing the wildlife at Washington Park."
Andie asked, "Do we have to bring the poor man right into the autopsy room to make the identification? It's hard enough to see a loved one pulled out of a drawer in the morgue."
"Ordinarily, I wouldn't do this," said Kessler. "But I don't want to lose any more time in this case. I've asked Dr. Fitzsimmons to be prepared to proceed with the autopsy just as soon as Mr. Wheatley makes the identification."