“All right,” Sheriff McDonald said, shifting his focus and pulling open his bottom drawer to reveal a file folder. “I made some calls. Talked with detectives in Virginia and Georgia, as well as the guys here who ran Megan’s and Nicole’s cases. Brought them up to speed on your findings and suspicions. They’re going to take a step back and look at it all. Don’t expect immediate results, that’s not how these guys work. But they were interested. Very interested.” Terry nodded his head. “Despite my reservations about your judgment involving Megan, this is really good work, Dr. Cutty.”
“I’ve got more,” Livia said. Over the last few nights, she had documented and expanded on everything she learned from Nate Theros about the potential traits of the man responsible for Nancy Dee’s and Paula D’Amato’s deaths, as well Megan’s kidnapping and the botched transfer the night she escaped from the bunker. Nate’s theories, organized by Livia’s meticulous scientific mind, filled three pages. She pushed her work across the desk until it rested in front of the sheriff.
Terry McDonald took several minutes to read the report. “These are your conclusions?”
“No, sir,” Livia said. “I had some help.”
“From a criminologist?”
Livia shook her head. “Not exactly, but someone with an . . . odd hobby. He prefers to remain anonymous.”
“Can I keep this?” Terry asked.
“Of course.”
“I’ll show it to our guys. Compare it against what they came up with.” Terry placed the profile into his folder and returned it to the bottom drawer.
“So things are rolling now,” he said. “I’ve made the calls, and we’ll see what comes next. It will take these detectives time to clear their dockets in order to justify putting hours into a cold case. I’m going to do what I can on my own while we’re waiting, and I’ll keep you posted on any news.”
“Is there a way for me to reach Megan? She hasn’t been returning my calls.”
“With respect, Dr. Cutty, I’d prefer you leave Megan alone for the time being.”
Livia nodded. “Fair enough. Will you tell her I’m thinking about her?”
“I’ll let her know.”
Livia stood. “Thanks again for what you’re doing. I know it’s hard on you and your family.”
“As well as yours, Dr. Cutty. I’ll be in touch.”
CHAPTER 44
August 2016
The Night of the Abduction
Nicole Cutty pulled her car into the parking lot of Emerald Cove, where the beach party was happening, an end-of-summer tradition for Emerson Bay kids. It was seven p. m. and the sun was at a steep slant across the water as Nicole and her friends primped in the parking lot, Jessica and Rachel fighting over the passenger-side visor mirror while Nicole smacked her lips in the rearview after applying a final coat of lipstick.
They stashed their makeup into small purses.
“No drama tonight,” Jessica said.
“You sound like my sister,” Nicole said. She had made a call to Livia after the incident on Matt’s boat. Wanting to disappear, she’d asked Livia if she could come to Miami for a week. Of course, Livia was too busy with residency to consider it. Nicole had wanted to run to Livia and tell her about all the things that were swirling in her brain. She wanted, for just one week, to be a little sister and garner the attention she once had from Livia.
“Just stay away from him,” Rachel said. “He’s an ass anyway.”
Nicole didn’t answer. She’d been withdrawn, Jessica and Rachel noticed, since the incident between her and Matt the other day. Nicole refused to tell them what had transpired on Matt’s boat, but it was assumed that he had broken things off for good now that he was with Megan. Jessica and Rachel knew their role tonight would be as peacekeepers. They’d work hard to keep Nicole away from both Megan and Matt.
The three walked through the parking lot and onto the beach, where a large bonfire was fighting off the first advances of dusk. Fifty other kids gathered in packs around the fire. A volleyball game was in full swing and a few boys threw a football down by the water. They waited for the sun to set and for darkness to cover the beach before they snuck beer and liquor from their hiding spots.
Jessica and Rachel merged with a group of girls by the fire. Nicole broke away and wandered down by the water. She pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and checked again. Casey hadn’t returned her text.
There was a loud holler from a group of boys by the fire and Nicole looked back. In the glow of the flames she saw that Matt had arrived, greeted by his friends. Holding his hand was Megan.
Nicole looked back at her phone and sent Casey another text.
CHAPTER 45
November 2017
Fourteen Months Since Megan’s Escape
After handing Nate’s profile off to Sheriff McDonald, Livia busied herself with work, escaping the anxiety of waiting for answers by delving into the bodies that came to her morgue. She no longer, as she admitted she had once done, looked at those bodies as a way to advance her career or as an opportunity to showcase her skills and outperform her colleagues. The last three months had taught her that each life deserved the proper respect of discovering the answers it left behind. For Dr. Livia Cutty, the only way she could find those answers was by examining the bodies that came to her. Respectfully and honorably, without ulterior motives of career advancement or personal gain but, instead, with a singular goal of providing information to the family about the cause of their loved one’s demise. If she did that honestly, and to the best of her ability, the collateral rewards would come.
It took the last several weeks to plant the seed of this epiphany. And the last few days, after she handed over all her hard work and research to the authorities and entrusted them to find the answers she had come so close to discovering on her own, had reminded her that others were waiting just like she. Others were hoping for answers, and they had placed their trust in young Livia Cutty to provide closure. Livia would do her best to serve those people, and not herself. Perhaps it was a metamorphosis all medical examiners experience. Or maybe this insight was the elusive thing Dr. Colt hinted would come sometime during her training. Whatever it was, Livia was a different person today than she had been when she arrived at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner back in July.
She prepared to bury herself in the riddles that rested on her autopsy table for as long as it took the authorities to examine her preliminary findings and turn them into something more substantial. This long haul was what she readied for. But as she paged through a textbook at ten p.m., a phone call changed her plans. She was surprised to hear Megan’s voice.
“I need to see you,” Megan said.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
“Sorry I haven’t called. Your dad said I should give you some space.”
“I don’t care about any of that. I need to see you tonight.”
“Tonight? What’s wrong?”
“I know,” Megan said. “I finally know.”