two were outside before they were put here,” said Diane. “David can tell us how long.”
Diane retrieved the body bags. She and Neva lifted the first body—the female—and put her in the black bag. It was then that Diane noticed the charm bracelet on the victim’s right wrist. Diane took the bracelet off the body and put it in a clear evidence bag. Neva zipped up the body bag.
The two of them did the same grim task for the other body, a male. They tied a rope harness on each bag for Mike to pull them up with the pulley system he had constructed while they were searching the cavern room.
They examined the cave floor under the bodies. Nothing.
“I was hoping for a note or a driver’s license,” said Neva.
“It was certainly very helpful when the remains we found in that cave a year ago had the diary with them,” agreed Diane.
The two of them collected their evidence bags—the contents of which they were sure would turn out to be years of trash from all the graffiti artists—and hoisted them up along with the crime scene kit. The last thing Diane did was to record the temperature of the cave. Hector and Scott’s work might very well help pinpoint a time of death in these bodies—possibly within a couple of days or even a few hours. Diane and Neva climbed up the rope to join Mike. He collected his bolts and pulleys and re-coiled the rope.
“The bodies have lost a lot of their weight,” said Neva. “Could we stack one on top of the other and save ourselves a trip? You and I can carry the bodies and Mike can carry the equipment.”
Mike nodded. “We can switch out if it turns out the bodies are too heavy,” he said.
Diane agreed and she and Neva stacked the bodies, tied a rope around them, and gave them a test lift.
“Not too bad,” said Neva. “We don’t have a long way to go. We can do it.”
They retraced their steps to the first chamber of the cave. Mike slithered out first, put down the gear, turned, and helped pull the bodies through. Diane came out after the bodies, followed by Neva.
The others who had been waiting outside the cave gathered around when they saw Mike and they stood in a huddle around the bodies.
“See, I told you the bodies was there,” said Slick, craning his neck to look at the body bags.
“You took a long time,” said Mathews. “I thought you said you would send Mike out if you were going to be long. I was starting to worry.”
“I’m sorry. I should have specified what I consider a long time,” said Diane. “We searched the cavern they were in, collected all potential evidence, and photographed the graffiti on the walls.”
“The graffiti? Why?” asked Mathews.
“To see who knew about the cave,” said Diane.
“They signed their names?” asked Mathews.
“That’s about all they wrote,” said Diane.
“Can you tell if they are my couple?” Liam asked.
“It’s a male and a female. The female has long honey blond hair; the male has shorter black hair . . .” began Diane.
“Does that fit?” asked Mathews.
Liam nodded. “I’m afraid it does.”
He took two photographs from an envelope and showed them to Diane and Mathews. They showed a lovely elfish-looking girl with a sly smile and long honey blond hair and a boy with medium-length dark hair, a wide grin, and nice teeth.
Liam looked at Diane as if asking if these were the bodies. She shook her head.
“They have been dead for several weeks. I think my team will be able to pinpoint the time more accurately. And there is this,” she said, pulling out the evidence bag with the bracelet. “This was on the girl.”
Liam took the bag and looked at the bracelet. From the grim set of his mouth, Diane thought he recognized it. He nodded.
“It’s hers. Her sister gave it to her and she always wore it.”
“I’m sorry there isn’t better news for your client,” said Diane. “But we do need to do an autopsy before you tell him this is his daughter. We need a positive ID first.”
“Sure,” he said. “I’m not in a hurry to give him such devastating news.”
Diane turned to Mathews. “I’d like to speak with you,” she said.
He raised his eyebrows. “All right.”
“Is this something I need to know?” asked Liam.
“Eventually,” said Diane, “but not now.”
He hesitated a moment, as if he were going to press the issue, but backed off. Diane and