Page 61 of Lost Hours
“Glad I caught you,” Sierra said. “I decided to quickly type the blood from the large pool in the entryway instead of waiting for the DNA results. I figured if we have a blood type you might be able to match it to Becca’s or to her father’s blood type.”
“Great idea,” Mina said, excitement building over potentially having an answer to where the murder scene was located. “So do you have a type?”
“Yes. Blood sample is type O. I tested several locations to be sure we weren’t looking at a mixed blood pool, and we’re not.”
“So if I can get the mayor’s and Becca’s blood types, we could determine if this was the murder scene.”
“Exactly,” Sierra said. “Blood typing is routinely done at an autopsy. Maybe your medical examiner can provide you with the victim’s type.”
“He didn’t mention it at the autopsy, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t do it,” Mina said.
“You’ll want to check back with him then,” Sierra said. “Also, Grady will be doing his ballistics tests in about an hour if you have any questions for him.”
“Thank you,” Mina said. “We’ll be there for sure.”
She ended the call and dialed Dr. Osborne as others watched. She didn’t care that they were waiting on her. This was too important to put off. She wanted to know for sure if they’d found the mayor’s murder scene.
“Voicemail,” she told the others and left a message for Dr. Osborne to call her back about the blood typing. She looked at Abe. “Find the name of the mayor’s doctor and request a warrant for his medical records.”
“It’s possible he has the record at his house or at his work,” Abe suggested.
“We have to go back to see Daisy this afternoon anyway,” Nolan said. “If Dr. Osborne hasn’t completed the blood typing, maybe she knows the mayor’s type or where we can get it.”
“We should request Becca’s medical records too,” El said.
“Not as easily done,” Mina said. “We haven’t proved she’s missing or come to any harm, and I can’t see a judge approving a warrant request. Our best bet is to search her home for that.”
“I can take care of it this afternoon,” El said. “Also, I’m meeting with the LLL team for a dinner meeting for an update on Becca’s investigation. Nothing fancy for dinner. Just salad and pizza. Can you join us?”
“We’ll make time for it,” Mina said, looking at Nolan to see if he would argue with that.
He nodded. “Any response to the alert on Becca or her car?”
“Not really,” Abe said. “We’ve had a couple of similar cars reported, but the plates don’t match. Once we open it up to the public, I have no doubt we’ll get our share of usual prank calls. I’ll keep you informed of any genuine leads.”
“Then we’re done here,” Mina said. “We’ll be heading back to Becca’s house to meet Grady. Call me the moment you get the mayor’s blood type.” Mina ran her gaze from one person to the next. “And be thinking. The biggest thing we need to answer is which one of these people has the most to gain by killing the mayor.”
“We figure that out,” Nolan held her gaze, “and we figure out our killer’s identity.”
She couldn’t agree more. But it was too early in the investigation to determine who had the best motive to commit murder.
17
Nolan entered Becca’s house, his shoe coverings brushing on the tile floor. Mina came to a stop next to him as he paused to look for Grady. She pointed to the room with the broken window. “He’s over there.”
Grady stood behind a tripod, holding an instrument that Nolan wasn’t familiar with. They picked their way around the blood pool and evidence markers toward the weapons expert. He looked up, a grim expression on his face.
“I hope you have information for us,” Mina said.
“I do. I’ve removed the bullet from the wall.” He bent down to pick up a plastic evidence bag resting in a large tote filled with a variety of supplies. Inside the bag lay a mangled bullet. “It’s a 9mm slug, copper-jacketed ball and supersonic. Most likely a 9mm+Pwith 115 to 124 grain, which I will confirm in the lab.”
Interesting info, but Nolan wasn’t a gun enthusiast, so he didn’t know the implications of it all. He did know the copper jacketed ball and supersonic meant the lead bullet was encased with copper, which enabled the slug to maintain its shape at high velocities, making it suitable for supersonic speeds. But the other bit? Nah, he had no clue. The team used whatever ammo Reece recommended and left it up to her to know what they needed.
“And the shot that killed the mayor was taken through that window from the outside?” Mina asked.
“I can definitively say a shot was taken from there. At this point though, I can’t tell you this bullet killed your mayor. The slug does appear to have blood and tissue residue on it, but again, that’s something I’ll have to confirm in the lab, and if so, have DNA run.”
“The caliber you mentioned,” Mina said, “is it something that’s sufficient to have gone through the mayor’s body?”
