Page 65 of The Secrets We Hide
She ended the call and shoved the phone back into her vest pocket. Jude’s footsteps were heavy behind her. “That good enough for you, Dr. Archer? Is that what you wanted me to do?”
“You have every right to suspend him.”
Emmy had never been so happy to see a basement door. “So he can pout like a baby and call me a bitch behind my back?”
“Sweetheart, if you don’t think he’s already doing that, then you’re not half the detective I thought you were.”
Emmy felt her hands draw into fists as she walked toward the cafeteria.
Jude said, “If you need to pick a fight with me, then let’s fight about the thing that upset you.”
“I’m not upset.”
Jude laughed. “You’re a case study in upset. You feel like you failed Mandy. You’re holding yourself responsible for not being able to help Allison leave Bill. I’m sure being in a hospital is bringing back memories of keeping death watch over Myrna.Reggie put you into a tailspin about Dad. You’re worried about—”
“Jesus Christ.” Emmy stopped so abruptly that Jude skipped ahead a few feet. “Why are you constantly analyzing me? We don’t have to talk about everything. Sometimes, shit just sucks and you have to keep working anyway.”
Jude held up her hands in surrender, but she didn’t really give up. “If you don’t slow down, your body will find a way to make you. I know it’s hard for you to believe, but I’m looking out for you.”
“I know it’s hard for you to believe, but I’ve spent the last forty-two years being perfectly fine without you.”
Emmy punched open the door to the cafeteria. She heard Jude catch it before it closed. Unbelievable. She was like a piece of toilet paper Emmy couldn’t get off her shoe.
Sherry Robertson was seated in the back facing the door. Two cups of coffee were on the table in front of her. She had a strained look on her face.
Emmy silently struggled to switch off her irritation. She saw evidence bags at Sherry’s feet. Recognized Mandy’s purple Nike shoe, her white socks streaked with blood, blue running shorts and matching top with white piping. Test tubes with cotton swabs.
“Dr. Archer,” Sherry said, because everybody who ever wore a badge worshipped Jude. “I’m sorry I only got one extra cup of coffee.”
“She can have mine.” Emmy sat down across from Sherry. “Tell me.”
Sherry waited for Jude to sit down. She tapped through her phone as she spoke. “I processed Mandy. Looks like somebody beat the hell out of her.”
Emmy took the phone. Her brain needed a moment before she could comprehend what she was seeing. Drake Saddler had already told her about the bruising, but seeing the damage with her own eyes was another matter.
Jude had put on her glasses. Emmy angled the phone so she could see.
The first image showed Mandy’s back. Dark welts in the kidney area. A deep, red scratch across her spine.
Sherry said, “My guess from the color of the bruising is that this happened a couple of days ago.”
Emmy nodded, because that had been her guess, too. “Everything bad in Allison and Mandy’s life happened either two months ago, two weeks ago, or two days ago.”
Jude zoomed in on the scratch. “See how the depth tapers off to the right? That implies a left-handed attacker. I’d guess that the man who did this wears a ring that has a stone or a sharp edge.”
“Like a wedding ring?” Emmy asked. “Bill wears a gold band.”
“Maybe.” Jude curled her hand into a fist. “See how the index and middle finger are more prominent?”
Emmy swiped through the rest of the photos. A clear imprint of fingers wrapped around Mandy’s right arm. Black spots up and down her back. Dark purple outlines tracing the curve of her shoulder blades.
Someone had taken their time with the girl. No wonder Allison had gone to the motel and threatened to shoot Woody. The question was, had she threatened to kill the right man? Emmy looked at Jude. She wished like hell she’d used their time in the stairs to talk about Mandy’s halting answers to Emmy’s questions instead of arguing with her sister about the chain of command.
Jude said, “Some of these marks are older than the others. It’s been going on for a while.”
Emmy handed her the phone. “Two months? Two weeks?”
Jude nodded, but said, “Maybe.”
