Page 24 of You'll Be Sorry

She laughed again, then caught herself. Because the beer didn’t come out until the mid- to late eighties. Meaning if it had been on his parents’ radar screen…how old was he?

“Your father was thinking of modeling software? Utilizing what data?”

“Total Station info. Major Crimes brought one to the scene. Thirty years ago, that kind of laser-driven forensic mapping was already being used to create three-D models of everything from the Oklahoma City bombing to plane crashes. I’m guessing that’s a pretty rich data file?”

“New Hampshire used Total Station primarily for MVAs back then, but yeah. The Dixon disappearance was a high-profile event, given the family’s prominence, not to mention—”

“The FBI’s inevitable descent?”

“As efforts go, this investigation was top shelf all the way. Unfortunately, the Total Station is a finite measuring tool. As in what you see is what you see.”

Mandy suffered a sinking feeling. “You mean…can’t sift through the data? Build new and improved models…”

“Remember the saying—garbage in, garbage out?”

“Shit.” She hadn’t counted on that. Her father was probably rollingover in his grave right now—his own daughter, falling victim to TV forensics.

“On the other hand, there’s another approach,” Detective Adams spoke up. “Not tech or software driven at all.”

“Seriously?”

“We have a whole new generation of forensic photo experts. People who can study, say, an image of muddled footprints and tell you this one was laid down first, that one second, that one third. I’m with you—don’t understand how they do it, just grateful they can.”

“No shit. Wait…” She was slowly starting to get it. “You’ve looked into this.”

“The Dixon property sold months ago. Generated some headlines in the news.”

“Oh.” Oh, oh, oh.

“We should have fresh reports on the new DNA testing any day now.”

“Why, you little…brilliant detective.” Mandy could practically feel the man’s slow-spreading smile.

“How else can I be of assistance, Chief Grady?”

“You could come to Shereford. Meet the Collinses in person. Step foot on the property.”

Now there was no mistaking his interest. “It would be my pleasure.”

Mandy swore she didn’t blush.

But he might’ve suspected it anyway.

9

Theo was at his most genuinely adorable. Anything for Mr. Man, as he was now calling their new charge. Theo also remained a city slicker to the core.

“What do you mean there are no dog grooming establishments near me?” he huffed at his phone before moving on to big-box stores, which he’d vaguely heard offered such services. Except, of course, they were way too remote for such sizable offerings. Mobile groomers? Also a strikeout.

“Fine,” he announced. “We’ll do it ourselves.”

“One, have you ever washed a dog, cat, dependent of any kind? Two: we?”

“We have a hose.”

“Again, we?”

“Okay, here we go,” Theo declared, still staring at his phone. “I found a local pet store. We’ll pop in, grab some shampoo and advanced instruction. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”