Page 13 of Race to Save Her

Katie carefully laid the bill next to a shoe print. It fluttered a moment in the light breeze and then settled down, allowing her to take several photographs. She backed up, taking some general photos of their surrounds, as well as the path that led back to a dirt road and then to the main road.

She made a phone call.

Eva answered. “Hey, Katie, what’s up?”

“I hate to do this, but…”

“There’s more evidence at the Heritage site?”

“How’d you know?” said Katie, smiling.

“I know you, Katie. You are a pitbull when it comes to evidence.”

Katie laughed. “Thanks, I think. Here, let me send you what I’m talking about.” She sent the photos she’d just taken.

“Okay got it.” There was a pause. “I see. We need to get a casting.”

“I’m going to finish the search with Cisco, but there will be an officer here. What’s your ETA?” said Katie.

“About fifteen.”

“Great. Thanks, Eva.”

“You got it.”

Katie ended the call, then turned to Anderson who had been patiently waiting. “Do you have cones or flags in your cruiser?”

“Yeah. I’ll go get some,” he said and hurried back to get the markers.

“Let’s go,” she said to Cisco.

The team carefully made their way around the trail and shoe impressions. There was no assurance, of course, that the footprints were made by whoever left the appendage.

Katie walked slowly, making her way to the narrow gravel back road that intersected with Heritage Road. It seemed reasonable to think this would have been the best way to get to the body part’s drop-off location without being seen or heard.

Katie stopped once Cisco didn’t seem too interested in the area. Letting out a breath, she said, “Let’s head back, Cisco.”

She was returning to the old fence when suddenly Cisco’s ears perked up and his body held still. Something had caught his attention. Katie let the dog move to where he needed to. They hurried back to where they’d been, but instead of turning toward the fence the dog led them in the opposite direction.

After about thirty feet, Cisco stopped with his head down, then he slowly sat. Katie jogged up to him and looked. There was what seemed to be a rolled-up piece of paper—no, a napkin. Plain. Generic. No name of a restaurant or any type of identification.

Katie carefully picked it up and unrolled it with her K9 handling gloves. It was clean except for some red dots toward a corner. The closer she examined it, the more she realized they were most likely dried blood droplets. She pulled out a bag from her pocket and carefully slid the napkin into it.

Anderson was marking the other areas so Eva would be able to quickly identify them. He looked back. “Did you find some evidence?”

Katie and Cisco walked toward the officer. “Maybe. It looks suspicious and I think it’s blood.”

He raised his eyebrows. “What would that be doing out here?”

“Don’t know, but I want the blood tested.” She paused. “Great job, Anderson.”

“Thank you, Detective.”

They made their way back to the fence and climbed over.

“I just need one of you to stay until Eva gets here and then for as long as it takes for her to identify and document the evidence.”

“I’ll stay,” said Anderson.