Page 21 of In Her Memory

She rose, spray bottle in hand, and surveyed the laundry room once more. The space was not much to look at compared to the rest of the suite, but functional – washing machine against one wall, dryer opposite, small utility sink in the corner. She looked down at the stain she had discovered on the floor—a stain that might seriously challenge the theory that Donna had died from a fall from a stepladder.

She reached for the light switch, hesitating briefly before plunging the room into darkness. The sudden blackness felt oppressive in the windowless space. Maria waited for her eyes to adjust, the outline of the machines gradually taking shape in the dim glow from beneath the door.

“Here goes nothing,” she whispered, beginning to spray a fine mist across the section of tile on the spot where she had discovered what appeared to be a trace of blood.

The luminol hissed softly as it left the bottle, creating a gentle fog that settled on the surface. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, as Maria swept the spray in careful arcs across the floor, a soft blue glow began to emerge not only from the grout lines where the stain was still visible to the naked eye but smeared over the surrounding tiles.

Her pulse quickened. She quickly snapped photos with her cellphone. Then she checked the photos and saw that she’d gotten clear images despite the darkness in the room.

“Got you,” she said under her breath, crouching to examine the glowing pattern more closely.

She was capturing a second angle when the door burst open, flooding the room with harsh hallway light that instantly diminished the luminol’s glow.

“What’s going on in here, Officer Delgado?” Nolan Greer asked.

Maria squinted against the sudden brightness, rising to her feet. “This is an active investigation scene, sir. I need to ask you to step outside.”

Nolan Greer was wiry and tense, his face set in a frown. Behind him stood another man – taller, with a well-tailored coat and an air of professional detachment.

“I’m afraid that won’t be necessary, Officer.” Nolan stepped fully into the room, holding out an official-looking document. “This is Hugh Bickel, private investigator. He’s been authorized to take over the assessment of Ms. Marsh’s accident site.”

Maria didn’t take the paper. She knew Hugh Bickel by reputation—and it wasn’t a good one. He had a way of disrupting local investigations.

“This is a potential crime scene, Mr. Greer. I’m in the middle of collecting evidence.”

“Evidence of what, exactly?” The second man stepped forward. “I’ve been hired by Boyd Calloway himself to look into this matter and bring it to a swift resolution.” His smile was professional but lacked warmth. “I have the proper authorization right here, signed by Mayor Simmons.”

Maria reluctantly accepted the letter, scanning its contents with growing dismay. The language was clear – the private investigator had been granted access to conduct his own examination of the premises. Although that wouldn’t legally supersede the police department’s preliminary investigation, it did bring the matter into the political arena.

“This doesn’t make sense,” she said. “I’ve just found evidence of significant blood traces that weren’t properly cleaned.”

Bickel moved past her, crouching where she had been working. He examined the fading blue glow with casual interest.

“Ms. Marsh lived alone, correct?” he asked, not looking up. “Except for the dog.”

“Yes, but— “

“And she was known to be rather independent, handling things on her own?”

Maria frowned. “According to neighbors, yes.”

Bickel stood, brushing off his knees. “Then it’s not particularly surprising she might have had a minor accident sometime earlier – a nosebleed, a fall, a cut – and cleaned it up herself, albeit imperfectly.” He gestured dismissively at the floor. “People are often embarrassed by injuries, especially older folks. They don’t want to make a fuss.”

“This location isn’t consistent with— “

“And if I remember correctly, luminol won’t tell you if the blood is human or animal. It could have been an injury to the dog.”

Biscuit, Maria remembered. The little dog that had been turned over to animal control.

“That’s why we need more time and additional tests,” she said.

“Officer,” Nolan interrupted, stepping closer, “the simple fact is that the police work here is done. There’s no clear evidence of foul play, and this continued disruption is affecting our residents and operations.” His voice dropped. “Mr. Calloway is very concerned about the negative attention.”

“But I haven’t finished my assessment.”

Bickel smiled again. “I appreciate your thoroughness, Officer Delgado, but I’ll be taking it from here. As you can see, I have the mayor’s approval and Mr. Calloway’s confidence.” He placed a business card on top of the washing machine. “Feel free to contact me if you’d like to compare notes later.”

Nolan folded his arms. “The mayor specifically mentioned that without concrete evidence, the police have no legal grounds to hold this space.” His tone suggested he was enjoying this moment.