Page 174 of Forever Dead
There was something close to admiration in Foss’s voice, but Selena dismissed it. He was a doctor discussing technique. Competence mattered to people whose careers had been built around it.
Foss handed the phone back.
“Whoever made that understood the material.”
“You sound almost impressed.”
“I’m assessing the technique,” Foss said. “A madman with skill is still a madman.”
Selena changed photographs.
Price had taken the image after Nora’s blouse was cut back. Before Selena left the farmhouse, she had asked him for a cropped version showing only the excision itself. No clothing. No navel, hip or other anatomical landmark. He had also rotated the copy before sending it, so even the orientation was meaningless. Just the wound, a ruler and surrounding skin.
She held it out.
“This is the wound left when the skin was removed.”
Foss’s expression became more serious.
“The missing section hasn’t been recovered?”
“Not so far.”
“Was the skin removed after death?” Foss asked.
“Blethan will determine timing. At the moment I’m more interested in technique.”
Foss took the phone.
Selena deliberately said nothing about where the wound had been found.
He enlarged the photograph.
“Clean margins.”
“That’s what Price said.”
“The lower edge is particularly controlled.”
“Could someone without medical experience do that?”
“With patience and a sharp blade, perhaps.”
Foss tilted the screen.
“But if the intention was to preserve the section intact, this was competently done.”
“For what purpose?”
He considered the question.
“If your theory about the damaged mask is correct, replacement would be the obvious explanation. A piece that size from the left flank would give him a broad section to work with.”
Selena held still.
Blethan had not sent Foss anything from Nora’s examination. She had shown him a cropped, rotated photograph and said nothing about where the wound was.
“The curvature there is useful as well,” Foss continued. “Depending on where he intended to place it, he could trim it after preservation.”
