Page 91 of Forever Dead
Connor frowned. “Why midwife?”
“The clothing, if it’s deliberate. The abdominal wound, if that’s deliberate, too. Maybe the killer wanted us thinking about pregnancy or childbirth. A woman cut open.”
Blethan said, “Or she’s a nurse who was stabbed where a knife happened to enter.”
“Absolutely,” Selena replied. “I’m not calling it a conclusion.”
Footsteps sounded in the hall, and Chuck Danners appeared at the doorway carrying an evidence bag and a notebook.
“Sheriff, we found a car parked about two hundred yards down the road, partly hidden behind the old equipment shed. Wallet was inside.”
Connor turned. “Registered owner?”
“Patricia Vanes. Thirty-six.”
Chuck held up the evidence bag. A driver’s license showed through the plastic.
Selena stared at the photograph, then at the woman on the floor.
“Looks like her.”
“Matt will confirm through prints when we can,” Connor said.
Chuck nodded. “Car’s being processed where it sits.”
Selena already had her phone out.
Connor raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“Checking the name.”
“With who?”
“Tanya.”
Connor sighed as Selena typed quickly.
“You did invite me, Connor.”
“I’m remembering why I resisted.”
She sent the message. “Someone at Washington can tell us whether Patricia Vanes has a medical license, employment history, anything obvious in federal databases.”
Blethan said, “Unofficially.”
Selena looked toward him. “Painfully unofficially.”
Connor turned back toward the room.
“Assume Vanes is our victim. What connects her to Eleanor?”
Selena rested one hand on the top of the cane. “Maybe nothing obvious. Give me a minute.”
Connor waited while Selena studied the room again. “Eleanor was a retired teacher. Patricia may be a nurse or midwife. Age difference. Different careers. Different methods.”
Arnold said, “So maybe separate killers.”
“Possible.” Selena frowned. “But the staging bothers me.”
