Page 59 of An Evil Heart
Generally speaking, I would agree. Most victims know their killers. But something about this woman—maybe the tattoos and piercings—points to something else I haven’t quite gotten a handle on yet, so I let it go.
“Somewhere, a parent or husband or even a kid is waiting for her to come home,” I say.
“Yeah.” Grimacing, Rasmussen sets his hand on my shoulder, squeezes gently, and then he turns and walks away.
I call Mona on my way to the station. “Where are you?”
“At the station.”
“Find a computer. Pull up a map. Locate the nearest residences or business, churches or school, to the scene where the victim was found. Check to see if there’s a dumpster or garbage can. Then I want you to get out there, go through the garbage and see if you can find a purse or ID or… anything that might be related to our victim.”
“Duct tape or plastic, cell, stuff like that?”
“Clothing, too.” I pause, my mind spinning. “I know this is a long shot. Chances are, the killer ditched everything elsewhere. I know it’s dirty work—”
“Don’t worry about it, Chief. I’m on it. If there’s anything there, I’ll find it.”
“If you need help, call T.J.”
“I might do that just to see him climb into a dumpster.”
I feel myself smile. Not for the first time I’m thankful to have such a good team of officers working for me.
I think about other priorities. “Mona, find out who did the canvass.Check with them to see if they asked about game cams. Home security cams.”
“You got it.”
“I’m on my way to the station,” I tell her.
“Roger that.”
CHAPTER 17
I’ve just pulled into my parking slot at the police station when my cell phone chirps. I catch a glimpse of the display as I snatch it up.BCI LABR LONDON.
“Burkholder,” I snap.
“This is the latent-print examiner at the lab in London, Chief Burkholder,” she tells me. “We got a hit on those Jane Doe prints.”
“ID?”
“Paige Rossberger. Twenty-six years old. Last known address: Massillon.” She recites the street address and I write it down.
“She was in the system?” I ask.
“Arrested for prostitution in 2019. Two more arrests in 2020. Prostitution, second offense, and possession of a controlled substance. She was on probation.”
“Next of kin?”
Keys click on the other end. “Unmarried. No minor children. One surviving parent, her mother, lives in Massillon.”
“Email me everything you have,” I say.
“It’s on the way.”
I find Lois at her desk at the dispatch station, headset clamped over her ears, the switchboard ringing off the hook. She must see something in my eyes because she puts her caller on hold, gets to her feet, and gives me her full attention.
“I got an ID on our victim.” I tell her the name and spell it. “I need everything you can find on her. Known associates. Social media accounts. Get me contact info for her probation officer. I’ll send the rest of the info I have in an email. NOK have not been notified, so not a word to anyone.”
