He stopped long enough to take that look into the garbage can and the recycling container, verifying what she’d said, before following her to the front of the house.
Beth stopped at the white Civic parked in the driveway. He guessed it to be ten years old or so. The brother drove a shiny black Kia Sorento that looked new. The other car at the curb earlier was an older Volkswagen Golf. Emily’s, he presumed. Apparently Dad owned the Buick sedan, showing its years. Tony wasn’t much surprised that John Marshall didn’t bother to regularly upgrade what he drove.
Beth opened the driver-side door but, instead of getting in, gazed anxiously at Tony. “Will you be coming out right away in the morning?”
“Likely,” he said. “If this isn’t your mother…well, that leads to other problems, but it’s clear we’re looking at murder here.”
“Could you tell, um, what happened to her?”
“You mean, what killed her?”
Unhappy, she nodded.
“A depression at the back of the skull is a possibility, but it could have occurred post-mortem.” Somebody—say, her father—had had to haul the dead woman out to the garage, probably drop it on the concrete floor. Or it could have been dented when the body was forced into the narrow space. The rest of the scenario he was still playing with.
Could there have been construction materials handy out here? That was a question he’d have to ask but, for now, he held it in reserve. Otherwise, the killer would have to have driven to the nearest lumberyard and bought a single sheet. How had he unloaded it and gotten it into the garage without being noticed? After all these years, would anyone remember something so seemingly insignificant? Of course, anyone but the homeowner carrying the wallboard in would likely have drawn more attention from neighbors. Yet another reason to focus on John.
“The medical examiner might be able to spot something else,” he said. “After so long, it’s sometimes impossible to pinpoint cause of death. What we do know, though, is that she didn’t wall her own body up in that garage.”
“No. I…understand.” Beth smiled weakly. “You probably had things you’d rather have been doing today, huh?”
He gripped the top of her car door, smiling again. “I was mowing my lawn when the call came. Wondering why I hadn’t waited until it had cooled down.”
Her smile was the most genuine he’d seen yet, adding a radiance to a face some might describe as plain despite translucent skin, a pretty mouth and eyes that were a soft gray-green with hints of gold.
“Still,” she said.
He grimaced, conceding the point. No, this wasn’t the way he’d have chosen to spend what was supposed to be a day off. On the other hand, he’d sought the promotion to detective because he liked puzzles.
If not for the call, he’d likely never have met her either.
The thought startled and dismayed him. She wasn’t a suspect, but she was part of this investigation and, therefore, taboo.
Tony let go of the door and took a step back. “You take care, Beth. I’ll let you know what we learn in the morning.”
Whatever she’d seen on his face drained her of that momentary vitality, letting exhaustion and anxiety take over again. He ignored his pang of regret, watching as she slid into the car, buckled her seatbelt and fired up the engine, all without looking at him again.
* * *
SHORTLY AFTER THE dental office opened the next morning, Tony was able to talk to Dr. Hugh Koster, a short, pudgy man who explained that his X-rays hadn’t been digital thirteen years ago. He’d have to send someone to search records stored in a back room.
Not an hour later, he called back.
“I’m looking at them right now. I received the X-rays from the medical examiner’s office, too. Do you want to see them side by side?”
Since he did, Tony drove right over.
He already knew from the heaviness in the dentist’s voice that they were a match. Once they stood in front of a light box where the last full-mouth X-rays from Christine Marshall were displayed right above a computer monitor showing the new ones. Even Tony could see that the fillings and crown were in the same places. The dentist also pointed out a crooked eyetooth and a hollow in a molar, which he’d noted should be filled to prevent inevitable decay.