“He was stabbed by another inmate while they were taking him to his cell.”
“All right. I’m coming out,” she said and ended the call.
When Dawkins went back into the living room, Rona was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the Manhattan skyline. She turned when the detective approached.
“I’m sorry about this, Ms. King, but I have to go.”
“I understand. Perhaps we can do this another time,” Rona said as
she walked towards Dawkins. “I want to cooperate in any way that I can. I know that my father and brother hurt a lot of people, ruined a lot of lives. I just want to do what I can to make amends for all they did,” Rona said as she walked Dawkins to the door. “I am nothing like my father, Detective Dawkins. I hope someday that you and your partner will see that.”
“Thank you for taking the time to see me,” Dawkins said, and she was forced to wonder if she had actually misjudged Rona. Naa, Dawkins thought and stepped into the hallway where Kirk was waiting.
“I’ll be in touch and we can talk some more. And once again, I am sorry for your loss,” she said and walked down the hall with Kirk, leaving a very satisfied Rona smiling as she closed the door.
Chapter Thirty
“I think we need to call for back up,” Dickerson said to Bautista as they drove.
Detectives Bautista and Dickerson had finally gotten something to break their way and they ran with it, just as Rona knew that they would. The tip that they received from Bug turned out to be everything that they wanted, and what Bautista desperately needed.
She was successful in getting a court order to exhume the remains of Afra Dean, but it wasn’t necessary. Once Dickerson talked to the Dean Family, he found that they wanted to know the truth about what happened to their loved one and readily gave their permission to proceed with the exhumation.
Once the remains were unearthed, they were taken to Doctor Phil Jenkins, a forensic anthropologist for the FBI. He examined the remains to determine whether there was sufficient cause to open a murder investigation. Once the examination was complete, he called the detectives.
“Thank you for getting on this so quickly, doctor,” Dickerson said. “What can you tell us?”
“Fortunately, the skeletonized cadaver was very well-preserved, therefore making identification and interpretation of the cause and manner of death possible. However, I cannot tell you anything related to time of death with any accuracy.”
“We understand,” Dickerson said.
“Bottomline, Doctor Jenkins, was she murdered?” Bautista asked.
“There are signs of antemortem blunt force trauma being inflicted days, possibly a week before death, but that is as close as I can get you.” The doctor put an image of the victim’s skull on the viewer and pointed to the affected area. “The trauma was inflicted to the left frontal bone of the skull with a heavy object.”
“Any idea about the weapon?” Bautista asked.
“Based on my experience, I’d say that the weapon was a handgun, the butt of a nine millimeter, if I had to speculate. Therefore, based on the angle and depth of the wound, I’d say that the killer was approximately one hundred and ninety centimeters, or six feet three inches tall. The victim was approximately one hundred and sixty-seven centimeters tall.” He looked at Bautista. “An inch or two shorter than you, detective. I’d say you’re about five-eight?”
“Yes.”
“So, the killer is about my height, the gun would be in his right hand …” He stepped in front of Bautista, raised his arm and simulated a gun with his hand. “And the killer hit her like this,” he said as he brought his hand down slowly and tapped Bautista’s head with his fingers.
“Murdered,” Bautista said, and a smile crept across the corner of her lips. I got her ass now.
“No, I mean yes. Yes, it is a murder, but I don’t necessarily believe that this injury was sufficient to be the cause of death.”
“What do you think was the cause of death, Doc?” Dickerson wanted to know.
“Microscopic and toxicological analysis within the bone found signs of drowning.”
“So, what you’re saying is that the perp hit her in the head to knock her unconscious and then takes the body somewhere and drowns her. Is that right?” Bautista asked.
“Most likely, somewhere upstream of the river where the remains were recovered.”
“Thank you, doctor,” Bautista said.
“You’ve been a big help. Thank you,” Dickerson said and followed his partner out of the lab.