Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [287]
“It appears so.”
“I was working in Boston the last time.”
Tully would have guessed the accent had the detective not told him. He was keeping an eye on the reporters near the ribbon, constantly looking over Tully’s shoulder. Tully had the impression not much got past this guy. Without knowing anything more, he decided he liked him. But whether Tully liked him or not probably would matter little to the detective. And Tully liked that about him, too.
“Yeah, I remember the last time when they found that councilwoman’s body in the woods. Bite marks, skin ripped off, cuts in places you don’t need to see cuts.”
“Stucky’s one sick bastard, that’s for sure.” Tully remembered the photos of Stucky’s collection that O’Dell had laid out on the conference-room table. Side by side they looked like a savage pack of wolves had ripped up the bodies and left them for the vultures.
“Wasn’t he playing games with one of your agents back then? I remember reading something. That he was messin’ with her head, sending her notes and stuff?”
“Yes, yes he was.”
“Whatever happened to that agent?”
“If I’m not mistaken, that’s her red car pulling into the parking lot.”
“Fuck, no kidding? She’s still working on this case?”
“She doesn’t have much choice.”
“She’s got some balls.”
“I guess you could say that,” Tully said, now distracted. “More than likely, Agent O’Dell will be able to identify the victim for us.”
He watched O’Dell. Her badge was getting her across the barriers but not without a lot of glances and long looks. He had worked with other attractive women in law enforcement and in the Bureau, but none quite like O’Dell. There was no discomfort and certainly no preening. Instead, she seemed oblivious to the stares, almost as if she had no clue they were aimed at her.
Tully didn’t see it until O’Dell was closer to them. She carried a small black bag, not a purse but a case. They couldn’t touch the body until the medical examiner got to the scene. He hoped O’Dell didn’t have other plans.
Her eyes met his as her only greeting. He could see the exhaustion, the nervous anticipation.
“Detective—” Tully again realized he didn’t know the man’s name “—this is Special Agent Maggie O’Dell.”
She offered him her hand, and immediately Tully could see the detective’s tough exterior softening.
“Sam Rosen,” he said, more than willing to fill in the blank for Tully.
“Detective Rosen.” O’Dell gave him her polite and professional greeting.
“Call me Sam.”
Tully resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
“Sam here—” Tully tried to keep the sarcasm to a minimum “—is with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Department. He was at the first crime scene with the pizza delivery…with Jessica Beckwith.”
“Is the victim still in the Dumpster?” O’Dell appeared anxious and unwilling, or unable, to hide her anticipation.
“We’re waiting for Doc Holmes,” Sam told her.
“Is there any way I can take a look without disturbing the scene?” She was already taking out a pair of latex gloves from her black case.
“Probably not a good idea,” Tully said, knowing that O’Dell wanted to see if she recognized the victim. He saw her eyeing the trash bin. The thing was almost a foot taller than her. She brushed past them for a closer look.
“How were your men able to look inside?”
“We pulled a cruiser alongside. Davis crawled up on the roof. He took a couple of Polaroids. Want me to get them for you?” Sam looked as if he’d do just about anything she asked. Tully couldn’t help being amazed. And even more amazing was how oblivious O’Dell seemed to it all.
“Actually, Sam, would you mind pulling the cruiser alongside it again?”
Or maybe she wasn’t entirely oblivious. Without hesitation, Detective Rosen shouted at one of the uniforms holding back the reporters. He left them to meet the officer halfway and started telling him what he wanted, with hands gesturing as quickly