Ties That Bind

Chapter 32

MADISON HEADED STRAIGHT FOR THE LAB. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. Richards had conducted the preliminary yesterday on Heather so there would be evidence to process in the lab.

Her watch read ten.

"Telling you, she won't have anything for us yet." Terry tried to keep up with her.

Sometimes the way she bolted ahead with things, Terry trailing behind, it made her think of a puppy. "I know Cyn. She'll have at least started. Heck, she's probably been in for hours." Madison led the way into the lab. Integral to her success was her ability to read people. Guilt over being under the weather—nonetheless self-inflicted—would have propelled her friend in early today.

Cynthia stood at the far end hunched over the table. She looked up when she heard them enter. Dark crescents lined under her eyes.

"Still feeling our night I see."

"Oh you guys spent the night together? Do tell." Terry's face shone with boyish curiosity. It got him punched in the arms by both women.

"We're not those kind of women. Sorry, Casanova," Cynthia stated, making use of his nickname. She took her glasses off and held them in one hand. With the other hand, she pressed her index finger and thumb over the bridge of her nose and pushed on the corners of her closed eyes. "Been here since three this morning. So tired."

"Yeah, yeah okay. Get over it already. Results?" Madison opened her eyes wide, her words taunting her friend. Cynthia glared at her in return and put her glasses back on.

Madison knew she was digging for praise, and if that's what it took... "You're the Queen of the Lab. In fact, I would be shocked if you didn't have anything." She attributed a sickly sweetness to her voice and smiled wide enough to show all her teeth.

"At least they're not purple today." Cynthia laughed.

"You want to go down that road?"

Cynthia smiled. "Okay, back to business. I'll start with the bad news. Jennifer didn't find any epithelial on the tie."

"We could never get that lucky twice," Madison commented snidely.

Cynthia seemed annoyed with the interruption. "As I was starting to say, bad news. Being outside it could have been corrupted, blown away. The pepper spray never got off and only the vic's prints were on it." Madison started to comment, but Cynthia held up a finger. "But now here's the good news. The vic was wearing a silver chain with a heart pendant. And we got lucky. The killer left a partial print."

She heard Cynthia's words despite their difficulty setting in. She didn't remember a chain. "A pendant?"

"Yes. Heather was wearing it at the time of death. You didn't see it due to the other neck adornment."

Heather's pale face flashed through Madison's mind. The recollection let the rest of Cynthia's message sink in.

"Our guy left a partial and you're going to tell me it..." Madison stopped talking as she saw disappointment in Cynthia's eyes. "Go ahead, I'll shut up."

"Why, thank you. It matched the third, as of yet, unidentified prints from the handcuffs and the ones on the wine glass." She shared a glance between Madison and Terry. "And the photo."

"Ties our victims together," Terry said. Both women moaned by his choice of words. "Well..."

Madison turned to Cynthia. "Have you heard any more about the towel?"

Cynthia's mouth formed a smile. "I got the call this morning. They found it and confirmed it was intact. I stressed the importance of rushing it through and told them the investigation's been waiting long enough."