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“I do. That’s Nadine Fields. Lives here in the holler. Works at Bush’s corner market part-time. I get my groceries there.” He shrugged. “Lived here her whole life. I don’t—I just—I have no idea when this happened. She...”
“Why would you?” Violet asked. “And she...what?”
Regis’s neck flushed red. “I just mean. I knew her. I’m upset, okay?”
He was hiding something.
“Violet, what do you think?”
Violet used her mini Maglite to look more closely at the vic. “Lividity is setting in, but it’s not prominent yet. Less than eight hours, I’d guess. Coroner will confirm. Her shoe was left behind. It’s sloppy. He was in a hurry.” Why? She stared at her face. “Same numbers on her forehead as our most recent vic, and it’s fresh. If he hadn’t left the shoe, we might not have found her this soon. I’d like to know if she owns a leather purse with the same Scripture writing as the other vics.” Amy Miller hadn’t had any knowledge of the purses. Never saw Darla, Atta or Tillie ever carry it. But Violet was unsure if Amy had been telling the truth. She trusted no one’s word.
“What kind of leather purse?” Regis asked and turned away from the body.
Violet told him about the pouches that had been handmade. “Any church groups that might hand those out around here?”
Regis shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. I’ll look into it though.”
Maybe he would. Maybe not.
“He’s escalated,” Violet said to Asa, “and with us being present—which everyone knows—why?”
Asa shook his head as Dr. Crocker entered the cave. “Move, move.” His tone was gruff, and behind him Dr. D.J. Lanslow, his assistant, followed.
“We’re not done photographing,” Asa said and continued. He snapped photos as Violet laid down evidence cards, working to beat the rain that would come down any second and possibly infiltrate the area from above.
Was the killer’s thirst too insatiable for him to wait for his usual kill time? Had he been stalking Nadine Fields? Violet knelt. “He thinks he can outsmart us. Stay ahead. But the shoe gave him away too soon. How did he miss that? He’s meticulous. Careful.”
“Excuse me,” John called from the mouth of the cave. “You’re going to want to talk to the paramedic out here. A Jimmy Russell.”
“I can talk to him,” Regis said.
“We’ll do it, Detective.” Asa left the body with the coroner, and Violet eyed Regis. Why didn’t he want them talking to this Jimmy Russell guy?
“I can come with.”
“No,” she put her hand up to halt him, “we got it. But thanks, Regis.” She followed Asa out of the cave, and the wind whipped her windbreaker open.
John led them up the wooded hill to the edge of the muddy side road where the ambulance was parked, relaying his interview with the guy who found the body and the two EMTs. “I think Jimmy Russell might want to say more, but he wasn’t going to with the other one around. Still, he might need prodded a little, but my gut says there’s something he’s not telling me.”
A guy about six feet, blond, blue eyes and pale skin sat on the back of the ambulance along with another man, darker hair, dark eyes and a couple inches shorter than the blond. When they spotted them, the two men stood.
“Take it, Violet,” Asa whispered.
“Which one of you is Jimmy Russell?”
The dark-haired man cast a thumb in Jimmy’s direction, and Jimmy stepped forward, cutting the other man a side-eye as if uncomfortable having him present. John was intuitive.
John spoke up. “Mr. Leigh, why don’t we head over there and go through your statement again while they talk with Mr. Russell, and then they’ll come talk to you.”
John led Chris away, but he glanced back at Jimmy, and Jimmy’s sight dropped to the ground.
“I’m Agent Rainwater, and this is Agent Kodiak. We’d like to hear your statement if you don’t mind repeating it, Mr. Russell.”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t mind.” His voice was tenor and soft.
“You knew Nadine personally?”
“We went to school together.”
