You Can't Run by Hope Davis (best way to read books .txt) 📗

raised wheat and had been the one to find the body. Atlas began asking him questions about how and when he discovered Julia’s body.

“I saw some hawks circling. And sometimes they do that you know? Especially when they see a large snake or rabbit. But there were several of them circling, at one point there were three. And hawks are solitary predators, so I knew something big had died, and I was a bit worried it was one of the cats I have on property to keep the mice at bay or someone’s livestock, ya know? So I drove out here, and the minute I saw it was a person I called the police.”

Atlas nodded. “Ok. And was she covered with anything when you found her?”

The farmer shook his head. “No, she was just as you see her now. She wasn’t covered or buried or anything, so I dialed  911 immediately.”

Naya was jotting down notes in her phone. “Did you check for a pulse or anything?”

“No. Didn’t need to, I’ve been around a long time, and the moment I saw her I knew she was dead. Didn’t look to have a drop of blood left in her.”

She made a note of that and figured she could check with forensics later. “Did you see anything else, any cars? People wandering around? Anything out of the ordinary?”

“No. But I’m a farmer, so although I’ve been up since the crack of dawn, I’ve been out in the fields working, not standing and watching the road.”

Naya nodded, pulled her card out of her pocket and handed it to the man. “Let me check with my associates, but I believe you’re good to go back to your work. Just call me if you think of anything else or notice anything else unusual.” The farmer nodded his agreement.

Naya turned to go back to the scene, when he suddenly cleared his throat. “The girl…she’s quite young?”

She knew immediately what the man was hinting at, she took a measured breath before turning around and putting on her most professional façade. “Yes sir. We still have to tell her family. But. If you would like more information you can certainly watch the news tonight.”

He nodded again, a scolded look on his face.

Naya resumed walking towards the body and the crime scene techs, Atlas keeping up with her every stride. When they were out of ear shot but still a few paces away from the huddle around the body he opened his mouth. “You were very efficient about deflecting that.”

She smiled, “You forget, I used to be sheriff. I had to give press conferences.”

“You said you didn’t move for career reasons?” He was prying but Naya wasn’t ready to share that part of her life with him yet.

“Yes, that’s correct.” Luckily they joined the group at the body with perfect timing, giving her the opportunity to drop the subject without being suspicious..

Atlas began talking to one of the techs who he seemed to have built a rapport with on past cases. “Cause of death?”

She shrugged. “Hard to tell. One thing I can say for sure is there’s hardly any blood.”

“As in it was a clean crime scene?”

“No, as in most of it is missing. Not all of it, but enough that the girl is as white as a sheet and I don’t see any dried blood at the scene. .She’s been so drained of blood, that had she been cut after I don’t think the wound would have bled.”

Atlas sent Naya a stunned glance which she mirrored before he continued his inquiry with the young tech. “Any other observations you can tell us?”

The coroner chose this moment to speak. “Well, I can tell you the time of death was between ten and eleven last night.”

“Damn.” Naya murmured. It didn’t  matter how they worked the case. They were already too late by the time they had gotten to the Charles’ household.

They exchanged a few more words with the coroner and tech before turning away from the scene and walked back towards the car.

“What do you think?” She asked Atlas, scanning the horizon and contemplating the information they had gathered.

“I don’t like it. Not one bit. He only had her for a few hours. This was a cold, calculated murder. This wasn’t an opportunistic kill. I think he is going to kill again.”

Naya opened the door and slid into the passenger side, checking the time on her phone. She figured she could still make it in time for the Home Health Care meeting if she left directly from the station. “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Hey, listen, I know this case is just getting rolling, but I really need a shower. Mind if I head home for a couple hours to freshen up and come back after?”

Atlas started the car. “Yeah, that’s no problem. I mean, the girl is already dead and I doubt our murderer will strike again so soon.”

“I agree, I just feel bad asking for a personal favor already.”

Atlas shook his head. “Don’t even worry about it. You forget, this isn’t the three man La Junta show anymore. There’s a whole team of detectives and assistants I can have help me build a board. Then you can take a look and we can adjust it when you get back.”

She felt a half smile brush her lips. He was right, she hadn’t considered that. “I guess I’m just so used to being on the clock all the time.”

“I noticed. But listen, I like to get to know my partner a bit if we are gonna work together and we got tossed on this before we could blink. So, mind if I ask you a few questions while we are stuck in the car anyway?”

“Sure.” The half-smile instantly disappeared from her face. “But nothing too personal.”

“Not