Cate was at a loss about how to bring up the mandible. She’d mentally rehearsed a dozen different ways, exploring various outcomes, and now she had no recollection of what she’d decided was best.
There was no good way to show a child’s bone to grieving grandparents.
There’s a chance it’s not Jade’s.
The FBI still needed to compare the mandible to the records they had from Jade’s past dental work. But in her heart, Cate knew it was Jade’s.
That’s not a good enough reason to show it to these grieving grandparents.
She’d brought it to see if they’d reveal they were the ones who had dropped it off. Or admit anything else. But Cate’s gut was telling her they weren’t involved.
“Where’s this other baby?” asked George, fidgeting in his chair. “Why’d they send a note to you? If someone needs help, they should go to the police.” Anger flashed. “Although that didn’t help Kori.”
“Wait . . .” Ellen touched Cate’s arm. “You said ‘package.’ Was there more than a newspaper article?”
Cate’s stomach churned.
Why did I agree to this?
“There was a bone in the package,” Cate said, deciding to get it out. “It was the mandible of a child. It was implied that it belonged to Jade, but we don’t have absolute proof yet.”
Ellen covered her mouth with both hands, her chest heaving. George went very still, his gaze on Cate.
“I’m sorry to be so blunt,” Cate said. “But obviously the note and bone have the FBI’s attention, and they want to investigate both.”
The Astons were silent. Ellen rapidly blinked as her eyes grew wet.
Her mouth dry, Cate pulled her bag onto her lap but made no move to open it.
“Jade had little silver caps on some of her teeth,” Ellen whispered from behind her hands.
“Yes,” said Cate. “The bone does too.” Using the word “bone” instead of “mandible” was easier for her to say—more generic, softer.
Ellen gasped and covered her eyes. George got out of his chair and moved to stand behind his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Show us,” he ordered.
He knows I have it.
Cate wanted to vomit. “I have a photo that—”
“You have it in your bag,” George stated. “Don’t you?”
Horror filled Ellen’s gaze. “No, I don’t want—”
“I’ll look,” said George. He glanced at the photo above the fireplace, his fingers digging into Ellen’s shirt. “I have every square inch of that little girl memorized. I’ll know.”
Cate took a breath. “There needs to be a forensic dental—”
“I’ll know,” he repeated.
Cate exchanged a long look with Ellen, who gave a small nod, resignation in her eyes.
After slowly opening the bag, Cate lifted out a large evidence envelope. She fumbled as she pulled on a pair of gloves and then opened the envelope and slid out a small plastic bag onto the table. The tiny silver crowns glittered in the light.
Ellen bit back a cry.
George was silent, his stare focused on the bone.
Cate’s heart broke for them. “I’m sorry,” she said. “But remember, it may not be Jade’s.”
There was a loud knock at the front door, and it immediately swung open. “Mom?”
The three of them turned at the voice.
Kori.
She looked the same. Pale-red hair, thin . . . but Cate immediately picked up on a confidence she hadn’t seen before. Something about the position of her shoulders and how she lifted her chin.
This wasn’t the girl who’d clung to Cate seven years ago.
Kori set aside a small carry-on and dropped her backpack on top of it. Surprise flashed in her eyes as they met Cate’s. “Cate! I wondered if I’d be seeing you before long.”
Kori’s gaze moved to the clear plastic bag on the table, and confusion filled her face. She took two halting steps closer, unable to look away from the mandible.
Oh, no.
Cate covered the baggie with her hand. Too late.
Kori stared at her. “Is that Jade’s?”
5
“He killed my baby!”
Kori screamed the words, and George lunged around the table as she lurched toward the three of them, her eyes locked on the bone. Cate leaped from her chair and caught the young woman as her knees buckled. Together, she and George guided Kori to a chair at the far end of the table, away from the mandible. The distraught woman’s body trembled with a massive force, making Cate and George support her as she sat. Ellen sank to her knees at Kori’s side and wrapped her arms around her daughter, as if trying to absorb the grief.
Ten minutes later, the room was quiet, but the sorrow and pain permeated every corner.
Cate had forgotten how emotionally draining the Jade Causey case had been. During the time she’d spent with Kori seven years ago, she’d grown used to supporting the woman through her grief and pain, but she’d been completely unprepared for the onslaught of the last few minutes.
“It’s Jade,” Kori continued to whisper as she sat at the table. Cate had insisted on putting away the mandible once they all had taken a good look. Kori was convinced the little silver crowns were on the same teeth as Jade’s.
“We’re not positive—” Cate had started to say.
“Don’t you think I know my baby’s smile?” Kori had shrieked at her.
Cate had given up trying to cushion the blow. There was no point.
“I have dreams she’s alive,” Kori said quietly. “Many times a week they invade my sleep. I’ve taken a lot of comfort in them. It was all I had left.” She paused. “Today has destroyed those dreams.”
“I’m so sorry,” Cate said. She would never be able to say it enough.
Empty words.
Ellen sat by her daughter, their hands clasped tight. George had retreated to his chair, arms crossed on his chest, his watchful gaze on Kori.
“Where did you get it, Cate?” Kori asked, all emotion gone from her voice. She sounded as if she’d run a marathon, her energy drained.
Cate told the story of the box being left at Shiny Objects. Kori appeared to listen, but Cate wasn’t certain she’d heard all the words. There was a disconnect in Kori’s eyes.
Something had broken.
“Why did you come here?” Cate asked Kori. “The FBI said you wouldn’t talk to them and then disappeared. They wanted to inform you about the mandible.”
“There was something in the voice of the man who called me . . . I couldn’t talk to him . . . I didn’t want to know what he had to say.” She circled a fist near her stomach. “Somehow in my gut I knew he had bad news.” She looked from her mom to her dad. “I felt a need to be with my parents. Turns out I was right,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry,” Cate said again.
“They told me you left the FBI and that Jade’s case was assigned to someone else now. But here you are. Once again, someone in law enforcement lied to me,” Kori said dully.
“No, I’m not supposed to be here . . . well, I am here, but they didn’t lie that I no longer work for the FBI. I’m helping out simply because your parents live so close, and the bone was delivered to me.”