Ruthless Read Free Page B

to make all the documentation changes.
    “The FBI is checking all databases at their disposal,” Lori mentioned.
    That was something. But unless these women had passports or had committed a felony they wouldn’t likely be in any of those databases.
    Across the room Jess’s cell clanged. Wouldn’t be Dan. If there was a new development he would just appear at the door. Maybe Lily had news. Her sister was pretty frustrated with the inability of her doctors to figure out what was going on with all these crazy symptoms plaguing her. Jess was damned frustrated herself. Her sister had always been as healthy as a horse. The concept of a serious health issue just didn’t seem possible.
    “Carry on,” Jess suggested to her detectives, as she hurried back to her desk.
    Lori created the time line and added the notes Harper recommended. The two had been dating for a few weeks now, and thankfully so far the fledgling relationship hadn’t affected their work in any way. Jess hoped it stayed that way. She knew from experience it wasn’t an easy balancing act to sustain.
    At her desk she picked up her cell and frowned at the screen. Why would Gina Coleman be calling her? Jess had nothing on the Spears case to give Birmingham’s favorite reporter. As far as Jess was concerned, after the business with the Five case the two of them were even on who owed whom what.
    “Harris.”
    “You need to get over here, Harris.
Now.
”
    Adrenaline kicked Jess’s heart back into that samefrantic pace she’d been suffering most waking hours since Sunday afternoon. “What’s going on?”
    “A package was left with the receptionist at the studio. It’s addressed to me but there’s a message on the inside flap that says I should give it to
you
. I don’t know what it is, but it smells dead.”

 
    12:45 p.m., Channel Six Studios
    T he fact that he was the chief of police with a job to do gave Dan no comfort when what he wanted right now more than anything in this world was to protect Jess from opening that damned bundle.
    Every part of him howled with the need to do this himself, but Jess would never stand for it and with a unit from the Bomb Squad as well as a dozen other cops including evidence techs standing by, he couldn’t exactly argue with his newest deputy chief.
    Deputy Chief Jess Harris had a job to do, too.
    The building had been evacuated of Channel Six personnel, including Gina Coleman, who had argued the edict all the way out the door. The experts had examined the box intended for Jess and pronounced it free of incendiary materials and other destructive substances. That assessment made the package’s contents no less explosive.
    Bones.
    After a thorough analyzing, including digital X-rays and probing, the contents were deemed skeletal remains wrapped in disintegrating burlap and plastic.
    Once placed on a trace sheet to ensure no evidence was lost, the bundle had been removed from the cardboard shipping box. With Harper standing on one side and an evidence tech on the other, Jess carefully opened the bundle of fabric. Dan and the rest of those gathered stayed back. The fewer bodies crammed around that table, the less likelihood of contaminating whatever evidence the package contained or represented.
    The Channel Six security video showed the delivery was made to the station via UPS just after ten that morning. Detective Wells and Officer Cook had interviewed the clerks at the originating UPS Store. One clerk remembered the guy, who’d given his name as Smith Johnson. Johnson was old with thick-lensed glasses, thin gray hair, and a walking cane. His long sleeves and gloves despite the August heat wave hadn’t triggered the usual alarms. The clerk figured he was just an old man trying to avoid sun exposure.
    The return address Johnson gave was just as bogus as the name he’d used.
    Detective Wells was standing by at the UPS Store for a copy of the video footage from the security system.
    A new rush of frustration rammed