Bone Secrets 03 - Buried

the farmhouse where they found me and worked my way back, taking the path of easiest resistance each time. When I finally found him, half the bones were gone. Scattered by scavengers.
    “I buried what was left. And marked the site and coordinates. He was my other brother.”
    “Did you look for the bunker?” Michael asked.
    “God, no. I didn’t ever want to go back there. You know, before I escaped, I thought the other kids had been released. That’s what he told us he was doing.”
    Michael shook his head. “He didn’t.”
    “The recent news reports didn’t say how the other kids died.”
    Michael thought for a second. “You’re right. I know there weren’t any bullet holes in skulls of the children at the recovery site. I don’t know if they could tell how they died.”
    “We never heard any gunshots. It’s driven me crazy for years wondering what exactly happened to them. Once I was told they’d never returned, I knew he’d killed them. I’ve had nightmares where I see him doing…things to them. Sometimes not knowing is the worst part. Your brain makes up its own details.”
    Tell me about it.
Michael understood too well.
    “Hang on. I think I know who could answer that question.” Michael dialed his phone.
    “Michael? Where are you?” Lacey Campbell’s voice spoke in his ear.
    “Eastern Oregon still. You following what’s been going on out here?”
    “Yes. I’ve spoken with Detective Lusco. Is everything all right?”
    Michael rubbed at his eyes. “No. Jamie is missing. We’ve got every cop in Oregon looking out for our tattooed man, because we think he managed to nab her. Maybe tricked her to leave our hotel room somehow. I’m going crazy not being able to do anything.”
    “God damn it! When are they going to stop him?”
    “Lacey, I wanted to ask you if the ME’s office figured out how all the kids were killed.”
    Lacey was silent for a second. “Why are you asking about that?”
    “I need to know. I need to know what he does to them. Were they shot? Stabbed? Can you guys even tell?”
    He heard her exhale noisily over the phone. “None of the bones show signs of gunshot or stab wounds. Could there have been those types of wounds and they didn’t touch the bones, yes, but it’s doubtful. Usually the bones tell. Dr. Peres didn’t find a single knife nick from a stabbing on any of the kids or the adults from the pit.”
    “So how’d he do it?”
    “Two of the bodies from the pit had broken hyoid bones.”
    “The bone at the throat?”
    “Yes. Sometimes it breaks during strangulation.”
    “But none of the kids had that?”
    “In children, the bone hasn’t fused. It starts as three pieces and then fuses into one as they age. Usually by age thirty, most people have fully fused hyoids. We just can’t tell on children.”
    “How can you tell the difference between a broken bone and one that hasn’t fused? They’re both in pieces. Those bodies in the pit were all in their twenties, right? Maybe they weren’t strangled, maybe their hyoids hadn’t fused yet,” Michael theorized.
    “Fractures cause jagged ends on the bones. Unfused bones have smooth ends. The broken adult hyoids were very jagged.”
    “Got it. But strangulation wasn’t ruled out on the children.”
    “No,” said Lacey. “We couldn’t rule it out. But my gut says that’s what was done.”
    “Mine too. Chris says he didn’t hear any gunshots.”
    “Chris?” Lacey said sharply. “You found him?”
    “Oh God, Lace. I haven’t told you. Fuck. He found me.” Michael rattled off the events of the last thirty minutes.
    “It’s Daniel? Are you sure?” Lacey said softly.
    “Never been so sure of anything in my life.” Michael stared at his brother as he examined Brian’s bug. The boy was gesturing excitedly as he pointed out the finer parts of the bug to his father.
    “Oh, Michael. How wonderful.”
    “Wonderful doesn’t begin to describe it. Now I just need Jamie back. I don’t know where to start looking. Christ, Lace. It’s the absolute worst and happiest day of my life! I want to hit something and cheer at the same time.”
    “They’ll find her. She’ll be okay.”
    “Don’t simply say meaningless words. I need answers.”
    Lacey was silent, and Michael felt like shit.
    “I’m sorry, Lace. I’m absolutely at my wit’s end. I don’t know what to do, and I’ve never felt this way before. I always know what direction to head next.”
    “She’s something special,”