Carnal Innocence

Mysteries?
Those shows about, like, psychos and hatchet killers? I just think it’s so interesting. I mean, how come they do all that stuff to people, and why they’re so hard to catch. I guess we’re all a little nervous about having somebody like that roaming around town, but it’s exciting, too. You know?”
    Teddy lifted his beer in salute. “That’s what sells supermarket tabloids.”
    “Inquiring minds, right?” She chuckled and tapped her bottle against his. “I’ve got a real inquiring mind. You know, Teddy … I’ve never seen a dead body. I mean, before it’s all prettied up and in a casket in church.”
    He saw the question in her eyes and frowned. “Now, Josie, you don’t need to see that.”
    Her bare foot continued to caress his calf. “I guessit sounds kind of morbid and awful, but, I think it might be kind of … educational.”
    Teddy knew it was a mistake, but it was hard to resist Josie Longstreet when her mind was set. The fact that they were both half drunk and giggly didn’t help. After three wavering tries, he stuck the key he’d been given into the lock in Palmer’s rear door.
    “This the delivery entrance?” Josie said, covering her mouth to hold in the shaky chuckle.
    Teddy reached back into childhood. “Palmer’s Funeral Parlor. You kill ’em, we chill ’em”
    Josie laughed so hard she had to cross her legs. Together, they stumbled through the doorway. “Gosh, it’s dark.”
    “Let me get the light.”
    “No.” Her heart was thudding. To show him, she took his hand and pressed it to her breast. “That would spoil the mood.”
    Teddy leaned her back against the door and enjoyed a long, sloppy kiss. Pressing himself against her, he worked his hands under her blouse. Her breasts spilled over the flimsy half cups that supported them and filled his palms. Her nipples were long, and hard as stone.
    “Jesus.” His breath was coming in pants. “You’ve got terrific muscle tone.” He replaced his hands with his mouth and started to struggle with her shorts.
    “Hold on, honey. I swear, you’re as horny as a two-peckered goat.” She laughed and nudged him away. “Let me find a flashlight.” Thrusting her hand in her purse, she rooted until she came up with a pen-sized flash. She ran it over the walls, making shadows shake. She felt giddy with fear and excitement, as if she’d been watching the horror flick showing at the Sky View. “Which way?”
    To humor her, Teddy danced his fingers up her arm until she shivered. “Walk this way,” he invited her, and set off in a shambling gait that made her giggle again.
    “You’re such a card, Teddy.” But she kept close tohis back. “Smells like dead roses, and … Lord knows.”
    “That’s the ghostly scent of departed souls, my dear.” No use telling her it was embalming fluid, formaldehyde, and Mr. Clean. He moved to another door, and using her light, found the next key.
    “You’re sure?”
    She swallowed, nodded.
    Teddy pushed open the door, wishing the Palmers were less fastidious. A nice moaning creak would have been perfect. Josie took a deep breath and hit the lights.
    “Shit.” She rubbed damp palms on her thighs. “It looks sort of like a dentist’s office. What do you use those hoses for?”
    He smiled, wiggled his eyebrows. “Do you really want to know?”
    She moistened her lips. “Maybe not. Is that …” She gestured toward the form under the white sheet. “Is that her?”
    “The one and only.”
    Josie felt her insides tremble. “I want to see.”
    “Okay. But it’s look and don’t touch.” Teddy walked over and eased down the sheet.
    Josie’s mind spun once, twice, then settled. “Jesus,” she whispered. “Jesus. She’s gray.”
    “Haven’t had time to fix her makeup.”
    Pressing a hand to her stomach, Josie took another step. “Her throat …”
    “Cause of death.” He rubbed a palm on Josie’s apple-firm bottom. “The knife had a six-, maybe seven-inch blade. Now look here.” He eased one of Edda Lou’s arms from under the sheet. “See the way this area of the wrist is discolored? The flaking skin? She was tied with a common clothesline.”
    “Wow.”
    “She also bit her nails.” He tut-tutted and covered the hand again. “This contusion at the base of the skull”—he turned the head—“it shows that she was struck before death. Certainly hard enough to render her unconscious, during which time we would conclude she was bound and gagged. There were