Dust to Dust

work,” he said.
    Diane could see he meant it. Hector and Scott apparently loved work.
    “So,” she asked David, “what have you found? Smoking gun? Fingerprints?”
    “Funny you should mention that,” he said. “Under the remaining bones we found several items of interest. You know how there were two hammers—a large one and a smaller one? There were two axes, actually an axe and a hatchet.”
    “Possibly the murder and dismembering weapons,” said Diane.
    “That’s what we think,” said Neva.
    “They are rusted, and the wooden handles are mostly rotted away, but we may be able to do something with them,” said David. “But what was under the axes is really great,” he said. “We found a zippered case with sculpting tools in it. Because they were closed up, the wooden handles are in better condition. They have dark stains that I think are blood and—drum roll, please—there are fingerprints in the blood.”
    Diane opened her mouth in surprise. “Fifty-year-old fingerprints? Are you serious?”
    “It gets better,” said David. “They also threw unused clay down the well. You know how clay is. Think about those little bull figures from Çatal Höyük in the Old World archaeology section of the museum. They have those ancient fingerprints all over them. Clay is really good for that.”
    “That’s a gold mine,” said Diane. “That’s amazing.”
    “We think so,” said Neva. “They just threw all the incriminating evidence down the well and covered it over. We can do a lot with it.”
    “Well-done,” said Diane.
    “The credit goes to those who tried to get rid of the evidence,” said David. “I wish all our perpetrators were so accommodating.”
    “It’s almost as if they put the evidence in a time capsule,” said Scott. “We’re going to try to get DNA from the blood. No guarantees, but if we do, it will be a good paper. Speaking of which, there is just no DNA in the pottery sherds. Even in a bonfire kiln, it’s just too hot,” he said.
    “I didn’t think it would work, but I appreciate your trying,” said Diane. “You never know until you try.”
    Just as she was about to heap more praise on them, the phone on her desk rang.
    “Yes,” she said.
    “Diane, this is Ross. I know this is short notice, but Detective Fisher from Gainesville, who was the detective in charge of the Stacy Dance case, wants to come over and have a look at the evidence. He wants to bring the medical examiner, Doppelmeyer, and he wants Dr. Webber to be there.”
    “Is that all?” said Diane. “Does he want dinner?”
    “Just about. He’s bringing his supervisor and he wants your supervisor to be there too. I tried to explain that this doesn’t have anything to do with Rosewood, but he wouldn’t listen.”
    “I see. I wonder if Vanessa’s free. She would find it interesting,” said Diane.
    “Funny. I’m sure he meant Garnett,” said Ross. “Is that a problem?”
    “No problem. He’ll just have to be disappointed. Garnett has nothing to do with it. I won’t have the mayor or the parks director here either, because they didn’t have anything to do with the Stacy Dance case either,” she said. “I will ask Jin to join us. He’s analyzed all the trace evidence.”
    Kingsley laughed. “Okay. I can handle that. I hope Detective Fisher can.”
    “He’ll have to,” said Diane. “Have you called Lynn?”
    “Yes, she’s willing. A little too willing if you ask me,” he said.
    “When do they want this to take place?” said Diane.
    “This evening, they said. After work.”
    “Good, I’ll be able to get some more work done before then.”
    She had already hung up before she remembered that she didn’t tell him that Frank had translated the diary pages. She could tell him later when she saw him.
    She called the restaurant and ordered steak dinners to be delivered to the lobby of the crime lab for her two security guards. Then she dialed the DNA lab and asked for Jin.
    “Yo,” he said.
    “What is the status of the Stacy Dance evidence?” she said.
    “Done. I put it in the evidence vault in the crime lab. We ready for a transfer?” he asked.
    Diane explained about the meeting. “Can you attend?” she asked
    “Sure, Boss. Glad to,” he said.
    She looked at her watch. She’d have time to get started on the other set of bones before the meeting.

Chapter 45
    The teenage male skeleton looked similar to the female skeleton as it lay on the paper atop the metal table. It was