Read Pushed Too Far: A Thriller for Free Online

eyes. “Anything that could help us identify her or lead to her killer?”
    “No teeth, no flesh, most of these bones aren’t even in one piece, dried out and shattered from the heat.” He glanced over a copy of his original autopsy report, then peered up at Val. “I don’t know what to say, honey bun. Don’t see anything to change or anything to add. Maybe you need to show these to an expert on fire deaths, like a forensic anthropologist. Maybe call down to Madison.”
    “It’s a good idea, but I’m afraid I’m short on time.” Only one day left, twenty-four hours, and she had nothing more than she’d had in the original investigation. She hoped Schneider and Olson had found a lead in their calls to Kelly’s family members.
    “How about the body you took fingerprints from yesterday? Have you gotten a chance to examine her?” There was no telling how Kelly factored in to Jane Doe’s death, or if she did at all, but Val needed anything she could get.
    “Still frozen as a Thanksgiving turkey. Well maybe not quite, but it takes a while, you know. I took some x-rays and did the external exam. I think I might have something you’ll want to see.”
    The external part of an autopsy was always the most interesting to Val, since in her experience, most evidence in a homicide tended to be found on the outside of the body. And although she would never admit it to anyone, whenever the cutting began, she was never sure if she was going to be sick or simply faint. Between that and severe time constraints, she was relieved the internal exam would wait for another day.
    “I’ll get her out of the cooler.” Harlan padded across the small room, the soles of his Keds squeaking on the tile.
    Val followed, but when he pulled open the door, she was sorry she had. Two sheet-covered gurneys and miscellaneous paper grocery bags and black evidence bags filled nearly half of the tiny space. Cold sweetness engulfed her in a wave. Her stomach gave a shudder.
    Monica lagged behind, looking as if she might have to make a run for the restroom at any moment.
    “Sorry about the stink. One of these was a lady who lived alone. She wasn’t found until the neighbor heard the dog yelping. A week after the lady died, and the poor thing finally ran out of food.” He pushed his way between the gurneys and grabbed the one near the wall, chuckling to himself. “Funny thing. Neighbor lived next to her twenty years, yet couldn’t identify her. Not without her face.”
    Monica turned a deeper shade of green.
    Even Val was wishing she’d stayed back in the autopsy theater. Or better yet, outside in the car. “Thanks for sharing that image, Harlan.”
    “I’m sure you saw worse things in Chicago.”
    “That’s why I moved here.”
    “Once we’re done, I’ll put the old girl in the freezer, solid her up a little and clear the air in here.” He wheeled out his chosen body and closed the door behind him, cutting off the stench.
    Or most of it.
    Val pushed the image of pets eating faces to the back of her mind and focused on the shape under the autopsy sheet.
    Harlan positioned the gurney in front of the oblong stainless steel sink. In Chicago, the morgue had been huge with many people working under the medical examiner. But in a small county like this one, the coroner was an elected position, and often didn’t even have a medical degree.
    Harlan was an actual forensic pathologist, but he had only a handful of people in his entire department and space to perform one autopsy at a time. It was a good thing the body count was low. Three bodies in the morgue, counting Jane Doe’s bone fragments, made for a huge back up.
    He clipped x-rays to the lighted board. “My daughter’s son broke an arm, and the hospital had x-rays right there on the computer screen. Of course with all the budget cuts around here, I’ll be dead before we get more than this damn light box.”
    Val squinted at the gray outlines of bones. “Is anything