Touched by Death (15 page)

Bruce led the way. Dane looked back once to see Dr.
Mike still standing in the open doorway. Dane lifted a hand. Dr. Mike
grinned and waved happily. Someone else was happy to see them leaving.

Around the corner, Dane stepped up to walk beside
Bruce in time to hear Tony catch his breath.

"A little different than you expected?"
He studied Tony's face intently. Shock, horror even – and maybe, an
understanding of the enormity of the problem.

"This is full of bodies?" He gulped. "It's
huge." He lifted a shaking hand and rubbed a handkerchief across
his forehead. "Good God, how many bodies are we talking here?"

"We're not sure exactly. We've brought out close
to forty already but there could be a hundred more… or only ten more."

"Now you see why we need a storage solution.
Either more refrigerator trucks or another location in town and a truck
to haul things back and forth."

Tony stood and stared. He wiped his forehead. "I
had no idea." He brought out a camera from his pocket and quickly
snapped off a couple of pictures. "This will be something to show
my client at least. The first set of photos didn't capture the scope
of this site."

"Is he having second thoughts about the cost?"
asked Bruce curiously.

Dane turned his attention from the gravesite where
the two young men were working, to the conversation at his side.

Tony shook his head, vehemently. "No. He's growing
impatient. Everything is underway, yet he still doesn't have his family
home. We've found several possibilities, but have to wait for the DNA
results."

With his hands on his hips, Bruce studied Tony's face.
"We did say it would take months for us to get the bodies tested
and confirmed."

"He knows that." Tony stuffed his camera
away in his bag and brought out his clipboard. "Obviously heavy
equipment was necessary to get started and I can see that might be required
again – even if only to refill this space. Okay so that's no problem.
I guess I'd better see the labs as well."

A much brighter looking Bruce led Tony back down the
path. He winked at Dane as he walked past.

Stephen walked over. "Now that they are leaving,
it's safe to come over and say 'hi.'"

Dane motioned to the retreating men. "No one
likes him, huh?"

Stephen snickered. "Nah. Tony's probably all
right, just caught in the middle."

"True enough." Dane watched the others navigate
the rocky path down to the lab trailers. "Speaking of which, did
Bruce get security in for overnight?"

"Nah. Tony vetoed it."

Dane said good-bye hurriedly and raced back down the
slopes. No security wasn't an option.

They were too open here, too alone. Someone had to
keep an eye on the place – and on Jade when he couldn't.

Jade focused on getting these poor women finished
and out of the way. The light in the trailer was poor at the best of
times. Urgency made her fingers thick and her actions awkward. She swore
several times under her breath.

Meg wasn't faring any better.

Finally, Jade stopped and stared at her. "Is
she done?"

"Even if she weren't, I'd say let's get her back
to the reefer, and now."

Of like mind they raced through the last steps and
this time, Jade took off the paper sheet that she'd placed under the
skeleton while Meg processed it, just in case any evidence had dropped
off. She started to fold it carefully, then realized they'd missed a
hair. Pointing it out to Meg, she used tweezers to retrieve it and bag
it. For the moment, the little bag was tucked inside the body bag and
it was zipped closed.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief when the woman
was secure again – from prying eyes and from Tony whose voice
they could hear coming their way.

"Let's get her moved over." Meg shifted
the bag slightly to sit better on their portable stretcher. "Out
of sight and all that." Throwing her chart and white marker on
top, Jade grabbed the other end and headed for the door.

Dr. Mike glanced from them to the bag and to the end
of the room – relief bloomed across his face. "Thanks,"
he whispered.

Bruce's voice boomed outside the trailer. "This
is the lab trailer. In here we're processing the remains." There
was a pause in the sounds of heavy boots climbing the stairs.

"Damn it," Jade whispered. They'd almost
made it out. Still could actually. "Watch out. We're coming out
with a stretcher," she called out loudly.

"Thanks for the warning," Bruce called back
and everyone backed down from the small porch as Jade came around the
corner. In a simple maneuvre that they'd perfected with practice, Jade
made it around the corner of the door and onto the porch with Meg bringing
up the rear. Smiling politely at the three men standing and waiting,
Jade said, "Thanks, gentlemen."

They walked over to the reefer truck. She rested her
end of the stretcher on the steps and moved to open the door.

Dane raced over. "Let me grab the door."

She grinned. "We've done this many times so it's
not like we can't, but a helping hand is always welcome." Jade
picked up the end of the stretcher again and waited for Dane to open
the door and move out of the way.

"Thanks, Dane." Meg smiled as she walked
up the stairs behind Jade.

Once inside, they moved the skeleton to the far end
of the room and put her crosswise on the shelf. "Whew." Jade
looked back to the door where Dane peered in at them. "Glad we
made it this far?"

"Absolutely." Meg handed her the white maker
and chart. "As much as I'd love to hide away in here, I'd better
go out and speak with the bosses. Do your magic, then join us."

"Yeah, I'm thrilled." Jade watched Meg walk
out and stop to speak with Dane. Then she disappeared around the corner
of the trailer. Popping the top off the marker, Jade marked the bag
as per her system and added a small series of interconnecting loops.
Chains.

She straightened. There was no need to take another
skeleton over. Dr. Mike probably had enough to work on this afternoon.

Jade walked to the open door and closed it, checking
the temperature as she did so.

"Everything all right in there?" asked Dane
curiously. "You were a long time."

"I had to mark the bag with her chart ID."
She smiled at him. "Are you taking the afternoon off? We don't
get to see you often at this hour."

He snorted. "I wish. I'm on the way to the site
right now. I actually hoped that maybe I could convince you to go out
for dinner with me this weekend."

Her eyebrows shot up. It was all she could do to stop
her jaw from dropping. She stopped halfway down the stairs and stared
at him.

His laughter rolled out easily. "Sorry, I've
caught you off guard. So does that mean 'no'?"

She shook her head, laughing self-consciously. "My
reaction is not a reflection on you. It's a reflection on me. It's been
a long time since I've been asked out."

"Then it's not a 'no'?" He tilted his head
and studied her.

She flushed. "No, it's not a 'no.' It's a 'yes.'"
Crap.
She
was handling this badly. She tried again. "Thank you Dane, I'd
love to go out for dinner with you." She smirked. "Is that
better? I'm a little rusty."

He grinned. "Much better, thanks. So Saturday
or Friday? Don't know what your schedule is like."

"Hmmm. My personal life is just so full now.
Not. Either works but maybe Friday is better. There's talk of a hike
on Saturday and I have no idea when we'd make it back to the hotel."
She winced comically. "Or what shape I might be in afterwards."

"Any idea where you're going?"

"No. Dr. Mike mentioned a couple of ideas he
wanted to check out further. I personally would love to spend some time
out on the water."

"I know a couple of tour operators that work
out of Port-au-Prince. However, I'd have to ask around for local ones."
As they walked toward the lab trailer Dane added, "We'll figure
it out. We're going to be here for a few months so there's time to work
in a few trips."

"I might also stay a little longer after this
job is done. Several other team members have mentioned doing the same."

Dane's phone beeped. He pulled it out of his pocket,
checked the text and sighed. "Back to work I go. Friday at seven
if that works for you?"

"Sounds good. Thanks." She watched him stride
to the truck, hop in and take off. Dane left a cloud of dust in his
wake. Wafting her hand in front of her face, she walked over to the
lab trailer.

"We're not sightseeing on the job are we?"
Tony stood at the porch watching her. "I'd hate to have to remind
anyone that you are all here to work and not just to set up your social
life."

She rounded on him. "I highly doubt anyone here
is under any misunderstanding as to why we're here." She wanted
to say something cutting but Bruce's worried face behind Tony, stopped
her.

Tony loved power and control. She had no axe to grind
with him. He'd given her the chance to come back and face her demons.
Although they weren't exactly gone, she was triumphing over them.

She owed him. She'd never cheated a boss before and
she wasn't about to start now. "Bruce, if you're done in there,
I'll pack up the charts and head back to the office to start on the
paperwork."

He nodded. "That's fine. I know you stayed late
here to finish up, thanks."

She shrugged it off. "Not a problem. Whatever
works to get the job done, right?" She brushed past the two men,
wishing the small deck were four times larger. There were too many people
here now. She packed up her stuff and grabbed the charts before saying
good-bye to Meg and Dr. Mike.

Outside, she hopped into the SUV she'd driven to work,
and left. Without saying another word.

As she pulled away, she noticed Tony was writing notes
on his chart.
Brownie points or demerit points?
She hadn't been joking. Whatever
worked for the team and the job, worked for her. Still, she wanted to
see this job through to the end and if he wanted to, Tony had the ability
to prevent that.

She couldn't wait for the week to be over at this
rate. Friday. That put a smile on her face. Wait until she told Duncan.
He'd be worried and delighted. A real date. Wow.

The greasy cabin window wouldn't let any light in
again. Old Peppe had used his sleeve on the glass yesterday to try and
wipe it so he could look out. He looked around for the binoculars he
knew were around here somewhere.

He could see movement through the trees – barely.
There were so many people on the site today.
Why? What had they found?
Surely nothing too important. He'd
watched as they'd thrown body after body into that grave originally.
Nasty business that. He'd wanted to help, but not being strong any longer,
and with his mind wandering the way it did, no one trusted him with
anything. In fact, no one even came and talked to him anymore.

He was a prisoner in his own home. Dependent on his
son for food. His daughter...well he hadn't even seen her hardly since
the quake.

He missed his old life. The brief glimpses of better
days. His wife's death had devastated him. He didn't even remember how
long ago that had been. Tasha had been a teenager then, Emile not much
older. He couldn't function on his own for a long time after she died.
His kids had suffered and he was sorry for that. He loved them. He didn't
understand why they hated him so much now.

He sighed and rubbed his beard. He hated the damn
thing and when he could he took scissors to it. Speaking of cutting
it, he grabbed up the dinner knife beside him and started sawing away.
He threw the chunks of hair on the floor. His daughter should be coming
to clean soon. At least he thought she would be. He couldn't remember
the last time he'd seen her sweep the floor, but in the back of his
mind he could see her with a broom. So she must have. She needed to
come soon.

Damn useless child.

He'd taught her better than that.
Hadn't he?
Surely he had. He'd give her 'what for' the next
time he saw her. And that damn useless son of his. How about he come
and swing a broom?

Then again, he himself had never been lazy. He could
manage a damn broom himself.

He stood and walked to the doorway where the broom
should be, and opened the door. He couldn't find a broom; at least he
didn't see one. Damn kids. What had they done with it?

He shuffled outside and sniffed the air. Something
strong assailed his nose so he turned back to the house – and
wrinkled his nose.
That smell was coming from inside?
Horrible. He'd really have
to say something when someone showed up. Damn, he was hungry.

He left the door open and wandered back into the
small kitchen to check for what there was to eat. Stale and crusty pasta
and peanut butter. At least that's what he thought it was. Opening the
jar he sniffed the contents and almost heaved. He tossed the jar in
the garbage, watching as it hit the closed garbage can lid and bounced
to the floor. The garbage was too full. It needed to go out.

He headed back to the front door, frustrated by his
life. He needed them to come
. And now
. There was his cane, leaning against the front door.
He'd been looking for it for a while now.

Figured one of them had taken it.

"Hey Dad."

Finally. Someone. He stared at the face so familiar
and yet so strange. "Do I know you?"

"Yes, I'm your son, Emile." The overly exaggerated
patience in the voice pissed Peppe off.

"Says who? I wasn't born yesterday. How do I
know you're my son?" He tottered forward. "Why does this place
stink so bad? It's worse than the dump."

"This place has turned into a dump. Dad, you
need to go change your pants."

"What's wrong with them? My wife got these for
me. Who do you think you are?"