Beverly Connor - Dead Secret

“I’m not saying anything now. I don’t even know yet that she is from the same cave.”

“So you won’t be able to tell if she’s a witch?” asked Neva.

“There are no osteological characteristics that I am aware of that indicate witchiness in an individual-so no, I won’t be able to do that,” Diane said with a smile.

“But then,” said Neva, “her body wasn’t found for hundreds of years, right? So they didn’t need a story. Besides, it wouldn’t have worked anyway, since the Romans were in charge. Witch or not, the Romans would have arrested them. . or worse.”

“We’ll probably never know what really happened,” said Diane. “But we’ll know something about her. And at least the general height of her killer.” She handed the drawing back to Neva. “You did a good job. I’m anxious for Gregory and Mr. Rose to see your drawing.”

Just as Diane spoke she heard someone knocking on the door. As Frank was about to answer, David entered the RV with Garnett.

“Do you know if they have found anything?” asked Diane.

Garnett shook his head. “Nothing yet. I really don’t think there’s anything there. I know you’re on the wrong track about Emery. I’m betting he won’t show up tomorrow night to steal the evidence, and I don’t believe he is in league with those guys who kidnapped you.”

Diane didn’t address her hunch about Emery. There was a good chance she was wrong about him. “I’ll be just glad to clear the museum and crime lab of any threats.” She shook her head. “They knew just how to scare me.”

In the wee hours of morning just before dawn, Diane heard a telephone ringing. She reached for her cell, then realized that it wasn’t hers that was ringing. She and Neva were on the bed. Frank was on the sofa, and David was in the bunk. The phone sounded like it came from the bunk.

Diane raised herself up and slipped out of bed, trying not to wake Neva. She heard David answer it in a sleepy voice. She went over to his bunk.

“Jin’s ready to upload the DNA profiles,” said David. “Can we do that here?”

Frank roused to wakefulness and stretched. He was much more of a morning person and was wide-awake by the second stretch. Diane was still trying to focus her eyes. Sometimes she envied Frank.

“You can plug it in here,” he said. He and David set up the laptop on the dining table and connected via wireless network to the museum server. Diane was glad Frank was here to lend his expertise. She resolved to learn more about her own computer-not only the software.

David sent an instant message to Jin to start the download. It took several minutes. When it finished, he sat down at the computer and logged on to his system in the lab. He started the search on the DNA sample taken from Diane’s left ear, hair and the left side of her jacket-Deviated Septum. Diane was surprised when he got a hit. She realized that she hadn’t expected either of them to be in the system-she didn’t know why, just that she wasn’t feeling particularly lucky.

“Neil Valentine. The name doesn’t ring a bell, but I’m not surprised,” she said. Diane looked at his face. She didn’t recognize it. “Let’s try the other one.” She was feeling luckier now. But there wasn’t a match.

“I have other databases I can look in,” said David, “but I’d like to reserve those as a last resort, if you know what I mean.”

Diane did. They were databases that they didn’t legally have access to, and therefore any information they got from them couldn’t be used in court.

“Let’s look up Valentine’s record again,” said Frank.

“Look for known associates.” He took a piece of paper from his pocket. “This is a list of hackers-some were juveniles when they were caught, so their records would be sealed, but we can find the arresting officer and talk to him.”

They looked at the Neil Valentine record again. He’d served eighteen months in prison for assault. David pulled up a list of five known associates on the screen. None matched Frank’s list.

“Go to each of Valentine’s associates and pull up their associates,” said Frank.

They got nothing on the first one, but the second had a name that was on Frank’s hacker list.

“Randy MacRae,” said Frank. “He was busted for hacking into some corporate systems when he was a teenager. I’ll contact the arresting officer and get the info for you.”

“Okay, we’re getting somewhere,” said Diane, rubbing her hands together.

She looked at Frank and saw how fresh he looked. She ran her hands through her hair. “I don’t suppose I can get a shower?” she asked.

“If it’s very-and I mean very -quick. There’s not much water.”

“I can do quick. I had to take quick showers in the jungle all the time.”

“Oh,” said Frank. “I thought those jungle waterfalls ran day and night.”

“Cute,” she said.

Diane got in the shower, let the water run over her for a second, then shut it off. She lathered up her body and hair and rinsed almost as quickly. She dried off and put on fresh clothes that she’d gotten from her car. Neva was just waking when Diane finished touching up her face.

“Hey. Are they finished?” Neva sat up and yawned.

“I’m about to find out. I’m going over to see what they turned up,” said Diane.

“Wait. Do you have some scissors?” asked Neva, grinning at her.

“In my purse. They’re small; will that do?”

“Yes. Jin’s not real good at hairstyling. Let me kind of trim you up. Good thing you wear your hair short anyway.”

Neva took the scissors and evened up the sides of Diane’s hair. She stepped back to take a look, then made a few more snips. “There. That’s better.”

Diane looked in the mirror. “Yes, that does look better. Thanks, Neva. I must have looked a fright all day yesterday.”

Neva didn’t say anything, and Diane laughed. Neva started giggling. Her staff probably thought she was nuts for sure.

“Neva, I’d like to get these cases finished up. Let’s go ahead and send your drawings of Caver Doe and Plymouth Doe to the newspaper and the TV stations. Ask Canfield and Burns first; we can’t cut them out. On second thought. I’ve already told them that’s what I might do, and they okayed it. Let’s not give them a chance to say no.”

“Why would they?”

“I don’t think they would, but I’m just feeling a little paranoid. Go down and take care of it this morning, will you?”

David cleared his throat. “If you don’t mind a little helpful advice,” he said.

Diane stared at him with a question on her face. “What?”

“There is no need in this modern day and age to actually go down to the newspaper,” he said, pointing to his computer.

Diane and Neva looked at each other. Both of them started to laugh again. Diane was starting to feel giddy. That happened when she didn’t get much sleep.

David and Frank looked at each other and shrugged.

“We must all be very, very tired,” said Neva.

“Of course. Neva, scan your drawings of Caver Doe and Plymouth Doe as soon as we can get back into the lab.”

“I’ve already scanned them. They’re on my computer in the crime lab.”

“I can get them through the network connection from here,” said David. “Why don’t I write a press release, then e-mail it and Neva’s drawings to the Rosewood paper, the AJC , and all the Atlanta TV stations? It’ll probably get picked up by the AP and be on every TV screen in the state by noon, and every newspaper in the country by tomorrow. You’ll be famous, Neva.”

“And,” said Diane, “if there is anyone alive who knows these victims from so many years ago, there is a strong chance they’ll see the drawings and make the connection. Good thinking, David.”