Together they walked upstairs and got ready for bed.

  Within ten minutes of crawling under the covers, Simon was in a deep sleep and the puppy was nestled between them in the gully created by the down comforter.

  However, sleep didn’t come as easily for Kerry and her mind eventually wandered to what she saw on Crow Island and the murder of crows that gathered outside the cottage.

  ✽✽✽

  Kerry arrived at her lab at eight-thirty the next morning eager to make sense of Sebastian Crow’s murder and to hopefully find a solid clue that would point them toward the killer. Earlier in the year, she was able to convince Peter to give her the funding so she could hire a summer student. She wanted to prove that not only did Lake Pines need a second set of hands in the coroner’s office, but that she could also help with the necessary training of the next generation of pathologists.

  Constable Peter George had been promoted to Sergeant Peter George in the middle of last winter after he broke up a drug ring that was distressing the residents in the small towns in the area for several years. In addition to frightening the residents, their presence also significantly brought down property values and kept new businesses from opening. There wasn’t only a push from the residents to clean up the streets but from the government who was worried the towns could suffer to a point of no return.

  With Peter having been promoted it also selfishly benefited Kerry. She had a strong working relationship with him and was happy to find out he was also going to oversee all her funding. Kerry wasted no time in petitioning him for an intern and was thrilled when he approved her request.

  Within days of the funding approval, Kerry hired Sophia Della Cruz. She and her family had recently immigrated from the Philippines and she had a difficult time finding work, along with her own identity, in the small town of Lake Pines. Kerry had met Sophia’s family when she was volunteering with the new residents' committee and was the one who approached Sophia and suggested she apply for the job, which included fully paid training along with the position. Because of that, she didn’t have to worry about her lack of experience and since Kerry knew Sophia was very bright, she wouldn’t have trouble with the scientific nature of the job either. Kerry’s intuition was right, and Sophia took to the job quickly and showed great promise in a very short period of time.

  If Kerry’s intuition was right, this murder case was going to give Sophia a dose of much-needed experience. The kind she could never get in a classroom.

  After she and Sophia placed the body on the examining table Kerry got to work assessing the body in more depth. She filled Sophia in along the way on what she knew about the victim, which wasn’t much.

  “We’re working with very little information here Doctor Dearborne,” Sophia said as she pushed the medical tray next to where Kerry was standing.

  “There’s more information here than it seems Sophia,” Kerry said. “Just because there isn’t a suspect yet doesn’t mean that we can’t figure out who killed Sebastian Crow. The first step is to figure out what killed Sebastian Crow.”

  Accentuating the words who and what.

  Sophia glanced at the bare body, now cleaned and prepped for examination, and counted seven stab wounds on his torso, “It looks like he was stabbed to death.”

  “That would be a standard presumption considering he had been stabbed seven times, however,” Kerry walked over to the victim’s right arm and lifted it in the air, turning it slightly to reveal the underside of his forearm. “The victim was right-handed. So why wouldn’t he have had at least some scratches or defensive marks on his arm?”

  “Was he wearing a thick shirt?” Sophia asked.

  “No. He was wearing a cotton t-shirt when he was killed. His arms were bare,” Kerry explained.

  “Then he was stabbed after he was killed,” Sophia said.

  “Exactly,” Kerry agreed. “Now we just need to figure out what killed him first.”

  “Do you want me to run a sample of what was in the victim’s glass? Maybe he was poisoned,” Sophia asked.

  “Let’s run it to be sure, but I don’t think that would be the reason judging by where the body was found,” Kerry said. “Constable Burgess should be getting the results for the bloody fingerprint that was left at the scene later today.”

  Sophia excused herself from the examination room and went to the lab in the next room and began to swab the glass for testing. Although she was sure that there were no signs of a struggle, Kerry examined Sebastian’s hands and skin under a microscope to be certain.

  Sebastian Crow wasn’t a healthy man and the autopsy of his organs was sure to confirm that, however, there was no doubt that his hands and arms held the strength necessary to at least try and defend himself in the event of an attack. Especially one that threatened his life.

  Kerry ran her fingers over the back of Sebastian’s head and then along his spine. There were no anomalies in his skull or spine. So, she could rule out Sebastian having been hit over the head and knocked to the ground.

  As she moved her hand from the back of his neck to the front, Kerry’s fingers sensed a kink in an artery at the side of his neck. Sebastian’s girth and thickness prevented the normal visual inspection to catch it at the scene.

  There was only one other time that Kerry saw an injury like that which was a cause of death. A thirty-eight-year-old man was found dead with no apparent sign of trauma. His wife returned home to find him on the floor of their living room. He hadn’t been beaten, there was no robbery and he wasn’t bleeding. Initially, the cause of death was recorded as a massive stroke but as the coroner examined the body further, he discovered that his neck had been manipulated thereby severing an artery. Eventually, his friend admitted to trying to adjust the victim’s neck the same way his chiropractor does, but when he twisted his friend's head, he just fell still. The incident was ruled an accidental death, but the case had been used many times in the training of young coroners.

  Kerry reached for her scalpel and ran it along the side of Sebastian’s neck and peeled back a layer of skin. She folded down the arm on her microscope and examined the artery. Sure enough, it had been severed at the base where it ran under his collarbone.

  Now that she was certain what caused Sebastian Crow’s death, she needed to figure out what was used to stab him with post-mortem.

  No bloody weapon was found at the scene and knowing what object to look for could prove useful when narrowing down who the killer could be. There was one thing the courts loved and that was solid physical evidence.

  The shape and the length of the stab wounds weren’t like those that were associated with a standard kitchen knife. The edges of the wounds were frayed and extended deep into the body. Judging by the angle and the depth of the wounds, Kerry speculated Sebastian was already laying on the floor when he was stabbed repeatedly by his killer. The weapon, although, was a little more difficult to describe. Kerry completed the autopsy and then cleaned and sutured the body. Normally she’d be preparing the body to be transported to the Lake Pines Mortuary where the family was waiting to plan their funeral service. As far as Wayne knew Sebastian Crow lived alone and had no family to speak of.

  Finding a family member or someone who was close to Sebastian Crow may also help in determining if he had any enemies. Sebastian Crow wasn’t the victim of a robbery gone wrong.

  He was stabbed seven times after he was dead, and with great force. This was a crime of passion. There was something personal about the murder of Sebastian Crow and Kerry wanted to find out what it was.

  Where were the answers?

  Kerry instinctively knew they lay with the non-existent family and the lone bloody fingerprint that they couldn’t trace.

  Sebastian Crow’s financial records were a surprise and shock to Kerry as Wayne spread them across his desk. The dilapidated state of his cottage and his old scratched boat led Kerry to believe he was barely getting by. In fact, Sebastian was a very wealthy man. His plumbing business had been a success since the day he started working in the Lake Pines area in his mid-twenties. With few bills and a steady stream of cash flow, Sebastian was able to save a large amount of money over the years.

  “Do you think someone was blackmailing him?” Kerry asked. “He did have a lot of money.”

  Wayne shrugged his shoulders, “It’s possible, but not likely. Sebastian was more of a recluse and most people we spoke with just thought he was an odd old man. He had no complaints from his customers, but none would say they liked him either. His business had an A1 rating with the Better Business Bureau and there were never any complaints filed against his business. I had Simon canvas the main businesses in town and ask around to see if anyone knew Sebastian Crow or had any dealings with him. Except for the Food Mart on Second Avenue, not many people had contact with him. Simon even got the impression that maybe Sebastian Crow wasn’t well-liked, but no one would go into any specific detail.”

  “So, no one knows anything about him?” Kerry asked.

  “I didn’t say that,” Wayne said with a smirk. “He apparently was in a protracted legal battle with his neighbor.”

  “I thought Sebastian Crow was the only one living on that island?”

  “He was. It was the owner of the island next to his,” Wayne lifted a sheet of paper from his desk and read the name. “Tom Pruitt is his name. You won’t believe what he is suing our deceased Mr. Crow about.”

  “I’m sure I would have no idea,” Kerry hated the guessing games Wayne played.

  “His crows!” Wayne laughed.

  “What!”

  “Sebastian took to the corvids quite easily. Having grown up with them and all, and even had a few as a pet. He always made sure they had ample sources of food and eventually they learned that Crow Island was a safe haven for them, and they nested there in huge numbers. Although, not because of the name of course.” Wayne explained.

  “Of course,” Kerry said, finding it difficult not to smile. “Is Tom Pruitt someone we may want to speak with?”

  “I would say so. He was overheard threatening Sebastian as they were leaving court last week,” Wayne said.

  “What kind of threat?” Kerry asked.

  “The court guard reported he heard Mr. Pruitt say, ‘those birds won’t be a problem once you’re gone’ or something along those lines,” Wayne said, reading from the report.

  “I’d say that is a threat that could be considered passionate. When can you speak with him?” Kerry asked eager to find the person who killed Sebastian Crow.

  “I have an officer picking him up right now. We can speak with him as soon as he gets here,” Wayne said.

  “Okay, good. You said Sebastian Crow started his business when he was in his mid-twenties. He couldn’t have always kept to himself,” Kerry said.

  “You’re right,” Wayne waved Sally over to his desk. The young officer hurried over to where he and Kerry were talking.

  “Yes sir,” Sally said.

  “Were you able to find anything out about Mr. Crow?” Wayne asked.

  Sally nodded and handed Wayne three printouts from her computer. Kerry could see that her report was neatly typed and organized. Maybe there was some promise for this young officer yet.

  Wayne’s eyebrows revealed surprise as he read the report that Sally compiled. He handed the first two sheets to Kerry while he finished reading the last one.

  Kerry quickly glanced at the sheet and the highlighted items, “He was married?”

  “Is married,” Wayne corrected Kerry. “He and Isobella never got divorced. She left Lake Pines fifteen years ago, the same time he sold his house in town and moved to the island.”

  “We need to track down Isobella Crow,” Kerry said. “She could have some insight as to who may have wanted Sebastian dead.”

  “I’m on it,” Sally said. “I ran a trace on Isobella Crow. She moved to Vancouver after she left Lake Pines and now lives up near Whistler. She runs a yoga retreat in Squamish. I have her contact information.” Sally handed a sheet with Isobella’s phone number and address.

  “Great job Sally,” Wayne said. “I will call her now. Someone needs to claim the body, it may as well be his wife.”

  “But they haven’t been together for fifteen years,” Kerry said. “Isn’t it going to be weird for her to come down and deal with Sebastian’s death?”

  “I’m sure it will be, but legally she is his wife, and look,” Wayne handed Kerry the last sheet he was holding in his hands. “This is the list of properties Sebastian owned at the time of his death. He never changed the title of ownership for Crow Island. Isobella is listed as the joint owner. The island is hers now.”

  “There’s something else sir,” Sally interrupted.

  “Yes,” Wayne said.

  “He and Isobella had two kids together. A boy and a girl.” Sally added.

  “Any idea where they are now?” Kerry asked.

  Sally shook her head, “School records show that Katrina, their daughter, moved to Toronto and went to Humber College. She graduated from their nursing program a few years later.”

  “And the boy?” Kerry asked.

  “His name is Kyle. He ran away when he was sixteen and I don’t think he ever came back. I don’t think he would have wanted to either,” Sally said.

  “Why is that?” Kerry asked.

  “There was a report filed by his school with child services. Kyle’s gym teacher had noticed several bruises and a few questionable marks on his back and arms that made him suspicious,” Sally explained.

  “If he was an active teen it wouldn’t have been uncommon,” Kerry explained. “I have seen some parents wrongly accused just because of some misinterpreted bruising.”

  “It wasn’t just the bruises. His gym teacher said they looked more like burns. That, and the fact that he was acting out a lot and starting fights all the time,” Sally twisted her mouth. “It’s sad to think he felt he had to leave just to feel safe.”

  “I agree,” Kerry suddenly had a sinister impression of her victim who lived alone on Crow Island. At first, she thought it was sad that Sebastian Crow lived alone, now she thought he may have deserved it. The enigmatic victim was quickly becoming unlikable. “Were you able to locate either of his kids?”

  “Just the daughter. I added her contact information underneath Isobella’s number,” Sally explained as she pointed to the sheet of paper in Wayne’s hand.

  “Let’s start with the wife,” Wayne said. “It’ll be somewhat easier to tell an estranged spouse her husband has been murdered than it will be to tell his child.”

  Sally returned to her desk to continue to search for any trace of Kyle, but Kerry knew that if he left at such a young age that he could easily have slipped into several bad situations. A chill ran up Kerry’s spine when she thought of all the innocent victims who were put in further danger just trying to avoid an abusive situation at home, and she wondered if that’s what happened to Kyle.

  Wayne sat down and pulled his phone to the middle of his desk and he began to dial the number that was listed for Isobella’s yoga retreat. Kerry could hear the echo of the rings from where she sat across from Wayne’s desk.

  “Hello,” Isobella’s voice was sharp and rang through the headset that was pressed against Wayne’s ear.

  “Hello, is this Isobella Crow?” Wayne asked.

  “It’s Isobella Frank, but yes I was Isobella Crow. What can I do for you?” Isobella asked with a distrustful tone in her voice. “If Sebastian owes you any money you can forget about getting it from me, I haven’t seen him in almost fifteen years.”

  “That’s not what I’m calling about Ms. Frank,” Wayne said. “I’m calling to inform you that Sebastian Crow has been murdered, and as you are still legally listed as his wife it’s my obligation to notify you.”

  Silence occupied the next few minutes of the phone call.

  “Oh, well, I didn’t know,” Isobella stammered. “Who did you say you were?”

  “Constable Burgess at the Lake Pines police station. I’m here with Doctor Dearborne who is helping conduct the investigation into the death of your husband.”

  “Husband. Wow, that’s weird to hear again,” Isobella’s voice had softened with the news of Sebastian’s death. “Well, thank you for taking the time to notify me, but I really don’t have anything to do with Sebastian anymore.”

  “I understand this is awkward Ms. Frank, but,” Wayne was interrupted by Isobella who insisted he call her by her first name.

  “Alright, Isobella,” Wayne continued. “I know this is awkward, however, we are going to need someone to officially identify and claim the body. And since you are still listed as the joint owner for Crow Island, I figured you would have to come to town to settle the estate in any case.”

  “Sebastian never took my name off the deed?” Isobella asked.

  “Apparently, not,” Wayne said.

  “Then I guess I’m going to need to make a trip to Lake Pines to settle things. For good, this time,” Isobella said.

  “We haven’t contacted Katrina yet, would you like to call her?” Wayne asked.

  “I haven’t talked to her since she left Lake Pines. I wouldn’t even know how to reach her. And Kyle, well, once he had a chance, he took off as fast as he could and we haven’t seen him since,” Isobella explained. “I left a few months after Kyle ran away. There was no point in sticking around with both kids gone.”

  “Would you like Katrina’s number?” Wayne asked, slightly uncomfortable.

  Isobella paused before she answered, “It may be better if you contact her directly. I’ll let you know when I arrive in town.”

  Wayne gave Isobella his phone number and promised to have Sebastian’s lawyer contact her when she arrived.

  The call to Katrina was more representative of a child who lost her father. She broke down in tears and disbelief at the idea that her father had been murdered. Although Katrina had never returned to Lake Pines, she had been in contact with her father throughout the years. They shared phone calls on special occasions and kept up to date with each other’s lives. When Wayne asked why she had never returned, Katrina said it was just too painful with everything that happened to their family.

 

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