IT CAN’T BE REAL
The coroner nodded
curtly. “It’s just kind of odd, and it’s difficult to explain in
any way that makes sense. But every now and then any medical
examiner’s office will get a cause of death that simply can never
be determined.”
Patricia frowned at
the sheet. This was much less than she’d hoped for. “How was his
head cut off, is what I want to be able to tell the family. Was it
cut off, shot off? Was it knocked off in some sort of freak
accident?”
Another curt look
from the pretty coroner. “It was...none of those things, and that’s
about the only thing we do know. No
blade striations, no evidence of severe impact to the body, no
evidence of firearm discharge.”
“But the head was
never recovered—that’s what I heard from the locals, anyway. Is
that true?”
“Quite true,
ma’am.”
This was frustrating.
“I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it.”
“Look on the next
page, Mrs. White.”
Patricia followed the
instruction and immediately fell silent.
What she looked at
now was the most macabre photograph she had ever seen in her
life....