The Bone Field Debra Bokur (novels for beginners .txt) 📖

its incarnations—was well-known, and Stitches was probably correct in her assumption. Kali imagined that her uncle was most likely seated at his favorite table at the Ranch Restaurant, dousing a plate of coconut pancakes with sweet syrup, and polishing off his second or third cup of coffee. For a moment, she wished she were with him.

Stiches shattered her placid imaginings. “Meanwhile, it’s getting quite crowded over here. I’ve just had a couple of traffic fatalities delivered, and I’m running out of tables and storage units. But about our latest pineapple-field finds: There was enough hair on each of the adult skulls to collect DNA samples,” she informed Kali, her voice crisp. “They’re with the lab, awaiting comparison from the DNA that’s been provided by Matthew Greene’s relatives. To summarize without a firm identification yet: From the latest dig, we have one adult female with long, blond hair; one female infant, and two males—one with dark hair, who was found next to the female, and the other buried alone, who had brown hair and lots of dental work, and was about six feet three inches in height. I would hazard a guess from the fact that there’s significant wear on the remaining natural teeth and an impressive collection of fillings, extractions, and other fun things, that this man will have left behind significant dental records.”

“You mentioned the neck was broken.”

“Yes, technically an occiput-C2 fracture—but a cervical fracture doesn’t necessarily mean death, unless the spinal cord was severed. Since many people recover from broken vertebrae, we can’t assume this was the cause of death.”

Kali remained silent, waiting for Stitches to continue.

“As for the rest, our family burial consists of an adult male and adult female with skull damage consistent with being struck on the head with a heavy object, and also one very young female infant. All with their skulls present, but the infant has a misshapen skull consistent with fetal hydrocephalus. When untreated, that condition can certainly be fatal, but we don’t know yet if that was the reason for death in this particular case.”

“Hydrocephalus? What would cause that?”

“Many things. Poor spinal development, genetics . . .” Stitches took a deep breath. “As for the headless man, we’ve sent the body over to Oah‘u, where a forensic anthropology team connected to the Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam is working on the remains. We’re in the midst of preparing the other bodies and will send them over as well.”

“Do you—”

“Please,” said Stitches, cutting her short. “You know better than to ask me how long it will take. I have absolutely no idea. Perhaps by the time I have those answers, you and Walter will have come up with some possible names to connect to the bodies.”

“We’re working on it,” said Kali, trying to keep her voice from betraying her own frustration.

“Yes. That’s what we’re doing as well. Enjoy your day, Detective.”

The call ended, and Kali dropped the phone onto the table. In her mind, she saw the little metal anchors lined up in a row, shiny and silent. Calling cards. She knew they meant something. If she could work out that part of the puzzle, maybe it would lead her to a killer who had found it necessary, or at least convenient, to take a man’s head and end the lives of four other people—and then leave behind nothing but a wooden carving of a fruit, and a tiny, shining charm.

CHAPTER 15

Chief of Police Leo Pait stood in the doorway of the Hana station, his tall, narrow figure somehow managing to block most of the light. He had one hand on each side of the doorframe, giving the impression that he was holding up the building. He leaned inward slightly, peering around the main room with obvious interest. Kali, Walter, and Hara were clustered around Walter’s desk, looking at an image on Walter’s computer screen. Kali held a sheet of paper.

“Goodness,” said Pait. “Must be six or seven years since I was actually inside this station.” He looked at Walter and winked. “Not much in the way of ambience, I have to say. Redecorating my own office has turned out to be one of the best moves I’ve made in the last few years. New paint. New furniture. Very uplifting. I had someone come in to feng shui the whole place. Enhances the flow of energy, you know.”

Kali could sense that Walter was about to say something that not only he, but she and Hara as well, were likely to regret. She spoke before he had time to say anything.

“Chief Pait.” She made an effort to smile in a convincing way. “It’s quite a surprise to see you here today.”

“Out in the wilds, yes.” He walked into the room, lifted a stack of papers from the corner of Hara’s desk, and placed them carefully next to the computer keyboard, then sat down on the newly cleared edge. Even seated, he seemed taller than the others. “But I’m not here to discuss the psychological boost to cognitive processes that the right combination of paint colors and textiles can deliver. I’ve had a great idea, and wanted to discuss it with you in person. Two great ideas, actually.”

There was an immediate increase in the tension level in the room, moving like a wave between Kali and Walter, who had each lived through several of Chief Pait’s great ideas in the past. Even Hara, who had heard stories, looked apprehensive.

“Oh?” said Kali, continuing to force a smile. She folded the piece of paper she’d been holding and placed it in the back pocket of her jeans. “Well, we’re all ears.” She looked encouragingly from Walter to Hara. “Aren’t we?”

They nodded slowly in response, their eyes glued to Pait’s face.

“Here’s the thing, team,” Pait said, leaning forward as though they were all co-conspirators in some undefined game. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to repair the image of our islands as havens of serenity and safety. Mass grave sites and a killer on the