The Body Hunters (22 page)

 
           "No need to be sorry agent. Good to see you again. I understand you have brought to light several leads in my daughter's death that the Dallas Police Department hasn't been able to do in a month of Sundays. It's ironic how I can get Washington to invest billions in upgrading our local police departments to help solve crime, but when I need them I can't depend on them to solve my daughter's murder." the senator scoffed indignantly.

The senator and his wife sat across from their guests in matching armchairs to the sofa.

            "Actually Senator, it was due to our consultant Ms. Labouleaux here. She has been an invaluable source to us in your daughter's case. She definitely deserves all the credit."

 
           Danny reached out to shake Mrs. Cavender's proffered hand. "Thank you for seeing us on such short notice during this trying time. My condolences go to you both."

Danny's slight accent didn't go unnoticed and Mrs. Cavender spoke up. "Ms. Labouleaux?"

           “Danny is fine.
"

 
           "Danny it is then." Mrs. Cavender nodded. "Labouleaux is your last name you say? You wouldn't by any chance be from Louisiana?"
           Danny sensed an opportunity to soften the Cavender’s on what they may consider a gruesome request regarding their daughter's remains. "Why yes I am. Both of my parents were from New Orleans and I grew up there.
"

 
           "Well my family hails from Baton Rouge. Now, the senator is wantto believe that I am Texas bred through and through, but I do have my fond memories of my Louisiana youth." Mrs. Cavender said
.

 
          Danielle could tell with her manner of speaking this woman came from old money and no doubt old manners. Knowing this she took it upon herself to broach the delicate subject, hoping to win over the southern lady
.

 
          “Mrs. Cavender, I do hope you do not see us as intruders into your grieving, but I do humbly have a delicate request. As Agent Stone has told you, I have been consulting with the gentlemen of the FBI concerning your daughter's murder. I understand her earthly remains are now at the funeral home. We, Agent Stone and I, are requesting to have a private viewing before tomorrow's memorial service. We hope to gain a little more insight with one last visit. Of course we will be brief, and you have my word, we will be utterly respectful.
”

Danny pinned Aiden with a look that told him under no circumstances was he to open his mouth
.

 
           "Darling, I don't see a problem with that at all." Mrs. Cavender turned to her husband. "What do you think dear?"

 
           Senator Cavender looked to his wife and then to Danny. Her heart went out to him. Though he was trying to be the picture of strength for his wife, she could see the ragged edges of anguish in his eyes
.

 
          "What type of consulting did you say you did Ms. Labouleaux?" The senator asked
.

 
          "I do forensic research mostly. I gather intelligence from federal and local agencies and look for patterns." Her answer was well practiced from working with the Bureau on cases like this in the past
.

 
          "What do you think to gain by looking at her remains again, Agent Stone?" The senator now was staring directly at the agent like a father questioning his daughter's date for the first time
.

 
          He looked at Danny quickly and fumbling a bit found his words. "Um, to be honest, I'm not sure, but there may be something that didn't stand out before, something that was hidden that maybe only Ms. Labouleaux is able to detect. And as Ms. Labouleaux explained, we will be brief and respectful you have the Bureau's word on it.
"

 
           Mrs. Cavender smiled at Aiden but returned her gaze to Danny. "Ms. Labouleaux, I see you're wearing an engagement ring. Congratulations! Is it this young man sitting here with us?"

 
          "Oh my, no, we are working partners only!" Danny was now turning all shades of beet red
.

 
           "Oh dear, I am so sorry, my mistake! But you will make a very stunning bride won't she Agent Stone?" Mrs. Cavender winked at him.

 
           "Um,…absolutely!" Aiden turned his head slightly away feeling immense awkwardness.

 
           "Well that being said, I think it will do no harm in the Agent and Ms. Labouleaux visiting our Sherry." Mrs. Cavender grabbed her husband's hand and he kissed it.

 
          "If you agree, then I agree my dear. Agent Stone, I will allow a half hour only. I'll call the funeral home and let them know you are on your way." With that they all stood up to say goodbye. Senator Cavender took Danielle's arm and walked her to the door as if he was walking his beloved daughter down the aisle to meet her groom. Mrs. Cavender pulled Agent Stone back
.

 
           "I have to show you something Agent Stone, please stay a moment. I'll be right back." Mrs. Cavender left him standing in the great hallway while Danny was charming the Senator outside. A moment later the senator's wife returned.

 
           "I didn't want to upset her, but take a look at this picture of my Sherry in this article a few years back. A magazine was doing an article about a clinic for street people and my husband's assistant found it on the web. We couldn't confirm whether it was my Sherry at first, but much later we found out it was her. I want you to look at the ring on her finger. It looks a lot like the one that your consultant is wearing. What are the odds? The diamond setting is exactly the same and it looks like the design would be one of a kind. Not mass produced." 

 
           Aiden looked at the grainy fading picture printed from the computer. "Do you mind if I hang on to this?"

 
          "We have other copies, take that one, I'm sure it's nothing but it just stood out to me. I'm a little of a connoisseur when it comes to jewelry. I'm sure the one Sherry is wearing is faux diamond anyway.
"

 
          "Thank you Mrs. Cavender. I'm sure your right. I'll look into it anyway." He folded the photo and deposited it in his back pocket
.

 
          The senator's wife tilted her head, indicating Danny who was just outside. "Take care of her Agent; there is something very special about her. Are you sure it's not you two engaged?" Mrs. Cavender smiled with a mischievous twinkle in her eye
.

 
          "Ah no, ma'am I'm pretty sure she despises the ground I walk on! And besides, it's complicated." He shrugged, feeling a little timid about discussing himself and Danny
.

 
          Mrs. Cavender squared her shoulders and looked the agent right in the eye. "Let me tell you something, Agent. Life is short. If you want that young lady, which I'm pretty sure you do, you go for it.
"

 
          Left with some serious words to ponder, he bid his adieu walking out to greet the senator and Danny
.

 
           "What was all that about?" Danny asked once back in the big SUV.

 
           "The Senator's wife has the hots for me!" He smirked.

 
          "You're such an ass!
"

 
           "I told you at least once a day in the afternoon!" He turned out of the gate and onto the road headed towards the funeral home. She smacked him hard in the arm.

 
          "You really, really are an ass!
"

 
          Thankfully, the drive to the funeral home was a short one. As he wheeled the Suburban into the parking lot, the funeral home director came out to greet them. He peered curiously at the couple within the black SUV
.

 
           “Agent Stone, Miss…I'm sorry I really didn't understand your last name when Senator Cavender called. Pardon me ma'am." He looked younger and more handsome than Danny expected for the title of funeral director. She had anticipated an octogenarian in a powder blue tux with his hair slicked back in a bad comb over
.

 
           "Danielle Labouleaux" She rounded to the front of the SUV meeting the director. "Just call me Danny and you are?"

 
           "Oh, my manners, Liam Smith, I am the funeral home director. Sorry." Liam shook both of their hands. Despite the Texas heat, Danny found his hands to be cold like he had just left the morgue himself. "Follow me. I have Ms. Cavender in a private room for you."

 
           They both followed behind Liam, barely able to keep up. For a funeral home director he seemed to walk awfully fast, Danny pondered. Aiden’s great strides allowed him to reach the doors first, and he seemed to take great pride in being able to hold it open for her.

 
           Luckily there were no other funerals going on that day. The mood was somber and the decor typical of a funeral home built in the 1950s. Old fashioned furniture and beaded table lamps, lots of gold gilded framed paintings of pastoral scenes and children and dark wood end tables filled the space. An undying stream of low volume pipe organ music came from the overhead speakers. The wallpaper reminded Danny of something you would see in houses in the early 1900s, with the antiqued stripes and flowers motif. The smell is what struck her the most, the stench of death and embalming fluid covered over by the overpowering smell of fresh cut flower arrangements and casket sprays. The phrase "smells like a funeral home" was never more apropos.

 
           The large standing round yellow and white floral arrangement said it all 'BELOVED DAUGHTER' written in gold on a large white ribbon draped across. On seeing the large arrangement it all came back to her that for the first time she would now be meeting her ghost face to face so to speak. She tried to mask the fact that her knees wanted to buckle.     
 

 
She had seen dead bodies before especially with hurricane Katrina victims. She had witnessed the bloated and decaying bodies of poor souls that could not or would not leave, the latter not believing the hurricane was going to do that much damage or thinking the unthinkable that the levee would ever break. Those spirits only cried out to be found. Sherry was a different matter. She was crying out for justice.

 
          Liam Smith led them down a hall that was reminiscent of a horror movie set and opened the door to a small work room. Sherry's casket lay resting on a rolling catafalque. The Cavender’s had chosen a simple white casket with white and yellow roses on the sides and lid along with golden handles
.

 
           Liam spoke up. "You are aware that this obviously will be a closed casket. She is, after all, nothing more than bones now? The Cavender’s insisted that she be placed in a casket. They wanted her buried in the family plot. Now Ms. Labouleaux I have to warn you, it's very gruesome. Are you sure you want to see her remains?"

 
           Danny resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She couldn't believe he had such a chauvinist attitude. Texas men, she thought. "Yes director, thank you for the warning, but I would be more worried about Agent Stone here passing out on you."

 
          Aiden chuckled under his breath, knowing the director's sexist comments were aggravating the hell out of her
.

 
           "Don't worry Mr. Smith; if she faints I'll catch her." He protectively lowered his hand to the small of her back like it was something he had rehearsed over and over again. Danny shot him a warning look which he chose to ignore
.

 
          "OK, if you are both ready I will open the lid and give you both some privacy to do what you are going to do. I insist that if you are going to manhandle any part of her skeleton please use these gloves." Liam handed them a box of purple surgical latex gloves. "Please be respectful and place the part back exactly where it goes, I will be checking afterward." Liam Smith took his duties very seriously and gave them a very stern warning look
.

 
           "You have my word Mr. Smith." Danny promised.

 
           Liam opened the lid and left the room. Danny walked over to the casket and noted the white lining of the casket was embroidered inside the lid with Sherry's name surrounded by an array of embroidered yellow roses. She felt herself well up for a moment but determined she would not let Aiden see her cry. The stark contrast of Sherry's remains lying in this bright fabric lining seemed almost too surreal to her. She hadn't noticed the agent was standing right next to her also looking on.

 
          "Are you getting anything yet?" He aske
d

 
           "Actually, I think I would like to tap into your abilities. Remember our session on the plane? I want to see what type of reading you get by holding a part of her."