“She came to see me last night with some important information. Right after she left, I went to sleep. That’s when my heater was messed with.” He told Michelle about Sally’s being with Junior on the night of the burglary.
“Well, that qualifies as a stunning development. And you’re afraid the person who tried to kill us might have seen Sally there too?”
“Nothing would surprise me with this guy. He always seems to know everything in advance.”
Michelle wiped off her hands, picked up her cell phone and called Todd Williams. She relayed a message to the chief and clicked off. “He’s heading over there with some of his men right now.”
“Maybe we should go there too.”
“The only place you’re going is back to bed.”
“Look at you: you’ve been shot, and you’re still assaulting eggs and knifing onions.”
“Just go get in bed. I’m sure Sally’s okay. Todd promised to call.”
King reluctantly did so. He supposed the odds were very long against anything having happened to Sally so quickly.
Savannah was beating on the door of the carriage house so hard her hands were starting to bruise. Dorothea finally answered the door in her robe. Savannah nearly fell inside.
Dorothea saw the terrified look on the woman’s face and said, “My God, Savannah, what is it?”
She pointed in the direction of the nearby stables. “I found… I found Sally. In the stables. She’s dead. Her head crushed. Oh, my God, she’s dead!” she shrieked.
Dorothea looked frantically around as though the killer might be hiding in her foyer. She raced up the stairs to the bedroom, where Eddie lay sleeping.
“Eddie! Savannah found Sally dead in the stables. Eddie!”
He lay motionless in the bed. She drew closer. “Eddie!” She grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently. “Eddie, wake up.”
All she got in return was a small groan. She checked his pulse. It was very faint, as was his breathing, terrifyingly so. She grabbed a glass of water off the nightstand and threw it in his face. This did nothing. She lifted his right eyelid. The pupil was a pinprick. The drug-savvy Dorothea knew what that meant. She picked up the phone and called 911, then she ran back down the stairs where Savannah was squatting right by the door, sobbing. She was dressed in her riding clothes, Dorothea noted, and her boots had left mud all over the foyer.
Todd Williams rose from beside the body and nodded. Sylvia came forward to examine Sally while the forensics team searched for clues. Chip Bailey stood next to the stable’s double door and watched the proceedings as Williams joined him.
“How’s Eddie?” asked Bailey.
“He’s still unconscious. I don’t know if he’s been poisoned or what. I don’t know what the hell is going on anymore. I mean, who would want to kill Sally and Eddie?”
“I didn’t think the girl had anything to do with any of this.”
Sylvia rose from the body after a few minutes and joined the two lawmen.
“Her throat was cut from ear to ear almost. The blood loss was horrific. Death would have been in a minute or so. And then her face was smashed to a pulp.”
“So you’re sure her throat was cut first?” asked Bailey.
“Yes. She was dead when the blows hit her.”
“Time of death?”
“No more than four hours or so. I did a rectal temp, and the minimal degree of rigor mortis substantiates that.”
Williams checked his watch. “So about five-thirty this morning.”
“Looks to be. There’s no sign of rape or sexual assault. Whoever killed her struck from behind and is right-handed. The throat slash was executed left to right.”
“And Savannah found her?” said Bailey.
“She was going riding and came upon the body,” said Williams. “At least that’s what I think she said. She was crying so hard I really couldn’t be sure.”