After my bath, I walked into the hotel bed area, sat down in my robe and turned on the tv. The news was on it was 11:00p.m.
The reporter…
“There has been yet another tragic death. Exposure has taken yet another soul. This is the 6th body to be consumed by Expose this season. The body was that of 26 year old Jersey Arbors, she had been missing since September 15th of this year. Jersey was a LPN at a local hospital. She donated her time to the local Elkins homeless shelter over the past 5 years.... Services will be held…”
I had stopped listening. Home one day and a body was found. Well isn’t this just great.
My phone began to ring.
“Hello, this is Wolfe.” I answered.
“Kayton, its Brad. We have found another body. We have limited time to get things done. Jersey Arbors family would like to have her services this week. They do not know that I’m having you to take a closer look at the body or doing any forensic science. Exposure may not have been the cause of death, but to keep publicity done I thought it was best for now. ”
“Okay…? What do you need Brad? I was about to lay down for bed. Do you want me to go look at the body? I will if you need me to. But if your coroner already checked it out then there isn’t much I’ll find likely…” I said tiredly, then yawned.... Mostly for effect. Her body would still be there in the morning. One thing I learned in Vegas, if you work tired you miss a lot more.
“No, not tonight. But if you wouldn’t mind, first thing in the morning I would like for you to come in and look her over. I’m hoping there is more to this than exposure because none of this makes since to me.” Brad said exhausted.
“You are aware we haven’t had exposure weather really right?” I said somewhat joking.
Brad signed, “Please, don’t remind me. I don’t know what is going on around here. We haven’t had so many deaths since… since.... Gah ever!”
“Yeah, I know these are quiet communities.. Or were last time I lived here. I’d imagine it would be close to similar now.” I said.
“Normally it is but since we found the first body in August, they seem to be popping up once a week. The down time of this killer is minimizing each day. We need to figure out what is going on and who is responsible.” Brad said like a pre-war speech.
“Only since August? Six bodies?!? Oh my. This is more serious than I thought. How do you get expose in the summer? That is just crazy…” I stammered as my mind whirled. Summer hypothermia… Freezer… Ice tank… Walk-in cooler…
“I don’t know. This whole thing has my staff on high alert. No one seems to know anything. No one ever sees them go missing. There are always found in plain sight… None of this makes any sense.” Brad seemed frustrated. “First thing in the morning, Ms.. Kayton.”
“Ms.Kayton… I didn’t know I was teaching kindergarten.” I laughed lightly hoping to life Brad’s mood slightly. “Yes first thing in the morning, Sheriff.”
I spent a good part of the next two hours trying to figure out how you could get expose during the summer. It rarly gets below 70 degrees in the summer around these parts. Time to do some research.
Cold exposure…
Hypothermia…
When the balance between the body’s heat and production and heat loss tips toward heat loss for a prolonged period.
Accidental Hypothermia…
Usually occurs after cold temperatures exposure without enough warm, dry clothing for protection.
(Web.md)
Hmm… I thought how cold does it have to be?
Hypothermia can occur when you are exposed to cold air, water, wind, or rain. Your body temperature can drop to a low level at temperatures of 50°F (10°C) or higher in wet and windy weather, or if you are in 60°F (16°C) to 70°F (21°C) water. (Web.md)
Oh thank goodness for the internet. Tomorrow I was going to go down to the office check out Jersey Arbor’s body and look into the other five cases that happened before I got here. And what does this have to do with Wesley?
Lost in thought I didn’t notice Rue sniffing the door. She would sniff, then whine, then come over to me, nudge me and repeat. Thinking she just wanted petted I reach down for her. Instead she ran to the door and scratched. I opened the door not thinking, she darted down the hall. And here I was in my robe. Could you have picked a better time Rue!
So here I was running down the hall after my dog… Bad dog I was almost shouting but she paid me no mind. That just wasn’t like her. She sat at the door starring. Beginning to growl.. Suddenly I heard tires squeal and headlight in the distance. I didn’t open the door, it would give Rue a chance to chase.
Why would she run out into the hall? Cameras! Does this hotel have cameras? I grabbed Rue’s collar and towards the office we went. Thank god she is tall or everyone in the hall would have gotten a show.
So here I am standing in the office in my rob....
“What is the problem mame?” The receptionist asked shocked to see me dressed like this.
“My dog went stupid and chased someone down the hall…” I stopped right there. “That is not the point though. I need to know who was lurking outside my door before my dog chased them off. Do you have camera’s in the hall?”
“No, only on the front interest. We don’t have much trouble here.” She said somewhat bored with the conversation already.
I gave her a droll stare. Bitch someone was just playing peek-a-boo at my door, and you sitting there like its just another night? Really? What if it was your door! What if my dog wouldn’t have chased them off?? “Look girly, you need to get off you phone and step away from your high horse. I was just being scouted out in your hotel. That means a trespasser was here. Someone who shouldn’t be, its your watch. Who do you think they will fire?” With that I walked off, I have no intention of calling anyone other than Brad to give him a heads up.
I got back to the room, locked all the locks on my door. Tapped a wash-cloth over the peep-hole to make myself feel better and changed into my night jammies. I finally laid back on the bed, picking up my phone. I dialed Brad’s number and ended up getting voice-mail.
“Hey sheriff, someone just peek-a-boo’d my hotel room door. My dog chased them down the hall. I didn’t get a face, a car, nothing. Did I tell you my dog is a coon hound with one of the best noses in Vegas?” I hung up the phone.
I snuggled in with Rue, who was beside me protectively. “Miss, you need to start listening, even when you have your nose to the ground.” It was the first time she disobeyed a direct order from me. Very not like her.
I snuggled Rue until I fell asleep. Feeling her soft fur brush against my nose, tickling me.
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