Less than a month before, Mark was on the other end of the phone in his office rambling incoherently (...like a French whore...his mother would have said. Gertrude always did have a way with words.) until his sudden disconnect.
Now, his calls are completely focused on Doctor Troy.
Since the General's untimely demise it has helped, actually. Although Brink's is sure that The General was involved in some way.
"No need to muddy the waters"
That is how the Prosecutor sees it. And Brink's agrees.
"We want a clean, clear conviction. No reasonable doubt."
So Jerry's death will not be re-opened either.
Officers and detectives have arrived like gnat swarms descending on the remote cabin, outbuildings and Sarah Troy's grave site.
An order to exhume has been signed for today.
The team moves slowly and methodically layer by layer.
Then a cry of
"What the HELL is that?"
At first thinking the tightly wrapped bundle is an infant; two of the Latino Catholic in their crew are backing away and crossing themselves.
The mostly decomposed skeletal remains of a feline has been buried only a foot or so in- over her grave. Rolled and tied into plastic tarp.
Its skull appears to have been crushed repeatedly.
A large stone is also buried with the rotting remains of cat.
Brinks vaguely remembers Steve's story about "Baby". A Siamese that he supposedly gave Sarah before her death.
And he realizes he helped convict and execute an innocent man.
It fans the flame that has been smouldering just beneath the surface from all those years ago- when he was ordered to stand down.
"Bag them both. They're evidence"
"And keep digging" he adds gruffly.
