Chapter 6

Ruiz drove to Tacoma herself. She photographed the box before it was opened, photographed the braid in situ, gloved up, sealed it, initialed the tape, and shipped it overnight to a private lab in Denver that has testified in forty states and has never once been accused of doing a favor for anyone. Then she called me from the parking lot. "Doc. That sister has been screaming into the void for six years." "I know." "Three separate detectives wrote her off." Ruiz's voice had gravel in it. "One...