Forbidden Lover by Amanda Stevens

Author:Amanda Stevens
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“The remains are definitely male.” Erin brushed her fingers gently across the prominent brow ridge, the sloping forehead, focusing her attention on the skeleton and not on Nick, who stood across the worktable from her. On the fact that her heart was pounding like a jackhammer at his nearness. She’d been wanting to see him all day, but he’d waited until late afternoon before stopping by the lab to hear her preliminary report.

“See the horizontal teardrop shape of the eye orbits and the tall, narrow nasal opening? That tells us the remains are Caucasoid.”

“A white male,” he summarized. “Go on.”

“Look at the color of the bones. The ivory finish and smooth texture have eroded, and the grayish color is a sign that the bones have been exposed on the ground’s surface for quite some time, five years at least.”

Their gazes met again, but this time, he didn’t comment. Erin couldn’t tell if he was pleased by her findings or not. He was very stoic, almost aloof, and she was beginning to wonder whether she’d imagined the brief kiss he’d given her last night. Today, he seemed hardly aware of her.

“I’ve used several markers to put his age at somewhere between fifty and sixty. There’re signs of arthritis at the joints and the spine, but no heavy pitting in the surface of the auricular region of the hip bone, which suggests an age a little younger than sixty.” Should she explain in more detail or was he willing to take her word for it?

When he didn’t challenge her, she continued. “Height, around six-two. Weight, 190 to 220, but weight is a lot more difficult to determine than height or age. Fat doesn’t leaving markings on bone. However, there are formulas we use depending on the skeleton’s frame, the person’s sex and height and muscle attachment markings. The more a person uses a muscle, the rougher the bone’s surface becomes in order to anchor the tendons.” She showed him what she meant. “I’d say this man was in reasonably good shape for his age, probably even worked out. And he was right-handed.”

Nick was gazing at her, not the skeleton. His expression looked grave. “Okay,” he said almost tersely. “Let’s cut to the chase, then. Cause and manner of death?”

“Undetermined.”

He sucked in his breath. “You’re sure?”

Erin nodded. “Undetermined as of now. The radiographs didn’t show any traces of metal, nor was there evidence of an entry or exit wound. I’ve pretty much eliminated death by gunshot. There is, however, a small fracture on the back of the skull.” She turned the skull over to show him the wound. “The X rays showed that the fracture was perimortem. The bone was damaged before death, not after.”

“He was hit in the back of the head,” Nick said.

“Could be.”

“Then why did you say that cause of death is undetermined?”

“Because, in my opinion, the trauma to the skull wasn’t severe enough to cause death. But there’s something else. There’s a separation in the hyoid bone.” She touched the center of her throat.

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