Kenzie, Patrick, and Teresa arrive at the Northern Napa County vineyard. They follow Sheriff McAllister, walking between rows of vines.
"Boy, I am happy to see you guys. We are sorely ill-equipped for this kind of a deal," says the sheriff.
The four of them walk up to a body that was dumped in a shallow ditch. Yellow tape surrounds the ditch, and a deputy takes pictures of the tracks.
"Quail hunter's dog found her this morning at about 5:30," explains the sheriff. "Wasn't meant to be hunting quail, but he was."
"Do we know who she is," asks Teresa.
"Nope. Looks familiar, though. So, I'm guessing local. People look different when they're dead, don't they?"
Kenzie and Teresa get in the ditch to examine the body.
"The wound doesn't look fatal," says Kenzie.
"No ligature marks on the neck, so she wasn't strangled or hung. But the gums are livid, eyes are hemorrhaged."
"Suffocation."
Kenzie nods.
"My bet, meth-heads from the city, coming off the interstate," says the sheriff.
"No. It was a local. And it was an accident. Her killer didn't intend for her to die this way," says Patrick.
"How so," asks Kenzie.
"Her clothes are still on. Her abductor was taking her to a location where he would have time and privacy to undress her for a sexual assault. But she made too much noise at the wrong moment. He tried to keep her quiet, and he smothered her by mistake. No good to him now. So he dumped her. In a spot only a local would know.
This makes sense to the girls, but Kenzie could tell the sheriff was irritated by Jane.
"Outstanding. What happens next? Do we catch him," asks the sheriff.
"Of course."
"Okay, guys," says Teresa, motioning to the coroner's men. "She's all yours. Thanks for waiting so long."
Kenzie, Patrick, Teresa, and the sheriff walk over to their cars.
"Why a sexual motive? Could be gangs or drugs," suggests Kenzie.
"A drug trade smothering? By who? The Sesame Street Crips?"
"Nothing there to say; it's not plain boyfriend trouble," says Teresa.
"Could be boyfriend trouble. But it doesn't feel that way."
"Who is this," asks the sheriff, clearly annoyed by Jane's presence.
"He's a consultant. You want our assistance on this; he's a part of the package," says Kenzie.
"Consultant. You're clairvoyant or some gizmo like that, huh? You got 'psychic powers'?"
"No. No powers. I had them once. I mean, I pretended I had them, obviously. There's no such thing as psychic powers," says Patrick.
"Okay. So, uh, what exactly do you do?"
"Do you know rock paper scissors?"
"Sure."
"Play me."
The sheriff shrugs.
"On three. One, two, three."
The sheriff throws a rock. Jane throws paper.
One. Two. Three.
The sheriff throws paper; Jane throws scissors.
The sheriff gets beat again and again and again. The sheriff keeps losing, and Kenzie smiles in amusement.
YOU ARE READING
I Bet on Losing Dogs - Patrick Jane
Fanfiction"I bet on losing dogs, I know they're losing, and I'll pay for my place by the ring, Where I'll be looking in their eyes when they're down, ...
