Chapter 24
After eating dinner, Elliot had wanted to ask Olivia what happened at Valentino's office, but he knew better than to push. He also made a point of grabbing an iced tea, even though he would have preferred a beer. Since Olivia had bought the beer, he'd been concerned what had happened previously would happen again, but it had not. Her willpower was strong, and he felt like she had bought the drinks for him, because he was staying with her. It had been a gesture, despite what she had gone through. Even when she should have been focusing on herself, she was focused on others.
They snuggled on the couch, watching some TV, when it happened. It started with a sniffle and Elliot reached down to the coffee table and grabbed the box of tissues. She took one and blew her nose. He turned off the TV and turned to her.
"You told her?" was all he asked.
"I did," was all she said. There was a lot of exhaustion behind her eyes. Elliot stood up and put out his hand. She took it and he pulled her off the couch. Heading down the hallway, he laid down on the bed and she followed suit. Pulling her to him, they just held each other, and for the first time, since the incident, he felt her relax.
Susan and the kids had been sent to a hotel, the night before, so they did not know what was found in the backyard. It was also a legal precaution and standard procedure; even if they were sure the long dead Mr. James Sabatini was the culprit. By the end of yesterday, the forensic team had uncovered what would appear to be a teenage girl's skeleton with bits of clothing. There was no ID or purse found with the body so dental records and DNA would be the only ways to make a positive identification.
The new day brought a second forensic team to go with the first. Each team was given one of the two remaining locations that Stephanie had indicated the day before. Munch stood outside watching the team work on location number two, which was a little further back in the lawn. Meanwhile, Agent Schimanski talked with the local coroner, Doctor Robert Dillard. The medical man had received the bones the FBI had retrieved the previous day and was holding them until the forensic anthropologist arrived. Doctor Camille Sanders was foremost in her field and had worked for the FBI on a regular basis. She was due in later in the day.
Doctor Dillard's preliminary conclusion was that the victim was indeed a female and that she'd been struck by a vehicle given the damage to the bones. Doctor Sanders would be able to properly date the bones and pick out details as she reviewed the bones. She was also in charge of collecting the DNA samples and having x-rays taken of the teeth.
"So, what did the Captain have to say?" Munch asked as Fin approached him from inside the house. His partner had called back to the precinct to give Cragen an update.
"He said that we're to stay until the entire yard is dug up and until they confirm the body, we found yesterday was Sarah Marvin. Once that is done, our case is officially FBI. Should the body be somebody else, that's the local cops' problem," Fin said.
"He doesn't want us back on the double?" The elder detective was surprised.
"No hits on Jeff Haggerty. He's seemingly vanished. Elliot and Kenny are catching up on their fives and it sounds like the construction crew was really going at it," his partner told him.
"Ah. Any word on Liv?" Munch wanted to know.
"Cap says he talked to her. She wants back in, but they won't clear her until the construction is complete. Sounds like they're making her use all those vacation days that she stockpiled," Fin said. Munch nodded and that's when Simmons called over to them. The two detectives worked closer to the front of the pit, where the technician was standing.
"What have you got?" Tutuola asked.
"This would appear to be a dog. Did the Grinsteins have a dog?" Simmons wanted to know.
"Susan said they didn't since her husband passed, which did not happen at this house," Munch clarified.
"I don't remember anyone mentioning that the Sabatinis having one either," Fin frowned before calling over to Agent Schimanski and Doctor Dillard. The two came over and everyone could see that the FBI agent was confused.
"The Sabatinis didn't have a dog, did they?" Munch asked.
"Another victim of Mr. Sabatini?" Fin wondered.
"Probably," Schimanski shook his head.
"The poor creature looks like it had been hit by a car. Look at all those fractures," Doctor Dillard frowned as he examined the body. He then pulled out his cell phone to call a local veterinarian that he knew so they could get confirmation.
"Agent Schimanski! We need you over here!" A cry went up only a few minutes later. The second forensic team that had joined the search had obviously found something. Quickly, the two detectives, agent, and coroner headed over to question the new team leader, Felicity.
"Is that what I think it is?" Schimanski asked, looking into the pit that had been dug close to the back fence.
"Definitely not an animal," Munch shook his head. The bones in the hole were quite clearly human.
"I thought you said that Mrs. Sabatini went missing after her husband died," Fin said.
"She did…" but that didn't sound like a confident answer coming from the FBI agent.
"If that's not Mrs. Sabatini, then who else could it be?" Munch raised an eyebrow.
"You've got a problem because unlike the poor girl and the dog, this victim wasn't hit by a vehicle," Doctor Dillard spoke up, examining the still partially buried skull.
"Not unless cars have learned to shoot guns," Felicity nodded.
To Be Continued…