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weeks and nobody has reported her missing. You know better than I do how prostitutes move around. They take off for days or weeks at a time and then turn up at a total y different red-light area. Some of them fol ow the conference trade; others work the truck stops. If this girl had a strong network of family or friends, somebody would have reported her missing by now. She could be foreign but we have nothing from Interpol.”

    “I’m not sure how I can help.”
    “What can you tel me about her?”
    Without even thinking I know I’m col ecting details, although I can’t bear to look at her swol en face. What can I say? Her fair hair is cut short in a practical style that’s easy to wash, quick to dry and doesn’t need constant brushing. Her ears aren’t pierced. Her fingernails are trimmed and wel cared for. She has no rings on her fingers, or any sign that she normal y wore them. She’s slim and fair-skinned, with larger hips than bust. Her eyebrows have been tidily shaped and her bikini line had been waxed recently, leaving a neat triangle of pubic hair.
    “Was she wearing makeup?”
    “A little lipstick and eyeliner.”
    “I need to sit down for a while and read the postmortem report.”
    “I’l find you an empty office.”
    Ten minutes later, alone at a desk, I stare at a stack of ring-bound photograph albums and folders bulging with statements. Among the pile is the postmortem report and results from blood and toxicology analysis.

    CITY OF WESTMINSTER CORONER
    Postmortem Report
    Name: Unknown —— Postmortem No: DX-34 468
    DOB: Unknown —— Death D/T: Unknown
    Age: Unknown —— Postmortem D/T: 12 December 2002, 0915
    Sex: Female
    Anatomical Summary
    1. Fourteen lacerations and incised wounds to the chest, abdomen and thighs, penetrating to a depth of 1.2 inches. They range in width from 3 inches to half an inch.
    2. Four lacerations to the upper left arm.
    3. Three lacerations to the left side of the neck and shoulders.
    4. The direction of the sharp-force injuries tends to be downward and are a mixture of stabbing and incised wounds.
    5. The hesitation marks are generally straight and accompany the deeper incisions.
    6. Heavy bruising and swelling to the left cheekbone and left eye socket.
    7. Slight bruising to the right forearm and abrasions to the right tibia and right heel.
    8. Oral, vaginal and rectal swabs are clear.
    Preliminary Toxicology Study
    Blood ethanol— none detected
    Blood drug screen— no drugs detected
    Cause of Death
    Postmortem X-rays reveal air in the right ventricular chamber of the heart indicating a massive and fatal air embolism.

    I scan the report quickly, looking for particular details. I’m not interested in the minutiae of how she died. Instead I look for clues that relate to her life. Did she have any old fractures? Was there any evidence of drug use or sexual y transmitted diseases? What did she have for her last meal? How long since she’d eaten?
    Ruiz doesn’t bother to knock.
    “I figured you were milk no sugar.”
    He puts a plastic cup of coffee on the desk and then pats his pockets, searching for cigarettes that exist only in his imagination. He grinds his teeth instead.
    “So what can you tel me?”
    “She wasn’t a prostitute.”
    “Because?”
    “The median age of girls becoming prostitutes is only sixteen. This woman was in her mid-twenties, possibly older. There are no signs of long-standing sexual activity or evidence of sexual y transmitted diseases. Abortions are common among prostitutes, particularly as they’re often coerced into not using condoms, but this girl had never been pregnant.” Ruiz taps the table three times as though typing three el ipsis dots. He wants me to go on.
    “Prostitutes at the high-class end of the scale sel a fantasy. They take great care with their appearance and presentation. This woman had short fingernails, a boyish hairstyle and minimal makeup. She wore sensible shoes and very little jewelry. She didn’t