Parker didn't move, luckily.

I reeeeaached for Parker's hand with the detective's pen. Something thin and brown trailed from within his palm. What was he pointing toward exactly, if he was pointing? The wooden fence maybe? The direction his killer had gone? It was snowing so hard now that all signs of footprints had vanished.

With the tip of the pen, I snagged the thin, brown...thing. As I brought it closer, I realized it looked like braided leather. Metal clasps connected ...