"Practice runs," Kari murmured, the pattern suddenly clear."The killer was refining technique before attempting the full ceremonial sequence."
They were all silent for several moments.Then Daniels cleared his throat."What leads are you pursuing beyond the historical connections?"
Kari exchanged a glance with Ben.They had discussed Samuel Manuelito's name coming up during their conversation with Thomas Adakai, but she wasn't ready to focus FBI resources on that avenue yet, not without better understanding his potential involvement.
"Anyone stand out as particularly knowledgeable about the ritual aspects?"Daniels asked.
"Several community members have mentioned a local historian, Samuel Manuelito," Kari said, deliberately downplaying his significance."He's written about traditional practices, including some ceremonial elements.But he's one of many we're considering."
"Academic background?"Daniels asked.
"Self-taught, mostly," Ben replied."He runs tours for visitors, focusing on cultural sites and traditional knowledge.No formal connection to the victims that we've found yet."
"Keep him on the list," Daniels said, "but don't prioritize unless you find direct connections.Right now, I'm more interested in tracking down anyone who had access to the original case files—especially your grandfather's private notes."
The deflection worked perfectly.Kari felt a small surge of relief as Daniels moved on to discussing forensic evidence from the Holbrook crime scene, leaving Manuelito as just another name among many potential leads.
"The herbs found in Professor Holbrook's mouth were fresher than those used on Reynolds," Daniels said."Lab analysis suggests they were harvested within 24 hours of the murder.Whoever our killer is, they have access to these specific plants and knowledge of proper harvesting techniques."
"That's not common knowledge," Ben said."White prairie aster, in particular, must be gathered at specific times under specific conditions to maintain its ceremonial properties—at least according to traditional beliefs."
"Which brings us back to the cultural elements," Kari said, seizing the opportunity."This isn't just someone following a recipe from a book.The killer understands the spiritual significance of each component."
Daniels closed his laptop with a sigh."Alright, I'll concede we need to approach this with more cultural sensitivity than standard procedure suggests.But I want regular updates on all leads, especially anything connecting to those historical cases.And if you find your grandfather's private notes—"
"You'll be the first to know," Kari assured him.
"Good."Daniels stood, gathering his files."I've arranged for additional forensic support from our Phoenix office.They'll be here tomorrow morning to review all evidence, including whatever you've collected from the 1973-74 cases."
As they left the conference room, Ben caught Kari's eye with a subtle nod.They had successfully navigated the meeting without drawing undue attention to Manuelito while securing Daniels' cooperation on the broader investigation.
Kari and Ben retreated to her office, closing the door for privacy.
"He took that better than expected," Ben said."Usually takes him longer to accept non-standard investigation approaches."
"He's learning," Kari said."Though I notice he's still avoiding the supernatural implications Elder Adakai mentioned."
"Can't blame him entirely," Ben replied."The FBI doesn't have a checkbox for 'entity that walks between worlds' on their case report forms."
Kari smiled grimly."Not yet, anyway."She pulled out her notebook, flipping to the pages where she'd recorded details about Samuel Manuelito."We need to look deeper into Manuelito's background before Daniels decides to focus on him.If he's involved, we need to understand how and why."
"And if he's not," Ben added, "we need to protect him from becoming a convenient suspect for the FBI to pursue while the real killer continues the pattern."He sighed, blowing out his lips."Where do we start?"
"With finding those private notes," Kari replied."If Joseph Chee documented what he really found during the Shadow Walker investigation, those records might be our only chance to get ahead of the killer.
CHAPTER TWELVE
By the time Kari had arranged for Officers Jackson and Wilson to maintain discreet surveillance on Samuel Manuelito, the afternoon sun was already beginning its descent toward the western horizon.The summer heat lingered stubbornly, though the worst intensity had passed for the day.She returned to her office with a fresh cup of coffee, her mind cycling through the overlapping layers of the investigation.
"How did the killer choose these specific victims?"she murmured, spreading the case files across her desk.Martin Reynolds and Jennifer Holbrook had no apparent connection to each other beyond their academic interests.Different universities, different research focus areas, different home states.Yet both had traveled to the reservation within days of each other, visited the same areas, and met similar fates.
Were these opportunity killings?No, that didn't explain why all the victims—the original five, plus the more recent two—were all academics.This wasn't just a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
So why pick these particular people?
Kari's gaze fell on the visitor records Ben had pulled from the archives earlier that day—standard entry permits issued to non-residents conducting research on tribal lands.Reynolds and Holbrook had both filed the necessary paperwork through proper channels, their applications citing cultural research as their purpose for visiting.
But what if there were other connections she and Ben hadn't recognized yet?Patterns that might reveal how the killer had targeted these particular academics?
