"Agent Rivers," Kucharski said suddenly, his voice carrying an urgency that made her refocus on their conversation."This killer—whoever's doing this—they're escalating.Three deaths in two days.That's not the pattern of someone who's been operating for years."
The observation was perceptive enough to suggest either genuine analytical ability or intimate knowledge of the crimes from the inside.Isla felt her pulse quicken as she realized Kucharski was providing insights that could be interpreted as either helpful cooperation or subtle misdirection.
"You think we're dealing with someone new?"she asked, testing his willingness to engage in theoretical discussion about the investigation.
"Or someone who's been pushed past their normal limits," Kucharski replied."Maybe your investigation is putting pressure on them, forcing them to change their timeline."
The theory was plausible and demonstrated an understanding of criminal psychology that impressed Isla even as it raised new questions about Kucharski's background and training.Either he possessed genuine expertise in behavioral analysis, or he was providing insights derived from personal experience as the killer they were hunting.
"That's an interesting perspective," she said carefully."What makes you think pressure might be affecting their behavior?"
Kucharski was quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed on the dark water visible through the hole where Jennifer Hayes had died.When he spoke again, his voice carried a conviction that felt both impressive and unsettling.
"Thirty years of rescue work teaches you about human psychology under pressure," he said."People do things they'd never consider under normal circumstances when they feel trapped or threatened.If someone's been successfully hiding their activities for years, having federal agents investigate would be exactly the kind of pressure that forces adaptation."
The analysis was sophisticated enough to suggest either professional training in psychology or intimate familiarity with the mindset they were analyzing.As Isla prepared to leave the scene, she found herself more convinced than ever that David Kucharski was connected to the recent murders—but whether as perpetrator or as someone with insights that could help identify the real killer remained frustratingly unclear.
What seemed increasingly certain was that the man everyone regarded as a hero possessed depths that went far beyond his public persona.And those depths might hide either the dedication that made him exceptionally effective at saving lives, or the darkness that drove him to create opportunities for heroic failure.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Sullivan's approach across the crime scene was methodical, his experienced eye taking in the now-familiar tableau of emergency vehicles, forensics equipment, and the dark stain on Lake Superior's frozen surface that marked another life claimed by artificially weakened ice.Isla watched him navigate through the crowd of first responders, noting the way his expression shifted from professional assessment to something approaching grim resignation as the full scope of their situation became clear.
"Third victim in two days," he said quietly as he reached her position near the forensics team's equipment."Same methodology?"
"Preliminary examination suggests identical techniques," Isla replied, consulting her notes while keeping her voice low enough to avoid being overheard by the other investigators working the scene."Wire saw cuts, strategic weakening designed to cause failure under normal loading.Carol Stevens is conducting detailed analysis, but the visual evidence is consistent with our previous two scenes."
Sullivan's gaze moved across the crime scene, cataloguing details with the systematic attention that had made him an effective investigator long before joining the FBI.But Isla noticed his eyes lingering on David Kucharski, who remained wrapped in thermal blankets beside the ambulance, accepting medical treatment for hypothermia and exposure injuries sustained during his rescue attempt.
"He went into the water himself," Sullivan observed.
"According to witness statements and physical evidence, yes.Kucharski entered Lake Superior's January waters when his surface rescue equipment proved inadequate to reach Dr.Hayes."Isla paused, organizing her thoughts before voicing the theory that had been crystallizing throughout her conversation with the rescue worker."James, I think we need to seriously consider that our heroic rescue worker might be our killer."
The statement hung between them in the bitter January air, weighted with implications that neither of them wanted to fully acknowledge.Sullivan was quiet for a long moment, processing the possibility that someone universally regarded as a selfless public servant might instead be a sophisticated predator using his heroic reputation to deflect suspicion from serial murder.
"Walk me through your reasoning," he said finally, his voice carrying the careful neutrality he used when evaluating theories that challenged conventional assumptions.
Isla pulled out her notebook, consulting the timeline she'd been refining throughout the day's investigation."Geographic pattern first—all three recent murders occurred within Kucharski's assigned patrol area, positioned along routes he would traverse regularly as part of his search and rescue duties.Temporal pattern—his arrival at each scene within minutes of the actual incidents, consistently too late to prevent death but just in time for dramatic rescue attempts."She flipped to a new page, where she'd documented her psychological observations from their conversations."Behavioral analysis—Kucharski demonstrates an unusual emotional investment in federal recognition.When I praised his dedication earlier, his reaction went beyond normal professional appreciation.There's something deeper driving his need for validation, particularly from authority figures."
Sullivan nodded slowly, his expression suggesting he was reaching similar conclusions through his own analytical process."The escalated timeline fits too.If our killer has been operating successfully for years using patient, methodical selection of victims, the sudden acceleration to three murders in two days suggests either desperation or adaptation to new circumstances."
"Such as federal investigation of his previous work," Isla added."If Kucharski realized we were connecting deaths that were supposed to remain isolated incidents, he might have decided to accelerate his timeline before we could identify him."
The theory felt solid in ways that made Isla's chest tighten with a mixture of professional satisfaction and personal dread.They might finally have identified their killer.But the identification came with the disturbing realization that they'd been praising and sympathizing with someone who'd been murdering innocent people for his own psychological gratification.
"The technical expertise required for ice manipulation," Sullivan continued, following the logical thread to its conclusion."Coast Guard service would have provided exactly the kind of training necessary to understand ice conditions and structural engineering."
"And thirty years of search and rescue work would have given him intimate knowledge of Lake Superior's patterns, victim psychology, and emergency response protocols," Isla added."He knows exactly when and how to position himself for maximum heroic impact."
They stood in silence for a moment, watching as Kucharski accepted additional medical attention from paramedics who treated him with the reverence reserved for someone who'd literally risked his life trying to save a stranger.The irony was perfect and deeply disturbing—if their theory was correct, the community's hero worship was enabling someone to commit serial murder while being celebrated for his dedication to preventing exactly those crimes.
"How do we prove it?"Sullivan asked, voicing the question that had been troubling Isla since her suspicions had crystallized."The witnesses all confirm his rescue attempts appeared genuine and sustained.Even if we're right about his identity, we have no direct evidence connecting him to the murders."
The challenge was significant enough to threaten their entire investigation.Circumstantial evidence suggesting Kucharski might be their killer was very different from proof that would satisfy a federal prosecutor.They needed something concrete—physical evidence, witness testimony, or confession—that directly connected him to the deliberate weakening of ice that had caused three deaths.
"I have an idea," Isla said, the plan forming even as she spoke it aloud."But it requires him to trust me enough to lower his guard."
She walked back toward Kucharski's position beside the ambulance, Sullivan following at a distance that suggested casual interest rather than coordinated approach.The rescue worker looked up as she approached, his expression cycling through exhaustion, grief, and what she was increasingly certain was desperate hunger for validation.
