She laughed through her tears. “You did everything exactly right. These are happy tears, for once.”
He pulled her against his chest. “I don’t know that I deserve your trust. Or that I deserve you at all. But you make me want to.” He pressed a kiss against the top of her head.
She reveled in the feel of him in her arms, finally. The sweetness of his hug, and the kiss they’d just shared, melted away the hurt of the past week. Finally, she was exactly where she wanted to be. And it felt far better than she’d ever imagined it would.
“I’m so glad I took Zeus for a walk that day,” she said. “And that you were with me when the killer found me. You’re an amazing man.”
He grew still, then gently pushed her back. “That’s it. The missing puzzle piece. The path where you were abducted the first time, and where we met while you were walking Zeus. That has to be it.”
She stared up at him in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
He pulled out his cell phone. “It’s always bothered me that the killer knew you’d be at the Brodericks’. And that he had enough lead time to have carjacked the delivery guy and hidden the truck in that garage. He also had time to loosen a section of fence, all in anticipation of us coming over. Who knew you’d be with me that night?”
She shook her head. “No one. No one but you and me. I didn’t even tell my parents where we were going.”
“Exactly. You and I didn’t talk to anyone about our plans. And there’s no reason to assume the Brodericks would have told anyone either, or that they’d just happen to mention it when the killer was nearby.”
“Okay, then the killer would have had to hear you and me discussing it. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Bingo.” He pressed a speed-dial number on his phone. “Mason, yeah, it’s Bryson at my new number. Listen, are any of the Seekers in The Woods subdivision right now, maybe interviewing witnesses?” He shook his head for her benefit. “Okay, right. That’s fine. I can—” He listened for a few moments, nodding. “JSO. Of course. I forgot they were conducting extra patrols out here. I’ll call them now. I’ll catch you up later. It’s just a hunch.”
“Bryson, what’s going on?”
“Just a minute, sweetheart. One more call.” He pressed another speed-dial number. “Detective Burns? Bryson Anton. Yes. I have a favor to ask.” He idly turned away, slowly walking down the length of the fence as he explained whatever hunch he had to the detective.
She leaned against a post, smiling as she noted how well he was walking, without using his cane. His limp was barely noticeable. The last several days of rest had done wonders. And thankfully his surgery had been laparoscopic, making the recovery much easier. Still, he hadn’t had a miracle cure. If he pushed too hard he’d end up having to use the new cane she’d gotten him to replace the old one. Or, worse, end up in his wheelchair for the rest of the day. What he really needed was to go home, to get on that flight to Gatlinburg, and give his body more time to fully recover.
As he turned back toward her, still talking on the phone, she wondered what was going to happen next. Not with the case. She was content to let others handle it at this point. What she wantedto know was what would happen with them. After all, he’d kissed her, in full view of her parents who were no doubt watching them through the back sliding glass doors this very minute. And he’d called her sweetheart. Twice in as many minutes. That had to mean something serious, didn’t it?
He stopped a few yards away and leaned against the fence looking out at the water, phone still to his ear. But he wasn’t talking. He seemed to be waiting for something. He suddenly straightened and looked at her, a slow smile spreading across his face. He said something else to the detective, then shoved his phone in his pocket and closed the distance between them.
“What is it?” she asked. “Did they...did they catch him?”
“Not yet. But we’ve got a great lead. I asked JSO to look for some kind of camera tucked up in the trees that overlook the path, at the spot where we were that day I met you with Zeus.”
“And where I was abducted.”
“Yes. It dawned on me that the only reasonable way the killer could have known about you going to the Brodericks’ was if he heard us talking about it. And the only place we spoke about it was—”
“On the path.”
“Exactly. The camera was about twenty feet up in an oak tree, tucked into a juncture with two other branches, with a fake bird’s nest concealing all but a small hole for the lens. And it has audio capabilities as well as visual. He was watching and listening. There may be other cameras along the path too. Now that JSO knows what to look for, they’ll be able to find them, if they exist. More importantly, they’ll be able to get an expert on this, figure out the camera’s range and triangulate the area where someone would have to be in order to receive the transmission.”
“Wouldn’t he have to be close by?”
“Probably. Which means it’s likely he lives or works in this subdivision, and I’m guessing he did two years ago, as well. I doubt he targeted you specifically, not the first time. You just happened along the trail and met whatever criteria he has for his preferred victims.”
She pressed a hand to her throat. “I’m still stuck on the first part, about him living or working here. JSO cleared everyone back then, everyone in the whole development.”
He cocked his head. “They didn’t clear everyone in the one next door.”
She gasped. “Bentwater Place. The house where he took us and put us in the truck. He might live there?”
He shrugged. “JSO’s looking into it. I would have thought if he did, they’d have figured that out already as part of the Broderick murder investigation. But it’s possible he lives in one of the homes next door and would have known the house was empty the night we were doing the interview. Then again, he may live here in your subdivision and the police cleared someone they shouldn’t have when your case was being actively looked into. Like you, I’m a bit skeptical since they missed that camera and it’s remained there all this time. But from what the officer said who found it, he never would have seen it if I hadn’t specifically told him to look for one.”
“Wait. Are you saying it’s been there foryears? Not that it was put there recently?”
He clasped her hands in his. “Based on the condition of the outside casing, it was probably there back when you were abducted. My guess is when the police didn’t find it, the killer didn’t risk going back to get it. And when months passed without it being discovered, he kept it active and checked in on the video every now and then.”
