“I can go do this so you can stay here,” she said. “McGaven was adamant about me not being alone there due to all of what’s been going on, but I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t blame him. You shouldn’t go there alone, especially since the light is fading,” he said, looking straight into her eyes. “How’s Gav’s injury?”
“He’s fine, just a bit grouchy.”
“I bet.”
“He’s digging into backgrounds, so there’s plenty to do. And it’s definitely his specialty.”
John glanced back at the scene. “C’mon, let’s go. They’re still stalled with the soil removal.”
They got into the car and arrived at the construction location five minutes later, which made Katie think again about whether the parcels of land could be connected in some way. She knew the county had bought their land from a large commercial investment firm that specialized in such transactions.
“What’s on your mind?” said John.
She sighed. “The case.”
“I’ll have some information for you soon.”
Katie smiled. She drove into the main entrance of the new site and parked. It appeared darker than at the old house; there were shadows looming in between the trees. She thought maybe she should wait, just in case there was someone lurking or watching for someone to return.
“You okay?” John said.
“Yes. It’s just hard to forget that trap that Gav and I almost plowed into. If it wasn’t for Cisco, we would have never seen it.”
John didn’t say a word. He leaned toward Katie, stroked her face, and then kissed her. Katie felt his warmth and there was a tenderness about him that made her feel at ease and safe. It was something new to her and something she didn’t want to be without again.
A seriousness came over John, and he stared directly at Katie. “I never want anything to happen to you. I know you’re strong and capable, but…”
“I am fine and I will be fine.”
“Ever since I’ve met you you’ve amazed me, but you’ve got to stay present and not jump into everything… especially not alone.”
Katie nodded. She knew exactly what he meant, but her passion to find killers and to save people was so overwhelming. She hadn’t been able to save her parents, but she would always try to save the next victims. It was her calling.
She smiled at John. “Let’s get these cameras up so you can get back to work.”
They got out of the car and split up—each with two wildlife cameras. Katie watched as John went east and then she went west. It was getting darker, but everything was still visible, just hazy in the dusk.
She searched around to find the right spot to place the cameras where they would pick up movement but not be easily seen by anyone walking around. She placed one and then moved to another vantage point. She remembered she needed to check in with McGaven and after the last camera went up she would.
She was thinking about the case and everything they would be doing tomorrow and didn’t hear someone come up behind her. Strong arms wrapped around her neck and waist. Shecouldn’t move or fight. She tried to call out to John, but instead she felt pressure against the side of her neck at the carotid artery, causing everything to fade in and out of view. Her last memory was of John walking away… and then everything went dark.
SIXTEEN
Tuesday 1915 hours
John returned to the car expecting to see Katie waiting there for him. She wasn’t. He’d taken longer than he had expected, but felt the extra few minutes were worth it to place the cameras strategically. He leaned against the car for a few minutes, but as the area became darker he grew uneasy. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut.
It was eerily quiet and John wasn’t going to wait any longer. He called Katie but it went straight to voicemail. He jogged to the area where she had entered the trees.
“Katie?”
Nothing but the quiet forest responding.
He ran faster and spotted one of the video cams. “Katie?”
He sprinted and checked nearby areas. He finally reached a tree where the camera was on the ground. He looked around, doing a three-hundred-sixty-degree turn. There was no indication of where Katie was.
