The circles under Pete’s eyes deepened. “We have another body.”
Chapter14
The stench of decaying leaves assaulted Mia’s nostrils as she stood under the spotlight’s glare, her gaze on the dead girl. After dropping by the cabin to change clothes, she and Pete had hurried to the crime scene, which was halfway up the mountain off a hunting trail. Three pale and shocked elk hunters huddled under a rustling Cottonwood. They’d found the body when one of the guys had headed away from camp to take a leak.
Sorrow and rage flared through Mia’s skin at the sight of Mandy Fulsome spread-eagle on the damp rock formation, silver handcuffs securing her to embedded posts. Her blue eyes were wide in death, a glimmer of shock still in the horrified depths.
Mia’s boots slid in the wet mud as she dropped to her haunches, and she quickly righted herself. “Oh, no.”
Fully clothed, the girl had been beaten repeatedly about the neck and chest and had a two-foot-long drill bit embedded in her throat. The killer had also yanked a muddy chain around Mandy’s neck.
Mia leaned in for a closer inspection. “We’ll need confirmation on death—there’s enough blood that I think it was by shoving the drill steel through her neck. But he strangled her first—just not to death. Or he brought her back afterward and then stabbed her.”
Pete nodded, scribbling on a spiral notebook. One of his deputies maneuvered the huge spotlight into position, while the other deputy gathered evidence from the scene. Dawn remained several hours away, and clouds covered a full moon that still glowed through. Eerie and ominous. The frowning county coroner stood by a pine tree, waiting for the okay to take the body.
Mia shook her head. “What time did he determine for death?”
“Body temp showed she died around eight tonight,” Pete said.
“If the Volk men were in tuxes at the ball by nine, it’s highly unlikely one of them had time to kill Mandy, get changed, and drive at least two hours to Seattle,” Mia murmured, her shoulders loosening.
“Not unless they flew. And considering the limos I saw, I doubt that. But I’ll double-check,” Pete said.
Mia studied the body. “No signs of rape, but what is the significance of the silver handcuffs?” They were a symbol of domination…and the mines. Silver had several symbolic meanings, as well. Most well-known were thethirty pieces of silverthat denoted betrayal. “Who did you betray, sweetheart?” Mia murmured.
Pete rubbed his chin. “You think we’re dealing with a serial killer?”
Mia stood and wiped her muddy hands on her jeans. “I don’t know. We had a killing, and Mandy was the only person in town willing to talk to the authorities. It may be a serial or just one killer messing with us.”
“How will we know?” he asked.
Dread trickled down Mia’s spine. “We’ll know if there’s another homicide.”
“Do you think she’s dead because she talked to us?” Pete jerked his head to give the coroner permission to take the body.
“Yes.” Guilt tasted like acid in Mia’s mouth. “She was targeted because of me. I just don’t know if she was killed to cover up the first murder or if we have a multiple murderer.” Either way, it really didn’t matter. “We’ll find whoever it is and take them down.” Things had just gotten personal.
In the distance, a wolf bayed at the moon, the sound low and mournful.
Mia shivered. The glittering ballroom seemed years away instead of mere hours. “We’ll need to find out how the Volk men got to the ball, and I’d like to go through Mandy’s room. Teenage girls keep diaries.”
The body was too fresh to smell, but death had a presence. The air felt heavy.
Evil had weight.
Pete stepped back as the coroner carefully wrapped Mandy’s body in a shiny, black bag. “I’ll try. Right now, I need to make the notification.”
Mia blinked and took a deep breath. “I’ll come with you.”
“No. You go home and put some ice on that shiner. I can’t believe you got in a brawl while wearing a dress,” Pete said, stress lines bracketing his mouth.
Mia shrugged. “The dress had nothing to do with it. I should go with you for the notification.”
“No. Right now, you’re more of an outsider than I am, kid. I have to do this alone,” he said.
Relief swamped Mia. Moments didn’t get any more terrible than having to tell parents their child was dead. Even so, she hated being an outsider. What would it be like to belong? This once, it meant she didn’t have to do the notification. “I’m sorry, Pete.”
Mia pushed openthe cabin door and kicked out of her boots. The sensation of being too close to death clung to her clothing, but a shower would wake her mother and aunt. Sighing, she padded through the entryway to the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea.
