Moonlight cast shadows from the pine trees yet clearly illuminated her path. Firelight glimmered through the trunks ahead, and she took a deep breath of relief. Her legs burned from the walk, reminding her that she really needed to get back into shape. At one time, a three-mile hike wouldn’t have made her breathe heavily.
Times had apparently changed.
Music wafted through the night, the breeze carrying a haunting and mournful tune. The trail turned to rock. She climbed cautiously, finally reaching the top. Her heart hammering, she peeked around a blue spruce and looked toward a sprawling vista about twenty feet below. A crackling fire blazed in the middle of the round area. One side was rock, one side forested, one a grassy parking area, and the final dropped into nothingness to reach what appeared from the map to be the Lonely River.
About fifty people milled around the fire, their voices hushed, their moods as somber as the music blasting from one of the mining trucks.
Mia lifted the binoculars secured by a strap around her neck for a better view.
The blood instantly froze in her veins.
Her first focus landed on Seth as he stood by his father. Her second focus stopped her breathing. Near the cliff on the river side stood two scaffolds holding two female bodies. Ruby and Mandy.
Good God. They were going to burn the bodies.
So far, her research had indicated that Seth and the town’s members weren’t affiliated with or descended from any known American Indian tribes, so the practice of burning bodies didn’t make sense in this case.
Besides, who had stolen Ruby’s body and why? The body was still evidence.
Mia lifted her cell phone to text Pete. NEED BACKUP, FOUND RUBY’S BODY.
Pete instantly responded. WAS STOPPED—NO WARRANT—GET OUT OF THERE.
Too late. As Mia watched, Benjamin Volk grabbed a torch from the fire and instantly lit both scaffoldings on fire.
As one, everyone turned toward the bodies and lowered their heads in what seemed like prayer.
She released the binoculars and tugged her gun free. Crap. She needed to get down there and stop the burning. Rushing to the right, she made out a rough trail on the way down.
Another glance at the people below stopped her cold.
Shirts, pants, and shoes hit the earth as they stripped naked.
What kind of weird religion required mourners to get naked while dead bodies burned? She halted, unsure. No way could she arrest everyone at once, and she was definitely outnumbered.
Was burning a body a crime if it happened during a religious ceremony? Probably not. But Ruby’s body had been stolen, and thatwasa crime.
Indecision kept her immobile—and then shock turned her legs to stone.
Benjamin Volk’s neck elongated, his jaw snapped, and he dropped to all fours. The air crackled around him, fur sprang up along his naked body, and a wolf suddenly stood where he had been. Erik was next, and he turned into a golden-brown wolf.
Holy crap. The wolf that had befriended Mia’s mother and that Mia had spent time with just last night. That had been Erik?
She’d told Erik all about her case and her feelings about it.
Everyone around him, including Seth, instantly followed suit. On all fours with black fur, Seth was larger than any other wolf. A white patch cut up his jaw where his scar was, and his blue eyes glowed in the firelight.
As one, the wolves lifted their heads and howled at the moon.
Mia choked as her lungs seized. Panic sharpened the entire world.
Benjamin’s muzzle twitched, his eyes opened, and his head turned, his golden gaze landing on her. A snarl flashed his razor-sharp canines, and he lunged into action.
With a vicious bite to her lip, she turned and ran.
In several moments, he bounded onto the trail in front of her. She skidded to a stop, her eyes widening to let in more light. Death glimmered in his eyes while saliva dripped from his frightening teeth.
She settled her stance and aimed her gun at him. “Move, and I’ll fucking blow off your head.”
