Page 40 of Coordinates of Death

“Nothing popped. Constable Rain is fairly new. Nadine Black is squeaky-clean, which is a red flag in my books. Dirk Fowler’s record is impeccable.”

“What about Sergeant Wheeler?”

“Some of the office wrote in their reports that he could be harsh at times. Nothing on her staff sergeant.”

“Okay, thanks. Listen, let me know when the squad is coming. I need to handle this carefully. We don’t want Aurora’s team to get their backs up. You know what happens when you poke a bear.”

“I do. Chat later. Be careful, bro. Yes, you’re good at survival, but not so good at playing with others.” She ended the call.

Kordell tossed his phone onto the bed. Mikaela was right. Kordell had spent a few years alone after he escaped Cain’s clutches, and he’d gotten used to the solitude. Even after he’d gone to live at the Greene estate, he preferred the wilderness. Not that he didn’t love his family. He did. But he struggled with people accepting him for who he was: a man who preferred nature over humans.

Well, that was not entirely true. He—

An object sitting beside his bag stopped his thoughts.

A toy helicopter. It wasn’t the helicopter itself that caught his attention but its condition.

Both sides had been crushed. Just like in his parents’ helicopter crash. SBK had gotten into Kordell’s room without his knowing and left a clear message.

He was watching the watcher and knew about Kordell’s past.

If SBK had gotten to him so easily in this remote place, was Aurora safe? Kordell snatched his weapon and raced out of the room with one thought on his mind.

Protect his childhood friend.

He didn’t care about his own safety. But he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt her like the Roche boys had done. Not when she was back in his life.

Kordell had failed her once. He wouldn’t do it again.

“Are you sure your team should come?” Aurora turned onto the Alcan highway thirty minutes after Kordell hurried down the stairs looking for her, his forehead wrinkled in a state of worry. Someone had also left him a present, proving the suspect had dived deep into both their pasts. “I don’t want SBK thinking I’m cheating again in his sick game. Why would your dad suggest it when he knows what’s at stake?”

“That’s what I figured too, but after I thought about it, Dad is right. We work best as a team, and the Shadow Box Killer has to be stopped before he kills again. And Dawson said he found something in the profile he wants to share in person.”

Aurora white-knuckled the steering wheel. “Like what?”

“Not sure.”

What had Kord’s brother found? Something told her this would not go over well with her team. Their criminal investigative analyst was adamant about his solid profile.

“Let me update Hill so he can break it to Wheeler. I don’t need him on my back.” While Aurora welcomed the additional help, she knew how her team worked. They wouldn’t be happy with someone impeding their investigation, especially Dirk. “Then we need to drop the evidence off to Dr. Sharpe and go to Sweetwood Falls National Park.”

She tapped her watch’s screen. “I don’t like this. By the time we get back and see the coroner, then find the next clue, we may be too late.” Aurora hated the hitch in her voice, but she couldn’t help it. SBK had made this case personal and apparently wouldn’t stop at anything to outsmart and outwit them in his terrifying game.

Kordell squeezed her shoulder. “We’ll get there in time. I trust your ability to catch this person.”

“Thanks, Kord. I wish my immediate leader did as well.”

“By the way, as I mentioned, Mic vetted your team. Nothing stood out.”

“Good. I had a feeling you wouldn’t find anything.” She accelerated. Time to get back to the Yukon.

Two hours later, she passed the cooler to the coroner. “We followed your instructions exactly. I sent you a video and pictures.”

“Got ’em, thanks.” Dr. Sharpe peeked inside. “Good job. Looks intact.” He closed the lid and placed it inside the refrigerator. “I found something else about Jennifer’s last few hours that I have to share with you. Come with me.”

He led them to the steel table holding Jennifer’s body and pointed to a tamper-proof container. “These are the contents of her stomach. It appears SBK fed her steak, potatoes, and corn before her death.”

Aurora’s jaw dropped. “That’s new.”