Page 11 of Silent Prey

And what about the woman? Would she hear the struggle—or perhaps a gunshot—and call the police?

Christopher’s lips were as sticky as flypaper. His heart was a gong whose every beat resonated through his entire body.

The tense silence was interrupted by a crackle from the ranger's radio. The sound was too garbled for Christopher to pick up all the words, but he thought he heard something about a hiker with a broken leg.

The ranger stared at Christopher for a few more seconds, then reluctantly picked up the radio. “Ten-four. On my way.”

He shifted into drive.

“My license?” Christopher asked.

“Oh, that’s right.” The ranger held the license out. Christopher grabbed it, but the ranger did not let go. “Probably best you got on your way to California,” he said. “Wouldn’t want to miss that wedding.”

Christopher nodded, resisting the compulsive urge to swallow. “I’ll do that.”

The ranger glanced at the laptop screen, where the coyote was now feasting on a deer carcass. His frown deepened, but he said nothing. He pulled away, his truck kicking up dust as he continued along the narrow road.

Christopher breathed a sigh of relief and slumped his shoulders. Too close, much too close. The vehicle was now compromised, as was his fake identity, but that was okay. He would simply have to be more careful now—keep off the main roads, avoid the rangers if at all possible.

Despite how unsettled he felt at the encounter, he reminded himself that the island was large, about forty-two square miles. There was no way the handful of park rangers here could police that whole stretch.

Which meant he would have opportunities for hunting if he picked his targets carefully.

Fortunately, his next target had already gone hiking into the brush. All he would have to do was hide the truck, pick up her trail…

And show her just how brutal nature could be.

As his heart rate began to normalize, Christopher reached over to the passenger seat and picked up a long, curving object that always reminded him of a nautilus shell. He ran his hands lovingly along it, recalling the intimacy of the hunt.

Perfect, he thought, pressing his lips to the hard, smooth surface. Just perfect.

He shifted into drive and pulled away from the shoulder of the road. It was time for the coyote to hunt again.

CHAPTER FIVE

When Sheila and Finn came across Ira Jones, he was crouched by the shoreline, gently releasing a tagged turtle back into the lake. The turtle scuttled away into the gently lapping waters, leaving a soft wake behind.

Let’s hope this guy is as well-informed as we’ve been led to believe, Sheila thought.

After calling the park department, they’d been told that Ira Jones had been assigned to Antelope Island longer than any other currently-active ranger, so if anyone would know where to find Markus Webb, Jones should know.

Seeing Sheila and Finn, Jones straightened, dusting off his khaki shorts. His weathered face broke into a friendly smile as they approached.

"Good afternoon, officers," he said. "What brings you two out here?"

“Ira Jones?” Sheila asked.

"Yes." There was a question in the world.

Sheila put out her hand. “Officer Stone. This is my partner, Officer Mercer. We’re with the Coldwater County Sheriff’s Department, investigating the deaths of Amanda Hayes and Bethany Cole."

Jones' smile faded as he shook her hand. His eyes narrowed in concern. "I heard about that. Terrible, terrible news. Those girls were young, full of life. Bethany was always meditating by the shore early in the mornings, and Amanda? She was here often with her camera. Part of the island's life, if you ask me."

"We're hoping to speak with a local hunter, Markus Webb," Finn said. "We understand he spends a lot of time on the island, too."

Jones frowned, squinting out at the lake as if looking for answers in the rippling waters. "Markus Webb. Yeah, I know him," he finally said, his frown deepening. "He's a loner, kind of a strange one, to be honest. Keeps off the beaten path, if you know what I mean."

"Do you have any idea where we can find him?" Finn asked.

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