Page 108 of Fatal Witness

Craig gave him a sour look. “Nothing wrong with a man trying to save money.” He turned toward the house. “Is the Bennett girl in the house?”

Alex stepped forward. “Yes, but we’re here on official business. If you want to talk to her about buying the place, you’ll have to catch her some other time.”

“What kind of official—”

“Nooooo!”

The scream jerked Mark’s attention toward the house. Dani!

She screamed again, sending chills down his back. It was hard to pinpoint the direction of the scream, but he’d left Dani in the kitchen. He spun around and dashed toward the house, taking the steps two at a time with Alex on his heels. Hayes and the two Tennyson men ran toward the back of the house.

“Dani! Where are you?”

No answer.

“I think it came from the woods,” Alex said.

Mark raced through the kitchen and out the back door, almost plowing into Ben and Craig. “You two need to leave,” he said.

“What’s going on?” Ben asked.

He ignored him. “Dani! Where are you?” he yelled.

“There’s someone crying over that way. And a dog barking.” Craig pointed toward the other side of the well house.

Mark cocked his ear. Craig was right. He was about to tell the two men to stay put when Alex did it for him.

“You two need to stop right here,” she said. “This could be a crime scene, and I don’t need you two traipsing all over the place.”

Craig held up his hand. “But—”

“No buts,” she said. “Go back to the road, or I can arrest you. Your choice.”

Mark didn’t wait to see what they did and sprinted through the woods toward the sound of crying and Gem barking.

The scent of death hit him before he found Dani rocking on her knees beside freshly turned dirt, a shovel on the ground, and Gem beside her. There was no doubt the scent came from the body attached to the partially exposed arm.

“Oh no,” Alex muttered as she caught up to him. “Let me see if I can reach Max.” She took out her phone and walked out to the clearing.

Mark swallowed down the bile that rose up in his throat. It wasn’t his first body to deal with, but it never got easy. He knelt beside her. “Dani,” he said softly. “I’m here. It’s okay.”

She shook her head and pointed toward the dirt. “I-I first thought it was K-Keith.” Dani burst into tears.

Mark breathed through his mouth as he looked past her to the shallow grave. “But you know he died in Montana.”

“I know ... it’s just ...” She swallowed hard as her face took on a gray tinge.

Mark yanked a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Dani before she could throw up, wishing for some Vicks VapoRub to put under her nose ... his too. She pressed the cloth to her face, and he helped her to her feet.

Her chest rose as she took in a breath. “I saw some fresh dirt, and without thinking ... the first thing I uncovered was his arm with that watch on his wrist.” Dani took a shuddering breath. “Laura gave Keith one like it last Christmas.”

“Let’s go talk to Alex,” he said as the chief deputy pocketed her phone.

When they reached her, Alex hugged Dani. “I’m sorry you had to find this. Tell me what happened.”

Mark turned to examine the grave closer, but Dani grabbed his arm. “Sorry, I’m dizzy,” she said as he steadied her.

“Why don’t we do this at the house?” he said.

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