Page 18 of Silent Smile

"Like Amanda Weller," Sheila murmured.

Just then, Sheila's tablet pinged with a new email notification. "It's from HR," she said, opening the message. "I asked them for any additional information on Blackwood. Looks like... oh, this is interesting. Three months ago, he applied for a position with the park's conservation team."

"Let me guess," Finn said, "he didn't get it?"

Sheila shook her head. "Passed over in favor of a candidate with a master's degree in Environmental Science. According to this, Blackwood didn't take the news well. He filed a formal complaint, claiming the hiring process was unfair and that his years of hands-on experience should have outweighed 'mere academic credentials.'"

Finn leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "So we've got a guy with a history of confrontations with tourists, a deep-seated anger about environmental damage, and a recent professional disappointment that might have pushed him over the edge."

"And the skills and knowledge to navigate the dunes without leaving a trace," Sheila added.

They looked at each other, the same thought clearly running through both their minds.

"We need to talk to Eric Blackwood," Sheila said.

Finn was already standing. "Let's just hope these dunes are precious enough for him to stick around long enough for us to catch him."

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sheila wiped sweat off her forehead as she and Finn made their way along the winding trail.

Why, oh why, did we have to pick the hottest part of the day?she wondered.

The Coral Pink Sand Dunes stretched out before them, an endless sea of undulating pink and orange hues. Despite the beauty of the landscape, Sheila was acutely aware of the potential danger lurking in this deceptively serene environment. Get lost out here, and dehydration would set in fast.

"Any luck reaching Blackwood?" Finn asked. He had traded his suit for a polo shirt and a pair of cargo shorts, and he looked far more comfortable now. Sheila had never really seen him as the suit-wearing type, anyway.

Sheila shook her head, pocketing her phone. "Still nothing. Reception out here is spotty at best. Maybe he's in a dead zone."

They paused at a trail marker, taking a moment to catch their breath and survey their surroundings. The park seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction, the dunes creating a disorienting landscape where it was all too easy to lose one's bearings.

Sheila pulled out a map, spreading it across a nearby boulder. "Okay, according to Jesse at the visitor center, Blackwood's tour was supposed to follow this route." She traced a dotted line on the map that snaked through the dunes. "They left about two hours ago, so they should be somewhere in this general area by now."

Finn leaned in, studying the map. "That's a lot of ground to cover. And in this heat..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

Sheila's eyes narrowed as she considered their options. After a moment, she pointed to a section of the map. "What if we cutacross here? It's not a marked trail, but it could save us a good hour of hiking. We might be able to intercept Blackwood's group before they loop back to the visitor center."

Finn frowned, clearly uneasy with the suggestion. "Sheila, that's off-trail. It's easy to get lost out here, and in this heat..."

"I know the risks, Finn," Sheila said, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice. She sighed, trying to calm herself. "We need to talk to Blackwood as soon as possible. Every minute we waste gives him more time to potentially cover his tracks—if he is our guy."

They stood in tense silence for a moment. Sheila thought Finn would argue, but instead he raised his hands in defeat. "You're the boss. If you think it's worth the risk, we'll do it your way."

The formality in his tone stung. Three months ago, he would have challenged her thinking, pushed back with that half-smile that always made her pulse quicken. She missed their easy give-and-take, missed the way his hand would brush her arm as they pored over case files together. Now she second-guessed every casual touch, every shared glance, worried about maintaining professional boundaries.

Was she overcompensating? Making their relationship more complicated than it needed to be? She tried to think of the last time they'd kissed, and found she couldn't.

Would an outside observer even know you two were dating?she wondered.Or would they think you're just colleagues?

While she was still pondering this, he started walking without waiting for her. She folded the map and hurried after him.

"You know," she said, "things don't have to be different just because I'm your boss now. We're still partners, aren't we?"

Finn's stride didn't falter, but Sheila could see the tension in his shoulders. "Partners, sure, but with one tiny difference: You can overrule whatever I say."

"It's not like that. I'm not trying to steamroll you."

Finn said nothing. Sheila felt a desperate urge to win him back. Surely he could understand the pressure she was under, the need to solve this case quickly. She quickened her pace to catch up with him.

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