Page 24 of The Killing Plains

Avery shook her head. “It’s closed except around Fourth of July.”

Colly tested the hatch. Locked. “Do they keep inventory in here year-round?”

“I doubt it. Why?”

“Denny had a record for theft. He might’ve left the road to try and break in.” Colly walked along the front of the stand, examining it. “A little termite damage. No pry marks.”

“Maybe we should do a walk-around.” Avery picked up a long stick from the grass. “I’ll go first. Rattlers get active this time of year.”

A cold weight settled in Colly’s stomach.Snakes. Hell.

Pushing through shoulder-high curtains of dry Johnson grass, the women made their way around the stand. Disturbed from beneath the eaves, a few early wasps hummed around their heads, more curious than angry.

On the shack’s rear wall, Colly spotted a faint black streak. “What’s this?”

Avery, several feet ahead, turned and came back. “Scuff mark.”

“From something rubber?” Colly ran her thumb over the streak.

“Yeah, maybe.”

Colly stooped to look more closely. “What kind of bike was Denny’s?”

“Old, beat-up BMX. Why?”

“Is it at the station?”

“Rangers still have it. But I took pictures.” Avery regarded her curiously. “What are you thinking?”

“A BMX doesn’t have a kickstand, right?”

Avery shook her head. “You thinking the handlebar grips?”

“If someone leaned a bike here, and it slid down the wall...” Colly mimed the action with her hands.

“I can check the photos for damage to the grips.”

“Good, good,” Colly murmured absently, staring at the ground.

“See something?”

“If Denny parked here, there might be other evidence.” Colly knelt and combed through the dense grass, thoughts of snakes forgotten. Avery dropped down beside her, and they searched for several minutes.

Colly sat back on her heels. “It was a long shot.” She checked her watch. Already on the verge of being late. She couldn’t leave Satchel standing at the curb, waiting and worrying, on his first day. “I need to head back.”

They made their way along the rear of the stand, Avery in the lead. After a few steps, she stopped so suddenly that Colly nearly ran into her. Avery pointed to something dull and red in the grass.

“Don’t touch. Let me look.” Colly stooped and parted the vegetation carefully. A bit of scarlet cloth, sun-faded and rotting, lay half-buried in the dirt.

“Get the camera,” she said. “And call Russ. We’ll need an evidence team.”

“What is it?”

“A baseball cap.”

As Avery rushed back to the cruiser, Colly stood and checked her watch again, then pulled out her phone.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” she whispered as it rang. Finally, to her relief, a familiar voice said, “Colly? Everything okay?”

---