Page 39 of Clear Path

Tripp spread his hands. “It’s just business. Of course, we’re trying to capitalize on her talent.”

“Even while she’s alone in the woods, possibly seriously injured?”

“That’s why we joined the search,” Lucas said, as if it were obvious. “We need to find her before something happens to her.”

“Or to make sure she’s not ever found. I imagine that would increase her market value even more, wouldn’t it?”

Tripp’s smile thinned into a line. “The idea never crossed my mind.”

“And for the record, your accusation is offensive,” Lucas added, a warning in his tone.

Bodhi held his gaze steadily. Lucas stepped closer.

From the other side of the clearing, Sadie cupped her hands around her mouth and called, “Break’s over. Gather ‘round.”

Lucas broke eye contact first and followed Tripp past Bodhi, making sure to knock into him with a shoulder as he passed.

26

GAP Mile 92.3, Between Clarksville and Union Hill

“Nobody enter the cave,” Diana commanded, taking charge of the scene like it was second nature, which it was. Despite her low vision, which was even more problematic at night, she was the experienced law enforcement officer. She had to lead.

The others assembled in a cluster at the cave’s entrance, headlamps creating a chaotic dance of light and shadow on the stone walls. Diana felt the familiar adrenaline surge that came with taking command of a crime scene—because that’s what this was until proven otherwise.

Bodhi stepped up beside her and aimed his headlamp at the ground. “This is where I found the blood,” he said, indicating the dark stain about ten feet inside the cave entrance.

As he adjusted his light, she heard his sharp intake of breath.

“What?” she asked, trying to make out what had caught his attention.

“Look,” he murmured, his voice barely audible.

She followed his finger to the ground but saw only wavy, indistinct shapes—blurred patches of light and darkness that refused to resolve into anything meaningful. She turned her head slightly, using her peripheral vision, but it didn’t help. The macular degeneration robbed her of the fine detail she needed, especially in low light.

“What?” she repeated forcefully, frustration edging her tone.

Bodhi leaned closer. “My headlamp has four light settings,” he explained as he clicked through them, “white light, red light, blue light, and ultraviolet light.”

“Okay, most headlamps have multiple light modes.”

“I accidentally clicked one too many times before. I selected the UV mode and the blood is fluorescing under the UV light.”

“But, how? You didn’t spray luminol or anything.” She knew that crime scene investigators used luminol because it interacted with blood to create a blue glow.

“Right, I didn’t. And this blood isn’t blue. It’s glowing a bright orangish-red.” He pitched his voice low.

“What does that mean?” Diana dropped her voice to match his near-whisper.

“It could indicate a medical condition called acute intermittent porphyria—AIP. It’s quite rare, but one characteristic is that the blood contains porphyrins that fluoresce under UV light.”

He waited while she processed this information.

After a moment, she asked, “You think Rory has this condition?”

“It’s a possibility. AIP can cause severe abdominal pain, confusion, and even seizures and convulsions in acute attacks. If she’s having an episode, combined with what may well be a head injury she could be confused, disoriented, or even delusional.”

“A head injury? What are you basing that on?”

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