Page 20 of Seeking Evil

In Zeke’s mind, Inez could have been an old-fashioned schoolteacher. She wore a buttoned-up blouse with polyester slacks. Her hair was gathered into a bun at the back of her head. Glasses hung from a chain around her neck. And her perfume seemed as dated as the interior of the place. She wore a gold wedding band on her left hand. He recalled that she and her husband ran the place. Zeke glanced around while wondering where the husband was now.

Cooper introduced them.

“Oh, dear. You must be here about Sierra. Sheriff Taylor called earlier. I checked her room. Everything’s still there. The same for Dawn.”

Zeke asked if they could see Sierra’s room. They’d need to do the same for Dawn, but right now all he could think about was Sierra.

“Of course.” She stepped behind the counter. “Excuse the mess. Terrance, my husband is usually the one who keeps things in order back here. He’s out on a run.” She rummaged through a pile of papers. “Terrance is a truck driver. Oh, there it is.” Inez brought out an actual key. “Here you go. Please return it when you’re finished. Do you need me to go with you?” She looked between them.

Zeke told her it wasn’t necessary. “We’d like to ask you some questions once we’ve finished.”

Inez nodded quickly. “I’d be happy to help any way I can. It’s awful what’s happened to Dawn and now Sierra. They are such good girls. Sierra’s cabin is around the corner, second one.”

“Thanks.” Zeke stepped outside along with Cooper. “We need to treat this as a possible crime scene.”

Cooper agreed. “Here.” He brought out gloves from his pocket. Cooper was always prepared. Hannah called him her Boy Scout.

“Got any booties in that pocket?” Zeke joked.

“Right here.” Cooper dove into his second pocket and brought out two sets of booties.

“I don’t know why I ever doubt you.” Once they reached Sierra’s room, Zeke gloved up and then slipped the key into the door. He dragged in a breath and braced for what he’d see.

Opening the door, Zeke went in first. The room was chaotic. Anyone who didn’t know Sierra might think something awful had happened here. But that was Sierra. She thrived in chaos.

“Looks like Hurricane Sierra’s been here,” Cooper joked to lighten the moment.

Zeke smiled. She’d gotten the nickname not only because of the mess, but because that’s how she dealt with cases. Like a hurricane approaching. Sweeping up everything in her way, Sierra got to the truth whether the perp wanted it or not.

“I’ll take the closet and bathroom,” Cooper told him and moved away.

Zeke needed a minute. He glanced around at the clothes hanging on the back of a chair. The bed—made by housekeeping—certainly not Sierra. Her suitcase lay open on the floor. Something caught his attention. Her laptop case. She must have her laptop with her.

“Cooper.”

Cooper turned from examining the empty closet. “What? You got something?”

He pointed to the empty laptop bag. “She has it with her. We can use it to track her location.” Unless it was turned off like her phone.

Cooper nodded. “Good thinking. I’m calling it in now.” He stepped outside while Zeke went over to the sweater draped over the chair. He’d gotten it for her after she’d admired it on one of their trips. He lifted it to his face. He loved that scent. Even though he’d given her a hard time about wearing something called Obsession, it would always remind him of her.

Stop it.

He was talking and thinking negatively. They’d get her back. He shifted through the suitcase. Nothing out of the ordinary.

He opened the drawer. An old Gideon Bible lay inside. After searching the rest of the cabin, he couldn’t find anything out of place.

Zeke stepped outside to where Cooper was speaking to their team.

He raised a brow as if to ask if Zeke had found anything.

Zeke shook his head.

“We’ll take a look through Dawn’s room next,” Cooper said. “First, I want to pick Inez’s brain. She seems to keep a close eye on what’s happening around the area. I’ll let you know if we find anything.” Cooper ended the call. “Let’s take the key back to Inez and have a talk with her.”

Zeke nodded, disappointed, that answers they so needed weren’t found in Sierra’s cabin.

“She probably had no idea she was being targeted,” Cooper told him.

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