Page 63 of Seeking Evil

Cooper approached, and he quickly stuffed the ring back into his pocket.

“Let’s roll.” Cooper tried to pretend to be this tough-as-nails guy, but Hannah had him wrapped around her finger. They’d gone through a lot. Hannah had been so afraid of dying after her heart transplant that she almost let the best thing to happen to her go.

Thankfully, she’d realized Cooper wanted to be with her. He’d take whatever time God gave them. He’d won her over and they’d gotten married soon afterward.

Zeke turned onto the road running in front of the Wind River Cabins and headed out of town.

“You think he’ll be watching for us?” Cooper asked as he settled into his seat.

“Maybe. I think we should set up back behind his place where we found the tow truck.”

“Hopefully, he’ll get nervous and lead us to Sierra and Dawn, and Lindsey.”

Zeke pulled off the road onto what could barely be called a trail, the one they’d taken previously. Once they reached the spot where the tow truck was parked, he edged as close as he dared to the woods behind Flannigan’s place.

“Let’s get out and see if we can get a better look.” Zeke killed the engine. He and Cooper headed toward the woods on foot.

“Maybe he has a secret place underground where he keeps them and their cars.” Cooper voiced his thoughts.

“I guess it’s possible. This is a big place, though.” Zeke remembered the Embalmer case. The killer had used an underground bunker to keep his victims. He’d stage them to reflect a slice of their previous lives selecting pieces of furniture and items he found from their homes. He’d created little spaces for them, where he visited and talked to them as if they were his family.

Cooper stopped once they reached the place where the trees thinned, and Flannigan’s hay pasture revealed bales of hay ready to be taken into the barn. He brought out a set of binoculars and scanned the property. “I see his car.” Cooper zeroed in on the house. “There’s movement inside.”

“Can you see what he’s up to?” Zeke moved closer to Cooper.

Cooper peered through the lenses. “No. There’s only one window I can see anything through. Looks like the kitchen.” He handed Zeke the binoculars.

Zeke spotted the window Cooper mentioned and focused. A kitchen table. Beyond the table a wall. He could see movement. Someone was in the kitchen. Eventually Flannigan came into view carrying a sandwich in one hand, a Bible in the other.

Zeke watched the man pray over his meager meal then dig into the Word of God. Taking in the whole praying and reading the Bible aspect, Zeke’s gut screamed they were on the wrong path.

He handed Cooper back the binoculars. “Either Flannigan is the most boring serial killer in the history of serial killers or he’s innocent.”

“You think he didn’t do it. What about the evidence against him?”

Zeke shook his head. “This is a small town. According to the diner owner, Flannigan ate there all the time. The chances of him running into Dawn were great. He probably saw Sierra as well.”

“Why lie about recognizing her?” Cooper seemed skeptical.

“He’s a doctor. He sees tons of patients at the office and the hospital. Maybe he actually didn’t remember that quick encounter at the diner.”

“And running into Lindsey at the gift shop?”

“The owner said Flannigan came into the shop all the time. I’m telling you, this isn’t our guy.”

“Then who? And don’t forget, the tow truck was found on his property.”

“The real killer probably hid it there knowing that Flannigan wasn’t here very often. He didn’t press charges against Florence and Irv and asked that the charges be dropped. This guy isn’t a killer.”

Cooper slowly came around to his position. “Then we have a whole new problem. If our doctor isn’t the suspect, then he’s still out there. Ready to strike again. We need to take a closer look at Terrance.”

Zeke agreed. So far, there’s been no contact from Inez’s husband. If it was Terrance, he now had three women held hostage. How long would he keep them alive?

Zeke didn’t want to think about that.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Do you hear that?” Sierra stopped long enough to listen.

---