Page 15 of Shattered Sanctuary

“I’m not very particular,” Kaely said. “I care more about a soft bed than I do about the room’s decor.”

“Okay. I’ll lead the way.”

Kaely followed Erin upstairs and chose the bedroom at the other end of the hall. The bed was soft, and there was an electric blanket underneath the soft, down comforter. It had a fireplace, just like Erin’s, and a bathroom attached. The walls were painted a dusty blue and the comforter was cream colored with blue and cream accent pillows. It was restful and inviting. Besides spending time with Erin, Kaely wanted to relax—get a break from the treatments and the worries about getting pregnant. Although she was distressed to learn that a young woman had been murdered, the idea of profiling an UNSUB actually appealed to her. Although her first goal was to start a family, she missed working for the FBI. She’d spent several years working for the St. Louis field office after being transferred out of the BAU because of her father, a notorious serial killer. She missed her friends there, especially her boss, Special Agent in Charge Solomon Slattery. They stayed in touch by phone and online, but it wasn’t the same. She and Noah were making friends in Virginia, and that helped. They’d found a great church with wonderfulpeople. It would take some time, but she could tell that she and Noah were going to be happy there.

But for now, she not only had a chance to help Erin, she could also work a profile for the local police. Creating the profile of an unknown subject was like putting together a puzzle. The stakes were life and death, and the reward came when your profile helped authorities locate and arrest a criminal. It was incredibly satisfying. Of course, there was a downside. A terrible price that had to be paid if you chose to pursue a career in law enforcement. Only those on the inside truly understood what it was like to view horrific photos of victims and hear stories that couldn’t be repeated anywhere else. Most serial killings had a sexual aspect that the public never heard about.

At this point, Kaely was pretty sure the woman found in the woods hadn’t been molested by her killer. The white dress suggested purity. This wasn’t a sexual sadist. This killer would never molest someone he treated so carefully. Kaely felt that the angel figurine had something to do with his reason for killing. His anger wasn’t directed toward the woman. So, what did it mean? Did he think the angels were telling him to kill? That didn’t quite feel right. This crime scene was different. Kaely suspected that writing a profile wasn’t going to be easy. There was something odd about the scene and the message the killer had sent.

She’d just unpacked when she heard the doorbell ring downstairs. She checked out her reflection in the bathroom mirror and then headed down to where Erin waited. She was certain that dealing with the local police was a strain for Erin. She would most likely need a buffer. Kaely suspected Erin had developed agoraphobia. She barely ventured outof her apartment, so this trip was a great step in the right direction. She was convinced that the trust they’d built between them was the reason Erin was willing to meet her here—someplace out of her comfort zone.

“Are you expecting anyone?” she asked Erin when she joined her near the front door.

Erin shook her head. “Didn’t expect anyone earlier either. Now what?”

Kaely stayed close to Erin as she opened the door. A tall man with dark hair and striking hazel eyes stood there. It was clear by his expression that he was upset. His body language made it clear he was uptight and very uncomfortable. Why?

“Chief Nightingale,” Erin said, “this is my friend Kaely Quinn-Hunter.”

“Nice to meet you, Chief,” Kaely said, trying to fill the awkward silence.

The chief nodded at her. “I... I don’t quite know how to tell you this,” he said, after clearing his throat. “But there are more.... Bodies, that is. So far, we’ve found three of them.”

TWELVE

Erin looked at Kaely, who stared at the chief with her mouth open. Erin was pretty sure she knew what Kaely was thinking.Here we go again.

“Can you tell how long they’ve been there, Chief?” she asked.

“These are older,” he said slowly. “At least one is. All of them buried not far from the body we found this morning. But maybe they’re not connected.”

“Of course they’re connected,” Erin said sharply.

Kaely reached out and touched her friend’s arm.

“I... I’m sorry,” Erin said. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I didn’t mind helping you with the body this morning, but seriously? I was really hoping for time to relax. Not... this.”

“I’m sorry,” the chief said. “This isn’t your situation to worry about. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

“No, you were right to come here,” Kaely said gently. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Let me ask you a question, Chief. How long have you lived in this area?”

Chief Nightengale frowned. “A long time. Why?”

“Have you ever found bodies in the woods before?”

He frowned and shook his head. “No. Never.”

“So, you find one body lying on top of the ground and then uncover three more buried near the same location. What are the chances they’re not related?”

“I see your point. But why leave one body exposed and the others under the ground?”

Erin glanced at Kaely. She was pretty sure she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from Kaely.

“The other bodies were practice,” she said, echoing Erin’s suspicions. “He buried them because they weren’t right. Weren’t what he wanted. The one you found was perfect in his estimation. There will be more.”

The chief’s face turned pale. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” He shifted back and forth on his feet. “Look, I want to call the FBI in on this, but the mayor and the council won’t go for it. They’re not convinced the bodies we just discovered have anything to do with the woman we found this morning. They’re also afraid a large FBI presence would hurt the tourist trade. It’s stupid. This isn’t our busy season.”

“But if it gets out to the media, it could definitely impact the area for a while,” Kaely said. “Not that I agree with them. I don’t. I’m just trying to explain their reasoning.”

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