Page 139 of Three for a Girl

Chad squeezed her shoulder, and she closed her hand over his. “Who the hell would do that?”

“Sick people, that’s who.” Ally said.

“I’m gonna go check how the officers on the gate are.”

“Good idea.”

Faye moved away, using the trees to support her.

“Children?” Chad asked.

Ally nodded. “Come on. And this is one site, there’s another clearing further in.”

They walked into the trees to the first small clearing.

Chad looked down at the ash pile. There was a numbered marker beside it.

“Evidence of a fire.” Ally said. “That sticks odd though…”

“What stick?”

She crouched by the one he’d used to check the fire. Three feet long, the end was black from the ash.

“Looks like whoever it was poked about a bit.” She glanced up at him. “Probably checking all the big bits were gone.”

“Very thorough.”

“Yes,” she said, standing up. “They were.”

She led him through the trees. Cameras snapped, and clicked, voices murmured, and dogs barked. There were at least twenty officers all wearing the protective suits dotted about and four dogs on leashes, wagging their tails at their find.

One looked towards Chad, sniffing the air. It tugged on its leash, leading the dog handler closer. Chad licked his lips, subtly edging away, but the dog persisted until its nose pressed to the side of his leg.

“I’m still alive thank you very much.”

The handler laughed, tugging on the leash. “Sorry, he’s overexcited, that all.”

“Gets like Ally then.”

She smacked his arm, laughing.

The dog lost interest in his leg, and went away, still swaying its tail happily. Chad released a slow breath.

“Chad, I thought that was you.” The DI strode over. “I hope your session wasn’t cut short.”

Ally snorted, shaking her head.

“We rescheduled. Ally’s been getting me up to date.”

The DI nodded. “We’re photographing and documenting before we can exhume the remains. This will be a slow and delicate process.”

“How did you know they were here?”

“Someone called the station this morning, said he’d seen some fancy car going in and out of the base. He didn’t leave his name and we haven’t been able to trace his number.”

“A fancy car?”

Ally shrugged. “That’s what he said. He thought this land still belong to the military, and the person was breaking and entering.”

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