Page 13 of Craving Sin (Touch of Evil 13)

“Yes, the locals knew of my disappointment in Lusa back then. The investigator was a friend, and he made sure certain details were kept from the press. My family was going through enough heartache, and I didn’t want them to be hounded day in and day out by the national media.” Toklo thinned his lips in annoyance. “I don’t know why any of that matters now. Jacob Walsh has confessed to killing my daughter, and we are finally going to be able to bring her home.”

“Governor Kalluk, I know Jacob Walsh better than anyone else on this planet. I’ve dedicated my life to profiling serial killers, and it is very rare for any of them to amend their signatures. To change their preferences in victims? I’ve never encountered it in my career,” Brook revealed truthfully. “Jacob only targets women who believe their lives are perfect. Such belief eats at him, and he can’t allow them to continue breathing the same air as him. What you’ve just shared with me makes Lusa the complete opposite of what Jacob looks for in his victims.”

“But that would mean…”

“Jacob Walsh didn’t kill your daughter.”

7

Sylvie Deering

June 2025

Wednesday — 7:16 am

The SUV's engine hummed smoothly, and the blowing heat from the vents was a welcome respite from the chilly morning air. Yesterday’s cloud coverage had dissipated, and despite it having been two hours since sunrise, the bright sun made it seem as if it was mid-afternoon. The sparse nighttime hours made it challenging to get any restful sleep.

Sylvie shifted in the passenger seat as she finished reading the amended draft of Brook’s profile regarding the unsub in Lusa Kalluk’s disappearance. What Brook had discovered last night from Toklo Kalluk cast doubt on Jacob’s involvement in the abduction. The comprehensive criminal profile had been a result of Brook’s insomnia, akin to the rest of the team last night.

Theo reached over and turned off the radio when a local news channel began discussing the former governor’s daughter. The media had already staked their claim in the hotel parking lot, eager for a scoop on the case. Due to the overeager bunch, Theo had made certain they weren’t followed on their drive from Blackpeak to Silverton.

“How are you holding up?”

“Same as you,” Sylvie countered in irritation before powering down her tablet. She grimaced when she noticed the small stain on her jeans from when a few drops of her morning tea had landed on the rough fabric. “Guilty. I feel guilty about a lot of things. And right now? I’m mad that I spilled some of my tea.”

Sylvie closed her eyes and slowly inhaled to maintain her composure.

“I’m alive. I’m breathing, and yet I’m upset because the tea left a stain.” Sylvie lifted her lashes before adjusting herself in the seat. She had worn a brown blazer to cover her firearm, and she was now wishing she had chosen a light sweater instead. “What I’m really upset about is the fact that I should have kept in touch with Kate more. I tried to think of the last time we spoke, and it had to be at least six months ago, around the holidays. And even then, it was only because Bit was on a video call with her.”

“You’ve had a lot going on.” While Theo made a valid point, his words also emphasized the need to stay connected with those in their lives. “That’s life, Sylvie. As hard as that is to accept, you can’t stop the world from moving on around you.”

“Kate doesn’thavea life anymore, does she?”

Sylvie’s throat constricted, and she had difficulty swallowing around the spasming muscles. She coughed to clear her airway. Once she had a grip on some semblance of serenity, she forced some of the tension out of her body by counting to ten. She hadn’t made it to the count of six before her phone chimed with an incoming call.

Derek’s name appeared on the display, and she quickly pressed the side button on her phone to send him to voicemail. She had left him a message about what had happened in Alaska, keeping it brief and direct. They weren’t together like Theo was with Mia, but Sylvie didn’t want to risk not warning him that his life could be at stake because of her.

The two of them had met for coffee twice.

He was…fascinating. Charming, articulate, and intelligent were also adjectives that she would apply to him. He had a way of making her feel seen. And that scared the hell out of her.

“I heard Brook speaking with Mr. Lin last night. She was in the connecting room, and I don’t know how she got through it. I could hear his…” Sylvie couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence. Needing something to ground her, she focused on the view in front of her. “The sign for Silverton is wrong. The population is closer to two hundred residents instead of three hundred. They survive based on the fishing charters, even though they are two miles away from the water. This is the only road that goes from the fishing pier to a larger city, much like the one connecting Blackpeak to Whittier.”

“Which means if Jacob was in the area back in 2014, he would have driven through Blackpeak.” Theo drummed his thumb on the steering wheel as he guided the SUV into town. There were a handful of storefronts, but the faded green shutters on all of them had seen better days. Almost every building housed family-owned businesses, except for the community bank and post office. “Under normal circumstances, eleven years is a very long time. But I have a feeling that these people don’t forget much.”

Silverton's isolation meant that many of its residents lived miles outside of town, scattered across sprawling properties like Mekhi Hale's. These residents valued their privacy. Theo was right. It would be hard to forget anyone who didn’t fit in.

“We know for a fact that Jacob worked with Mekhi a time or two back then. Mekhi all but admitted it, too.” Sylvie reached down for her purse, taking time to tuck her tablet safely inside. She then stored her purse behind Theo’s seat. With the tinted windows and the fact that the vehicle wouldn’t technically be out of their line of sight, she was comfortable leaving her belongings in the SUV. “We just need to get him to talk to us.”

Theo guided the SUV to a stop in front of the diner, shifting the gear into park. The display window had a small crack in the top right corner. The sign overhead wasn’t vintage so much as simply old and worn against a backdrop of peeling white paint. The hum of the engine faded after Theo turned the key in the ignition.

“According to Brook, Lusa didn’t fit Jacob’s criteria. If there is another unsub, and Jacob is only using Lusa Kalluk as an excuse to be back in Alaska, then we’re left with two separate investigations.”

“With both pointing directly at Mitch Norona.” Theo reached for the door handle. “It all seems wrapped up in a red bow. Too convenient, if you ask me.”

“Agreed,” Sylvie muttered as she opened the passenger side door. She stepped out into the morning sun, though the golden rays weren’t enough to take the chill out of the air. She waited for Theo to walk in front of the SUV to join her. “According to Brook’s profile, the unsub in Lusa’s disappearance is male, impulsive, and likely panicked at some point during the evening. A male subject would have had the physical means to transport and carry Lusa’s body somewhere else. The unsub would also have knowledge of the terrain.”

“Or know of someone with knowledge of the area,” Theo pointed out right as Sylvie’s phone chimed with an incoming text message. “Maybe Mitch killed Lusa Kalluk, and Jacob helped hide the body in exchange for representation should he ever need it.”

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