Page 36 of Craving Sin (Touch of Evil 13)

Brook and the others knew that the two men were missing, and it was reasonable to suspect that one or both of them had a role in Lusa’s disappearance and Kate’s death. They had been each other’s alibi on the night in question, and no one had questioned their whereabouts two nights before when Kate had been killed.

The more time that passed without a word from them, Bit became increasingly concerned that they had left the area to pursue Brook and the others. Were Kavik and Nanuq trying to assist Jacob in escaping federal custody?

Bit’s phone rang as he walked toward the rental SUV.

Unfortunately, the call wasn’t from Sylvie or Theo.

“Reach out to Brook and Houser,” Nathaniel directed, forgoing any type of greeting. His voice was just as irritating over the phone as it was in person. “I want Norona to be read his rights and officially arrested.”

“You found something?”

“You might say that. We discovered a burner phone tucked beneath the mattress and box spring in his hotel room. While nothing has been found at his Baltimore residence or law office yet, the series of text messages on the burner clearly indicate he was in contact with the person who murdered Kate Lin.”

Bit wasn’t used to experiencing such intense anger. The strong emotion surged within him, making it difficult for him to respond to Nathaniel’s request. Since yesterday, Bit has struggled most with his resentment toward Kate for not calling him to verify whether Brook's email had been genuine. Kate had put her faith in a source and believed in the authenticity of the words.

He was mostly upset with himself for not anticipating such a terrible tactic.

It would have taken less than a minute to create a program that allowed email recipients to verify authenticity. A simple code could have prevented Kate’s death. As soon as they returned to D.C., his first stop would be the office. He planned to implement a program on each team member’s devices—a plugin designed to analyze every received message for signs of forgery or tampering. The algorithm would consider multiple factors and ultimately display a small tree icon to confirm credibility.

Bit had overheard Nathaniel mention that the unsub might have a lot of experience in technology, but that wasn’t the case. Anyone with access to the Internet could find directions on how to create an email address without revealing one’s location. Unfortunately, the instructions for the one used in Kate’s case had been shared to the public by someone very, very gifted.

“Did you try and trace the number associated with the text messages?”

“I’m not an amateur, Mr. Nowacki.”

“What was discussed between Slick Mitch and this other person?” Bit asked, ignoring the federal prosecutor’s irritation at being questioned about the chain of evidence. Bit could run circles around those working for the federal government when it came to anything tech-related. “Was Kate’s name literally mentioned in the messages?”

“Let’s just say that Norona wasn’t on board with the murder, but that decision had been taken out of his hands. He asked why the other party had escalated the situation by killing a federal agent. Norona then instructed the other party to make sure that nothing could lead back to them, and to also make sure everything else was in place. It’s the reason we need to get Brook and the others off that mountain. It’s clear that this is some type of ambush.”

“Bring me the phone.” Bit didn’t care if Nathaniel thought he was overstepping his bounds. Brook had put Bit in charge of their side of things while she was busy with Jacob. “I think I might know who has the other burner. It's a fifty-fifty toss-up between Kavik and Nanuq. There is even a chance they are in it together.”

“What are you talking about? What makes you say that?”

“We can't locate either of them,” Bit explained, his gaze sweeping over the area once more. He probably should have notified Nathaniel earlier, but he had gotten caught up in the search after touching base with Brook. “They have both up and disappeared.”

“I'm heading back there now,” Nathaniel said as his voice became somewhat more urgent. “In the meantime, alert Houser to place Norona officially under arrest. I want that man’s rights read to him.”

The satellite radio in his other hand came to life, prompting Bit to end his call with Nathaniel. Russell repeated the broadcast when Bit wasn’t sure he had heard the transmission correctly.

“The remains of Lusa Kalluk are inside an ice cave,” Russell disclosed again, his voice tight with concern. "Brook and Victor have gone inside, but Walsh is refusing to give the exact location. He wants to be the one to escort them the rest of the way.”

An ice cave with Jacob Walsh was about the last place Brook should be, and Bit was certain the team would agree. The three agents who had joined the group on the ground wouldn’t have visual, and there could be extreme dangers associated with unexplored natural ecosystems.

Brook is requesting immediate research on the ice cave formation. She needs to know how far it extends into the mountain, any documented passageways, and information about its structural stability—anything that might give them an advantage inside.

“Copy.” Bit released the side button before pressing it again to relay Nathaniel’s message. “Something turned up in Slick Mitch’s hotel room. He knew about Kate, and there is evidence that someone else is involved. You need to read him his rights and place him under arrest.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Bit switched from the radio to his cell phone. He attempted to reach Sylvie and Theo again, but neither of them answered his calls. How was he supposed to question the Kalluk family, search for two missing people, and dig up information on some ice cave in the middle of Alaska?

It didn’t help that his emotions were getting the best of him.

Bit pocketed his phone as he walked toward where he had parked the SUV. His sneakers were caked in mud from a damp area in the underbrush. The troopers and agents would continue combing the dense area while he did his best to multitask.

He was already creating a mental checklist of geological databases and topographical mapping system sites that he could access without any issues. Cave systems could be complex, featuring narrow passageways and dead ends. If Jacob planned to lead them into a trap, Brook needed to know all possible escape routes.

Nanuq's truck caught Bit’s attention as he passed it. Something about the bed of the pickup seemed off. Bit paused, circling back for a closer look. The truck's paint job was weathered, the blue faded to a grayish shade in places, with rust claiming the wheel wells. However, it wasn't the truck's condition that made him stop.

---