Page 27 of Silent Past

"The beadwork patterns. They're complementary pieces meant to be worn together in certain ceremonies. Very rare, very old." He glanced toward the FBI teams. "I've already had three agents try to take custody of them."

"What else?"

"The preservation is remarkable. The cold, the mineral content in the cave—it's like he was placed there yesterday, not five years ago." Jin's sharp eyes met hers. "Sheriff, these caves... they're perfect for preservation. Like a natural freezer."

"A place to store bodies," Sheila said softly. "Keep them intact."

"Exactly." Jin pulled out his tablet, showing her photographs of Kane's robes. "But here's what interests me most—these aren't replicas. They're authentic pieces, probably museum quality. The kind of artifacts that never come up for sale."

"So where did our killer get them?"

Before Jin could answer, Walsh's voice cut through the darkness. "Dr. Jin? We need your preliminary report."

Jin gave Sheila an apologetic look before heading toward the federal command post. She watched him go, noting how quickly Walsh had co-opted every aspect of the investigation.

"Quite an operation they've got going."

Sheila turned to find Finn beside her, his breath visible in the cold air. He held two cups of coffee from the mobile command unit.

"Thanks." She took one of the cups, grateful for its warmth. "Any word from the search teams?"

"They're finding more passages than the old surveys showed. Whole sections that aren't on any map." He paused. "And signs of previous exploration. Old torch marks on the walls, worn paths in the limestone."

"How old?"

"That's the thing—some of them look ancient. Like, centuries old." Finn sipped his coffee. "The FBI's got archaeologists coming in to document everything."

Sheila watched another team of agents gear up for cave entry. They moved with military precision, checking equipment with practiced efficiency. Not typical FBI evidence technicians.

"Those aren't just federal agents," she said quietly.

Finn nodded. "I noticed. Their gear, their movements—they're some kind of tactical unit. Walsh brought in heavy hitters for this."

"The question is, why? What are they expecting to find down there?"

"Sheriff Stone?" A young FBI technician approached, tablet in hand. "Agent Walsh needs to speak with you."

Sheila found Walsh at the cave entrance, surrounded by monitoring equipment. Screens showed live feeds from cameras the teams were setting up underground.

"Sheriff." Walsh's tone was professional but carried an edge. "We need those case files on Kane's disappearance."

"Those files belong to my department."

"This is now a federal investigation. We need everything you have on both victims."

Sheila met the agent's gaze. "Kane was killed in my jurisdiction. Mitchell, too. That makes them my cases."

Walsh sighed wearily. "We've been over this. These murders involve protected artifacts and sacred sites, and that puts them firmly under federal jurisdiction." She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Don't make this difficult, Sheriff. You're out of your depth here."

"Am I? Or are you worried about what we'll find if we keep looking?" Sheila watched Walsh's expression carefully. "Two bodies, same killer, same burial ritual. How many more are down there, Agent Walsh? How long have you known about these caves?"

Something flickered in Walsh's eyes—anger, or perhaps fear. Before she could respond, shouts erupted from the cave entrance. One of the search teams was emerging, calling for assistance.

"We've got something!" an agent yelled. "Chamber C-7, north tunnel system!"

Walsh turned away from Sheila, already moving toward the commotion. "What did you find?"

The agent pulled off his protective hood, his face pale in the emergency lights. "Another chamber, bigger than the others. There are... markings on the walls. And signs of recent activity."

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