Page 32 of Scent of Death

“It was fall and not storming.” She glanced at him and shrugged. “Kendra, the youngest believes they were targeted on purpose. But even if that’s the case, it’s going on six years since they were killed. I highly doubt finding the remains will provide any answers.” She looked up at the sky overhead. “I hate to say it, but I think their deaths will remain a mystery.”

He nodded in agreement. He knew some cold cases were solved years after the crime had been committed, but those instances were few and far between. Advances in DNA had helped solve some of them, but that was because of the ability to use new technology.

“I’ve made peace with God over taking our parents,” Alexis said. “It helps to know they’re in heaven together.”

“Losing my wife two years ago was difficult.” He surprised himself by mentioning it. “And she was a believer, like you. But I can’t get over the fact that God took her from me. There’s no reason I should be here, while Grace is gone.”

Alexis lightly grasped his arm. “You’ll always miss your wife, Griff, the same way we’ll always miss our parents. But the truth is they’re in a better place. And if you accept Jesus into your heart and soul, you’ll see her again one day.”

He covered her hand with his for a moment, then stepped away. “I don’t know, Alexis. Maybe you’re right.” He paused near the cluster of trees where the K9s had alerted on the shell casing. There was a clear view from this hilltop to the burial site below. “There certainly is enough evil in the world.”

“Exactly, and Jesus is the light of hope.” She followed his gaze. “We should give Denali a break before we head down there.”

He shrugged out of the pack so she could access the water and collapsible dog bowl. Then she dug out what appeared to be a rectangle-shaped cookie. She offered it to Denali who eagerly chomped on it.

“Sweet potato dog treat,” Alexis explained. “Anna makes them.”

He stared down at the area below. Was it his imagination, or was there an area beyond the two gravesites that had been disturbed recently. Had the crime scene techs dug over there for some reason?

A chill snaked down his spine. Or had the killer returned?

“Alexis? We need Denali to search for napoo.”

“Why?” She followed his gaze. “Oh no. It looks like someone dug into the ground over there.”

“Could be nothing,” he said, although he didn’t believe it. “Maybe the crime scene techs set up a staging area there.”

Alexis looked pale but didn’t hesitate to kneel beside her dog. “Are you ready to search? Huh, girl? Search! Search napoo.”

Denali licked her chops to get the last crumbs of the cookie bone, then lowered her nose to the ground. He and Alexis followed the K9 down the slope to the grave site.

Griff hoped he was wrong. That the darker area of ground wasn’t a grave, but a staging site as he’d suggested. Alexis hung back, giving her K9 room to work. Denali didn’t make a beeline for the area in question but sniffed along the ground making a circle around the first grave site.

“Shouldn’t we go straight to that area?” he asked after a moment.

“No. If there’s a body there, Denali will find it.” Alexis’s gaze was glued to her K9. “It’s not smart to try to lead the dog to where I want to go. Better she does her thing.”

He tried to be patient, but his pulse kicked up as Denali made her way to the dark patch of earth. As they grew closer, it was clear his theory of a staging area was off the mark.

Denali went straight to the edge of the overturned earth, sniffed for a long moment, then sat and barked.

He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling sure the K9 had found Wendy Evers’s body. The idea of using the trail cameras to get a picture of this guy was too late.

8

Alexis felt sick to her stomach, imagining Wendy Evers being buried beneath the dirt. She forced herself to pull Denali’s pink piggy from the pack Griff carried. “Good girl, Denali! Good girl!” She tossed the piggy, then took several steps from the grave site.

They were too late. She blinked back tears. They’d done their best, Griff had followed up on the few leads they’d gotten, but that hadn’t been good enough.

And now that the killer had buried Wendy Evers here, she wasn’t sure he’d be back. Why would he?

Griff came over to stand beside her. “I’m sorry.”

She subtly swiped at her tears, then glanced up at him. “You don’t need to apologize to me. I feel bad about this too.”

“I failed Wendy Evers.” Griff’s expression reflected his regret. “We came too late.”

She hated to see him feeling so down. “Griff, if we hadn’t come up with the trail cam idea, we wouldn’t be here now.” She swallowed hard, then added, “I suspect it was too late to save Wendy anyway. The killer doesn’t strike me as the patient type.”

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