Page 6 of Scent of Death

As she followed Denali, Alexis couldn’t help thinking about the killer lurking nearby. She didn’t think he was still close, but what if he was? She could easily imagine him sitting high up somewhere, watching them through a rifle scope or binoculars.

What kind of man callously killed young girls?A sick one, she decided. A horribly sick man who didn’t value life.

Like the devil himself.

Someone called out, and she turned to see that the rest of the crime scene team had arrived. Griff hurried over to meet with the newcomers, no doubt filling them in on the most recent find.

She and Denali worked the area for a full hour with two rest breaks. Denali alerted on what appeared to be a small bone fragment. She wasn’t an expert, but she thought the bone could be part of a forearm. She showed it to Griff.

“Denali found this.”

He frowned. “Wendy hasn’t been gone long enough for this to belong to her.”

“Yeah, I know.” She turned the bone in her fingers. Did it come from her parents? Or maybe the pilot? She knew it wasn’t likely. An animal could have moved the bone fragment from one place to the other. The only way to know for sure was to have it tested for DNA. A process that would take weeks, if not months. She tucked it away to show Chase and Maya. She looked at Griff. “I don’t think there’s anyone else here. We’ve checked the entire field. I don’t see this guy burying a girl in the woods.”

He nodded. “I doubt that too. Thanks for trying. Hopefully, this means the most recent victim is still alive.”

She shivered despite the hot July sun. Even if the most recent victim, Wendy Evers, was still alive, she didn’t want to imagine what she might be suffering through while knowing how the torture would end.

With her death.

Griff still neededsolid confirmation that Alexis and Denali had uncovered the first two missing girls, he couldn’t simply base his suspicions on a tattoo similar to Josie Allen’s and a woman with dark hair like Megan Riley, but his gut told him they were standing in the middle of the serial killer’s burial ground.

Two victims so far, not three. But he was plagued by a sense of urgency to find Wendy Evers before it was too late.

He scanned the horizon, wondering if the guy was still out there. Doubtful, but as soon as more officers arrived on scene, he’d spread out to do a search.

And that gave him an idea.

“Alexis? Can Shane come out with Bryce to track the killer?” He kicked himself for not thinking of the possibility sooner. Then he hastily added, “Or one of the other Sullivans, whoever is available?”

“Everyone has been tied up with other cases, that’s why I decided to work alone today.” She shrugged. “I know Shane is in Laramie. Let me try Joel, he was helping someone local.” Alexis pulled out her phone, sighed, then tucked it away. “I’ll have to use the sat phone as this is a dead zone.”

Dead being the operative word, he thought grimly.

She rummaged in her backpack for the bulky sat phone. He listened as she made the call, giving the same detailed coordinates she’d provided for him. When she finished, she turned to face him. “Joel and his K9, Royal, will be here soon. Sounds like Logan just finished a charter and is willing to drop Joel and Royal off nearby.” She put a hand to her stomach. “They’re bringing food, too, not that I’m in the mood to eat.”

He wasn’t hungry either. Finding dead bodies tended to ruin a man’s appetite. Still, others may be interested in lunch. “That’s great news. I wish I had thought of it sooner.”

“Probably wouldn’t have mattered.” Alexis grimaced. “Summer is our busiest time of the year, and the siblings have been spread out across the country. I’m glad Joel and Royal got back in time to help.”

He nodded. “That’s good for us. Although from what I remember, Royal isn’t an attack dog like Bryce.”

The corner of her mouth tipped up in a smile. “No, but you’d be surprised. Royal might be a sweet black lab who is anxious to please, but he can be fierce if needed.” She glanced at Denali, and added, “All of our dogs can be protective in the face of a threat. Besides, Royal is a great tracker.”

Since he sensed that was true, he let it go. Although deep down, he knew this guy they were after was a vicious killer.

But considering the way he’d fired at Alexis from a safe distance, he might also be a coward. They’d know when they found him.

“What do you know about Wendy Evers?” Alexis asked.

“She’s nineteen and has been missing for two days.”Two long days, he thought somberly. “Her grandmother reported her missing late last night. I drove up from Cheyenne first thing this morning to interview her. Wendy works in a pub in Greybull. Two of the three victims worked at bars, but all in different cities. Josie Allen disappeared after working her shift at a bar in Casper, which as you know is a long way from here. Megan Riley is from Jackson.” He shook his head, battling a wave of frustration. “I don’t know how this guy is choosing his victims or why he’s traveling hundreds of miles to find them. Maybe he’s a trucker? Or has a job that requires a lot of travel?”

“I’m no expert, but what bothers me is that this guy might be escalating,” Alexis said thoughtfully. “Maybe he buried Josie here a week ago and then felt compelled to find the next girl sooner than usual.” Her blue eyes held his. “That could be why he grabbed her from a closer city like Greybull.”

It was a good point. One that made him feel as if they may already be too late to save Wendy Evers. Not that he’d stop trying to find her. “I’ll need to talk to some of my FBI colleagues.” Griff frowned. “Now that we have two dead girls, I need one of their profilers to get involved.”

“Agent Flannery!” He turned to glance over to where the crime scene techs were gathered around the gravesite where Denali had found the bloated hand. He quickly crossed over to join them.

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