Page 6 of Silent Road

Tommy frowned, scanning the scene."The temperature dropped dramatically overnight.Based on preliminary findings, he was killed before that happened, then posed while the body was still flexible."

"You're missing something important," Sheila said.

Tommy's confidence wavered.He looked at the body again, then at his phone."I don't..."

"The lift schedule," Sheila said."When did they stop running yesterday?"

"Five-thirty," Tommy said, then understanding dawned on his face."And Caffrey found him at dawn, around six-fifteen this morning.Which means..."

"The killer had to have a way up here after the lifts stopped.And a way back down in the dark."She studied the young officer."Always consider access and escape routes, Forster.They can tell you as much about your suspect as physical evidence."

"Getting up wouldn't be too hard with a snowmobile," Tommy said, thinking it through."But getting down..."He gazed across the darkened slopes."Can't use a snowmobile on these runs—too steep, too many obstacles."

"Exactly," Sheila said."So how did our killer manage it?"

"Ski down?"Tommy suggested."But that would take serious skill in the dark."

"And serious knowledge of the mountain," Sheila added."One wrong turn in the dark, you'd end up in a ravine."

"What about the service roads?"Tommy asked."Maintenance crews use them."

Sheila was about to reply, but just then she noticed something—a stain on the victim's jacket."What do you make of that?"She gestured at the small bloom of color coming through Greenwald's jacket.

"What is it?"Tommy asked."Blood?"

Sheila nodded."I think so.Could be a mortal wound.Maybe the killer covered it up afterward, wanted to hide it.We'll know more after the ME takes a look."

Michael Wright, the head of resort security, approached them.He was a tall man with a military bearing, his red jacket marking him as staff."Sheriff Stone?We've got Ms.Caffrey in the patrol shack if you want to speak with her."

Sheila nodded, but before she could respond, her phone buzzed.A text from Star:Heat's out again.Should I go to Mrs.Jacobs until they fix it?

The message brought a fresh wave of guilt.At fourteen years old, Star had experienced nothing but instability in her life so far.Her mother was out of the picture, and after Star's abusive father had thrown her out, Sheila had taken it upon herself to become Star's guardian.All of this had transpired within the past few months, so the change was still fresh.

Sheila, who had been teaching Star kickboxing before Star's home life came to a crisis, had known that becoming Star's guardian would mean taking an active role in the fourteen-year-old's life.But lately Sheila had been so caught up with work that it was difficult to just relax and hang out with Star.

Getting lost in her work was easier, too.She didn't have to deal with the complicated emotions that came with being at home with Star and Finn.She didn't have to deal with the nagging doubts about whether she was good enough for them, about whether she could create a real, cohesive family with them—so different from her own family, which had been fractured by the dual tragedies of her mother's murder and her sister's suicide.

"Everything okay?"Tommy asked, watching her with concern.

"Fine," Sheila said, perhaps too quickly."Let's talk to Caffrey."

As they walked toward the patrol shack, she found herself missing Finn's steady presence more than ever.He would have known exactly what she was thinking right now, would have already been making calls about the heat.Tommy's earnest enthusiasm was endearing, but it wasn't the same as having a partner who could read your mind.

Still, she had to admit the rookie showed promise.

The patrol shack perched on steel supports above the snow, a utilitarian box painted to match the resort's navy and gold color scheme.Inside, Rachel Caffrey sat hunched at a small table, her hands wrapped around a paper cup.She looked younger than Sheila had expected, her ski instructor's uniform crisp despite the morning's events.

"Ms.Caffrey," Sheila said."I'm Sheriff Stone.This is Officer Forster.How are you holding up?"

Rachel's hands tightened on the cup."I keep seeing him.Every time I close my eyes."

"Tell us what happened," Sheila said, taking the seat across from her while Tommy positioned himself by the door, notebook ready.

"I was doing my usual dawn run.I like to check conditions before my first lesson."Rachel took a shaky breath."At first I thought he was another early riser.But something felt wrong about how still he was."

"Did you recognize him?"Sheila asked.

"Not at first.Not until I got closer."Rachel pushed the cup away."But once I did...Bradley's been coming here for years.He was in my advanced clinic last season."

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