Page 28 of So Deranged

Faith squeezed Michael’s forearm and gave him a look.Raymond’s personality grated on her too, but he wasn’t their killer, and it wasn’t their job to instruct him on social niceties.

“Jesus,” Raymond said, slumping further.“I guess… I mean, I didn’t think much about it.I didn’t know how to…” He lifted his hands and gestured aimlessly.“I mean, amurder?Here?”

“Murders happen everywhere, unfortunately,” Faith said.

Although saying that that reminded her that they still didn’t actually know where their victims had been killed, only where they had been buried.They knew that Paul had been ambushed somewhere between his house and his friend’s house, but they didn’t know exactly where, and they didn’t know the circumstances of Kevin’s death at all.

She decided to release Raymond.He didn’t have anything useful to contribute, anyway.She stood and offered her hand, regretting it immediately when he gripped it with his own grease-laden paw.

“Thank you for your time, doctor,” she said.“If you think of anything, give us a call.”

“Yeah, definitely,” he replied.“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”He flinched slightly as he thought of something.“Hey, should we, uh… I mean, do you think we’re in danger?”

“Are you or anyone on your team veterans?”

“Veterans?Like military veterans?”

“Yes.”

He shook his head.“No.Is that who this killer’s targeting?”

“It’s a possibility,” Faith replied.Before Raymond could pry, she said, “If you don’t fit that bill, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Got it.Well, geez, what an asshole.”

“World’s full of ‘em.Have a nice day, doctor.”

The three agents returned to their car.Turk growled menacingly at a paper wasp that drifted a little too close but kept his paws and jaws to himself.The paper wasp sashayed in front of the dog as though daring him to do something, then sped off in search of food.

When they were in the car, Faith said, “We need to put together a solid timeline for Barnes.”

“We also need to get a list of people of interest,” Michael said.“Whoever committed these crimes had to at least have known where these dig sites were.”

“How about you start working on that when Cuthbert gets you his list?”Faith suggested.“I’ll see if I can dig into Barnes’s last hours.”

“Works for me.Should we find a place to stay in Danbury?”

“Yes.We don’t have any leads in Hancock right now, and I want to be nearby in case I find a lead on Barnes’s end.”

“Fair enough.Might get a nicer room, anyway, since this is a bigger town.”

She rolled her eyes.“Because that’s what’s important right now, Michael.”

He shrugged.“If we’re going to be doing tedious work, we might as well do it in a comfortable room.”

“Well, we probably aren’t going to spend much time in that room,” Faith said.“Once we have a lead, we’re out and about again.”

The SUV reached pavement and accelerated smoothly out of the park.The transition from a rough dirt road to smooth asphalt made Faith think that there was something to be said for comfort after all.

It was certainly important to their killer.He’d gone to great lengths to ensure that his victims were laid gently to rest.

But why?And why in old battlefields?

Elusive as the answer was, Faith was still convinced that was the most important question.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Mandy?Mandy, you’re order’s ready.Mandy!”

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