Page 60 of The Wolves Come at Night
She searched through his machine—what was left of the programming—until she found what she needed. The last thing he’d done before he set his systems to crash was send a single text.
She’s here.
The one person Marcello had reached out to in warning was the one she needed to find. Figures Marcello was in on it—at least her instincts were still intact. There was very little that passed Marcello Staley’s notice, and Game was a favorite of his. Always had been. Stray dogs manage to find one another, nip and bark and snarl until they find their place in the pack. Marcello was content to be the beta to the nasty alphas like Game, because he was the one in control of the shadows.
It was a shame that Game now knew where she was, and she’d remedy that immediately by getting the hell out of Virginia, but she had something he didn’t know. His phone number. She could track him now. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.
She copied down the number, wiped the keyboard, and stepped out into the carnage.
Burn it. Burn it to the ground.
It was the only way.
By the time the animals of the surrounding forest registered the fire and began to scatter, the true danger to them was long gone.
Thirty
Nashville
After hours of careful work, Donna finally waved Taylor over.
“I’m ready. We’ve prepped the grave, and have the grid built. It’s contaminated with the bones of the previous residents, so we’re going to have some disarticulated remains to put together. We’re going to remove the soil and screen it as we go, in case there’s something here we’re missing visually. When she’s free, we’ll move these remains to the west tarp, so the death investigators can get started, while I keep unearthing the rest. I’m assuming—well, hoping—that the original graves are still intact, because my ground-penetrating LIDAR shows multiple biologicals in this area. We’re going to run late. My team brought lights so we can keep working overnight, and we’re going to need guards on the site.”
“I’ve already taken care of it,” Taylor said. “We have patrols on their way. I’ve also documented your steps. Let’s do this. If I need to make another phone call to an already distraught mother, I want to get it over with.”
The bravado was just that, and Donna squeezed Taylor’s shoulder. “I understand. Let’s start.”
These moments were always anticlimactic. So much effort to find someone safe, only to discover their body. Now it was just about the positive identification, and the case would turn from search to murder investigation.
There was no sound but the wind in the trees and the steady metallic bite of the trowel through the earth, the whoosh of the dirt hitting the screens. The group stood watch while the body of the girl was unearthed, letting the soul free itself from its resting place.
Marcus came to stand beside Taylor, arms crossed on his chest.
“You’re quiet,” she whispered.
“Yeah. I guess…I thought we had a chance. To find her alive.” He shook his head, his hair flopping into his eyes. He brushed it back impatiently. “Have you ever thought about bailing on all this?”
She looked at him sharply. “Why do you ask?”
“So much death. It’s everywhere.”
“That’s what happens when you work Violent Crimes, pal.”
He knocked her in the shoulder. “You know what I mean. It’s becoming oppressive. Nothing feels right anymore. You’re not around. Price has that private security firm. Fitz is gone off on his damn boat and isn’t ever coming back. Sam’s moved to DC. Linc with a kid…even Renn and Hugh…I don’t know. Our team was important to me. Maybe I’d be better off doing something else.”
Now, this was interesting. She gestured, and they stepped farther away from the graves.
“If I tell you something, can you keep it to yourself?”
He nodded.
“I am seriously considering leaving Metro,” she said. “If I do, would you be interested in going with me? It’s a different kind of gig, but I sure would love to have someone I trust by my side.”
“You’re serious? You’re really thinking about leaving?” There was hope in his voice, and she nodded.
“I have an offer I don’t think I can refuse. And carte blanche to bring anyone I want. I would love to have you.”
“And Linc, Renn? You’re asking them, too?”
