Page 31 of In Her Fears
Spelling absorbed this information with a grim nod.“When we spoke on the phone, Sheriff, you mentioned similarities to the Holbrook case.”
“Yes,” Jenna confirmed, steeling herself for skepticism.
"I'm not seeing it," Spelling said, his tone neutral rather than dismissive."Holbrook was found in a cemetery, staked through the heart while seated against a tree.This victim was strangled, then hanged in an abandoned building.Different MO, different staging, different locations."
For a moment, Jenna wondered what to say.She couldn’t mention her dream last night.But then there was the woman’s cryptic statement: “Find him, before he makes another masterpiece.”
Without a doubt, they were in the presence of that intended masterpiece right now.
“They’re both composed like works of art,” Jenna said quietly.
Something in Spelling’s expression shifted, a flash of recognition lighting his eyes.“Elaborate.”
“Both scenes were meticulously staged,” Jenna explained, gaining confidence as she organized her thoughts.“Holbrook, tied to the tree with the stake through his heart and the pentagram carved above him—that was like a scene from a gothic horror movie.And this...”She gestured toward where Alexis had hung.“This is different, but equally theatrical.Both victims were positioned to be found, to create maximum impact on whoever discovered them.”
“The killer wants an audience,” Jake added, following Jenna’s reasoning.
Spelling rubbed his chin, considering.“So we’re potentially looking at a serial killer who views murder as a form of…what…artistic expression?”
“That’s my working theory, yes,” Jenna confirmed.
“Would someone please tell me what you’re all talking about?”Melissa interjected, her frustration evident.“What Holbrook case?”
Spelling reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew his phone.After a few taps, he handed it to the coroner."Martin Holbrook, forty-three, was found in Pinecrest Cemetery exactly one month ago.”
Melissa studied the screen, her professional composure momentarily cracking as she took in the image of Holbrook’s body tied to the tree, the wooden stake protruding from his chest.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered, swiping through several photos before handing the phone back to Spelling.“And you think the same person did this?”
“It’s a working theory,” Spelling replied.“I called Sheriff Graves to Pinecrest when it happened, hoping she might see something we missed.”He glanced at Jenna.“Unfortunately, even her remarkable insights failed to produce a lead at that time.”
“Colonel,” Melissa said, her voice dropping slightly, “if Sheriff Graves is right about this, if we are dealing with a serial killer, we’re faced with the possibility that these two murders won’t be the end of it.”
“Agreed,” Spelling said grimly.“Sheriff, do you have any new insights now that we’ve potentially connected these cases?”
Jenna hesitated.What could she say?That a dead woman had warned her of what was about to happen, to no avail?That she’d been too slow to interpret the warning, too late to save Alexis?
“I believe the killer probably sees himself as an artist,” she said carefully.“These aren’t just murders to him—they’re creations.And artists rarely stop at one or two works.”
Before anyone could respond, Jenna’s phone rang.She checked the screen—Mike Donovan—and answered, putting it on speaker so the others could hear.
“Donovan, you’re on speaker with me, Deputy Hawkins, Colonel Spelling, and Dr.Stark.What have you got?”
“Sheriff,” Donovan’s voice came through clearly.“We found something near the Downey residence.Looks like there was a struggle in the crawlspace under a nearby vacant house.We’re bagging everything for evidence now.”
Jenna exchanged a glance with Jake, who nodded in silent agreement.“Good work, Donovan,” she said.“Keep us updated.”
The call ended with a click, leaving an uneasy silence in its wake.Jenna looked around at the others gathered in the dimly lit lodge.
“Why would this young woman go into a crawl space?”Jake wondered aloud.
“Some kind of bait or enticement, maybe,” Spelling said.
“If that’s what happened, we’re dealing with an especially cunning killer,” Jake said.
Spelling folded his arms across his chest, his expression grim.“Holbrook was killed on the last night of the full moon cycle last month,” he mused aloud.
“And last night was only the first of this month’s three full moon nights,” Jake added, frowning.
