Noah took tentative steps forward until he had a clearer view of it. He, too, lowered his pistol. Turning to her, even in the low light, she could see that his face had paled. “This is the place, isn’t it?”
The helicopter noise subsided a bit as it circled wide, away from their current position.
Now Josie knew the source of the unease that had plagued her as they’d continued to forge through the woods. “Yes,” she said, the word nearly getting strangled in her throat.
From behind them, Luke’s voice sounded. “Everything okay?”
“Yes,” Josie called. “You two can come out.”
As Luke and Blue approached, Josie shone her light onto the Standing Man. “Rock formation,” she said.
Luke studied it for a long moment. Then his face went ashen, too. “Oh Josie. It was here, wasn’t it?”
She couldn’t talk so she simply nodded. Eight years earlier, she had solved the most famous case in Denton. That, too, had started out with a missing teenage girl, but it had ended in the discovery of one of the most prolific serial killer teams in history. The entire city had been shattered. Solving the case had come at great personal cost to Josie and many other people, including Luke, who had almost died and lost his spleen. She hadn’t been back to the mountain since the conclusion of the case. It had been too painful.
Luke said, “But I thought the city bulldozed this entire…” He broke off, not finding the right word.
In her mind, Josie filled it in:mass grave.
Noah said, “The city bought up all the property the remains were found on and tore down all the structures. They took everything, even some of the trees. Planted a field of flowers. That’s what we’ll find ahead. If Blue keeps heading in that direction.”
Josie could feel Luke’s eyes on her. “You gonna be okay?”
She thrust her chin forward. Inside, she gathered the old traumatic memories and pushed them deep into the mental box where her trauma from Mettner’s death lived. Nothing was going to get in her way of helping to find Kayleigh Patchett.
“I’m fine,” she said, surprised at how strong her voice sounded. “Let’s keep moving.”
Luke gave Blue a command and the dog resumed his long search. As Josie watched them go, she felt Noah’s hand on her shoulder. His touch sent an instant wave of comfort through her body. Some of the tension knotting her shoulder blades released. He pointed his flashlight ahead. “Let’s go.”
TEN
Moments later, they reached the field. The silver light of the moon illuminated rows of tulips, peonies, irises, geraniums, and wildflowers across the top of the mountain, dropping off where the land dipped back downward. Blue tromped right through them, undeterred by their heady scents. Soon the helicopter swept across, its spotlight bringing the colors of the flowers briefly into relief. Air pressed down on them, bending the stalks of the flowers. Then the helicopter circled away again. Josie had to admit, the field must be beautiful in the daytime. In a sense, they were on hallowed ground. So many young girls had rested here, lost and forgotten until the day Josie arrived. It was here that she had committed the final act of violence on this mountain.
She hoped.
As if reading her mind, across from her, Noah said, “Why here?”
She knew he didn’t expect an answer. She was glad when they crossed back into the tree line and began their descent.
“You think he walked her all this way?” Noah said. “We’re miles away from the Patchetts’ home.”
“Or she got away,” Josie said hopefully. “And she’s been running since.”
“She would have been found by now,” Noah said.
Luke and Blue had gained so much ground that Josie could barely make out the white of Luke’s shirt. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s catch up.”
She and Noah broke into a run. Josie kept the square of Luke’s back in view as they slid down an embankment. The rear of a small structure came into view. A log cabin. New. Josie quickly counted the windows at its rear, all small and above eye level. Luke and Blue jogged around to the front of it. Noah stopped, taking up position at the back, and waved Josie onward. Along the side of the cabin was a large blue tarp, covering some sort of object or objects. Josie got on the radio and alerted them to it, advising that she was going to look beneath it. She held her breath, wondering if she’d find Kayleigh’s body underneath. In one swift motion, she tore the tarp away. Her flashlight beam illuminated what looked like several car jacks, jack lifts, and some pieces of plywood. No body.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she radioed her findings and continued to the front of the cabin. It was well-lit by exterior spotlights. At the bottom of the steps leading to the front door, Blue sat patiently, looking back and forth from the door to Luke.
“He pulled toward the door,” said Luke.
The helicopter drew closer.
Josie spoke more loudly. “Did he alert?”
“He followed her scent toward the door but no, he didn’t alert.”