D E A D

O F

N I G H T

(A Kelsey Hawk Mystery—Book 7)

K a t e   B o l d

Kate Bold

Bestselling author Kate Bold is author of the ALEXA CHASE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); the ASHLEY HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); the CAMILLE GRACE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising eight books (and counting); the HARLEY COLE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising eleven books (and counting); the KAYLIE BROOKS PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); the EVE HOPE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising seven books (and counting); the DYLAN FIRST FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting);  the LAUREN LAMB FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); the KELSEY HAWK SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising nine books (and counting); the NORA PRICE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); the NINA VEIL FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising ten books (and counting); OF the BARREN PINES PSYCHOLIGICAL SUSPENSE series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the ADDISON SHINE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising seven books (and counting); and of the MAGGIE FLIGHT SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising seven books (and counting).

THE KILLING GAME (an Alexa Chase Suspense Thriller—Book #1), LET ME GO (an Ashley Hope Suspense Thriller—Book #1), and NOT ME (a Camille Grace FBI Suspense Thriller—Book #1) are available as free downloads on Amazon!

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Kate loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.kateboldauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

Copyright © 2024 by Kate Bold. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Jacket image Copyright Aydin Hassan, used under license from Shutterstock.com.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

The dryness of her throat was the first thing that Emily Parks felt as she woke. She smacked her lips together, licking them as she tried to open her eyes. It felt as if she was still in the middle of a deep dream, and her body was not able to fully wake. The second thing she felt was the deep ache in her lower back and hips at the hard ground below her.

When she was finally able to open her eyes, she looked up into the harsh blue sky—cloudless and pale. A large, lone, black bird circled in the azure above. Emily rubbed her forehead as the pain crept through it. It didn't come from a wound or laceration; it emanated from deep inside. As she licked her lips again, she recognized the signs of dehydration.

Emily sat up and took in the towering hoodoos around her. She’d seen them before; she’d photographed similar in her outings into the badlands, but not these particular ones. The tall column of layers of earth topped with petrified wood stood tall like a prison. She rubbed her head again as she tried to remember what she was doing out there. Emily looked around her for her camera, but it was not there.

She frowned when she saw a small backpack. Emily hesitantly picked it up, feeling a little weight. She unzipped it and looked in, finding a small bottle of water and a wrapped piece of pemmican—a dense bar of animal fat and berries. Emily quickly went for the water, only stopping to wonder where it had come from and if it was poisoned when she had downed half the bottle.

Stop, stop, stop!

Emily screwed the cap back on the bottle. She looked around again, feeling eyes on her. The bird above had gone, but she felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She was somewhere deep in the badlands, and so were wild animals. She would be easy pickings out there by herself.

Okay, take a moment and think this through. I have water and food. I must have been out here hiking and… did I stop to rest?

Emily rubbed her head again, trying to piece it all together. The backpack and contents were not hers. She knew of pemmican from stories of the indigenous tribes in North Dakota, but she had never made or consumed any. She had water and food—only, not very much.

I must have packed the food and water. I can't have been out here to photograph, or I would have had my camera on me. It wouldn’t matter what state I was in; I would not have lost my camera.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not remember how she had gotten into the badlands. The headache was lessening, but she knew in her soul that the danger was not gone.

Emily stood up, but it didn't help. Hoodoos and mesas surround her, blocking out any view of salvation. The dirt was so dry and crumbly that it was nearly impossible to climb the surrounding high points. She wanted to save her energy to try to get to the top of one of the cliffs overlooking the valleys when she could walk a little and find an easier route upwards. From the roads passing by or the town, the badlands look mostly flat with large cracks drawn across it. Those cracks were the valley that made up most of the trails, both those that were easily navigated and those where someone could become lost.

Emily took a deep breath and slung the backpack over her shoulder. Half a bottle of water was next to nothing in the harsh environment of the badlands.

I got myself out here. That means I can get myself back to wherever I came from.

Emily walked, trying to stay in the shadows as the sun beat down from a slight angle above. She was disorientated from waking with a headache, but she was not scared. Not yet. She didn't have time to be scared. She was only focused on getting to safety. The biggest danger was the sun. The second biggest danger was the wild animals, but they would likely look for easier targets if she remained upright and on foot—presenting a bigger challenge to coyotes, cougars, and bobcats.

It’s like a labyrinth!

Emily made her way through the winding valleys, constantly looking for a way up so she could survey the area and look for signs of life. If she could find a house or a road, she would be fine.

Emily suddenly stopped dead.

It was only the wind. It was only the wind.

It came again. The whispered sounds were so quiet that they sounded like a whistling breeze winding between the tall mounds of dirt.

"Will you find your way back?"

The words were hissed as if from a snake.

Emily felt the pain in her head again.

"It’s my imagination," she whispered to herself.

Still, she slowly turned around to check. All she wanted was to find a sign of life, but at that moment, she wished to be alone in the badlands.

Emily gasped when she saw him.

The figure was dressed in desert camo and stood in the shadows. His eyes pierced her like a dagger to the heart. He was slightly crouched as if waiting to pounce.

"Can you survive?" he hissed at her.

Before she could respond, the man stepped to the side and behind one of the hoodoos, disappearing from view.

Emily gasped again. She looked wildly around. Then, she turned and ran for her life.

CHAPTER ONE

Kelsey Hawk sat alone in the interrogation room in Quantico, her first time back to headquarters since surrendering herself to the FBI. She had spent the last two weeks in a small one-bedroom studio apartment that was locked from the outside. There were no windows, no doors except the sole entrance and exit, and no communication with the outside world. A small apartment to keep someone quiet until they could be dealt with.

Neither of the agents who had brought her to headquarters had said a word, nor had she asked anything of them. Kelsey knew better than that. They would be instructed not to talk to her. Only her superiors would have anything to say.

That was who she was meeting in the interrogation room—Frank Harper, the Deputy Director of the FBI and the second most powerful man in the organization.

Kelsey pushed a strand of her back hair behind her ear and considered her options. For the past two weeks, she’d had nothing to do but think. She thought about the people who had killed her family when she was ten, how her sister had been found alive when she thought she had died in the orchestrated home invasion, and how corruption ran deep in the FBI. She had thought about how she would be dealt with for her outbursts to the media—for what she still could reveal to the public. She didn't know what came next.

The door opened, and she quickly straightened in her chair.

Deputy Director Harper entered and closed the door behind him. He was tall and thin—not the sort of man who imposed his presence, but his character and years climbing the ranks within the FBI had garnered him respect. When he entered a room, those within stopped what they were doing to listen to what he had to say.

"You’ve made quite a name for yourself, Special Agent Hawk," Harper stated as he made his way slowly but purposefully to the desk. "Garnered quite a reputation."

"What do you mean?" Kelsey asked.

"We’ll get to that," Harper replied.

The Deputy Director sat down opposite Kelsey and placed a file down on the table.

"I want to see my sister," Kelsey stated. She had left her sister in the hospital, recovering from decades of being brainwashed and kept captive in an unlocked house and married to a man she never truly loved. Daily doses of drugs had kept Kelsey’s sister compliant.

The Deputy Director held up his hand. "That won’t happen."

"She needs me," Kelsey claimed. "I want to see her."

"I already told you that is not happening," the Deputy Director said.

Kelsey wanted to argue the point, but she knew the Deputy Director by reputation, and he was a man of his word. If he told her she would not see her sister, she believed him. All she had to do now was work out how to change his mind.

"Then I want to know why you are keeping me locked up without letting me know what the heck is going on," Kelsey said. "I haven’t asked for a lawyer, and I am prepared to face whatever I must face, but I will fight. I know you by reputation, and I am sure you know me. You know I won’t go down without a fight."

The Deputy Director held Kelsey’s gaze, and while he didn't glare at her or challenge her, she felt herself shrinking before him. There was no other person she had felt that from before, but he held her life in the palm of his hand.

"This is where we are at," the Deputy Director told her. "Special Agent in Charge Paul Granger has been put on temporary leave while we investigate the claims further, as have multiple other agents and supervisors from across the country. That is not an acknowledgment of guilt, only a precautionary measure until we conclude the investigation."

Kelsey felt some pride at the actions her superior had taken. She didn't think SAC Granger was totally corrupt, but he had gone along with some things, and he had made her life a misery at times. She did not like to get caught up in personal vendettas, but they had butted heads at every turn.

"Don't look so smug, Hawk," Harper ordered.

Kelsey was sure she hadn’t shown anything outwardly, but not much got past the Deputy Director.

"I’m not," Kelsey claimed. She really wasn’t. She was happy that something was being done, but she had also given her life to the department, and she knew it was a good organization with a couple of bad apples.

"This leaves us short in many areas of the country, and I don't need to tell you that we have limited resources as it is." Harper held up his hand again to stop Kelsey from responding. "I understand as much as you the need for this, and I take it seriously. To answer one of your questions: you have been placed in a secure location because I can't take the risk of you jeopardizing the investigation by talking to the press, and I don't want anyone coming after you."

"I can take care of myself, and I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the investigation, sir," Kelsey said.

"No?" Harper cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. "And if I were to look through your file, I wouldn’t find any evidence of you jeopardizing an investigation through your stubbornness and recklessness?"

"I like to think of it as proactiveness and calculated risks. My results speak for themselves."

"They do, but that doesn’t negate the risks you have taken. You are a good agent, Hawk, but you are far from the best we have. There are countless others who get similar results without putting themselves and others in danger."

"I do what I have to do to put people behind bars, sir," Kelsey countered.

The Deputy Director stared her down again, and Kelsey found herself shrinking. She shouldn’t be challenging the Deputy Director, but she had spent her life fighting against everyone, and it was hard to shake the habit. It was both a strength and a flaw. She was willing to do things that no one else was, and while others got similar results, she was not sure they got them as quickly.

Frank Harper tapped the front of the file before him. "As I said when I entered, you have made quite your name for yourself, Hawk."

It only came back to Kelsey at that moment that he had also called her Special Agent Hawk when he had entered. Technically, she was not a special agent anymore after turning herself into the FBI. She had a feeling that it would be explained with what he was about to say. She kept her mouth closed.

"They think it is the third victim, though they are unsure about the second—or the first. The timeline is still a little murky." Harper opened the file and pulled out a headshot of a young woman taken from her socials. "Emily Parks, thirty-one years old, was found in the badlands of North Dakota miles from nowhere. They are still not sure how long she was there before she was found—someone flying a drone spotted the body. She officially died of organ failure caused by dehydration, but there was more going on. You can get up to speed on it on the way there if you decide to take the case."

"If I decide?" Kelsey asked. "I have a choice this time?"

"Somewhat," Harper replied. He took the picture and placed it back in the file, closing the folder. "Pressure is coming down from the Director. He wants you on the case for damage control, and I am not sure it is a wise decision. It is ultimately on my recommendation whether you are sent out there or not, but if you refuse, we have contingencies in place."

"I want to see my sister first," Kelsey demanded.

"I won’t say it again, Hawk. There will be no initial contact with your sister. If you go out there and do your job, we will talk about access to your sister. This is an offer, not a negotiation."

Kelsey wanted to argue her case again, but she knew it would be futile. She had hoped for two weeks for an opportunity to see her sister again, and one had been presented to her. She had told herself she was done with the FBI, but she did have a history of breaking the rules.

"What are you so scared of?" Kelsey asked.

The Deputy Director gave Kelsey a wry smile. "The Sheriff out there believes they have a serial killer on their hands, and apparently, you have become somewhat notorious across the state. He called Sheriff Anderson to ask for your help on the case, and Sheriff Anderson called me. The Director would rather nobody knew where you were and why. The less known about the internal investigation, the more freely we can conduct it. He is willing to allow you to go back to North Dakota to aid the investigation, and in return, we will open a dialog about seeing your sister again. If you don't feel you want to, you will go back to the apartment for now."

"And if I decide to run this time?" Kelsey asked.

The Deputy Director nodded slowly. "It is a calculated risk. We believe you would rather leave your sister where she is to continue getting the help she needs, and I know you well enough to know how passionate you are about getting killers off the street. If you decide to run, then more people will be killed, and I don't believe you will allow that."

Kelsey wanted to smile at his words, but she held her emotion back. "If I agree to do this, what happens next?"

"You fly out this afternoon, and Deputy John Gallant will meet you at the airport to drive you out to the badlands."

Kelsey looked around the small room, considering her options. From the moment she had been offered access to her sister again, she knew she would agree to whatever terms were offered. She would do anything to be with Erica through her recovery. She didn't want to tip her hand and show her eagerness.

"If I do this, I get to see my sister again?" Kelsey confirmed.

"We open a dialog about it," Harper reminded. "That is the best we can do right now. It depends on how the case goes."

"So, I have to catch the killer to see my sister?" Kelsey asked.

"That will go some way to the FBI shopping leniency, but let me just say that being on your best behavior through the investigation won’t hurt either."

Kelsey felt like a child being scolded for breaking the rules, but she was willing to do whatever it took.

"Three bodies," Kelsey stated. "Three women?"

"Three women," Harper confirmed.

"I’ll help with the case, and when I catch the guy, I will see my sister again."

"Bring in another serial killer without causing any trouble, and you will be well on your way."

CHAPTER TWO

Kelsey felt a flutter in her stomach as the doors slid open, and she walked into the main area of the airport. She was back in North Dakota for the first time in a little over two weeks, and she had kept in contact with John on the flight. He would be there to pick her up.

She spotted him almost immediately. She was tall and broad, and when her eyes fell on him, he broke into a soft smile that warmed her heart. Part of that was because she had developed some feelings for him, but the other part was relief. She had not told him she would turn herself in to the FBI, and she was not sure how he would react on seeing her for the first time since then. She let out a breath to see him smile at her.

"Hey," John said as he approached.

"Hey," Kelsey replied.

They both awkwardly reached out with half-open arms and fell into an embrace. Once John wrapped his arms around her, she felt she was home again.

"It’s good to see you again," Kelsey said.

"I’m still angry at you," John replied while still holding onto her.

Kelsey didn't want the embrace to end. She didn't want to see the look on his face after what she had done to him. She knew it had been the right thing to turn herself in, and she also knew that if she had told John what she planned to do, he would not have let her, or he would have gone with her. It had all been for the best, even if he didn't feel the same.

For a brief moment, she lost herself in his warm, strong embrace, and everything was right with the world. Kelsey came crashing back to reality a few seconds later when the embrace ended.

"Come on, I have my car in the parking lot under the airport. The first thirty minutes is free," John said.

Kelsey walked beside John in silence. He walked upright and with some tension, a remnant of his time in the army. He never dressed overly formally, but he had a way of making his clothing look neat and pressed—another leftover from his time as a soldier.

Kelsey didn't have a chance to choose her outfit, so she was wearing a black pair of slacks and a tan shirt. Her hair was tied back into a tight ponytail.

"You changed your hair," Kelsey noted.

"It was getting hot, so I cut it shorter."

"It looks good," Kelsey noted.

"Thanks."

They exited the building and crossed the three-lane road for departures pickup, entering the parking lot. The air cooled inside the concrete building.

"I’m not sorry about what I did, but if it makes you feel any better, I do feel bad that I put you through that," Kelsey told John.

"I would have come with you," John said.

"And that would only have made things worse." Kelsey ran a hand through her hair. "This is the FBI and not small-town police."

"What do—" John started.

Kelsey placed a hand on his shoulder, and they both stopped to face one another.

"I don't mean that in a bad way. I love the way things work out here, but there was no getting out of it. They came for me, and they would have got me sooner or later. The best thing I could have done was to turn myself in. If you had come with me, it would only make them more suspicious of you, and you don't need someone watching you. You are a good guy."

"That still doesn’t make me feel any better about any of this. You talk about it not being like a small town, but then you get assigned to a case in exchange for seeing your sister again? Is that really how things work in the FBI?"

"They are protecting themselves." Kelsey became aware that her hand was still on John’s shoulder. He felt more muscular below his checked shirt than she remembered. She didn't remove her hand. "I’ve gotten more than I expected, and I get to come back here. It sounds like amateur hour, but it’s not. You have to trust me on that. The FBI is the best there is, and once they remove the weeds, it will make a difference. Working on this case is about getting justice, and it goes a long way to getting wide-sweeping justice across the department."

"Will he come after you? Your old boss?" John asked.

There was a concern in his voice that made Kelsey smile. "I have nothing to worry about with you by my side." That was true, but she also knew she could handle herself if it came to that.

John smiled again, the same soft smile she had seen earlier. Kelsey didn't take her hand from his shoulder immediately. She could still see the frustration in his eyes, but it was concern and not anger. He wanted to help her but was unable to.

"It is good to be back—not the best circumstances—but good to be back home all the same." Kelsey finally took her hand from John.

"Well, welcome home," John said.

Kelsey nodded. She had never thought North Dakota would ever feel like home after spending most of her life in the big city, but it was home to her now. It was more about the people than the place, especially now that her sister was in Winchburgh. John was a big part of that, too.

"Should we get on the road?" Kelsey asked. "We still have some distance to cover."

"Right over here." John led the way to his vehicle.

"How have you been over the last couple of weeks?" Kelsey asked once they were both in the car. "Except for worrying needlessly about me."

John smiled as he pulled out of the airport parking lot. "It’s been pretty quiet back home without you. Seems like trouble follows you around, or you follow trouble."

"It always has, and I think it always will," Kelsey said. "Don't get too close." Kelsey swallowed quickly. "I mean… well, you know what I mean."

"I do," John confirmed.

He had a slight cadence in his voice as he spoke, which brought another flutter to her stomach.

"What's been going on with you in my absence?" Kelsey asked. "Not getting into too much trouble, I hope."

"In Winchburgh?" John chuckled before becoming more serious. "I was around at Samantha’s place last night. Our place, I guess. It’s not really my place anymore, but it still feels like it. Kimberly is doing well. It’s hard not living with my daughter anymore, but Samantha is happy for me to see her whenever I need to. All in all, everything is amicable. It’s still just all…" John rubbed his ear as he thought about it. "It’s all still a bit surreal. I know it is over between me and Samantha, but I haven’t fully accepted that yet. I guess I need a little more time to process it. Having you back helps."

Kelsey didn't know what to say to that, so she remained quiet in the passenger seat. John had been there a lot for her as she had transitioned to being in North Dakota, and she enjoyed returning the favor.

They left the city behind, driving the highway toward the badlands.

"I was just with Erica before I drove out here to pick you up," John said.

Kelsey quickly looked toward the window as tears came to her eyes. "Yeah? How is she?" Kelsey quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. It had taken everything she had not to ditch John and go straight to Winchburgh instead. The only thing she wanted was to see her sister but to see her now meant jeopardizing everything.

"She’s getting there," John said. "There have been good times and bad, but she is slowly recovering. I know she misses you."

"Yeah," Kelsey managed, still staring out the side window. "I miss her, too. I’ll see her as soon as we are done out west." Kelsey had a lot more she wanted to say but stifled her feelings instead, not wanting to show any weakness.

John didn't add any more to the conversation or ask Kelsey any other questions. They sat in silence together as the green slowly turned to a sandy grey with patches of grass and trees.

Kelsey composed herself and looked ahead again in time to see a deep valley emerge to their left. One minute, there was long pale green grass, and the next, the greenery dropped away into sandy valleys. Layers of brown, gray, and orange were visible on the large hoodoos and mesas visible in the deep valley. It was as if they had entered a portal and traveled to a distant world. Kelsey had to look in the wing mirror to see the green behind them.

The mesas made up the bulk of the badlands. Large flat-topped plateaus gave the impression from a distance that the badlands were flat, but on closer inspection, the shop cliff faces that ran down the sides of the mesas were seen. They were wide, much wider than the hoodoos dotted about the landscape, and many people hooked across them instead of delving down into the valleys and canyons that could become a maze at night.

Rusty reds and pale yellows colored the tops of the mesas, creating a tableau not seen in many flat areas that mostly contained farmland or towns. Some greens could be seen as vegetation clung to the tops of sides of the mesas, but life was sparse in the rugged, barren land.

Ten minutes after entering the badlands, they saw three official-looking vehicles parked by the side of the road. John pulled his black truck in behind them, and he and Kelsey exited the vehicle.

A young officer with dark brown eyes and a tanned complexion strode toward them. "Special Agent Hawk? Deputy Gallant?"

John nodded.

"Right over here," the officer said. "I’ll take you out there." He led them to an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) with one seat facing forward and two on the back facing behind.

The officer took up the driving position while John and Kelsey sat at the rear. The officer slowly took them down into the valley before increasing his speed. They drove for a long time, and Kelsey could only think about the distance. They were on their way to see where the body was found, and whoever was investigating the case would have chosen the closest access point. The woman who was killed must have been found in the middle of nowhere.

After some time, they passed two officers who were walking through the valley, looking at the ground. The pale earth surrounded them in formations on all sides, enclosing them and blocking their view of the real world. It didn't feel like the real world in the valleys of the badlands. Something caused it to feel removed from reality.

The hoodoos were the most striking natural formation in the badlands. Tall, thin spires of rock rose from the gourd, often twisting into eerie shapes, casting frightening shadows at night but breathtaking during the day. Millions of years of erosion had shaped them, the soft sedimentary rocks stripped away to leave tall, sometimes perilous structures topped by hard stone that provided some shelter to the softer materials below. The locals often compared them to mushrooms, with the top often being wider than the immediate earth below. The hoodoos closest to them were pale and sandy, but a few in the distance caught Kelsey’s eye—bright reds and brows created by the minerals in the rock.

Markers littered the ground in places, numbered white pieces of card to mark where evidence had been found. They passed a couple more officers searching the valley, and then they reached the hub of activity. The officer slowed then stopped the vehicle. As they alighted the ATV, a plain-clothes woman wearing a cowboy hat approached them.

"Deputy Sheriff Hunt," she said, extending her hand. "I’m presuming you are Special Agent Hawk and Deputy Sheriff Gallant."

"We are," Kelsey said, shaking her hand.

John shook her hand, too. "Always welcome to meet another deputy. What can you tell us so far?"

"She was found here," the deputy said, moving her arms around to indicate the immediate area. You will have come along some of the route she took on the way here. We’ve traced some of her footsteps but haven’t yet found where she entered the badlands. Some blood spots suggest she fell at points, but other, um, wounds suggest she was attacked."

"Wild animals?" John asked.

"Maybe, or… they are still finalizing the forensic report. She walked a long way, and she was in rough shape when she was found. Dead at the scene for at least a few hours, maybe a few days."

"And you think she is the third victim?" Kelsey asked.

"We don't know for sure. The Sheriff is still connecting the dots, but we could sure use your help on that. We sure could use your help on a lot of stuff. Everything we found here will be in the Sheriff’s report. You didn't need to come all the way down here."

"We didn't, but I find it helps get into the head of the killer. This could easily be treated as an accident, but you are sure you have a killer on your hands," Kelsey said. "Why?"

"I…," the Deputy started. "Sheriff Lute asked that you visit him in town as soon as possible. There are some things in the forensic report that don't make total sense to us. I think you should take a look at it yourself and see if you can make sense of it. There’s no connection between the three dead women yet, but it feels like one person did this. I can't say why, but I think we have a serial killer in our area."

Kelsey nodded. She respected someone who took into account their hunches and feelings as well as the evidence.

"I don't think we need to see anything else here," Kelsey said. "I want to see the forensic and the case files and decide if we are dealing with a serial killer."

CHAPTER THREE

"Please come in," Sheriff Lute said.

He was a stout man, and while he had a large gut, he also looked like a man who was strong and active. He had a slightly tanned complexion, small eyes, and a strong chin. He wore a cowboy hat, just like his deputy, and he took it off and hung it on a hook on the wall as Kelsey and John entered.

"I can't thank you enough for coming," the Sheriff said, reaching out his hand to shake Kelsey’s. The Sheriff looked at John and saw the slight smile on his face. "You, too, of course."

"I come as part of the package," John said.

"Well, that is just not true," Kelsey said. "We make a pretty good team."

"Well, I sure am glad to have both of you here," the Sheriff said. "We haven’t ever dealt with something like this, and I hoped beyond hope that when I called Sheriff Anderson, you would be available. The two of you."

"Then it was a good thing we didn't have a case to work on," Kelsey said, omitting the fact that she had been holed up in a small apartment under a house arrest of sorts by the FBI. "We are happy to help in any way we can."

Sheriff Lute sat down behind his desk and pulled a handkerchief from his shirt pocket to wipe his brow. Kelsey could see the fear behind his eyes. Not the fear of having a killer in their midst, but a fear they wouldn’t catch him.

"Your Deputy suggested that the three recent dead women are connected in some way," Kelsey said as she sat opposite the Sheriff.

John joined them, sitting on the chair beside her.

"If there is one thing I have learned over the past years, it’s to trust Nina’s hunches. That woman can smell trouble," the Sheriff said.

"Okay, bring us up to speed," Kelsey said. "Who was the first victim?"

"Mariana Lopez, we believe," the Sheriff said. He rifled through a stack of files and pulled out one, sliding it across to Kelsey. It had Mariana’s name on the front. "She was a grad student, and we received a call from one of her professors a month or so back asking about her. She was supposed to meet with him but never turned up. We checked her apartment and asked a few friends in town, but no one had seen her. It wasn’t until a week after she was reported missing that she was found in the badlands by a small group of hikers."

The Sheriff went to the wall of his office and pulled down the map of the badlands pinned to the wall. He placed it on his table and smoothed it out with his hand. There were three circled X’s on it. He pointed to one of them.

"This is where she was found. She was brought back to town, and forensics showed she died of dehydration. There were no other injuries, and nothing was found on her. She was a geology grad student, and it was assumed she had gone out there for samples or to photograph the rock formations or something like that. It was treated as an accident until the second body was found. Even then, we thought it was a coincidence at the time. All except for Deputy Hunt."

"Because of the location," Kelsey said, scanning the map.

The Sheriff looked up with a small smile on his face. "You have the same look in your eyes as she did. Yeah, the location. Too far from any access points to be in that location without camping gear and supplies."

"And I presume you didn't find an ATV in the area," John noted.

"No, nothing," the Sheriff replied.

"Then we assume she was taken out there into the middle of nowhere and left to die," John said. "How about tracks? Someone who owns an ATV?"

"That might just be the entire town," the Sheriff confirmed. "It’s pretty common for people to take their ATVs down to the valleys and ride through them."

"But she wasn’t found for a week?" John asked.

"The badlands are vast," the Sheriff confirmed. "And they are somewhat of a labyrinth. There are some established tracks, and people mostly stay to them. Wouldn’t be hard to dump a person where no one would ever find them."

"But he dumped her alive," Kelsey said. "Did he want to give her a chance of survival? He wants her to die, but not by his own hand? Was she found with any supplies?"

"No, nothing," the Sheriff replied. "She wasn’t even wearing the best shoes for the terrain."

"And no way of tracking any ATV trails from where she was found?" John asked.

"No." Sheriff Lute shook his head. "We don't know where she was initially dumped, only where she was found. And there are so many ATV tracks down there that it is hard to know what to follow. The only thing we are reasonably sure of is that she was dumped in the badlands sometime during the week, likely near the start of the week. Lots of folk go down on the weekend, but not as many through the week. Everyone is working."

"Okay, so she was taken to the badlands and dumped there. She presumably tried to make her way out but succumbed to dehydration… and exhaustion, by the looks of the forensic file," Kelsey said.

The Sheriff rubbed his head and nodded. "It doesn’t take long out there. What a way to go."

"And the other two are the same?" Kelsey asked.

"Similar, but not quite," the Sheriff said. He went through the pile again and handed Kelsey two more files.

One said ‘Sarah Jennings’ and the other said ‘Emily Parks.’ Kelsey handed the Sarah Jennings file to John and kept the other file for herself, opening it and going through it.

"Sarah Jennings was found by a local guy flying his drone across the badlands for stock footage," John said. "He sells it to some websites. I don't really know how it works. That was two weeks ago. Emily Parks was found by a local teacher leading a class of eighth graders on a wilderness walk. Identifying cacti and snakes and stuff. I’m just glad none of the kids saw the body. The worst part is that Emily Parks was close to a regular hiking trail before she died. If she had made it there, she might have gotten out."

"I don't think so," Kelsey said. She scanned the forensic file again before swapping files with John, taking a look at Sarah Jennings's forensics. "I think he is evolving his style."

Sheriff Lute looked more afraid than he had initially been. This was all new ground for him. "What do you mean?"

"Mariana Lopez was the first victim," Kelsey replied. "She was taken out into the badlands, left with nothing, and she died of dehydration and exhaustion. I don't think she was alone out there. The killer is someone who wanted their victim to die, and they must know the badlands are somewhat explored. Even if he took them to a secluded spot, he would want to know they died. I think he remained out there with them, watching them until he was sure."

"That’s… I don’t… how do you know?" the Sheriff asked.

"My gut and the evidence from the forensics on the second two women," Kelsey said. "Deputy Hunt was correct in saying that it was interesting reading. Sarah Jennings has a lot of superficial bruising and cuts. It looks like she hurt herself falling multiple times. Maybe she was trying to get to higher ground to see where she was, or maybe she was running from something. Or someone. She has far too many injuries for it to be clumsiness or survival. It seems like she was scared—like she was running for her life. I think the killer was out there with her and made himself known. He remained in the shadows for the first victim, but he couldn’t help himself for the second."

"Or the third," John added, running his finger down the forensic report for Emily Parks. "She was cut with a blade. The lacerations are too clean for it to be a rock or something else. She has similar cuts and bruises to Sarah Jennings, but the clean lacerations are new. He hunted them, didn't he?"

"Yeah, I think so," Kelsey agreed.

"Geez," the Sheriff said, running his hand through his thick hair and then retrieving his handkerchief again to wipe away the sweat from his brow. "What are we dealing with here?"

"A serial killer who likes to toy with his victims," Kelsey said.

The Sheriff tried to compose himself, but the color drained from his face.

"Maybe Mariana was a test subject; maybe he is growing bolder over time; it could be part of a bigger plan, or maybe he is evolving his methods on the fly." Kelsey flicked through the file. "I see in the file that the third woman had food and water. She wouldn’t have been left with her own belongings out there. He gave her the food and water to prolong the experience. Not enough for her to survive for long, but enough to keep her going a little longer."

"He’s the predator, and she was the prey," John confirmed.

Sheriff Lute could only shake his head.

"It’s horrible, but it makes sense," Kelsey agreed. "And if his methods are evolving, then he will kill again. He hunts them twice—the second time in the badlands, but the first in and around the town. All three women were from the area, weren’t they?"

"Yeah, they were," the Sheriff confirmed, his voice cracking a little as he spoke.

"That means we are looking for someone local or someone who has been here for at least a month or two. We are also reasonably sure he has an ATV," Kelsey stated.

The Sheriff let out a loud sigh. "That doesn’t narrow it down much. As I said, almost everyone has an ATV, and we rely heavily on tourism. People come from all around to see the badlands, and some stay for a while. And those who do, buy, borrow, or rent ATVs. Heck, it could be someone making multiple visits. It could be anyone in town. And with tens of thousands of acres of valleys out there, who knows how many more bodies are out there and if we will even find them. He could be out there right now, and—"

"Okay," John said firmly, raising his hand. "I know this is a lot to take in, but we follow what we have and try to piece this together. I don't want to make any promises, but if anyone will find them, it is Special Agent Hawk. The best thing you can do is keep calm, keep the town calm, and cooperate in any way you are asked, okay?"

The Sheriff quickly nodded and then stared at Kelsey.

"Where are we with next of kin?" Kelsey asked.

"All three women were not native to Doret. They all grew up somewhere else and moved here. Most people who grow up here want to leave, and most people who grow up somewhere else want to come here. The first two victims’ families have been notified, and Emily Park’s family will be notified soon. No family in town for any of the women."

"You spoke to friends of the first two victims? Interviewed them?" Kelsey asked.

The Sheriff nodded.

"And spoke to those who found the bodies?" Kelsey continued.

"All the statements are in the files," the Sheriff confirmed. "Including the teacher who found Emily Parks. Do you think it could be one of them?"

"Unlikely," Kelsey said. "If the killer wanted the bodies to be found, he would have chosen different areas. He would have displayed them. He doesn’t care about the death as much as what leads up to the death. He wants them to suffer in some way, to be challenged. He killed three women in the same way, even if they were slightly different in each case. He gains something from watching them die in the badlands. We only have to figure out what that is."

"And how do we do that?" Sheriff Lute asked.

"We talk to Becky Lindt," Deputy Hunt stated.

Kelsey and John turned to look at the doorway—Deputy Hunt stood there.

"Word gets around quickly in a small town like this. She pretty much flagged down my patrol car on the way back into town. She must have heard from somewhere, and I thought it best to confirm it before she had it confirmed by anyone else. She fled in tears when I told her Emily was deceased." The Deputy rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"What else?" Kelsey asked, sensing something.

"I don't know." Nina tightened her lips. "She looked scared. Like she knew something about it. I would have gone after her, but I wanted to defer to you first. I thought you might want to talk with her."

"I think that’s a great place to start," Kelsey said. "We’ll go over there now."

CHAPTER FOUR

Kelsey sat in the passenger seat of John’s truck as they made the short drive to Becky Lindt’s house. They took it slow, taking in some of the town as they drove and giving her time to get home before they arrived.

"There’s not much else in here yet," Kelsey said. "Nothing to connect the three women at all. They were all found in different areas of the badlands, and it was as if he had chosen the locations at random. They are off the main trails, as Sheriff Lute said. The only prerequisite he seems to have is quiet and far from safety. He must drive them out there, but with so many established trails and the dust stirred by the wind, the tracks soon vanish. I get the impression he is a local more than a visitor. He knows what he is doing and where to go. He is killing over a period of time—he can take his time. The ATV angle won’t give us much, but we can cross-reference that with people who know what they are doing in the badlands. If he is out there with them, he is living out there for a day or two. He won’t be camping out there—it’s too risky—but he will be able to survive on little sleep and with only what he carries. Maybe that gives us something."

"How about the guy with the drone?" John asked. "Could we have him scour the area for us? See if he can find any other bodies?"

"Maybe," Kelsey replied. "I’ll talk to Sheriff Lute and ask him to talk to the guy. I don't like involving a civilian, but if it helps us catch the killer quicker, then it’s only a good thing."

Especially if it gets me closer to my sister.

Kelsey touched the phone in her pocket. She wanted to call her sister and talk with her, but it felt like something that should be done in private, not when they were in the middle of an investigation. As soon as she got some downtime, she would make the call.

"Hey, stop," Kelsey said.

John pulled over immediately. "What? Did you see someone?"

"I saw that bagel place," Kelsey said. "I don't know about you, but I’m starving."

"Now you come to mention it, I could eat something," John replied. "You want me to go in?"

"I’ll go," Kelsey said. "You want a coffee, too?"

"Oh, yeah," John enthused.

Kelsey exited the vehicle and went into the quiet bagel store. She ordered bagels and coffee, taking in the other customers as she waited. The stop was partly about getting food but also about gauging the feel of the town. It was only a small snapshot, but she got a sense of the bigger picture. The first death would have been a tragedy, but as soon as it was connected to the second, the mood in the town would have changed. News of the third victim would be getting around—they had a serial killer.

No one in the bagel store would know who Kelsey was yet. They would over time.

There were not many people to go on, but she could sense the apprehension and fear. It was a tourist town, a town of outsiders, but there would still be a collective community. And the collective community would be wondering who would be next. Knowing what the people felt would help her guide Sheriff Lute in handling public relations.

"Two cream cheese bagels and two coffees?"

Kelsey smiled and thanked the server. She took the bag and coffee and headed back to the truck.

She and John both ate the bagels before arriving at Becky’s house, drinking some of their coffee. They left the disposable cups in the truck and approached the house. Kelsey caught someone looking out at them through the front window, and they quickly ducked back when Kelsey looked.

John knocked on the door, foregoing the doorbell. There were a few beats before it was answered.

"Becky Lindt?" John asked.

"Um, yes, who’s asking?" Becky’s voice was meek and mousy. Her eyes were red from crying.

"Deputy Sheriff Gallant," John said.

Kelsey showed her badge. "Special Agent Kelsey Hawk. We were told you had the news about Emily Parks broken to you already."

"Um, yes," Becky replied. "I still can't believe it."

Kelsey saw a flash of something behind her eyes—the same look the Deputy Sheriff had detected.

"Do you mind if we come in?" Kelsey asked.

Becky hesitated a moment, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Um, yes, of course." She looked around as if she was being watched. "Yes, come in."

John and Kelsey followed Becky into her small home. There were a couple of paintings on the wall, the sort that gave the impression they were from a local artist or an emerging one—the paintings were abstract in a way that would not please the masses. Becky’s house was neat and tidy, and it gave a first impression of someone who lived alone. The sofa sat against the wall, not facing the TV, but the comfortable armchair did face the TV.

The living room was open-plan and included the kitchen, and one plate and mug were placed beside the sink. There was no artwork in the living room and no photographs of any family members. The home had a minimalist feel.

"Please, sit down," Becky said, indicating the couch. She grabbed the large armchair and was able to turn it to face the couch sideways. Becky sat down when John and Kelsey did.

"I’m sorry for your loss," Kelsey said. "I know this must be hard for you."

Becky took a deep breath and blinked repeatedly to fend off the tears. "I just can't believe she is gone," she muttered.

Becky looked around the same age as Emily, who was thirty-one by her file. The photograph of Emily from the file shows her having a petite figure with blue eyes and blonde hair. The smile in the photo suggested a bubbly personality. Becky had been crying, but the small lines at the side of her mouth and her overall appearance suggested she had a bubbly personality, too. She was petite with brown hair and brown eyes.

Kelsey imagined the two of them going for drinks together.

"What can you tell us about Emily Parks?" Kelsey asked.

Becky rubbed her eyes and then her forehead. She blinked again before rubbing her left eye. "She was just the best. She was my best friend. My best friend is gone."

The grief was real—that much was obvious to Kelsey.

"Anything you can tell us will be helpful, Becky," Kelsey pushed. "Who was she? What did she do?"

Becky shook her head. "She was a freelance photographer. She would go out and take photos of the hoodoos and sometimes the wildlife. Did she really die out there? I can't believe she went out there and someone killed her. How did it happen? I don't even know what happened to her."

"That’s not important right now," John said. "We are still investigating what happened, and we cannot release any details yet."

"Did she go out to the badlands regularly?" Kelsey asked.

"Maybe once a week or so," Becky replied.

"To photograph, or did she also go out there hiking?" Kelsey asked.

"Mainly to photograph the place. She did go on the occasional hike, but not often. She would go out by herself and take pictures, and I think that was enough for her. She got like a hike in at the same time."

"What about in town? What should she do, or who would she hang out with?" Kelsey asked.

"Um, me, mostly," Becky said. She looked down at the carpet for the first time and continued to look down as she spoke. "There were other photographers in town that she met up with, as well as some other people."

Kelsey was now sure that Becky was holding something back. "What other people?"

"I don't really know. Maybe like a group of artists. I wasn’t a part of that group, so I don't really know their names."

Kelsey didn't ask a direct follow-up question, and she nudged John gently to stop him from talking. They both looked at Becky, and she must have felt the stares. She looked up at them and swallowed. It was hard to tell completely what was behind her look with her eyes being so red, but Kelsey knew she was not telling the full truth.

"Becky," Kelsey said slowly. "Anything you can tell us will be helpful. Do you know anyone who might want to hurt Emily?"

"Hurt her?" Becky’s eyes widened. "No. No one would want to hurt her. She was the sweetest. Everyone loved her. And she…"

"What?" Kelsey asked. "What are you holding back, Becky?"

"Nothing!" Becky claimed, her eyes widening more. She tried to hold Kelsey’s gaze but had to look away.

"If you are protecting someone, then you will go to jail for obstruction of justice," John said in his booming voice. "Your friend is dead, and you are protecting someone."

"No!" Becky said, growing more and more agitated.

"Who would want to hurt her, Becky?" Kelsey asked.

"He wouldn’t hurt her; no one would want to hurt her," Becky said before clamping a hand over her mouth.

Kelsey and John were quiet for a moment before Kelsey spoke. "If you know something, you must tell us. Someone killed your friend. Someone tortured her and left her for dead. Do you want justice for your friend or not?"

"Of course I do," Becky said.

"Then tell us what you know," Kelsey demanded.

Becky was quiet and looked down at the carpet again. "Was she found out there like the other two?" she muttered.

"We can’t—" John started.

"She was," Kelsey said, making a snap decision. "Who do you think did it?"

"I know he didn't do it, but it’s the paintings," Becky said.

Kelsey’s mind flashed to the paintings in the hallway. "What paintings?"

"I know he isn’t connected to this, and that’s why I never said anything. You can talk with him, and I am sure he will clear it all up." Becky wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"What is his name?" John asked.

Becky let out a long, shaky breath. "Maxwell Carter."

"And why do you think we should talk to Maxwell Carter?" Kelsey asked.

"He wouldn’t have done anything," she muttered. "He couldn’t have."

Kelsey could read the emotion in her voice now. Becky was unsure of what was happening around her. She had been sure Maxwell had nothing to do with it, but the more she faced it and thought about it, the more unsure she became.

"Becky?" Kelsey pushed.

"He did them well before the first woman was found. Maybe like three months ago. That’s what he told me when I found them."

"What did he do?" Kelsey probed.

"He painted the hoodoos. He’s always done cryptic and abstract works. That’s what he says about it. I don't really understand any of it. I’ve been dating him for half a year, and I know he wouldn’t hurt anyone. He would never do anything to Emily or anyone else. He’s a good man."

"Becky, what is it about the hoodoos?" Kelsey asked. "What has he been painting?"

"I… I don't know what they mean. He paints the hoodoos, but not lifelike. I think it’s abstract; I don't know. The hoodoos are warped and all mangled and stuff. And there’s like… a woman in each painting. Like she’s trapped in the painting. And I remember when I first saw one, and I didn't like it. It made me feel weird. It was just so dark." Becky held her hands up quickly in surrender. "But he wouldn’t hurt anyone. He gets all that out in his art—all the darkness. He’s my boyfriend. He wouldn’t kill Emily. He wouldn’t kill her."

"Becky, we are going to need an address for Maxwell Carter," John said.

Kelsey and John looked at each other. They needed to visit Maxwell as soon as possible.

CHAPTER FIVE

"Okay, everyone, come on in! My name is Vanessa, and I will be your guide today. Has anyone been on one of these tours before?" Vanessa asked.

A couple of hands in the small crowd went up. The man kept his hand down. He had been into the badlands before, but he had not been on one of the tours. He had to remember to maintain a pleasant expression. He refused to smile like most of the herd he was caught up in, but he couldn’t draw attention to himself by looking grim.

He did his best to remain neutral as Vanessa scanned the group.

"Fantastic!" she exclaimed. "We have a great mix of experienced hikers and newcomers. Well, as we said back at home base, this is an easy hike through our badlands. We will hopefully see some wildlife today if the animals are feeling friendly."

There was a small amount of chuckling from within the group. Most people looked around the immediate area, but the man only had eyes for Vanessa.

"We are about to head out, so make sure you all have your packs with you and your water bottles are filled. If you have any questions at any point during the tour, don't hesitate to shout them out, and I will do my best to answer them for you. Okay, everyone, follow me!"

Vanessa’s voice was warm and sweet, like simmered honey. She was young and athletic with short chestnut hair and keen eyes. She commanded the group partly through her upbeat personality but also through her natural leadership. From the way she spoke and surveyed the area, the man knew she was educated about the badlands and perhaps had some implementable knowledge.

It would be a challenge for both of them.

The group followed Vanessa, and the man took up a position between the middle and the front. He needed to study Vanessa to gauge just how well she would do when he came back for her. He watched her movements, gaining a sense of her athleticism. It would not only be about stalking her in the badlands but about getting her there in the first place.

"When did you get here?"

The man did not realize he was being spoken to at first.

"Chuck," the stout man said, holding out his hand.

The man looked down at the glistening hand and did not want to shake it, but he forced himself into it. It would have been conspicuous not to. He did not want to converse with the man, but he could not ignore him. He kept one eye on Vanessa while he tried to brush off the interaction.

"John," the man said, giving a fake name.

"Where ya from, John?" Chuck asked.

"Washington," the man lied.

"Ah, from Texas myself. Reminds me a little of home being out here. Lovely place, isn’t it?"

"Mmm," the man replied.

"Okay, hikers. If you gather around for a minute, we will take a look at one of the most beautiful grasses in our badlands. Does anyone know what variety this is?" Vanessa asked.

The man took the opportunity to slip away from Chuck, putting two people between him and the stout man. He knew the answer to the question, but he didn't speak up.

Vanessa stood before one of the buttes in the badlands, a more rounded hill, shorter than the mesas but impressive nonetheless. The sides were still steep, and millions of years of erosion could be seen in the layers of color on the sides. Some buttes had flat tops like mesas, but they were always a lot smaller and not convert like the vast landscape of mesa summits. The iron oxide in the butte gave it a mostly reddish hue. Many were red or brown, with some being more yellow if iron was lacking.

"Buffalo Grass?" someone attempted.

"No, but that is a good guess," Vanessa said. "It is, of course, Blue Grama. Beautiful, isn’t it? Part of surviving in a harsh climate like this is knowing what is what. Of course, the most important thing is finding a water source, and they are severely lacking out here. A good thing you have water bottles with you, then. Don't forget to keep sipping!"

Another small chatter of laughter wafted around the group. The man wanted to ask follow-up questions to discover the extent of her knowledge. Was it limited to what she needed to tell the tourists, or did she know her stuff? He might not know until he got her out there and they were alone together.

The man did not drink, while all the others around him did. He enjoyed the feeling of a dry throat. It would be hours until he would need any water. He was thirsty but not in any danger.

Vanessa soon moved them on, and the group followed. The man watched her stepping between rocks. She was careful and steady on her feet. She would be the first real one he would push to her limits. The other three had given him a baseline from which to work. Vanessa King would feel the pain and desolation the entire population deserved.

Perhaps he would give her a head start and track her. It was risky, but it would prove he was worthy of being out there. As long as he started far from safety, she would die like the others.

Chuck did not approach him again. One of the women made some comments to him, but a short grunt was enough to show her he was not interested in the conversation. The man watched Vanessa until they got back to the start where their bus was parked. He managed to smile as he passed Vanessa to get onto the bus. She returned the smile.

You do not know what you are in for. This is all child’s play.

The man sat down and looked out the window at the badlands, surveying the acres of clefts in the earth as far as the eye could see. Somewhere out there would be where he would take her.

I will show you the real badlands, Vanessa. I will return for you soon, and I can't wait to lead you into the badlands as you led me.

CHAPTER SIX

It was getting late, and Kelsey could feel the dull ache in her body from being awake too long and sitting for extended periods of time. Her initial flight had been delayed, leading to missing her connecting flight. The next flight was only a few hours later, so she had sat in the airport but had been unable to sleep. As the sky started to turn purple, her body screamed at her that she had not slept in almost two days.

That, coupled with the severe lack of sleep during the previous two weeks, made her ache for a firm mattress and a soft pillow.

"You holding up okay?" John asked as he drove.

"Just tired," Kelsey replied.

"Let’s talk with Maxwell Carter and then find our hotel. Sheriff Lute informed me he has booked two rooms for us at the Roosevelt Hotel. Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt had a deep connection to the area? That’s why they named the national park after him."

"I assumed that was the case, given the name of the park," Kelsey said. "The badlands are beautiful, aren’t they? The pale reds of the hoodoos are unlike anything I have seen before. Beautiful but horrifying. When we were down where Emily Parks was found, you couldn’t see anything. We have to assume she was in there partly during the night—the same for the other two women. I can't imagine that. Even during the day, it would be terrifying to… wake up there? Did he drug them and take them out? The first victim makes me think he did. She didn't have any injuries. She wasn’t running from him. Did she wake without knowing how she got there? Does he interact with them first or kidnap them in secret? So many questions with no answers."

John grunted to clear his throat before he spoke. "Well, you just do your thing. Keep asking the question, and I’m sure the answers will come to you."

"You must know a little about the terrain from your time in Afghanistan," Kelsey said. "How would you survive out there?"

John sighed. "Unfortunately, the best way to survive out there is to be prepared. We had everything we needed in Afghanistan. Those women had nothing or next to nothing. The best tip is to stay calm. That’s next to impossible if you wake there without knowing how you got there or if you have a killer stalking you. You’d need water, but you would have to find a source first. Then there's navigation, which you can do by the sun or stars, but you need some knowledge of it first. They didn’t stand a chance." John’s jaw clenched. "It would be hard enough with preparation and knowledge. They didn't stand a chance."

Kelsey sighed. She liked to think that she would survive in that situation, but with there being acres of badlands out there, it would be impossible. She would have no idea which direction to go.

"They would have started walking and hoped for the best," Kelsey noted. "It would have all looked the same out there. They might have been going around in circles half the time. The sun beating down, almost no water, and a maniac was chasing them. You’re right—they didn't stand a chance. I still don't know if it is about the badlands or the hunt. He left the first woman out there to die, but he hunted the third, if my theory is correct. Is that what he wants? Does he need to hunt? Or does he need them to suffer? What does he want with them?"

John shook his head. "More questions without answers."

"Yeah," Kelsey agreed.

Her head was swimming with questions. The case felt different from her previous ones. She didn't know what it was. Perhaps the fact that he was with the victims for a day or two as they slowly died. It gave a sense of non-urgency. Previously, the killer had killed the victims. It was the badlands that claimed these victims as the killer watched on.

It made Kelsey uncomfortable. The killer felt elusive. Even as they drove to speak with Maxwell Carter, she had a feeling it wouldn’t be that easy. Life had never dealt her an easy hand, and now that all she had to do was catch the killer to see her sister again, she expected it to be a challenge. She didn't expect it to come easy.

"This is the place," John said. He pulled the truck up to the curb.

The sky had turned from purple to a dark navy blue. The stars were not out yet, but they were not far off. It was a juxtaposition. The stars twinkling above the badlands would give a serene beauty. And amid it all was a serial killer plotting his next kill.

"Let’s do it," Kelsey said.

She wanted nothing more than for this to be their guy. If they found evidence he was a killer and brought him in, she could go back home with John and see her sister again. That was all she wanted in the world.

The two of them approached the door. Kelsey looked to the window as she had done at Becky’s house, but no one watched them from within. She had instructed Becky not to make contact with Maxwell before they spoke to him. Kelsey hoped that Becky valued her best friend more than her recent boyfriend.

John knocked again—there was no option of a bell this time. John pounded his fist on the door again when there were no sounds from inside. Kelsey got closer to the door, and she heard faint footsteps. They got louder, and Maxwell answered the door. He raised his eyebrows in greeting.

"Maxwell Carter?" John asked.

"I am," Maxwell replied.

He had obviously just been painting and sported a long apron with old and new paint stains on the front. He had unkempt black hair that stood on end as if he had been electrified and wiry bare arms, also dotted with paint.

"I’m Special Agent Kelsey Hawk," Kelsey said, showing her badge, "and this is Sheriff’s Deputy John Gallant. Do you mind if we come in and talk with you?"

"Yeah, sure," he said hesitantly. "What is this about?"

"We’d like to talk to you about some of your recent artworks," Kelsey said.

Maxwell nodded, the smile vanishing from his face. Kelsey caught the change in mood, but she was too slow to stop what happened. She lunged forward when she saw Maxwell shift his weight and slam his shoulder into the door. Kelsey smacked into the door as it was closed. It shook but held firm.

Kelsey tried the handle, but it was locked.

John pushed her back a little and slammed his shoulder into the door. "Go around back!" he shouted. "I’ll try and get in the front."

Kelsey leaped into action. She ran around the side of the house as quickly as her legs would take her and moved between the side of the house and the large hedge edging the yard. It was darker between them, and it felt even darker in the backyard, even though it was open. She didn't think about drawing her gun—not yet. Maxwell was making a run for it, but he didn't seem like the type to have a weapon.

Maxwell burst from the back of the house, the back door swinging open and slamming against the exterior. He leaped down the two steps and took off across the yard. He didn't have anything in his hands.

"Stop!" Kelsey shouted. She didn't stop moving as she reached the backyard and pushed herself to run faster.

Maxwell looked to the side in fright when he spotted her, and a moment of hesitation almost caused him to lose his balance and fall over.

"No, no, no!" Maxwell shouted.

Kelsey took four more steps at full speed and lunged forward, slamming her shoulder into Maxwell’s back. She stumbled over as Maxwell fell, rolling quickly and getting back to her feet. Maxwell grunted as he hit the ground. He tried to get up, but Kelsey placed her knee on his back and pushed him down. John arrived at her side, and he grabbed Maxwell’s right arm as Kelsey grabbed the left.

"I didn't do anything!" Maxwell claimed.

"Then why did you run?" John demanded.

"I want my lawyer," Maxwell said.

"That won’t be a problem," Kelsey said. "We’re all going down to the station for a nice little chat."

***

A patrol car was sent, and Maxwell was taken to the station. John and Kelsey remained behind to search the house while a lawyer was contacted.

They started in Maxwell’s home studio, hoping to find the paintings Becky had spoken about. The paintings on the wall showed warped faces in Munch-like screams. They were angry paintings, dark and grotesque.

It didn't take Kelsey long to find the paintings she was after. They were hidden beneath a large grey sheet. When Kelsey pulled the sheet off, she knew the paintings were of the hoodoos.

The artworks were Esher-esque in appearance, with reality slightly warped, and the hoodoos represented as large labyrinths. Everything was blurred slightly, and the hoodoos looked more industrial than natural.

"Hey, look at this," Kelsey said as she laid the three paintings on the large table in the middle of the room. She pointed to a specific part of each of them. "Do you see that, or am I imagining it?"

John bent down to take a closer look. "No, I see it, too."

Kelsey leaned in again, studying the three faces—one on each painting. It looked like each woman was trapped in a hoodoo prison. Three dead women so far, and three paintings with a woman in each. It felt like too much of a coincidence that the painted women looked eerily like the deceased.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Kelsey poured some coffee from the coffee pot in the small kitchen within the sole police station in Doret, a small town in western North Dakota and home to just over eighteen thousand people—minus three over the past month.

"You look tired," John said, holding his own cup of strong, black coffee.

"I am," Kelsey admitted. She held up her cup. "This is helping a little."

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to the hotel and rest? I can handle Maxwell."

"I know you can," Kelsey admitted. "I need to be here. I want to be a part of the questioning."

John smiled. "Only wild horses could drag you away, huh?"

"Something like that," Kelsey admitted.

She would not call her sister when she got back to the hotel later that night. She wanted to hear her sister’s voice again but needed to be in the right frame of mind. Erica had been to hell and back, and it had taken its toll, just as it would take a toll on anyone. It could be difficult sometimes, and Kelsey wanted to be ready in case she caught her sister at a bad time or during one of her episodes. She needed to be strong for her sister.

"He’s ready for you," Sheriff Lute said from the doorway. "He’s in room one."

"Thank you," John said.

"I spoke to William Frank, the drone guy, and he’s going to do his best to cover as much of the area for us as possible over the next few days," the Sheriff added.

"Good," Kelsey said. "Let him know that we appreciate his work."

The Sheriff nodded and moved out of the way to let them out of the small kitchen. Kelsey spotted Deputy Hunt in her office on the other side of the hallway as they exited.

"Give me a moment," she told John.

Kelsey went to the office and poked her head in the door. "Deputy, nice work with Becky Lindt. She was hiding something, and thanks to your instincts, she led us to Maxwell Carter."

"Oh, yeah, of course," the Deputy said. She smiled and then hid it quickly. She sat up straighter in her chair.

Kelsey lingered at the door. "I’ve been hearing good things about you, Deputy. The word around here is that you see things a little differently from everyone else and notice things others don't. That is to your credit, Deputy Hunt."

The Deputy looked as if she might explode with happiness in her chair.

"If you ever want a change of career and think you are up to it, I can put a good word in for you at the FBI." I’m not sure how much weight it will carry, but they need the extra personnel.

"Thank you, Special Agent Hawk. You have no idea how much that means to me," Deputy Hunt said. "I will consider everything you said. I love it here; I don't really know how I would do in the big city."

"It might not be the big city," Kelsey pointed out. "I’m an agent based in Winchburgh."

Deputy Hunt smiled.

"You might not get to choose where you work immediately, but get out of the academy and prove yourself, and you can have some input. The department is always looking for people who can make our country safer," Kelsey said.

"You don't know how much this means to me. I don't know what the future holds for me, but just hearing that makes all of this worthwhile," Deputy Hunt said.

"Whether here in Doret or out across the country somewhere with the FBI, I know you are making the country a safer place." Kelsey gave a final smile before she tapped the wooden door surround and left the office.

She walked down the hallway to join John, and the two of them walked together to the room with Maxwell Carter and his lawyer. The room was not like the ones Kelsey was used to. The door was solid, offering no view into the room, and there were no windows to show Maxwell and his lawyer. Kelsey liked to study the subject first before going in, but she would not get that this time.

Kelsey rapped gently on the door before she opened it. She surveyed the room as she walked in.

The interior was not like the interrogation rooms she was used to either. The room was small and might have been an office at one point. A wooden table sat against the wall opposite the door, and four metal chairs surrounded it. The walls were a dull terracotta color, and nothing was adorning the walls. A light blue Berber carpet covered the floor.

Kelsey sat down and took a moment for John to join her before she started the recording device.

"Special Agent Hawk and Deputy Gallant conducting the interview with Maxwell Carter at 9.46 pm. Mr. Carter’s lawyer is present. Mr. Carter, would you tell us why you tried to flee from your house when we arrived?" Kelsey asked.

Maxwell was still in the undershirt he had been in when they arrested him—the apron had been removed. His arms were still speckled with paint, but his hair had been combed to be a little neater than before.

Maxwell leaned into his lawyer, and the lawyer whispered into his ear.

"It has nothing to do with the murders," Maxwell said.

"Who said anything about murder?" Kelsey asked.

Maxwell’s lawyer answered that question. "That is why you are here, is it not, Special Agent Hawk? To investigate the recent murders?"

"I’d rather speak to your client," Kelsey said. "But you are right; we came to talk to Mr. Carter about the recent murders, and he ran before we could talk to him. Is he prepared to talk to us now, or will he continue to evade questions?"

The lawyer leaned into his client again and whispered.

"I have alibis for each of the murders," Maxwell said. "I prepared a timeline of my activities over the past month before you came in here, and it proves that I could not have murdered any of the women."

"You seem to know a lot about when the women were murdered," John said. "First, you make a run for it, and then you have detailed alibis for the murders. That doesn’t quite add up, does it?"

"Deputy Gallant," the lawyer stated. "We are trying to cooperate here. This is a small town, and news gets around. It is common knowledge that the first two women were taken out into the badlands for a period of time before they were killed. It would not be foolish to assume the same with the third. We do not need to know the exact time of death of each woman to know the killer would need an extended period of time around the dates of the deaths to transport the bodies and ensure they died."

"And you seem to know a lot," Kelsey said. "We have theories suggesting that this is the case, but we don't know for sure. If we don't know for sure, then you don't know for sure. You are going to a lot of trouble to prove to us in detail that you couldn’t have committed the murders, Mr. Carter. And from the actions of your lawyer, I don't believe he comes cheap. How are you able to sequester such a lawyer?"

"You don't need to answer that," the lawyer advised.

"I don't need to remind you how serious this situation is," Kelsey said. "Three women are dead, and you are refusing to answer basic questions after running from law enforcement. Where would you have gone if I had not caught you, Mr. Carter?"

"I wasn’t running, I—" Maxwell started.

"My client does not need to explain what he was doing in the comfort of his own property," the lawyer said. He took multiple sheets of paper from the file in front of him and passed them to John. "You will find everything you need in these documents. They completely exonerate my client, and when you have followed up with whoever you need to follow up with, I expect my client to be released without charge."

Kelsey took a cursory look at the documents showing timelines for the past month, but she wasn’t entirely interested in them yet.

"You were dating Emily Park’s best friend, weren’t you?" Kelsey asked.

"Yes, I was," Maxwell answered after the lawyer did not step in.

"So, you have a connection with Emily Park," Kelsey continued.

"Special Agent Hawk," the lawyer said with a derisory tone, "this is a small town. Almost everyone in Doret has a connection. Dating the friend of the deceased does not make you the killer."

"I might believe that if we had a little more cooperation," Kelsey noted. "So far, you are going out of your way to conceal everything from us. You had better believe that we will study the timeline you have given us, but that doesn’t mean you are in the clear. Why are you so worried, Mr. Carter?" Kelsey pushed.

"You don't have to answer that," the lawyer said.

"How about you let him answer," John warned.

"What are you afraid of, Maxwell?" Kelsey continued. "And why do you have three paintings of the hoodoos in your home studio with three women bearing a stark resemblance to the three deceased women?"

The lawyer looked a little flustered as he looked at his client—he didn't know about the paintings.

"No, they are not of the dead women," Maxwell claimed. "I mean, the first one was, but that was before I knew she had been murdered. I thought she had gotten lost and died there. There was something beautiful about it."

"Beautiful?" John spat.

"Not like that," Maxwell blurted.

"You don't have to answer any of these questions," the lawyer advised.

Maxwell spoke as if he didn't hear his lawyer anymore. "Yes, beautiful, but not… it was beautiful in an artistic way. It inspired me."

"Inspired you?" John asked.

Kelsey readied herself to step in should John blow his top. He was usually the calm one, but he could be riled up sometimes, and Kelsey understood why. He didn't understand what Maxwell felt. Kelsey barely understood it, but she believed the passion that came through.

"Yeah, inspired me," Maxwell continued, talking faster and frantically. "When I heard the awful news, I had to paint it. And then I painted another one and another. The second is no one, but the third one was inspired by Emily. We were friends, and we collaborated sometimes, but I painted it long before she was killed. You can take the paintings and date them. They were all painted a month ago. Check them."

"I don't think we can do that," Kelsey said. "It doesn’t work like that. Becky told us you painted them months ago."

"Yeah, I told her that, but only because she wouldn’t understand them if I told her the truth," Maxwell claimed.

"Is that why you ran?" John asked, placing his palms on the table.

"Y-yeah," Maxwell said quickly.

Kelsey was not sure if John noticed it, but Maxwell was definitely lying about that. It was not the reason he had run—the reason he had run was whatever the lawyer was helping him to hide. With how much Kelsey imagined the lawyer cost, she had a hunch that the reason involved money and a considerable sum. Seeing the lawyer and Maxwell together, she had the feeling they had been working together for a while.

Would that be to cover up a triple homicide? Could there be any money in that?

"I would like to request a break," the lawyer stated. "My client has become anxious with all the questioning, and he needs a break to have some water and get his breath back. I need to converse with the client before he answers any more questions. I need fifteen minutes."

Kelsey clicked off the recording device. She leaned forward in her chair and pointed at the lawyer. "I really don't like people like you. You are supposed to be here as a liaison between your client and us. You are supposed to guide your client. You are supposed to uphold the law. We will study the timeline you gave us with a fine-tooth comb, but you had better believe we have enough cause to hold your client for forty-eight hours. And you had better believe that I will find out exactly what you are up to even though I don't have time for it. I’ll work twenty-four-seven to uphold the law. So, yes, we will have a break, but only because I am done in here."

When Kelsey stood up, John stood up with a smile on his face. He followed Kelsey out, making sure to pass closely by the lawyer, who only looked down at the table as they exited.

"What do you make of that?" John asked when they were out of the room.

"I don't know," Kelsey admitted. "We will have someone go through the alibis and see what they can find, and then we have a second person do the same to double-check. I want us to do our due diligence with everything. I want a team assembled—anyone we can get. I want everyone at our disposal to look into Maxwell Carter and find out what he is up to. Start with bank accounts—we follow the money and see where it leads."

"Special Agent Hawk," Deputy Hunt called as she came down the hallway toward them. "William thinks he might have found something. He’s sending us the coordinates as we speak."

"No," John said to Kelsey. "You need some rest. Go back to the hotel and sleep for a few hours. I’ll head out there with the team they are sending."

"If it’s another victim, I want to be there."

"If it’s another victim, they are going nowhere. Go back to the hotel, and we will reconvene in the morning."

Even as she tried to fight it, Kelsey could feel the fatigue envelop her. "Okay, but just a few hours. If you get there and we have a fourth victim, I want to know immediately, okay?"

"Okay," John said.

She watched John go and hoped he would not report news of another person dead.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Kelsey woke, and it took her a moment to get her bearings. She looked around the unfamiliar room, searching for clues. The bedside clock with red LED lights and the faded wallpaper jogged her memory. She had slept deeply in the hotel room.

She suddenly sat bolt upright in bed and grabbed her phone from the bedside table. There was no message or missed call from John. She checked the time: 9.12 am. She had slept later than she wanted. She got out of bed and went to the window, wearing only a long T-shirt and underwear. She pulled the curtain aside slightly and looked out into the parking lot—John’s truck was not there.

It frustrated her, but she knew that if they had found something, he would have called her. He was the one who had sent her back to the hotel to sleep, but he wouldn’t deny her being part of the immediate investigation. Kelsey looked around the room. There was a small coffee maker but no food. She clicked the coffee maker on and added the pre-filled filter and water. Then she went back to bed and picked up her phone.

Kelsey flicked through her phone and found the number she had been given by John before she had returned to the hotel. She hit the button to dial it as the coffee maker started to hiss.

"Good morning, St. Wentworth’s, Deborah speaking."

Her sister had been moved from the hospital to a care facility in one of the larger towns close to Winchburgh. Kelsey didn't like that she hadn’t been there when Erica had been moved, but there was little she could do. Kelsey was only happy that her sister was receiving care.

"Hello. My name is Kelsey Hawk. I’m looking to speak with Erica Hawk."

"Hello, Miss Hawk," Deborah replied. "Your sister has spoken a lot about you. Let me see if she is awake, and I will connect you to her room."

"Thank you," Kelsey said.

Gentle music began to play when she was put on hold. Kelsey took the opportunity to fill her mug with coffee and add some cream to cool it.

"Miss Hawk? I’m putting you through now," Deborah said when she came back on the line.

"Thank you." A lump rose in Kelsey’s throat. It had only been a little over two weeks since she had spoken to her sister, but it felt like a lot longer.

"Hello?" Erica said. "What’s going on? They said you had been arrested or something. Are you okay, Kelsey?"

"I’m fine," Kelsey said. "I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch for a while, but I had some stuff to take care of."

"John told me that you handed yourself in to the FBI. Was that true?"

Kelsey paused for a moment. "Yeah, it’s true. There’s a lot of stuff going on that I had to take care of, and it’s not stuff you need to worry about. I’m working another case, and then I’m coming to see you."

"Is it true that you were going to run away with me?" Erika sounded frustrated.

"If I could, I would have done it. You are the person I care most about in the world. I wish we could have gone off ourselves, but…" Kelsey didn't know what to say.

"That would have been stupid, wouldn’t it?" Erica stated.

"What?" Kelsey resounded.

"Us going on the run! Can you imagine the mess that would be?"

Kelsey opened her mouth to say something, and laughter broke forth. She thought her sister had been frustrated that she had not taken her away, but she had been frustrated at the thought of them going on the run. When Kelsey thought about it, it did seem more foolish than she had originally thought. Surrendering herself had been the right decision.

"Are you doing okay?" Kelsey asked. She took a sip of her coffee.

"I don't know if I’m the right person to ask. You need to ask one of the doctors. I guess I’m not the easiest patient to have sometimes, and I see the way they look at me and whisper about me outside my room. I don't know if I’m imagining it or not. I have these nightmares, and when I wake up, I don't know if I’m still in the nightmare or not. It doesn’t sound like I’m okay, does it?"

"You just need time," Kelsey said. "You were manipulated and drugged for years, decades. You can't get over that in a few weeks."

"I feel better when you are with me," Erica said.

Kelsey choked on her sob and had to cough to try and cover it. She didn't want her sister to hear her cry over the phone—she was supposed to be the strong one who was there for Erica.

"I will come for you," Kelsey said. "I just have to finish something first."

"Will this ever end?" Erica asked.

"What?"

Erica’s voice dropped as she spoke. She became more resigned and weary. "All of this. All of the crap that we have both had to deal with—that we are still dealing with. It’s all my life has been, and it is all my life will ever be. I won’t ever escape this."

"Hey, listen to me. As soon as I am done here, I’m coming back to be with you. I will take care of you whether you like it or not, okay? We are in this together now, and nothing will keep us apart. All you have to do is keep getting better and let me worry about everything else, okay?"

"I don't know if I can," Erica admitted. "I have this feeling that something is coming for me. Like I’m being constantly chased down a dark alley."

"Your mind is still adjusting. You are safe now. I’ll be back soon. You don't have to worry anymore."

"It feels like they are watching me. I can see them sometimes. They want to take me back there," Erica said, getting louder.

"No one is coming for you; I promise you."

"How would you know!" Erica shouted. "How would you know if you are not here with me? They are coming for me, and they are coming for you. They hate us. Can't you see that?"

There were other voices in Erica’s room, and Kelsey shot up from the bed to get out of the hotel and find a car to drive back to Winchburgh.

"Miss Hawk?" Deborah was back on the line.

"What is going on?" Kelsey pleaded.

"Everything is fine," Deborah assured. "Your sister is a little agitated this morning, and that happens. We are giving her a sedative to calm her."

Kelsey knew the staff were only trying to help, but it was horrible to hear down the phone without being there to calm her sister.

"Can I talk with her again?" Kelsey asked.

"Perhaps you can call later," Deborah suggested.

"Is she okay?" Kelsey asked. "Will she be okay?"

"She will in time," Deborah soothed.

Deborah’s voice did something to calm Kelsey, but the episode with Erica fired her up. She couldn't bear to be away from Erica any longer. She had to catch the killer. Failure was not an option. She needed her sister, and her sister needed her. If she wasn’t there for Erica, Kelsey was not sure Erica could fully recover.

"Please take care of her until I get there," Kelsey begged.

"She is in good hands," Deborah asked.

Kelsey hung up the phone. She was about to call Sheriff Anderson back in Winchburgh and ask him to drop in on Erica when there was a knock at the door. Kelsey went to the window again and pulled the curtain back slightly. John stood at the door with coffee and breakfast in hand.

"Just a minute," Kelsey called. She went to the chair by the bed and pulled on her socks and pants. She sent off a text to Sheriff Anderson on her way back to the door.

"Good morning," John said when she opened the door. "I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I brought a little of everything." He handed her the bag and stepped into the room, placing the coffee down on the large chest of drawers with the TV on top.

Kelsey’s stomach grumbled as she looked into the bag and dipped in to retrieve a croissant. She left the hotel coffee on the bedside table and took the coffee John had brought her. Then, she burst into tears.

John grabbed her immediately and held her tight.

"Hey, what’s going on?" John asked. "What happened?"

Kelsey cried for a while before she was able to get control of herself. "It’s fine; I’m fine. I spoke with my sister, and she wasn’t doing well. She was doing well, but then something hit her. She’ll be fine. She’ll be fine."

"And you?" John asked, keeping his hold on her.

Kelsey wriggled out of his grasp. "I’ll be fine, too. It’s just been a long time since I was with her."

Kelsey went to the bathroom to wipe her eyes and blow her nose before returning.

"What did you find out in the badlands?" Kelsey asked. "If you didn't call me, I’m presuming we don't have a fourth victim."

"No, we don’t," John said. He studied Kelsey for a moment before he continued. "It was odd, though. Here, take a look at this."

John removed his bag from his shoulder and took out his laptop. He pulled the small table from the corner of the room over to the bed where Kelsey had sat with her breakfast. He opened the laptop and searched through a folder on his desktop.

"William Frank took it upon himself to search the badlands with his drone before the Sheriff asked him." John played the video. "He’s out there a lot anyway. The footage you are watching is from yesterday morning. He didn't view it until yesterday evening. What does that look like to you?"

Kelsey watched the footage and paused it a few times, but it was too blurry to make out what the shape was.

"It looks like someone lying motionless in the valley. It could be an animal, but with the length, it looks like someone prone and stretched out."

"Yeah, that’s what he thought when he sent us the footage," John said. "It’s what I thought on first seeing it. The location is off the beaten track, that’s for sure. When we went out there, we thought we might find a dead body. Want to know what we found?"

Kelsey finished her sip of coffee. "What?"

"Nothing," John said. "We got out there to the exact location, and there was nothing there. No body, no wild animal, no trace of anyone being there."

"That doesn’t make sense," Kelsey said.

"Not at first, but it got me thinking," John said. "When we were out in Afghanistan, we would often have missions that would take us into the desert for periods of time. We’d have these small tents we would wrap up small to carry, and when we needed them, we could unroll them to cover us. They were basically like thin sleeping bags with a small amount of structural support. We know this guy knows his way around out there. What if he lives out there or goes out there for some time? Maybe he heard us coming, or maybe he had left before we got there. It was dark when we got there. If I were out there, I would want to sleep during the day when it was hot under some cover and move at night when it was cool."

"Where does that leave us?" Kelsey asked.

"This is a small town," John said. "People talk. A couple of the officers put the word out to people who might know something about going out into the badlands, and one name came up. Arthur Nemetz. From what we can gather, he told some friends that he was heading out into the badlands for a few days. There’s a team out there looking for him right now."

Kelsey felt a ticking clock within. It wasn’t only the threat of him killing again but not being there for her sister.

"If they don't find him soon, I’m going in there myself," Kelsey said.

CHAPTER NINE

Vanessa King didn't realize she was awake until she realized the white dots were the stars above. They were so beautiful that she lay where she was and looked up at them. She had seen them many times—the same stars that had been in the sky when she was born. And there was no better place to view them than out in the badlands, where there was no light pollution from the town.

The beauty of the night quickly gave way to terror as she tried to remember what had come before waking under the stars. Her heartbeat quickly, her breathing was shallow, and she felt a tingling in her fingertips. Her body wanted to leap up and take stock of the situation, but her mind was better trained.

Remain calm. That is the key to any situation like this.

Only, she had no idea what the situation was. Vanessa took deep, even breaths to get her nervous system under control, and she pushed the fear down for now. She had spent countless nights out in the badlands alone and with her friends. She looked up at the stars in the sky and immediately found her bearings.

Okay, to my left is west. I don't know how I got out here, but I know I have to go south to get back to town.

The orientation of her place in the badlands helped calm her more. She knew she should be terrified to wake up in the badlands with no memory of getting there, but she could be terrified later. For now, she had to use her skills and knowledge to get back to safety.

What do I have with me?

Vanessa finally sat up and took in her surroundings. She had no idea where she was in the badlands, but that was not necessarily a bad thing. So much of the landscape looked the same, especially in the dark, but there was a full moon, and that provided enough light to see.

She had no shelter, but she was wearing her hiking shoes, and her outfit was comfortable and breathable. Perhaps not the warmest outfit for a trek through the night, but the nights were warmer at that time of year.

And there was a backpack.

Vanessa accepted the fear that crept into her heart and pushed it back down with the rest that had accumulated since waking. She did not recognize the backpack, and that meant it was someone else’s. It was a reasonable assumption to make that she had been dumped out there for some reason.

Even though it was not hers, she still pulled it toward her and looked inside. She found a bottle of water, a small container of peanut butter, and a small hunting knife. Her lips were a little dry, but she resisted drinking any of the water. She took out the hunting knife, pulling out the blade to check the sharpness before closing it and putting it in her pocket. She slung the backpack over her shoulders.

Okay, you’ve done this before. By the light of the moon and the position of the stars, I have a good five hours until dawn. That gives me at least ten hours of good hiking time to make progress. All I have to do is head south for as long as I can and then worry about shelter from the heat and finding an additional water source.

Armed with her backpack and in-built knowledge, Vanessa started to walk.

Yet, something troubled her. There would be wild animals out at night, and it was good practice to make some noise when hiking to ward off any potential threats (she sometimes sang). As she walked, she did so as quietly as possible. Something overrode her inbuilt instincts. Something told her to be as quiet as possible as she walked.

Where is the person who brought me out here?

The badlands were a labyrinth of columns, hills, and valleys. Vanessa had heard a story about someone becoming lost in the badlands, and the mistake they had made was to ascend to see where they were. In the daytime, it brought you closer to the sun. Worse than that, it used up precious energy. If you went up, there was a good chance you would have to come back down. The valleys connected, but the peaks did not. Of course, she knew directions by the position of the stars, moon, and sun. She could walk in the same direction at any time during the day and night.

So, she wound her way through the labyrinthian strictures, deviating from her course at points but always heading south.

Until she realized she was not alone.

She caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. For a moment, she thought it was a wolf, but there were no wolves native to the badlands. Once upon a time, there had been, but not anymore.

It was not a wolf, but a person crouched atop one of the mesas. Vanessa knew immediately that it was the person who had brought her out to the badlands in the middle of the night.

Vanessa tried to add terror to the fear she had buried, but she was unable to do so this time. The panic in her breast grew, the bottled-up distress bubbling to the surface to join it. It was fight, flight, or freeze, and she froze. She blinked as the tears came, and she willed her legs to move, but they were rooted to the spot.

Her heartbeat faster, so fast that she feared it might explode from her chest. Her breathing became labored. She couldn’t move her legs, but they shook in place, slowly turning to jelly.

Get a hold of yourself! If you want to survive, you have to stay calm.

The tears blurred her vision. She let the fear engulf her. Her hand went to the knife in her pocket, but even as she pulled it out and pulled open the blade, she knew she could not put up a fight. She brought the back of her hand to her eyes and wiped away the tears, and then she forced her head to slowly turn to look at the crouched figure.

He slowly backed away from the ridge until he was out of sight.

Freeze turned to flight. Vanessa ran as quickly as her legs could. She tried to stop herself from moving so fast, but any calmness she’d had when she had woke had evaporated. She was fine when she knew how to survive the badlands and get home, but this was a different type of survival. She had been given water and a knife by the person who meant to kill her, just like the other women, and she did not know how to save her own life.

Vanessa panted as she scrambled up a short incline and down the other side. She dared not stop to look up at the stars and check she was going in the right direction. She did not care at that moment about getting back to town; she only had to outrun the hunter.

Vanessa tripped and fell, rolling to the side and slamming her hip into the hard, dusty earth. She pushed herself back to her feet immediately and had to bend down to scoop up the knife. She looked behind to see no one following her before taking off at a sprint again. She was already exhausted, and she had been running for less than a minute. She could not keep it up for much longer.

Keep running! Keep running! Keep running!

She tried to repeat the mantra over and over in her head to keep out the invasive thoughts growing like weeds.

I’m going to die!

The tears came again, blurring her vision, and her shoulder scraped against some rock. She wiped her eyes with her free hand, and she didn't see him, but she could sense him. She looked up, not at the stars, but at the ridge fifteen feet above.

He prowled along the top, keeping pace with her easily. Vanessa tried to run faster, stifling the gasps gurgling in her throat. Her shoulder and hip throbbed after her falls. She glanced at the blade in her hand, the sharp point glinting in the moonlight.

I only need one shot. I just have to drive this into his chest, and I can escape.

Vanessa looked up again, but he was gone. The lack of her hunter was more terrifying than knowing where he was.

She rounded the corner and saw him too late. The knife flashed and cut her upper arm, and she dropped her knife and fell to the ground. She tried to get up but fell back to her knees. She looked around, her movements jerky. She couldn’t see him.

"Please," she begged. She tried to say more, but the words stuck in her throat like a knife. "Please!"

There was no answer. Only the wind.

The glint of the knife she had been given shone from a few yards away. She cried as she knelt under the moon, understanding what was happening. He would kill her, but it would not be quick. He wanted to play with his prey.

Vanessa sobbed, her whole body jerking. She knelt for what felt like an eternity. Then, she crawled forward and grabbed the knife again. Her arm was numb from where she had been cut, but she was able to grip the weapon and get back to her feet.

Vanessa ran into the darkness.

CHAPTER TEN

Kelsey and John spent four days poring over everything on the three women before Arthur Nemetz emerged from the badlands.

They looked over the forensic reports from all three women, which only confirmed what they already knew from the first reading. The first woman had been released into the badlands and left to die. The other two had been somewhat hunted, the third more than the second.

They watched drone footage from William’s drone, but there was so much to cover, and the camera was not of great quality so that it was hard to make out what they were seeing. They didn't even know if there was anything to see.

They reinterviewed the hiking group that had found the second body and the teacher who had found the third. They offered nothing additional to the investigation. They followed up with the families of the three victims, but they could find no connection between the three women or anyone who might want to hurt them.

They went through old case files but found nothing new. The killer had not acted in the area before—Kelsey was sure the three kills were his first three. They looked into ATV purchases and rentals, but it gave nothing. Everywhere they looked, they found a dead end.

Except for the money trail leading from Maxwell Carter, though Kelsey was sure it didn't connect to the case. His alibis checked out, but he was not in the clear legally. He had received multiple cash advances from wealthy art buyers across the country but had plagiarized an unknown artist from Delaware. Maxwell and his lawyer were hoping to make the sales before the plagiarism was discovered to make some quick (and considerable) money.

Thanks to Kelsey, the sales were on hold while a separate investigation was opened into Maxwell Carter. He was passed off to someone else while Kelsey concentrated on the three murdered women. The art crimes were not connected.

When Arthur Nemetz emerged from the badlands after a fruitless search from local law enforcement, he brought news of a dead woman.

***

Arthur Nemetz was wiry and tanned. He held himself with confidence. He had no money or power, and he was not a large and imposing man, but he gained confidence from his trips into the badlands alone. He did most things alone, even though he had some friends in town.

Kelsey took one look at him and knew he fit the profile she was building in her head. He knew the badlands, didn't attract too much attention, and while he was small and wiry, he had strength and knowledge.

"What were you doing out in the badlands?" Kelsey asked.

She and John sat opposite Arthur at the same small table where they had interviewed Maxwell. Arthur had declined a lawyer.

"I already told a dozen people," Arthur said stoically. "I go out there every so often to clear my head."

"What does that mean?" John asked.

"What do you think it means?" Arthur asked.

"Answer the question," Kelsey warned. "A woman is dead."

"Yeah, and I’m the one who found her. No thanks needed."

"You knew exactly where to look for her," John said.

"What do you think this is? Who do you think I am?" Arthur asked. "You think I killed her and then emerged from the badlands to tell you where she is as some elaborate coverup. If I wanted to, I could hide a body out there where no one would find it."

"Oh, yeah? And where would that be?" John asked.

"We’re getting off-topic," Kelsey pointed out. "You went out there to clear your head. It doesn’t matter what that means. What does matter is there have been three murders in a little over a month, and each time, a woman has been killed in the badlands. Why would you still go out there?"

Arthur looked a little nervous. He picked at his thumbnail with his index finger and bit his bottom lip as he considered his answer. For the first time since entering the room, he lost some of his confidence.

"You thought you could catch him out there, didn’t you?" Kelsey asked.

Arthur picked at his nail some more before he answered. "Yeah, I guess."

"You thought you could be a hero," Kelsey added.

"My life has never amounted to much, nor do I expect it will ever, but the badlands are one thing I know. He takes them to secluded areas, different every time, and I thought if I spent long enough out there, I might see something. I guess I did, but I was too late."

There was some silence at the table as Kelsey and John considered what he had told them. John opened his laptop and brought up the same drone footage he had shown Kelsey.

"Is this you?" John asked.

Arthur studied the screen. "Where is that?"

John pulled out a map and unfolded it. He pointed to an area. "Right here."

Arthur looked at the map for a moment before he shook his head. "No, that wasn’t me. Looks like someone camping out, though." Arthur looked up at John and Kelsey, and all three of them thought the same thing.

Kelsey leaned in to confer with John. "It could be him. Go and find out where he might have entered the badlands. Maybe he was alone, or maybe he already had her. Once we find out who she is, we can determine if she was missing at that time. If you can figure out his access point, we might find something there. Tire tracks, garbage, something else."

John nodded and packed up his laptop and map before leaving the room.

"How long were you planning on spending out there?" Kelsey asked.

"I had enough supplies for two weeks. I could also be out there a lot longer if I hunted for food. I’ve spent a month out there easily before. I…"

"What?" Kelsey asked.

"It doesn’t matter."

"Tell me," Kelsey said. "Anything you can tell us might help." She was still unsure if he was the killer or not.

Arthur bit his bottom lip again. "I don't know what it is, but being out there does something to you. I don't know if I can describe it, but once you are out there, it is spiritual. Once you get deep into the badlands, you don't want to come back. I don't know if that helps."

"We won't know what helps until it does," Kelsey said. It helped her get some insight into Arthur Nemetz, but gave her little else. There was a lot more she wanted to ask him about the badlands, but she had to make sure he wasn’t the killer first.

Arthur was right about one thing. It didn't make sense for him to tell them the location of the fourth victim if he was the killer. The killer had a pattern, and that involved being unconcerned about the bodies being found. They were not presented to anyone.

"Arthur, I will have more questions for you, but for now, we need to keep you here until we can confirm your alibis for the other three murders and get the forensics back from the fourth. I hope you understand."

"I have nowhere else I have to be," Arthur admitted. "Take all the time you want."

Kelsey was doubtful he was the killer, but his confidence, ease, and lack of concern did raise some flags. Until she was sure, they couldn’t rule him out.

"Someone will come and get you," Kelsey said as she stood up.

She studied Arthur a final time as she left the room—he had a nonchalance that she expected the killer would have. Once the door was closed, she headed for the small makeshift office that had been set up for her and closed the door. She sat down at her desk, placed her elbows on the top, and her head into her hands. She let out a long sigh and wanted to cry again.

Erica was waiting for her, and she had just spent four days going around in circles trying to find something new in the evidence they already had. She had come up with nothing. She had spent four days not being with Erica, and it had taken someone bringing news of another body for them to get any sort of break in the case.

Stop it! Don't cry! Just get the job done and get back to her!

Kelsey sniffed in, squeezing her eyes tight as she held back the tears. She dealt with the emotion efficiently and then got up from her desk. She left the small room and went to find John.

"Anything?" she asked.

John sat at his desk with a large map sprawled out. He had marked the locations where all four women had been, along with the location where the drone had possibly spotted someone sheltering from the sun.

"Maybe," John said. "All four bodies were spread out, and we can't know for sure where the women were first dumped out there, but if we assume a radius for each and cross-reference that with where the drone footage puts a possible camping spot, then there is one access point that is close to all of them. It’s a stretch, but it is the best we have for now."

"Are you going out there?" Kelsey asked.

"Officer James is organizing a couple of ATVs. We’ll take them over there in my truck and see what we can find."

"Good," Kelsey said. "Keep me updated. I’m going to talk with Deputy Hunt and see if forensics has anything for us yet. I don't expect we’ll have any DNA, but it will inform us if the killer is still evolving."

John nodded and rolled up the map. Kelsey left his desk and went to the Deputy’s office. She was on the phone when Kelsey got there but beckoned for Kelsey to enter. She did so and sat at the desk opposite Nina.

"Anything?" Kelsey asked, indicating the recent call when the Deputy hung up.

"Not from that," the Deputy said. "We’re in the midst of a beetle infestation and—well, you don't need to know about that, and I’m sure you don't care. I don't care when we have four dead bodies."

"Any ID on this one?" Kelsey asked.

"No ID on the body, but one of the officers who went out there recognized her. Vanessa King, twenty-four years old. She leads hiking tours out into the badlands. She knows her stuff from what I can gather so far."

"Okay, so he knows she can survive out there. Does he choose her purposely to give himself a challenge?" Kelsey asked.

The Deputy shook her head. "Is this really what people do? It’s messed up."

"It is," Kelsey agreed. "It’s a good thing there are people like us to stop this evil. How about the body? Do we have forensics back yet?"

"Not yet, but I called over to get a preliminary report, and it looks like he’s… what did you call it? Evolving?" Nina asked.

Kelsey nodded.

"Yeah, evolving," Nina repeated. "There are a lot more clean wounds this time. Vanessa was cut with a knife multiple times. They also found a small hunting knife by the body, but they haven’t found any blood on it so far. They don't think it was the knife used to kill her."

"Kill her?" Kelsey asked, surprised.

"They don't know for sure yet, but they don't think she died from dehydration or exhaustion. They think it was blood loss."

Kelsey took a deep breath in and then sighed. "Okay, so this time, he gave her a weapon. He hunted her, but he was more eager this time. He killed her by his own hand. Did he do it this way because it was more of a challenge for him? Did the badlands get to him? Did he have a bloodlust?"

Kelsey looked over at Nina, who sat with her mouth slightly agape. "Sometimes, I need to vocalize the questions to see if there are any answers. He’s evolving again, but I don't know what it means. Anything else? Do we know her whereabouts over the past few days?"

"We are just getting started, but the officer who recognized her spoke of an ex she wasn’t on the best of terms with. He works as a hiking guide, too. I called his cell, but he didn't answer. I was going to call the tour office and see if he is there."

"Good," Kelsey said.

Nina picked up the phone and dialed the number she had written down on her notepad.

"Good afternoon, this is Deputy Hunt. I’m looking to speak to Henry Wright. Yeah, I can hold." Nina looked over at Kelsey and raised her eyebrows slightly while tightening her mouth. There was a few seconds of silence before muffled sounds were heard on the other end of the line. "Yeah, Henry Wright," Nina said. "What? When? Okay, we’ll send someone over straight away."

"What is it?" Kelsey asked eagerly when Nina hung up the phone.

"He wasn’t supposed to be in today, but someone saw him heading off in one of the small tour vehicles with a young woman."

"Just the two of them?" Kelsey asked.

"Yeah, that’s what I was told. They were heading into the badlands."

"I need a car now," Kelsey demanded. "I’m going after him."

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kelsey pressed her foot down harder on the pedal, heading down the dusty road toward the tour office situated on the outskirts of the town. Deputy Hunt remained at the station and would coordinate as any more information came in. Additional units were on the way, but Kelsey would get there first.

She took a sip from her water bottle, one of two she had with her. She didn't know what to expect when she reached the tour office, but she had been near the badlands long enough to know that you never headed anywhere near them without an adequate supply of hydration.

The words of Assistant Director Harper rang in her mind as she drove. He had ordered her to get results on the case if she wanted to see her sister again, but he had also told her to do things by the book and not put anyone’s life in jeopardy.

Kelsey knew she was putting her own life in jeopardy, but a suspected killer was heading out into the badlands alone with a young woman, and if she didn't get there quickly, he might disappear with her. If Kelsey hesitated for a moment, the chance of being with Erica again would be at risk.

So, she headed out there with the intent of facing the killer alone. She was willing to put her life on the line to get results.

The small building came into view. It was constructed from pale red clay, with a bright green painted roof. When she got closer, she could read the sign on the front of the building: Badlands Tours.

Kelsey didn't slow the car, braking hard when she got close. Around the back, enclosed on two sides by a wooden shed-like building, were multiple ATVs.

Kelsey pushed on the brakes harder, bringing the vehicle to a juddering halt. She turned off the car but left the keys in the ignition as she quickly jumped out and ran for the building. She pushed open the door and pulled out her badge at the same time, surprising the three employees behind the desk, two women and one man.

"Special Agent Hawk!" Kelsey boomed. "Where is Henry Wright."

One of the women looked at Kelsey but hesitated a moment. "I spoke to Deputy Hunt on the phone."

"You told her Henry had gone into the badlands. Which way did he go? How do I get out there?" Kelsey asked.

"Um, he took one of the vehicles," the woman said.

"Give me one and show me where he went," Kelsey said.

The other woman sprung into action. "Have you ridden one before? I can take you out there," she said.

"Good, take me," Kelsey said. "Let’s go."

The woman grabbed a set of keys from behind the desk and ran toward the door, understanding the urgency of the situation. Kelsey caught her name badge on the way past: Izzy. Kelsey followed her back out of the building and into the heat of the day.

"Stand back," Izzy said as she hopped onto one of the ATVs in the half-shed. She stuck the key in, turned it, and revved the engine. The ATV shot backward, and Izzy quickly turned around and pulled up beside Kelsey with a skid.

It was a two-seater, one seat behind the other, and Kelsey quickly jumped on, holding onto Izzy. Neither of them had a helmet on, and that didn't seem to bother Izzy. She revved the engine again, and they shot forward.

"Take me as fast as you can," Kelsey shouted as the wind rushed past.

The ATV moved a little quicker, and Kelsey started straight ahead. The dirt track on both sides was moving far too quickly, and it was disorientating. After a mile or so, the path took them close to the ridge, and Kelsey took a look down into the valley, hoping to spot something.

It was Izzy who spotted something first.

"There!" Izzy shouted.

Kelsey looked ahead again and saw an abandoned ATV, much like the one they were on. Izzy brought them to a stop with a lurch, just as Kelsey had stopped the patrol car when she got to the tour office.

Kelsey leaped off and went to the ATV. There was nothing there except for the keys in the ignition. Kelsey looked down the steep path that led into the badlands.

"We’ll have to climb down," Izzy said.

"I’m going alone," Kelsey told her. "I won’t risk you down there. Do you have a radio?"

"Yeah," Izzy said, tapping the walkie-talkie on her belt.

"Coordinate with the tour office and let them know where we are. When backup arrives, have them come out here, too. You need to stay here to show them where to go, okay?"

Izzy had acted brave initially, but with the situation becoming more serious, and now they were out near the middle of nowhere, she became more apprehensive. She nodded in agreement.

Kelsey checked that she had her gun in the holster, and then she made for the descent.

"Where would he take her?" Kelsey shouted back.

"Um, I don't know." Izzy pointed toward the distance. "If we are doing tours, we always head for those hoodoos over there."

Kelsey looked where Izzy was pointing, and then she made the descent. The hard ground had been worn away over time to resemble a natural staircase in the side of the valley where multiple people had descended over the years. It was steep, but the small divots provided flat platforms. She took one more look in the direction of the hoodoos before they disappeared from view.

Kelsey stepped into the valley, and a chill rose in the air. She had not come down far, but it already felt much colder. She shivered before looking around. She was sure she knew which direction the hoodoos were in, but now she was down in the valley, and everything was flipped around. Kelsey took a breath and looked back at the descent she had come down. Izzy looked down from the top.

Okay, if I came down that way, then the hoodoos are in the other direction.

Kelsey turned and began walking. She had been in the badlands before when they had arrived and had gone straight out to see where a body had been found. This time felt different. She was alone in the badlands now, just as the four women had been.

No, not alone. He was with them the entire time.

Kelsey looked around her again, checking the ridges above. Walking through the valley by herself connected her to the four women who had died. She was uncomfortable being there by herself, so she couldn’t imagine what it had felt like waking up in the middle of nowhere and then being hunted.

Kelsey spun around and placed her hand on her gun when she heard something behind her, but when she turned, there was nothing there. It calmed and worried her. She wished to be alone and not alone at the same time. Arthur Nemetz’s words came to her about it being a spiritual experience in the badlands. Kelsey didn't know if she was having a spiritual experience, but she felt something.

Get a hold of yourself! I’ve only been down here for five minutes.

Kelsey placed her hand on her gun again. There was something oppressive about being in the badlands valleys. The smooth pillars of dirt closed in on her as she walked. She felt like one of the women in a Maxwell Carter painting. She was in a dirt labyrinth with no means of escape.

Kelsey looked around again. She was not sure if she was still going in the right direction or going around in circles. She should have brought a compass to keep her walking in the right direction, but she had been in such a rush she had forgotten about it.

Kelsey stopped walking and rubbed her forehead. Something troubling surrounded her as she stood enclosed where no one might ever find her. She wanted to turn back and wait for backup. She couldn’t. Not when he was out there with a young woman. It didn't matter how much fear there was; she had to continue on.

A flash of movement caught her eye on one of the ridges above. Kelsey looked up, but whatever had been up there was gone. She wasn’t sure if wolves were native to the area. She touched her gun again, ready to draw it against man or beast.

Another movement. She couldn’t tell if it had come from straight ahead or above somewhere. The sunlight has a way of filtering down into the valley and casting unnatural shadows. The entire valley looked like it was moving.

Kelsey moved forward slowly and carefully. One thing she knew about the killer was that he carried a knife, but did he carry a gun? She needed to take it one step at a time and not get too close to him. If she kept some distance, she could control him with her firearm. If it were a knife against a gun, she would have no problem dealing with him. If he were out in the badlands with a rifle, it would be a different matter.

Kelsey scanned the area, checking ahead, behind, and above. She sensed someone close—she felt eyes on her all around. She had come out to stop another woman from becoming his next victim, but she had to make sure she did not become another victim. He saw himself as a hunter, a predator, and if he were cornered, he would fight his way out like a wild animal. She would not hesitate to take him down if needed.

Then she came face to face with him. Kelsey moved around the hoodoo, and she almost bumped into him as he walked toward her. Both of them froze on seeing the other, and time slowed down. It felt like forever they were staring at each other, but it was only a fraction of a second.

The man went for his knife as Kelsey went for her gun.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Kelsey pulled her gun and pointed at the man with the intent to shoot.

On seeing the gun, the man jerked back and lifted his hands halfway into the air. "What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here!"

"Henry Wright?" Kelsey demanded.

The man looked at the gun, but he didn't answer. His right hand moved a little as if he might go for his knife at any time.

Kelsey took a step back, keeping the gun trained on him but putting some distance between them.

"Henry, what have you done with her?" Kelsey demanded.

Henry licked his lips and looked around nervously. "I didn't mean it to happen," he muttered. "It was her fault. If she had listened to me, we wouldn’t be in this mess."

"Where is she, Henry?" Kelsey demanded.

"She’s gone."

"Henry, I’m going to need you to turn around and drop to your knees. If you make one move, I will put a bullet in you. Do you understand me?" Kelsey asked calmly.

Henry studied Kelsey, calculating how he might get out of the situation. He looked at the gun again and then glanced down at the knife on his belt.

"Henry, I want you to pull your knife out of its sheath and toss it. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

Henry was quiet again, his eyes moving slowly over Kelsey. It took a moment, but he slowly reached for the knife and drew it slowly from the sheath. He held it for a few seconds before tossing it to the side.

Kelsey kept the knife in her periphery while staring Henry down. "Good. Now, I want you to turn around and get on your knees."

"Who are you?" Henry asked.

"Special Agent Hawk from the FBI. Turn around nice and slowly, Henry."

Henry nodded several times as if he had not fully registered that he had been caught. Still, he complied and slowly turned around before dropping to his knees.

"You are doing well, Henry," Kelsey said. "Now, I want you to put your hands on the back of your head."

Henry hesitated again but complied and put his hands on the back of his head. Kelsey approached him cautiously, scanning him.

"Do you have any other weapons on you?" Kelsey asked.

Henry shook his head.

Kelsey kept the gun trained on his back as she removed the handcuffs from her belt. She reached Henry and quickly slapped the cuffs on his left wrist. As soon as she did, Henry leaped up and jumped backward into her. Kelsey was knocked backward but didn't let go of the gun. Henry was on his feet and running from the scene. Kelsey got up just as fast and fired one shot into the air.

Henry stopped dead in his tracks.

"That was foolish, Henry," she told him.

Henry must have thought the same. He dropped back to his knees and placed his hands behind his head again, the handcuffs still half on. Kelsey approached just as cautiously, but she had a hunch he wouldn’t attempt a second escape. He didn't want to risk being shot at.

When she got to him, she had an easy time cuffing his wrists together. She took a few steps back, keeping the gun trained on him.

"Okay, you can get to your feet," Kelsey ordered. "Walk over to the large rock and sit with your back to it."

Henry did exactly as he was told. Lesley hoped backup would arrive soon. She couldn’t leave Henry by himself, and there was nothing to cuff him to. There was still the young woman to think of, especially if she was still alive.

"Where is she?" Kelsey asked. "Where did you dump this one?"

"I didn't dump her anywhere," Henry claimed.

"Is she still alive?" Kelsey asked.

"What? Of course, she is still alive."

Some relief coursed through Kelsey. It was the best-case scenario.

"I want you to lead her to me," Kelsey ordered.

"I can’t," Henry seethed, growing more agitated. "I don't know where she went."

"She escaped?"

"Escaped?" Henry shook his head and scrunched up his eyes. "She went off when I told her to stay put. If she had listened to me, we wouldn’t be in this mess. I can fix it. Please let me go, and I will fix this. I promise."

"What were you doing out here, Henry?" Kelsey asked.

Henry hung his head and looked at the dirt between his legs. "Look, I know I was not supposed to do this again, but it was going to be the last time; I promise. I’ll find her."

"What were you doing out here?" Kelsey demanded.

"She paid good money. It was supposed to be the unseen badlands tour, but all we do is take them a little off the regular trails. They think they are seeing stuff that no one else does, but maybe they see a couple of coyotes or something. I couldn’t turn it down."

"You brought a woman out here by yourself for a personal tour?" Kelsey asked.

"Yeah, but she wandered off when I told her not to. I was trying to listen for rattlesnakes, and when I turned back around, she wasn’t there. These people don't understand what it is like out here. I called her, but she didn't come back. I just have to look for her a little longer."

"This is unbelievable," Kelsey muttered. She didn't know where she stood with Henry Wright, but she believed his story. That didn't mean he was not the killer, nor did it mean that his tourist hadn’t been taken by the killer hiding out in the badlands. It was bad, whichever way she looked at it.

Lesley swung her gun to point behind when she heard a rustling. Two officers stepped out from behind an earthy column and quickly thrust their arms into the air. Kelsey lowered her gun, and they lowered their arms.

"We have a missing woman out here somewhere," Kelsey told them. She looked at Henry. "How long ago?"

"Ten minutes," he replied quickly.

"Okay, she can't have gone far. Hopefully, she hasn’t gone far," Kelsey said. "Stay together and search for her. We can't rule out the killer being out here. Report back here as soon as you find something."

The two officers nodded and started the search. Kelsey kept her gun out just in case, but she pointed it down at the ground.

"This is not the first time?" Kelsey asked.

"It’s the first time someone has wandered off. I usually take them in small groups, but it was just her this time."

Kelsey shook her head. "You brought her out here with everything that is going on?"

"I think she thought it was exciting, and she was paying double the usual rate. There’s nothing that pays bank in this town."

"Don’t," Kelsey warned. "Don't try to justify what you have done. Do you understand how reckless this is? This isn’t the first time you have been caught, is it?"

"What are you going to do to me?" Henry asked.

"That depends on whether we find her or not. You had better pray that we do."

Henry looked down at the ground again. He was Vanessa’s ex-boyfriend, but he looked a lot older than her. Vanessa was twenty-four, and Henry looked to be in his mid-thirties. He was rugged but not overly handsome.

"What can you tell me about Vanessa King?" Kelsey asked.

"Vanessa?" Henry asked. "Why do you want to know about Vanessa?"

"I want to know what you know about her and when was the last time you were in contact with her."

Henry’s eyes widened. "What happened? Has something happened to Vanessa?"

Before Kelsey could ask the question again, the overarching silence was broken.

A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air—a female scream—the scream of someone staring death in the face.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Kelsey spun in the direction of the scream, but she quickly turned to face Henry again in case he made a run for it in the commotion. Henry was rooted to the spot, staring off toward the distance where the scream had come from.

The scream gave Kelsey hope. It had been a woman screaming, and that meant she was still alive. Yet, the scream was in terror. Kelsey could only imagine the killer confronting her. That brought its own hope. If the officers were close, they could get to the woman while the killer was still there. They could save her and apprehend the killer.

Kelsey wished she could be out there looking for him. She trusted no one more than herself, but she had to trust the local law enforcement.

She didn't ask the suspect any more questions. She waited with her gun drawn, hoping to receive good news. She waited and waited. Henry waited, too. Kelsey could feel his apprehension. They both wished for the woman’s safe return.

Five minutes later, the two officers arrived back with the woman. She was in her early twenties and Japanese. She stumbled with the officers, a look of bewilderment on her face.

Henry let out a long sigh of relief.

"Did you get him?" Kelsey asked.

One of the officers looked at her blankly as the other guided the woman.

"The killer?" Kelsey asked. "Did you get him?"

"No, there’s no one else out here," the officer said.

"What about the scream? What happened?" Kelsey asked.

"She saw something," the officer said, looking like he didn't believe what he had been told.

"What?" Kelsey asked.

"She told us she saw a coyote run past and—"

"A coyote?" Kelsey asked. "She screamed because she saw a coyote." Kelsey was at least glad the scream had led them to her.

"Not just that. It was what was in the coyote’s mouth," the officer told her.

The second officer was doing his best to calm the woman as she slid down an earthy column close to Henry to sit on the ground.

"She claims to have seen the coyote run past with a human hand in its mouth," the officer continued.

"A human hand?" Kelsey asked.

"We didn't see anything," the officer admitted. "She told us it ran past her and disappeared."

Kelsey looked at the woman, who was still in a state of shock.

"I saw it," the woman admitted. "It was horrible. It had a human hand in its mouth, and the desert dog looked at me as I passed as if I might be next."

***

Kelsey spoke to Sheriff Lute as soon as she got back to the station.

"We close down the immediate area, and we start a search. The young woman was the only one to see it, but I believe her. Maybe she saw something different, a bone of something, and maybe this is a big waste of time, but if not, we might have another dead body on our hands. And if it is being torn apart by animals, it’s not the most recent victim."

"I’ll give any manpower we can spare. Deputy Hunt is already on the phone with the surrounding districts to see if we can have more officers sent over. If it really was a hand in the coyote's mouth, then it could have come from anywhere out there. We might not ever find the body," the Sheriff said.

"Talk to William Frank and see if he can go down there with you. He can search quicker with the drone."

"I’ll call him as soon as we are done."

Kelsey stopped on her way to the door of the Sheriff’s office. "Call the parks department and see if we can get anything from them. This could be victim number five, and without having a strong lead, we will have more dead bodies."

"What about the two guys we have in custody?"

"We have to assume for now neither is the killer. We work as if the killer is out there until we know otherwise. Call the parks department and anyone else you need to and see if we can have the park temporarily closed down. I don't think it will happen, but it’s worth a shot. Ideally, we place an officer at every access point into the badlands, but I don't think we have the manpower for that."

"I’ll see what I can do," the Sheriff said.

"Thank you." Kelsey left the office and entered the fray of the main police station area. It was not very big, but it was a hive of activity with the recent discoveries. She caught John’s eye as he entered the building after his errand to a possible entry point for the killer.

Before talking with him, she went to Deputy Hunt.

"How is the woman doing?" Kelsey asked.

"She’s shaken, but she will be fine." The Deputy shook her head and gave a sardonic smile. "She keeps talking about how it is the best tour she has ever been on. She is due to fly back to Japan in four days, and she’ll go back with some stories to tell."

"I’m just glad she has the chance to go back. When I heard her scream, I thought he had taken her. She doesn’t know how lucky she is. How about Arthur Nemetz. Where are we with him?"

"He has an alibi for two of the four women. Obviously, he might have been in the badlands when Vanessa Parks was killed, and he doesn’t have a solid alibi for Mariana Lopez, but the other two victims coincide with camping trips far in the east of the state. He has multiple people who can back that up. Could he be working with someone else? Two men doing the killing?"

"I don't think so," Kelsey said. "My gut tells me this is one man working alone."

"Do you want me to release him?" Deputy Hunt asked.

"Not yet," Kelsey told her. "Keep him for now. I want to talk with him before he leaves. He might be able to help us. You can let him know that he is free to go, and he can leave if he wants, but he wanted to help out in the badlands, and he has a chance to help while he is here. Get him coffee, food, whatever he wants if he is willing to stay and talk with me."

"You got it," the Deputy said. "Anything else I can help with?"

"Yeah, there might be one thing. The more I think about the case, the more I think about the motive. As it stands right now, there is no connection between the women. They are all young, but they are not connected. The same goes for the area where they are killed. No connection except for seclusion. He thinks of himself as a predator, perhaps an apex predator. He gave Vanessa Parks a knife. He wants the challenge, but he wants a safety net, too. That’s why I think he chooses women. He doesn’t want to risk choosing someone stronger than him. He wants to hunt them, and it suggests to me a past trauma. Start local, and move out if you can't find anything. I want you to look into anyone who might have suffered trauma in their past, likely in childhood. Whoever our serial killer is, they will be an adult now. I think there might be something in his past about being beaten down or being made to feel weak. If he got help at any point, he might have a record somewhere."

Nina nodded along the entire time as if she was learning on the job. "I’ll see what I can find." There was almost an excitement to her as she walked off to complete her tasks.

Kelsey headed toward John after he hung his jacket in the small office he had been assigned.

"Is it true that you found a hand?" he asked when Kelsey reached the office.

"I don't know," she admitted. "We have a witness who might have seen a coyote with a hand in its mouth, but so far, we can’t confirm that, nor do we know if there is a body to attach the hand to. How did you do out there?"

"Nothing," John said. "The access point is relatively secluded, but it’s desolate, and there are tire tracks of people who have parked there and ATV tracks leading into the badlands, but multiple of each. We can't precisely match any of them to anything. We searched the area and went down into the valley on the ATVs, but we didn't find anything. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack."

Kelsey shook her head in frustration. "Yeah, it is." She kicked the chair by the desk, moving it slightly. "We don't have anything on this guy. It’s almost as if he is hiding in plain sight, but we can't see the woods for the trees."

"It’s frustrating, I know, but we have been in this situation before. There have been times when it’s felt like there is no end in sight, but we get there, we get the guy. We just have to be patient."

"I don't want to be patient!" Kelsey shouted. "I went out into the badlands by myself to get this guy, and it is another likely dead end. How can I be patient when Erica is all alone?"

"I know Sheriff Anderson has been visiting her," John said.

"How is that supposed to make me feel any better?" Kelsey snapped. "It should be me visiting her. I should be there with her, but I was not. I’m stuck here in a labyrinth where every path leads to another dead end. I need to get back to Winchburgh."

"And you will."

Kelsey threw her hands into the air. "Saying things like that doesn’t help. I don't want to hear things; I want results, and so far, we have nothing. The best you can give me is going out on a little day trip and finding nothing."

John looked at her sternly, and Kelsey immediately backed down.

"I’m sorry," she said. "I didn't mean that. I know you are trying, but it’s just frustrating me. If this were a case back home where I could see Erica, I would be fine. But I can't see her, and if we don't find this guy, I might never see her."

"I know," John soothed. "And I know this is hardest for you, but we will get there. I know we will. We just need to keep moving forward. So, where do we go next?"

Kelsey took a deep breath. She felt as lost as she had felt when in the badlands by herself. She couldn’t let it affect her. She needed to keep her wits if she was going to be with Erica.

"Special Agent Hawk!" Deputy Hunt called. "You have to get out here."

Kelsey ran out of John’s office to find the entire station moving toward one area of the building as if something big was brewing.

"What’s going on?" Kelsey asked Nina.

"It’s Henry Wright," the Deputy said. "He just flipped out. I think he’s trying to escape."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Kelsey ran with Nina, John not far behind them.

"What happened?" Kelsey asked.

"I don't know for sure. We transferred Henry Wight to the interview room so you could speak with him, and shortly after we closed the door, he flipped out. He’s smashing stuff up in there. I’m worried that he’s a danger to himself."

Kelsey and Nina arrived close to the door. Three officers were standing close, ready to draw the weapons, and the Sheriff stood by the door, ready to go in. Kelsey caught his eyes when she arrived.

"I tried to go in, but he threw a chair at me. If he doesn't stop this soon, we will have to go in with force," the Sheriff said.

Kelsey looked around, trying to make sense of the situation. She had only spent a short time in the badlands with him, but he had only been concerned about his missing tourist. There was a chance he was the killer, but Kelsey didn't think he was.

"Who transferred him into the room?" Kelsey asked.

Officer Peters raised his hand. "That was me, Special Agent Hawk."

Kelsey thought about it for a moment. "Did he ask about Vanessa King when you were escorting him?"

"Um, yeah, he did."

"What did you tell him?" Kelsey asked.

"I didn't say anything," the officer replied. "I’m not supposed to release any details to the public. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Officer, you did not.” Kelsey understood what was happening in the room. "I need to go in there," she told the Sheriff. "He likely worked out that something has happened to her, and with the previous murders being public knowledge, it wouldn't be hard to put two and two together."

The Sheriff looked at her with some apprehension.

"I will be fine," Kelsey claimed. "I will call you in if I need any help."

"I’ll go in with her," John stated.

Kelsey held up a hand. "I’m going in alone. He needs to calm down first, and I don't want too many of us going in at once. He’s upset, that is all."

The Sheriff moved away from the door.

Kelsey moved toward it, hearing thumps from inside. She took the handle and opened the door a crack. "Henry, I’m coming in. You threw a chair at the Sheriff, and you know that was wrong. I expect you will conduct yourself better this time."

There was no response, but Kelsey didn't hold back. She inched the door open until there was enough room for her to slip through. Henry stood near the back of the room, holding a chair. The table was pretty beat up, and while the metal chairs were mostly intact, they were bent out of shape.

"I want you to put the chair down," Kelsey said, using the same tone as she had in the badlands.

Henry displayed the same fierce look he had shown when holding the knife, and for a second, Kelsey readied herself for the chair to sail at her head.

"Is it true?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, it’s true," Kelsey confirmed, holding her hands up before her.

"How?" Henry gasped. "Who? Who did it?"

"We are still looking into that," Kelsey told him. "I really do need you to put the chair down, Henry. Once you do that, we can sit down and talk and try to figure this thing out. Can you do that for me, Henry?"

Henry nodded and slowly lowered the chair. "I didn't mean to do any of this."

"What's done is done, but you will have to face up to this. You have been running illegal tours, and you threw a chair at the Sheriff. Not to mention the damage to police property. Now, if you can be more amicable and work with me, we might be able to lessen the charges."

Henry let go of the chair, and it clanked as it hit the floor. Kelsey went back to the door and opened it.

"We will need a few more chairs in here," she said. She beckoned John in to join her.

John entered the room, looked at the destruction, and glared at Henry. Henry didn't seem to notice. He was looking from person to person as officers came in to clean up the mess, but he wasn’t seeing anyone. He was still in love with Vanessa.

Once some chairs and water were brought in, Kelsey and John sat down with Henry.

"Henry, we are sorry for your loss," Kelsey said. "I can't imagine what you are going through right now, but we need you to answer a few questions. Can you do that?"

Henry looked comatose. "Yeah."

"Can you give us your whereabouts for the past few days?" Kelsey asked. "We want to rule you out of the investigation.

Henry spoke in a monotone voice as he answered. "I was working most days this past week, and I was at my girlfriend’s house when I wasn’t working."

"And she can confirm that?" John asked.

"Yeah, she can."

"You were still in love with Vanessa," Kelsey said.

Henry looked down at the table and then back up at Kelsey. "If I get out of here, I don't want Helen to know about what I did here."

"Helen, is your girlfriend?" Kelsey asked.

Henry nodded. "Vanessa wouldn’t have me back, and I thought I could move on, but I couldn’t; I can’t. Helen doesn’t need to know. She doesn’t deserve that."

"You knew Vanessa well," Kelsey noted. "Do you know of anyone who might want to hurt her?"

"Hurt her? No," Henry replied. "She was the best. Everyone loved her."

Becky had said the same about Emily.

"Did you know Emily Parks?" Kelsey asked.

"A little," Henry admitted. "She was in the badlands pretty regularly to photograph it. I spoke to her a couple of times, but not substantially. It was mostly to recommend places for her to go that she might not have been. Places off the beaten track."

"How about Mariana Lopez?" Kelsey asked. "She was studying geology."

"I don't know that name," Henry said.

Kelsey tapped the table, a new thought forming. "Henry, I’m going to leave you for now, but I will have an officer come in to get your whereabouts for each of the murders. The more you can give us, the easier we can rule you out, okay?"

Henry nodded. He looked like a shell of a man. Kelsey knew he wasn’t the killer, even without having the alibis yet. He was distraught that Vanessa was dead. She and John took a moment before they got up and left the room.

"You thought of something in there, didn't you?" John asked.

"Three of the four women have a direct connection to the badlands. What about Susan Jennings? She was a nurse, wasn’t she?"

"Yeah, she was."

"Was there anything else in her file about the badlands?" Kelsey asked.

"Not that I can remember, but I can take another look."

"Thanks. There’s another thing I want to run by you. Arthur Nemetz has alibis for two of the murders, and I don't see him killing anyone. I want to keep him around as an advisor for now. He wanted to help, and we can give him the chance."

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" John asked.

"I don't know, but we don't have a lot to lose if it is a bad idea."

"Okay, then I am onboard," John said.

They parted ways again, dividing and conquering. Kelsey went to Deputy Hunt first to check that Arthur was willing to help them (he was), and then she had Deputy Hunt bring Arthur to her office. She would have rather met Arthur in the interview room, but it was being cleaned up.

"Arthur, please come in and take a seat," Kelsey told him. "I’m sure Deputy Hunt has already informed you what we are asking of you."

Arthur nodded as Nina left them to it. "I will help in any way I can. Am I really going to be a consultant for the FBI?"

"Off the books," Kelsey said. "I don't have the funds to pay you, but if you are able to give us anything that helps us catch this killer, then you will have done your town a service. Would you like that, Arthur?"

"Yes, I would," he said earnestly. "And I am glad you have come to me. I would have come to you anyway after I was released. I want to ask you a question. When you came looking for me, did you do it because someone tipped you off?"

"Tipped me off," Kelsey asked.

"Did someone tell you that you should come looking for me?" Arthur asked.

Kelsey was starting to worry that she had made a mistake in asking Arthur Nemetz for help. He knew a lot about the badlands, but he was starting to sound overly paranoid.

"No, no one told us to come looking for you. We thought someone was camping out in the badlands, and your name came up. That was all."

"He knows I’m onto him. I can tell you because you have the resources to do something about it." Arthur looked giddy as he spoke.

"What are you talking about, Arthur?" Kelsey asked.

"Stay sitting down because I am about to blow this entire case wide open. I think I know who the killer is."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"You know who the killer is?" Kelsey asked.

"Colin Bates," Arthur stated.

Kelsey was sure she was conversing with a crazy man, but she wrote the name down in her notebook anyway.

"Who is Colin Bates?" Lesley asked.

"He is a park ranger for Theodore Roosevelt National Park." Arthur folded his arms over his chest.

"And why do you think he is the killer?" Kelsey asked.

"Because he has already covered up one of the biggest scandals in national park history. I think he got a taste for crime, and he is going bigger."

Kelsey took a deep breath. She raised her hand as an officer passed her office and asked if he could bring her some coffee. She was a big believer in no smoke without fire, so she would listen to Arthur’s story, but it was starting to feel as if John was right about trusting Arthur not being the right decision.

"Okay, let’s take a step back. Colin Bates is caught up in a scandal? What is the scandal?" Kelsey asked.

"Colin Bates is a supposed hero, but I know it is all lies. He rescued some girls in the badlands and made the local and some national newspapers, but it was all a lie."

The officer came back with a cup of coffee for Kelsey. She thanked him and then gestured for Arthur to continue.

"Okay, so we had a senator visiting; I don't remember from which state. You can look up the article. He’s a handsome jerk with a scar on his chin that he apparently got from the search in the badlands. Colin, not the senator. None of them were supposed to be out there, and he got them to lie for him and say they were lost and that he saved them. I think they were out there for other reasons. Anyway, it was a big deal at the time, and he got some sort of medal, and it made our town look good, and there was no harm done at the time, but it got me to thinking. What if he took them out there to kill them but got cold feet? What if that was the test? What if he got away with the lies back then, and now he thinks no one will ever suspect him?"

Arthur sat back in his chair.

"Do you have evidence of this?" Kelsey asked.

"Not direct evidence, but I’ve spoken to people, and he’s admitted it in front of them when he’s drunk. I saw him out in the badlands one night, as naked as the day he was born, looking up at the moon. He didn't know I was out there. I don't know what he was up to."

"If you don't have any direct evidence, we can't do anything about what you have said," Kelsey told him. "I don't want to focus on that right now. What I want you to focus on is where he might have entered the badlands. John tried to find the access point, but he doesn’t know the badlands as well as you do. I want you to look over the map and imagine you are the killer. If you are entering the badlands with a woman with the intent to kill her, how are you getting her there, and where are you entering? Is it the same place for all four murders?"

Kelsey wasn’t sure if there was a fifth murder yet.

Arthur changed his demeanor, now he had a task to work on. He didn't have the same aura he had a minute ago.

"The other thing I have been thinking about is the lack of connections. We haven’t had much to cross reference, and what we do have has not shown anything. We are pretty sure he has an ATV, and he is local. He must also have a lot of time on his hands. That should narrow it down for us, but it hasn’t thrown us anything yet. What if he is living off the grid?"

"Yeah, that would be smart," Arthur agreed. "No trail back to him, and he could hide out in a million places."

"Not a million places," Kelsey pointed out. "I know the area around the badlands is vast, but we should be able to narrow it down. When you study the maps, I want to know the places where you would build a permanent shelter if you were living off the grid. It will have easy access to the badlands, be somewhat concealed, and be large enough to store an ATV and perhaps have a place to keep the women hostage for a while."

"It’ll be close to a water source. That will narrow it down a little," Arthur said.

"Good," Kelsey said. "Get on that and give me a list of places. When William Frank is free, we can have him fly his drone out to some of them to check. And again, I appreciate you helping us."

"I won’t let you down," Arthur said.

Kelsey called on Deputy Hunt to get Arthur set up somewhere in the building, and as soon as Kelsey was alone again, John popped his head into her office.

"Hey, Vanessa’s next of kin needs to be notified, and I volunteered to do it. I figured everyone was already under a lot of strain with having a serial killer in town. That okay?"

"I’ll be right there," Kelsey said.

***

"Hello?" Mrs. King said on answering the door.

"Mrs. King, I’m Special Agent Hawk, and this is Deputy Gallant. May we come in and speak with you for a moment?" Kelsey asked.

"What’s going on? Is it Mitchell? Has something happened to him?"

Meredith King looked a lot like her daughter. She was a little taller than Vanessa and had lots of grey hair mixed in with the brown, but the features were the same. She had the same shape of eyes, a similar nose and mouth shape, and a hint of athleticism from her youth.

"If we can just come in, we can explain everything," John said pleasantly.

"Yes, yes," Meredith said, still unsure how to act or what to do. She spun to the left and then right before moving back to let Kelsey and John in.

"Should I make some tea?" she asked as she wandered through toward the living room.

"No, there’s no need to make any tea," Kelsey informed her. "How about we all sit down?"

"Did something happen to Mitchell? He left for work this morning," Meredith muttered.

"I am sure your husband is fine," John said as Meredith sat down. "But I’m afraid I have some bad news about your daughter."

Meredith didn't respond initially. She sat in the armchair, not moving a muscle as the color drained from her face.

"Where is Venessa?" Meredith asked. "He hadn’t visited in ever so long."

"I’m sorry to tell you this," John continued. "Vanessa King was found dead this morning."

"What? No," Meredith muttered. "No, I will call her now and have her come over here. Vanessa is not dead. My Vanessa is not dead."

"We really are sorry for your loss," Kelsey said, "but we need your help. We need to find whoever did this to her."

"Whoever did this to her?" Meredith repeated. "What-what do you mean? Someone killed her?" Meredith placed a hand over her mouth. She had become as white as a sheet. "Why-why-why? Why would someone do that? No, you must mistaken."

"I know this is hard, but we need to ask you a few questions," Kelsey said.

"I should make some tea," Meredith said. She stood up quickly from the chair but did not go toward the kitchen. She stood in the same spot, looking left and right as if she might find her daughter.

Kelsey went to Meredith and took her hand, slowly lowering her into the armchair again.

"Mrs. King, I’m sorry, but she is gone," Kelsey said.

Meredith nodded, sharing the same blank look Henry Wright had displayed after accepting the news.

"Do you know if your daughter has been doing anything different over the past month or hanging around with any new people?" Kelsey asked.

"She… no," Meredith replied. "She did the tours. Mitchell and I took one once. It was splendid." Meredith faced the wall as she spoke, talking wistfully.

"Any recent changes?" John asked.

"No, she will always be my Vanessa," Meredith said. "She will always be my little girl."

"Is there anyone who might wish her harm?" Kelsey asked.

"No! Why would they?"

"Anyone she spoke about negatively?" Kelsey tried.

"My daughter had no enemies. She was loved by everyone."

"How about a new boyfriend or girlfriend in the past few weeks?" John asked.

"No, no one new. She has been with the same person for a while."

"Henry Wright?" Kelsey asked.

"No, she got rid of him a long time ago, thank goodness. No, she started dating a much nicer fellow months ago. Six months ago. I remember they had just celebrated their six-month anniversary." Meredith smiled and then quickly jerked and lost the smile as if she had forgotten she was not supposed to be happy.

Kelsey immediately thought about Henry Wright becoming jealous. He was still in love with Vanessa, and they had been broken up for six months. It must have eaten him up inside.

"Do you know who she was dating?" Kelsey asked.

"Oh, yes. Handsome fellow. I met him once. What was his name again?" Meredith looked up at the ceiling as she thought about it. "Oh, dear me. I forget it now. He was a park ranger—I remember that much."

Kelsey felt her stomach lurch. "A park ranger?"

"Yes. Vanessa loved them. They both love the badlands. That is what she told me."

Kelsey quickly pulled out her phone and searched for the article, hoping Arthur had not been lying about it. It took a moment, but the article popped up detailing the heroics of Colin Bates. Kelsey clicked on the photo to enlarge it. She turned the phone to face Meredith.

"Is this the man she was dating?" Kelsey asked.

"Yes, that’s him," Meredith confirmed. "Handsome, isn’t he? Even with the scar."

"Who is it?" John asked Kelsey.

"Colin Bates," she replied. "This is the second time I have heard his name in the last hour. I don't believe in coincidence. We need to bring Colin in while we still can."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Kelsey and John parked up at the ranger station on the other side of the badlands from the town of Doret. As John had driven them, Kelsey could only think how everything started to blend and merge into the same thing. Down in the valleys, she had become lost in the sameness of everything. Up above, the landscape seemed to blend the longer she was there. Everything was flat, and the eye was constantly drawn toward the hoodoos, mesas, peaks, hills, and buttes. Everything was focused on the badlands and what they contained.

Kelsey read through the article one more time as they came to a stop.

"Arthur did sound crazy when he spoke about it," she told John. "For all intents and purposes, Colin Bates looks like a state hero." She held up the screen to show John his photo. "And he looks the part too. As far as a local goes, he has it made. I mean, not famous enough to get any screen time except for a couple of local talk shoes and a five-minute documentary about the incident, but famous enough to get free beers for life, I would imagine."

"A park ranger would have the skills to know the lay of the land and be able to navigate it freely. He’s far enough away from Doret to remain hidden in plain sight. No one would suspect a local hero. Is there a chance Arthur was right?"

"I don't know," Kelsey admitted. "Arthur believes he is right, but he got overly passionate, too, as if he had a deep need to convince me of it, too. There was some jealousy there."

"I know a thing of two about heroism," John said. "I want to look him in the eye."

Kelsey didn't ask for any further information. John had spent some time in Afghanistan and other places overseas, commanding a platoon. He didn’t talk about it often, but Kelsey knew he had seen things.

They exited John’s truck and headed for the ranger’s hut.

A couple of park rangers sat by the front door on a bench looking out on the badlands. Three civilian vehicles were parked in a small marked area that was a makeshift parking lot. To the right of that was a roped-off area with multiple ATVs, motorbikes, larger vehicles, and trucks. They all had the Park’s logo on them.

"Special Agent Hawk," Kelsey said, showing her badge. She gestured toward John. "And Deputy Gallant. Is Colin Bates inside?"

"Yeah, he’s in there," the smaller of the two men said. "Do you need him to help with the investigation, or is he a suspect?"

The other park ranger laughed at the joke.

Kelsey smiled as she walked past the two men. She gained a lot of insight from the simple comment, and coupled with the news article, she expected Colin to have some arrogance. From the tone of the comment, she imaged him as a man who was trying to live up to the hero moniker and expecting to be seen as a hero by all. The joke had some derision behind it, as if neither of the men truly saw Colin as a hero.

The main room inside the ranger’s hut was a large living area. There were a couple of sofas, a TV showing a sitcom, a kitchen area at the back, and a dining table with chairs arranged neatly around it. A park ranger sat at the table eating, and two others sat on the couch watching the TV.

One of the men on the couch looked up—the other did not. The other was Colin Bates. He sat with one foot up on the couch, his legs spread slightly to open his crotch. Kelsey didn't have to hear him talk or act to get a sense of smugness and arrogance from him. He looked like a man who thought he was owed something from the world. She could see how a man like Arthur Nemetz would dislike Colin.

"Colin Bates?" Kelsey asked.

"Yeah, who’s asking?" Colin replied.

Kelsey showed her badge again. "Special Agent Hawk. I wonder if we might have a word."

"Sure," Colin said, not taking his eyes from the TV.

"Perhaps in private," John said, taking a step toward Colin.

The park ranger did not take the hint, and he continued to watch the TV as if it were an inconvenience to have Kelsey and John in the ranger’s hut.

"Speak freely," Colin said, still watching the sitcom.

"Mr. Bates, you are dating Vanessa King, aren’t you?" Kelsey asked.

The comment threw him, and he looked at Kelsey with a hint of confusion before he composed himself and arranged his features back into the arrogant look. Kelsey could see through it all. She imagined he thought he looked confident but came across as arrogant to most people. He must have had some charm if he had been dating Vanessa for six months.

"Yeah, Vanessa and I hang out from time to time," Colin replied.

"Are you dating her or not?" Kelsey asked.

"Is that what she told you? You know how women are."

The ranger on the couch smiled, but it looked forced as if he had to pretend that every joke from Colin’s lips was funny or he would be ostracized from the group. She felt that was the same for everyone. Colin Bates would have the respect of the state after what he did, but those closest to him would know the man he truly was.

"We hooked up, if that’s what you mean," Colin continued.

Kelsey was glad the news of her death had not made it to the ranger’s station yet.

"When was the last time you saw Vanessa?" Kelsey asked.

As Kelsey was asking questions, John moved toward the dining table, getting closer to the ranger there. There must have been something in John’s look because the ranger got up a moment later, took his plate to the kitchen, and then left the hut.

"Don't know. Maybe a couple of days ago," Colin said. "I can check my calendar if you like." He flashed a wink.

"You’re somewhat of a hero around here," John said, making his way slowly around the room from the dining table to the other side of the sofa.

"Is that why you came down here? To offer your congratulations?" Colin asked.

"It’s always great to meet our country’s heroes," John said. "I toured in Afghanistan. A lot of heroes over there."

Colin looked a little crestfallen and didn't respond. He liked being the top dog in the room, but he could not trump fighting overseas for your country.

The ranger on the couch took a look at John and nodded in appreciation toward him before he got up from the couch and left the hut, leaving John and Kelsey alone with Colin. Some of Colin’s confidence slipped from him as his crew abandoned him. He was confident because of what he had done, but he needed people around to feel that confidence. Without that, he didn't have anything. He craved the adoration.

"You found two young women out in the badlands. Is that right?" Kelsey asked.

"You’re talking about the senator’s daughters?" Colin asked.

"Mmm," Kelsey replied.

"Yeah, I was out there when I got a call to say there were two women missing, and I was down in the valleys. I drove around for a while and found them. It wasn’t a big deal, really."

"From what I read about it, it seemed like a very big deal," Kelsey said. "Did you not get a medal for it?"

"Yeah, but it wasn’t about that," Colin replied.

Kelsey could imagine him boasting to his friends about it, both back then and now.

"The article doesn’t go into much detail," Kelsey noted. "What were you doing out there that evening?"

"I was monitoring the coyote population, checking where the packs were forming and ensuring they were not getting too close to the established trails."

The line sounded very forced and rehearsed.

"How did you find them?" John asked, sitting down on the sofa beside Colin.

Colin put his foot back down on the carpet and sat up a little straighter. "It was luck, I guess. I followed some of the trails and deviated off them slightly to the places someone lost might head to try and find a vantage point. They were huddled in the shade of a large rock on the top of a ridge when I found them. I don't know what would have happened to them if I hadn’t found them."

Kelsey pointed to Colin’s chin. "And the scar? How did you get that?"

"I, uh, almost slipped as I was helping one of the women down to the valley. I hit my chin. I didn't really notice until I got them back to safety. I wasn’t thinking about anything else other than the two women."

A lot of the lines sounded rehearsed, like soundbites honed over the years.

"Why were they out there?" Kelsey probed. "The article did not mention that either."

"I don't know. I think they decided to go for a walk."

Kelsey didn't know the exact details of the rescue, but she decided to fish a little bit.

"I looked into it. They were miles from anywhere, weren’t they?" Kelsey asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Colin replied.

"Not on a tour, right?"

"No, they were by themselves."

"How did they get out there?" Kelsey continued. "Did they hire an ATV or have someone drive them out there?"

"Yeah, I don't know," Colin said, folding his arms over his chest.

"I’ve spoken to some people," Kelsey lied. "Apparently, you like to talk a lot when you are drunk. Boasting to some people and becoming awfully truthful with others. I’d like to open an investigation into your rescue operation, and I will have the resources of the FBI behind me. You look like a man who craves the truth, Mr. Bates."

Colin was shell-shocked for a moment before he leaped to his feet. John jumped to his feet, too. Colin pointed at Kelsey menacingly. "The state senator is a friend of mine. I’ve done more for North Dakota than most of the population."

"I’ve caught multiple serial killers," Kelsey informed him. "Deputy Gallant served his country in Afghanistan. Do you want to compare notes, or are you ready to talk to you about what you lied about?"

Colin still had his finger pointed at Kelsey, and he looked like he was about to say something more. Instead, he turned and marched toward the door.

"Colin, we need you to come down to the station and talk with us," Kelsey said.

"I have work to do," Colin replied.

John followed him quickly to the door, Kelsey running after them. Colin left the ranger’s hut, and the other four rangers watched the scene excitedly. Colin strode starlight toward the vehicles, a key in his hand.

"Colin! Stop, or we will be forced to arrest you!" Kelsey shouted.

Colin didn't stop. He continued on his way and reached for the handlebars of one of the motorbikes. John grabbed his other hand before he could swing his leg over.

"Let go of me!" Colin screamed. "Don't you know who I am!"

"I know exactly who you are," John said. "You are no hero."

"I want to talk to Senator Billings," Colin shouted. "Let go of me right now. I have buffalo to tend to."

"You won’t be tending to anything for a while," John said. He pulled him away from the motorbike, and his ranger shirt was pulled to the side, one of the buttons coming undone.

Colin struggled to get out of John’s grip, but John was too strong for him.

"Knife!" Kelsey called, pointing to the large hunting knife on Colin’s belt.

John spotted it and grabbed Colin’s other hand. He forced Colin to the ground, who continued to struggle. Kelsey moved forward to help him, but John was able to get the handcuffs on Colin without additional assistance. He picked Colin up, and as he did, Colin’s shirt fell open at the front.

Colin was wearing a necklace with a lock of hair bound tight in twine. The color looked like an exact match for Vanessa King. Kelsey looked at the knife on Colin’s belt, not wanting to touch it with her bare hands.

Is that the knife you killed her with?

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"Did you get anything from the knife?" Kelsey asked.

"They are checking it again," Deputy Hunt said. "It has been thoroughly cleaned with bleach. No DNA of any sort, except for some fingerprints on the handle that have been matched to Colin Bates.

"Okay. Ask them to run it again, just in case. We only need one piece of DNA to convict him."

"I’ve been watching from my desk. Colin’s lawyer has been in and out of the visiting room with Colin Bates multiple times over the past four hours, and when he’s outside the station, he’s on his phone all the time. Something is going on."

"You were here when the rescue happened. What did you make of it?" Kelsey asked.

"I still don't know," Deputy Hunt admitted. "Before it happened, there was talk of Colin being incompetent. It's nothing official, but word gets around in Doret. I don't think he was very good at his job, and then he goes and rescues those girls. It was a big thing at the time, and the town benefitted from it. No one was hurt, and that’s always a good thing."

"Do you think he could have staged it?" Kelsey asked.

Nina took a deep breath. "I don't really know. If he weren’t good at his job, then maybe he would have the know-how to stage it. But for someone to go from zero to hero overnight? I know that’s the American story, but something always seemed off with it. I don't know. There wasn’t a crime, so there was nothing to look into. One thing I know about him is he is an arrogant son-of-a-bitch."

Kelsey almost chuckled to hear the Deputy using such language. "Yeah, I got that impression from him after spending five minutes with him. How about the hair? Have they matched it to Vanessa King yet?"

"Not yet, but the results should come through soon. Looks the right color."

"And his apartment?" Kelsey asked.

"They are still searching it, but they haven’t found anything of note yet."

"All right, thank you, Deputy."

"I sent you over some files," Nina added. "You wanted me to look into anyone in the state who might have had mental health issues as a child. I filled through them and picked out the ones that make the most sense, but you know better than me what we are looking for. I sent you files from North Dakota and the surrounding states, and I have a master list of all mental health issues in children from the past fifty years. I can move on to other states if you want."

"I’m impressed again," Kelsey said. "That must have taken you some time."

"I don't have anyone at home, so I have time." Nina raised her hands. "I don't mean that in a sad way. I’m happy enough as it is. I love the job, and it’s nice to have something meatier to get my teeth into. If you need anything else from me, just let me know."

"Just keep doing what you are doing," Kelsey said.

Again, Nina practically beamed at the compliment.

"Hey, we can finally go in," John called from across the police station.

Kelsey had been itching to get into the room with Colin, but she dreaded a little what she would find when she got in there. Did Colin have some protection from the state senator because of his heroics?

She and John approached the interview room, the same one that had been recently beaten up by Henry Wright. They stood at the door to hear no noises from inside. Kelsey knocked, and they entered the room.

The lawyer procured by Colin Bates was well dressed, and Kelsey got the immediate impression that he didn't come cheap either.

I thought I had left excitement behind when I was assigned to North Dakota, but it seems that small towns have just as much crime as the big city.

Kelsey and John sat down, and Kelsey was about to start the recording device when the lawyer stopped her.

"Special Agent Hawk, I would like to speak off the record first," the lawyer said.

"Okay, go ahead," Kelsey said.

"My client is willing to cooperate fully, but we would like to put to rest the claims against my client regarding the rescue operation of the daughters of Senator Winch. I have been on the phone with Senator Billings, and he does not want the great name of our state to be muddied. As far as he is concerned, Mr. Bates is a hero, and he should be treated as such. There will be no questions about the rescue operation. Not now and not later. If there is, a lawsuit will be brought against you and Deputy Gallant, led by the state. I hope you understand the situation you are in. We are here to talk about the recent murders, and my client is willing to answer any questions you have."

Kelsey considered the information for a minute. "Mr. Bates, I have never been one to follow the rules, and I have stood up to far more powerful men than a state senator. I know you lied about the rescue operation, but I don't care about that at the moment. If you answer my questions truthfully, I will walk out of here satisfied, but make no mistake—these threats, because that is what they are, don't scare me. If you mess me around again, I will do all I can to expose you without caring for the consequences. Do you understand the situation you are in?"

Colin looked shocked, and he gave repeated tiny nods.

Kelsey knew she could not drag up anything like that if she wanted to get back to her sister, but he had lied to get what he wanted, so why couldn’t she do the same? It was a means to an end, and that was all.

"My client will answer any questions you have about the murders," the lawyer repeated. "Shall we start the interview?"

Kelsey gave it another minute before she started the recording device and introduced the people present.

"Mr. Bates, I am sure you are now aware that Vanessa King is dead," Kelsey said.

"I am," Colin confirmed. He seemed unbothered by the news—chalk and cheese compared to Henry Wright.

"Why are you carrying around a bound lock of her hair around your neck?" Kelsey asked.

"She wanted me to carry it to remember her," Colin answered monotonously.

"Did she have a lock of your hair?" Kelsey continued.

Colin shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so."

"And it was her idea for you to carry it?"

Colin shrugged. "Yeah."

"Her idea to bind it up in twine?" Kelsey continued.

"I guess," Colin replied.

"Mr. Bates, why has your knife been recently cleaned with bleach?" Kelsey asked.

"I like to look after my tools."

Kelsey frowned. "Your tools? That’s a weird way of putting it."

"Tools of the trade," Colin clarified. "Every ranger has a knife. I use mine to kill wild animals, and I had used it recently, so I cleaned it."

"Is it standard practice to clean your knives with bleach?" John asked. "Seems to me that you could use soap and water."

"I have a thing about germs." Colin sat back in his chair.

"What did you kill?" John inquired.

"A rabbit." Colin smiled.

"I thought you said you used your knife to kill wild animals. Were you in fear for your life?" John asked.

Colin smiled and chucked through his nose. "The rabbits are wild out there. I was hungry and decided to cook one up under the stars."

John leaned forward in his chair. "Is that also common practice for park rangers?"

"No, it’s not, but you wanted the truth, and I am giving it to you."

"You are a lot older than Vanessa King," Kelsey noted. "She was twenty-four, and you are thirty-nine."

"Is that relevant to the investigation?" the lawyer asked.

"I only want to establish the nature of your client’s relationship with the deceased. According to her mother, the two of you were dating, but you informed us it was a casual thing. Yet, you carried a lock of her hair around your neck. When did you obtain the lock of hair?"

"I don't know.  A month ago," Colin said.

"So, when we check her body, there will be no evidence that a lock of hair was recently cut?" John asked.

"It could have been a week ago. Maybe a few days. I don't remember. I don't keep track of days—I like to live free."

"What does that mean?" Kelsey asked.

"Is that relevant to the investigation?" the lawyer asked. "Please ask more relevant questions, Special Agent Hawk."

Kelsey sighed. She took a slip of paper from the folder before her and slid it over to Colin and his lawyer. "I want you to take a look at these dates. I’ve highlighted the most important. Can you tell us where you were during these times?"

"Um, yeah, the one at the bottom; I was at the ranger hut that night. I slept there alone because I wanted to be closer to nature. The other three, I was with Vanessa."

"With Vanessa? You seem awfully sure without much thought," John pointed out.

"What can I say? I have a really good memory."

John smiled menacingly and leaned in closer to Colin. "So, when Vanessa King was murdered, you were alone in the ranger’s hut, and when the other three women were murdered, you were with Vanessa."

"Yeah, exactly," Colin replied.

"Which means we can't confirm any of your alibis. That's convenient," John said.

"I would say it is extremely inconvenient," Colin retorted. "You asked for the truth, and I am telling you the truth. I wish Vanessa had been here to confirm it, but she was not. I didn't murder any of those women. I had a good thing going with Vanessa. If you are looking for someone who could have done this, why don't you bring in Henry Wright? He was obsessed with her and wouldn’t leave her alone. He’s crazy enough—"

The lawyer leaned in to whisper in his client’s ear.

"I didn't do it, and I don't know who did," Colin said calmly.

There came a knock at the door.

"Interview suspended at 2.15 pm," Kelsey said as she switched off the recording device.

She went to the door to be met by Deputy Hunt, who gestured for her and John to come outside.

"They found her," Deputy Hunt said. "They found the fifth victim."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Kelsey sat by her desk, glued to the radio receiver. There was no signal down in the badlands to talk on cell phones. Sheriff Lute had gone down to the scene of the crime to coordinate a search of the area and bring the body back to town for an autopsy.

"Anything so far?" Kelsey asked into the microphone.

"She’s missing a hand," Sheriff Lute said on the other end. His voice sounded echoey in the badlands valleys and tinny and crackly because of the radio. "And she has been here for a few days. Looks like she was killed before Vanessa King."

"You are sure she was killed like the others?" Kelsey asked.

John and Deputy Hunt sat in the office with Kelsey.

"Looks like it," the Sheriff said. "We won’t know for sure until the autopsy is done, but it looks like she was cut with a blade."

"Who would you compare it to?" Kelsey asked. "She has cuts, so we put her after Marianna Lopez. Was she injured like Emily Parks or Sarah Jennings?"

"It’s hard to tell with the body being here for so long. From what I have seen so far, we can assume she was the second, third, or fourth victim. Hold on."

There was a crackly silence on the other end of the line. Then, the Sheriff came back. "Okay, we have an ID. The victim is Leah Grant. She’s local. She had her ID in her pocket but no phone. She also had a slip of paper in her back pocket with a phone number on it." The Sheriff relayed the number, and Kelsey wrote it down alongside Leah’s name.

"Just the number? Nothing else?" Kelsey asked.

"Just the number. It was in her back pocket," the Sheriff confirmed.

"Alright. I’m by the radio, so let me know if you find anything else before you remove her from the scene."

"Roger that," the Sheriff said.

"Deputy Hunt, put together a file on Leah Grant for me. I want to know who she is, what she does, and where she lives. Everything you can get. The more victims we have, the more chance of finding a connection."

Nina nodded.

"John, can you liaise with Arthur Nemetz now that we have access to William’s drone again? Have William fly where Arthur instructs him and see if we can find any off-grid places close to the badlands. I’m going to try this number and see if it gives us anything."

"You got it," John said.

Before Kelsey called the number, she picked up the warm plastic container of noodles on her desk and took a large forkful. Then, she dialed the number the Sheriff had given her and pressed the phone to her ear.

It rang and rang until it went to voicemail. Kelsey hung up and tried again. It rang out a second time. She tried for a third time and let the voicemail kick in this time.

You are through to Thomas Reed. Please leave a message after the tone.

Kelsey hung up and wrote down the name beside the phone number. She took another large forkful of noodles before opening her laptop and doing a database search of the phone number and name. She was able to find an address in South Dakota and the name of the trucking company where he was employed.

Kelsey jotted down that number below the first. She picked up her phone again and tried the trucking company.

"SD Trucking, how can I help you?"

"Hello. My name is Special Agent Hawk with the FBI. I’m hoping you can help me find someone who is employed with you. Are you able to do that for me? Please feel free to talk to your superior if you need to," Kelsey said.

"Okay, give me one second," the woman said.

A moment later, a male voice came on the line. "Hello? My name is Brian Fergusson; I’m the area manager for SD Trucking. What is it we can help you with?"

"I’m Special Agent Trace with the FBI. We don't have a warrant or anything like that, and you and your company are not under any investigation. We are only looking to locate one of your employees, and he was not answering his cell phone. I thought he might be on the road and wanted to confirm that with you."

"Okay, yes, sure. What is the name of the employee?"

"Thomas Reed," Kelsey relayed.

"Give me a moment here. Yes, Mr. Reed is one of our drivers. If you give me another moment… mmm-hmm, he is on a route at the moment, so he won’t be able to answer his phone. I’m glad he didn’t." Brian chuckled.

"Maybe you can help me with something else. If I give you some dates, can you tell me if Thomas Reed was driving on those dates?"

"Is Mr. Reed in some sort of trouble?"

"I’m sure it is nothing, but any help you can give me would be appreciated," Kelsey told him.

"Yes, of course," Brian replied.

Kelsey reeled off a list of dates, covering the dates of the murders with a day on either side of them. She didn't yet know when the most recent victim was murdered.

"Let me have Alison search through Thomas’ records and see if we can get you a list of his routes for those dates if he was working."

Kelsey waited on the end of the line.

"So, it seems he was working on those four dates. He has a regular route between South Dakota and North Dakota."

Kelsey felt her heartbeat quicken a little. "What was the destination each time?"

"Williston," Brian said. "There is a depot there where shipping containers are dropped to then be taken up into Canada or west into Montana."

Kelsey quickly brought a map up on her laptop. The route took him right past Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

"You mentioned Mr. Reed was on the road. Is he driving that same route right now?"

"Ah… yes, he is," Brian confirmed.

"Would you know his exact location?" Kelsey asked.

"Let me check again," Brian said. There was a pause before he added, "I don't know the exact position, but he crossed the border between South and North Dakota about an hour and a half ago. He is due at the depot in around two hours."

Kelsey looked at the map and did a quick calculation. "Okay, thank you. I will have an officer from this office call you back to get more details from you. Can you stay by the phone until they call? It shouldn’t be long."

"Yes," of course," Brian said.

Kelsey hung up and was about to leave the office when the radio crackled.

"Moving the body now," the Sheriff said.

"Roger that," Kelsey said. "We are heading out to try and chase someone down. Hey, did you ever have any luck with having the park closed off temporarily?"

"I called and made inquiries, but I don't think I will get a callback. I don't think they will close down the park for any reason."

"We have a fifth murder," Kelsey pointed out. "Try and put some pressure on them and see if they can do something."

"Roger that," the Sheriff said.

Kelsey moved quickly through the police station to Deputy Hunt's office. "I need your fastest vehicle ready to go five minutes ago."

Deputy Hunt got up from her desk with no questions asked.

"We won’t have time right now to continue questioning Colin Bates. Place him in a holding cell for now, and we will pick him up when we get back. And check into Henry Wright’s alibis again, especially for the Vanessa King murder."

The Deputy nodded. She walked quickly with Kelsey. "I got something back on Leah Grant. Twenty-nine years old, lives near the center of town, an elementary teacher at St Vincent’s. She has a brother and father living on the same street as she lives."

"St. Vincent’s? Was that the same school the other teacher worked? The one who found Emily Park’s body?"

"Yeah, I think it was."

"Okay, look into that, too. It feels like a coincidence, but double-check to see if there is a connection with the school in any way."

"I’ll get it done," Nina said.

The Deputy Sheriff went one way, and Kelsey went the other. She reached John’s office and stuck her head in.

"We need to go," she said. "I have another suspect, and I think he might have gone past Doret not long ago. If we are quick, we can catch him before he reaches his destination and see what he knows. He was near the town when each of the murders occurred."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Kelsey drove the police cruiser down the highway, the lights flashing. Cars pulled to the side and slowed to let them drive past in the outer lane.

"Either we catch up to him, or we double back once we reach the depot and catch him then," Kelsey said.

They reached the end of the badlands, and the grey slowly brightened into a lush green.

"Unless he’s pulled off to use the bathroom or get some food," John pointed out.

"It’s too tight," Kelsey said. "From how it looked on the map, I don't know if he has time for that. If we don't catch him on the highway, we have someone arrest him at the depot, and we will get to talk to him either way."

"Okay, so this guy uses the cover of his route to murder the women. Do you know the exact timeline? Did he have time to stop for that long in his truck each time?" John asked.

"I don't know, but we can ask him when we find him," Kelsey said. "All we know is that we didn't find anything on any of the victims until we found Leah Grant’s body. She had his number in his back pocket, and that has to mean something."

"Yeah, I can't disagree with that. So, we are looking for a long blue articulated truck with SD Trucking on the side. Shouldn’t be too hard to spot, even if he has parked a little off the highway."

Kelsey pushed down gently on the pedal, taking them twenty above the speed limit. She didn't think they were up against the clock with Thomas Reed, but she wanted to talk to him as quickly as she could.

There was a buzzing, and John picked up the phone.

"Yeah?" he answered. "Oh, okay. Yeah, I’ll let her know."

"What?" Kelsey asked when John hung up.

"Okay, so maybe there is something to this. Deputy Hunt has been calling around, and one of the park rangers reports seeing a large blue truck at one of the lookouts multiple times over the past few months. It has to be him."

Kelsey felt the flap of butterfly wings in her stomach as she was brought one step closer to the killer.

"What about Colin Bates?" John asked. "What do we think about him?"

"Yeah, I still don't know." Kelsey flew past three white SUVs in a row. "I think he is arrogant enough to do it and expect to get away with it, and he definitely lied about the rescue a year ago, but I agree with Deputy Hunt that he is incompetent. I don't think he is careful and diligent enough to pull this off. He doesn’t have the intelligence. He’s too arrogant."

"He doesn’t seem to care all that much about Vanessa," John pointed out.

"Yeah, it’s sad," Kelsey agreed. "From talking with her mom, you would think Vanessa and Colin were happy together. I wonder if Vanessa thought they were more than they actually were."

"The alibis are still suspicious. He was alone when Vanessa died and with her when the others died. Do you buy that?" John asked.

"No, I don’t. I think he’s lying about that. Whether that is because he is the killer or because he doesn’t have an alibi, I don't know. We will talk to him again after we have spoken to Thomas Reed."

"It does fit, doesn’t it?" John asked. "If he is only visiting the town, then he has to take what he can get. The women were chosen at random."

"They were," Kelsey agreed, "but I still think he monitored them first. He is escalating the challenge each time."

"Maybe he monitored them on one visit and killed them on the next. If he was spotted near the badlands, then the badlands might be the connection."

"Did we find any connection to the badlands for Sarah Jennings yet?" Kelsey asked.

"Not yet," John replied. "Nothing concrete. Still, almost everyone in the town hangs out at the badlands at some point, so she might have been out hiking when he spotted her. Maybe she was parked at the lookout. The lookout could be the connection."

"Maybe," Kelsey agreed. She looked up ahead. "Is that…?"

John leaned forward and stared straight ahead. "Yeah, it could be."

Kelsey pushed on the pedal some more, taking them thirty above the speed limit to catch up with the truck. She saw the blue and enough of the letters to know it was their guy. She flicked the switch to turn on the sirens and then pulled in behind the truck when she could.

The large blue truck before them showed no signs of slowing. The truck rocked slightly, and then it started to speed up.

"Get on the phone," Kelsey ordered. "Let the highway patrol know our location, and have them set up a roadblock or spikes as soon as they can. Have them send a car to assist and give us a perimeter around the truck. We won’t have a chance to drive it off the road."

As John dialed the number, Kelsey pulled out and took them alongside the truck, hoping Thomas wouldn’t decide to slam the truck into them. She was ready to swerve if he did.

John rolled down his window and leaned out a little. He gestured for the driver to pull over with no success.

He quickly closed the window as he tried to coordinate with the highway patrol. He put his hand over the microphone. "I don't know what he’s planning. He didn't look at me, but he looks scared."

John took his hand off his phone and went back to talking to the highway patrol. Kelsey thought about it for a moment and made the decision. She sped up again and pulled in front of the truck, leaving some room between the two vehicles. She slammed on the brakes for a second before hitting the accelerator again.

John didn't flinch as she made the maneuver.

Kelsey repeated it, checking in the rearview mirror as she slammed on the brakes. The truck behind did not slow. She did it a third time, hitting the brakes for longer this time, and when she hit the accelerator, the truck was almost bumper to bumper with her.

She felt a jolt course through her body. If she lost control for a second, the large truck would slam into her, and their small patrol car would not stand a chance.

There was a screeching sound, and Kelsey thought the truck had hit them. It sounded like grinding metal. When she glanced quickly in the mirror, the truck was farther behind than it should have been, and it wobbled a little. Kelsey slammed on the brakes again, letting the truck get closer as it slowed, and she hit the accelerator a split second too late this time. The truck bumped into them, sending Kelsey and John rocking forward.

John dropped his phone at his feet, but Kelsey did not let go of the steering wheel. She looked behind and slowed their car more slowly as the truck began to stop. She kept an eye on the truck in the rearview mirror, making sure to stop only a few feet from the front of the truck.

As soon as the car came to a stop, she and John both jumped out, drawing their guns and advancing on the truck. Kelsey stood in front of the truck, pointing her gun at Thomas through the windscreen. John rounded the truck to the driver's door and pointed his gun through that window.

"Get out of the truck!" John shouted. "Put your hands up and get out of the truck."

Thomas reached down to his side.

"Hey, hands up!" John shouted.

Thomas quickly put his hands up in the cab. John climbed up the two steps to bring him level with the window in the driver’s door while Kelsey kept her gun trained on Thomas.

"Okay, you can remove your seatbelt," John shouted.

After Thomas had done so, John opened the door from the outside and jumped back down to the ground, pointing his gun at Thomas again.

Thomas kept his hands up as best he could, making slow movements as he exited the truck. When he ascended the steps, Kelsey moved around beside John.

"Turn around and put your hands behind your back," John ordered.

Thomas did as he was told. John looked at Kelsey before putting his gun away. Kelsey kept her gun trained on Thomas. John stepped forward and handcuffed the suspect.

"Why did you try to run?" John asked. "Where were you going?"

"Lawyer," Thomas said with a faint Eastern European accent.

"What are you hiding?" John asked.

"Lawyer," Thomas repeated.

"Oh, you’ll get a lawyer," John said, "and then we will all have a nice chat together."

"Lawyer," Thomas repeated belligerently.

Kelsey took out her phone and dialed the station back in Dorset. Deputy Hunt answers.

"Hey, we got him," Kelsey said. "Once we get sorted here, I’m bringing him back to Doret for questioning. That’s the central point, and I want everything and everyone there. I can feel this all coming together somehow."

"Good," Nina replied, "because Arthur Nemetz thinks he has found something for you to take a look at."

CHAPTER TWENTY

Arthur Nemetz stood hunched over the map as if he were planning a battle. "Look, right here," he said. "Deputy Gallant doesn’t know about the paths. They are not on the map. He doesn’t have a clue, right?" Arthur quickly looked at John. "No offense meant. Not many people would know about them unless you know the badlands like I do."

"No offense taken," John said.

"No one really uses them, but you could get to each of the murder sites from this point if you wanted. You’d need an ATV, but if I was the killer, that’s exactly where I would go. You could pretty much drive an ATV in there day or night without being seen or heard. That’s your best bet."

"Good work," Kelsey said.

"So, should I limit the search for an off-grid house around there? I mean, with that being the access point, there are only so many places he could live out there."

"Do it," Kelsey said. "Deputy Hunt, allocate any spare resources to searching that area."

"You don’t think we have our guy already?" Nina asked. "Our holding cells are starting to fill up."

"I don't know," Kelsey admitted. "Colin Bates and Thomas Reed both fit the bill, but they have other stuff going on, too. We don't know Thomas Reed’s deal yet, but if he’s calling from a lawyer from down south, then he has something to hide, too. I’m not discounting them; I'm only being sure. This still feels like someone working alone. We’ll see what Thomas has to say for himself and if he can explain why Leah Grant had his number in his pocket."

Nina nodded.

Kelsey rubbed her eyes and left the small team in the room to pore over the map and strategize. They both went to the small employee kitchen for coffee.

"Three of the four suspects are criminals," Kelsey moaned. "We don't know for sure what Thomas Reed has done yet, but you better believe that someone who asks for their lawyer to comply after almost running a police car off the road has a lot to hide. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he is protected somehow. So, we have an artist plagiarizing someone else’s work, a park ranger who lied about being a hero, and a truck driver who is up to goodness knows what. Then we have Henry Wright, who might have been obsessed with Vanessa. All of that is going on, and I still don't feel like we have him. I thought small towns were supposed to be boring."

"That depends on the town," John said with a smile. "Besides, I didn't think you wanted boring. When I first met you, you craved excitement."

"I guess I finally matured," Kelsey said.

She thought about her sister. Had Kelsey matured naturally over time, or had she matured out of necessity?

"So, I guess we wait again for a lawyer to arrive. Do you want to talk with Colin Bates while we wait?"

Kelsey ran her tongue around her mouth before taking a swig of coffee. "No, not yet. I don't want to start another interview with him if we are interrupted by a chance to speak with Thomas. I want to speak with Thomas first and then Colin again. I think I’ll go back to my office and look over the files. Deputy Hunt emailed me some I want to take a look at. Maybe there will be a name in there that we might recognize."

"Alright," John said. "I’ll be in my office if you need me."

Kelsey took another drink of coffee before she refilled her mug from the pot. She took the coffee with her back to her office and closed the door to block out any residual noise. As she sat down at the desk, she thought about what constituted a win. The ultimate win was catching the killer. If they caught the perpetrators of multiple other crimes along the way, that was a bonus. However, would it be a win if they put three criminals behind bars without catching the killer?

There was a knock at the door before Kelsey could get into the files.

"Come in!" Kelsey called.

Nina opened the door. "Hey, I thought you would want to know that the highway patrol found narcotics hidden in Thomas Reed’s truck. It looks like he was shipping a lot between somewhere and somewhere else."

"That explains why he didn't want to stop," Kelsey said. "So, he’s smuggling drugs up and down the country. Maybe it’s a one-time thing, or maybe he’s been doing it for years. Hey, do me a favor and call the coroner’s office. Find out for me if there were drugs in Leah Grant’s system when she died."

"Okay," Nina said before closing the door.

Kelsey took a large mouthful of coffee before she opened her email and found the one from Nina. She started to open the files one by one, scanning each of them for anything that might be connected to the murders.

Kelsey was not sure how long she had been staring at her screen when her phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello, Special Agent Hawk."

"Kelsey, it’s me," Erica said in hushed tones.

"Erica? What’s going on? Are you alright?"

"I think they are coming for me. They will come for you, too."

"What? Who?" Kelsey asked.

"Them! Who else do you think? Then, Kelsey. Who else is coming for us?"

"Just calm down," Kelsey soothed. "What’s going on there?"

"Argh! You don't get it, do you?" Erica hung up.

"Hello? Erica, are you still there?"

Kelsey looked at her phone and then dialed the number for St. Wentworth’s.

"Good evening, St. Wentworth’s. How can I help you?"

"I need you to put me through to Erica’s room right now," Kelsey said.

"Give me a moment," the woman said. Kelsey waited until she came back on the line. "I’m sorry. I spoke to Erica, and she doesn’t want to speak with anyone right now."

"I’m her sister. Put me through," Erica demanded.

"I’m afraid it is policy to respect the patient’s right to privacy," the woman said.

"Right to privacy? I’m—forget it."

Kelsey hung up and immediately called Sheriff Anderson back in Winchburgh.

"Well, I thought you might never get around to calling me," Sheriff Anderson said when he answered. "I know you are—"

"I’m sorry, but I don't have time to chat. It’s my sister. She just called me, and she was in a bit of a state. I need to be there, but I can't, and—"

"I’ll go now," Sheriff Anderson said.

Kelsey's heart melted. "Thank you. I don't want to impose on you, but—"

"Hey, we are practically family," the Sheriff said. "I will go and see her and let you know how she is doing. You deal with your stuff and then come back here again, okay?"

"Yeah, I’m trying," Kelsey admitted.

"That’s all any of us can do," the Sheriff said.

"Thanks," Kelsey said.

They both hung up, and Kelsey took a moment to wipe her eyes and wait for the tears to stop before she resumed going through the files. Everything, even what was going on in the badlands, felt insignificant compared to what her sister was going through.

Kelsey tried to concentrate after that, but she found it hard to read all of the files until one of them caught her eye.

"Dean Harlow," she said as she read. "Born in 1977. History of abuse as a child from both parents, and both parents died in a home fire when he was seven. He grew up in an orphanage but was found bloodied and beaten in the woods close to the orphanage after being missing for three months at age twelve. Spoke of abuse at the orphanage, but investigations never found anything. Claimed they abused all of the children then, mainly boys, with the intent of turning them into men. Lived out in the woods for three months before he was found covered in animal blood. History of mental health issues until the age of eighteen, with a lot of his behavior being described as animalistic."

Kelsey came to the end of the file. Dean had grown up in South Dakota, but there was nothing to tell what he did when he reached the age of adulthood.

Kelsey was too tired to go through any of the other files. She drained the rest of her coffee, which was not cold, and left her office. She found Nina in the hallway.

"Hey, I need you to trace Dean Harlow for me. I don't know if it leads anywhere, but his background matches what we are seeing right now."

"We have bigger problems," Nina said. "Word has come down from on high that Thomas Reed is to be transferred to Fargo as part of an ongoing investigation into some European crime family."

"What? No!" Kelsey said. "If he’s our killer, we can't afford to lose him."

"It’s out of our hands. A van is almost here to transport him," the Deputy said.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Kelsey ran through the police station until she found John, who looked as annoyed as she felt.

"You’ve heard?" she asked.

"Yeah, it’s bullshit," he blurted. "Excuse my language. They are shipping him out right now, and look how smug his lawyer looks."

Kelsey turned around to see the lawyer standing with a local officer at the door leading to the holding cells. Kelsey had thought Maxwell and Colin’s lawyers had looked expensive, but this one looked like he worked for the mob. If Maxwell had been caught up with a crime syndicate, then maybe that wasn't far from the mark.

"We can't let this happen," Kelsey said. "We haven’t had a chance to talk with him, and if he’s being moved this quickly, then we never will."

"I don't think we have a choice," John said. "I just got off the phone with the trucking company, and it would be tight, but he had enough time to kill each of the women. Not on the way up when he was delivering the goods but on the way back down. I don't know; I don't know how to feel about this. I don't know what to say about this."

"Don't say anything," Kelsey said. "Do something."

"What?" John asked.

"I don't know. Anything to get me two minutes with Thomas."

"They’ll have your ass if they find out. They are not letting anyone in to speak with him."

"I don't care," Kelsey said quickly. "I need to know. I’m not letting him leave the building until we know if he is the killer or not. Please, do something to get me in there. We don't have any time."

John gritted his teeth and wrinkled up his nose. Then he smiled. "We might be out on our asses, but at least I get to wipe that smug smile off his face."

Before Kelsey could ask what he was about to do, John took off. He looked down at a mug as he passed a desk but didn't touch it. He looked down at another on the way toward the age layer and picked it up. Kelsey kicked herself into gear, striding after John.

John pretended to sip at the coffee, and then he crossed one foot over the other as he walked. His trailing ankle slammed into his front foot, and he went flying through the air. The momentum took the coffee from the mug, and it created an almost black rainbow that arced through the air and landed squarely on the lawyer’s shirt. The lawyer didn't have time to be surprised by the liquid before John slammed into him.

Kelsey had seen John take down suspects in the same way. She heard the wind knocked from the lawyer as the burly Deputy tackled him and slammed him into the ground.

"Oh, my goodness! I’m so sorry," John said. He leaped to his feet, grabbed the layer by the collar, and wrenched him to his feet, too, almost slamming his head into the ceiling.

Kelsey opened the door just enough to slip through. When she closed it behind her, she could hear the muffled arguments from the lawyer on the other side of the door.

"When am I getting out of here?" Colin Bates asked from the first cell.

"Shut your mouth," Kelsey ordered as she walked past his cell to the next one. Thomas Reed sat on the hard bed with his head bent and his hands clasped between his open knees. "You have some friends in high places," she said to him.

Thomas didn't answer.

"They found narcotics in your truck. They also found narcotics in Leah Grant. Did you give her drugs before you killed her?"

Thomas looked up and to the side to look at Kelsey. "Leah is dead? Shame. I liked her."

"Why do you go to the lookout?" Kelsey asked.

"It is beautiful up there," he replied. "It is the best view of the badlands."

"And you met Leah Grant up there?" Kelsey asked.

"Mmm," Thomas responded.

"And gave her your number. Why?"

"I enjoyed talking to her."

"You spoke to her?" Kelsey asked.

"Among other things," Thomas said. "I don't partake in any drugs, but she obviously does. It can get lonely on the long drives, so I thought she might call me from time to time."

"Who do you work for?" Kelsey asked.

"SD Trucking."

"Who do you really work for?" Kelsey probed.

Thomas gave a sardonic smile and kept his mouth shut.

"Five women have been murdered in the badlands, and you were there at the exact time each of them were murdered," Kelsey said.

"Hey, if you have the guy, you can let me go," Colin shouted from the next cell.

"I told you to shut up!" Kelsey shouted back. She glanced at the door, hoping she was not being too loud.

"I don't like him," Thomas said. "He is a weasel."

"Prove to me that you didn't murder them," Kelsey said. "I know how this works. You get transferred, the right people apply some pressure, and you are soon back in your truck driving the same routes. I will wait as long as it takes, and then I will come after you for the murder of five innocent women. Will your boss be happy that you are having your route disrupted?"

"My boss is very lenient," Thomas replied.

"Not your trucking boss," Kelsey said.

Thomas was silent for a moment.

"I didn't kill anyone," Thomas said. "You can ask the other woman."

"Other woman?" Kelsey had not expected that answer. "What other woman?"

"I don't know. Leah only told me her friend’s name was Rachel. They drove up to the lookout together. Rachel stayed in her car while Leah got into my truck."

"How many times did this happen?" Kelsey asked.

"Three."

"Did you see her? This Rachel?"

"Once," Thomas said. "She was cute, too. Very tall. Leah was cuter with her red hair and freckles."

"Do you really believe this crap?" Colin asked. "It’s obvious he killed the women. He killed Vanessa. He’s part of a drug dealing… thing, isn’t he? You only have to hear his accent to know he's a criminal."

"You Americans are very racist," Thomas said.

"Racist? But you are a criminal, aren’t you?" Colin shouted.

"Hey, zip it!" Kelsey warned.

"Coming here to live the American dream," Colin continued. "Dealing drugs and murdering women."

Thomas got up from his bed and turned around to face Colin through the bars that separated their cells.

"I will be out of this cage soon, and I will be back in town. Keep running your mouth and see where that gets you," Thomas said.

Colin tried to hold Thomas’ gaze, but he quickly backed up with a grunt and a shrug to sit on his bed and face the opposite direction.

"Rachel?" Kelsey asked.

"Rachel," Thomas confirmed. "Talk to that woman, and she will tell you that I am not a killer."

"Hey, step away from the cell!"

Kelsey turned to see two men in black suits. The lawyer, his shirt stained brown, stood behind them.

Kelsey took one look at the two men who came to collect Thomas, and she knew what was best. She backed away from Thomas and put her hands up. She moved in a wide arc around the two men and the lawyer and left the room. She found John standing outside. He had a large grin on his face.

"Pretty pleased with yourself?" Kelsey asked.

"Did you see me?" John asked.

"So graceful," Kelsey teased.

"First thing in the morning, William is taking his drone out to the access point suggested by Arthur. With any luck, there might be a trail leading to a house. Unless the truck driver is our guy?"

"I don't think so. He was annoyingly earnest and believable while being quietly smug about getting out of here and entirely menacing at the same time. I believe he is an evil man, but when I looked him in the eyes and questioned him, I believed what he told me."

"So, it was a dead end?" John asked.

"Not quite," Kelsey replied. "He gave me a name. Rachel. She was friends with Leah Grant. Tall, too, not that that matters. I want her found. She might be the key to everything."

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

The man sat in his Jeep and watched the woman enter the small house. It was one level, surrounded by greenery on all sides, and there was another property on each side of the yard. He waited in his vehicle to ensure she was settled inside. He didn't want to knock on the door so soon after she had entered, or she might have become suspicious of him.

He had been waiting to kill her for some time. He was sure she didn't know anything, but he didn't want to take any chances. He had only gotten this far by not taking chances.

No, it was not strictly true. He took chances when they were needed, and he was cautious the remainder of the time. He had noticed over the years that the populous took fewer chances. Innovation was being stifled by people playing it safe. It was hard to develop character when everyone lived in their own bubbles, relying on modern conveniences instead of the self.

The man drummed his fingers on the dashboard, becoming impatient. He relished it. His impatience only told him of the satisfaction he would feel when he took her. He sat in the driver's seat of his Jeep and let himself become more and more impatient, if only to prove his control over his emotions and feelings. He took deep breaths as he watched her move into the living room.

The street was a quiet one, but he still had to be careful. When they found her dead, they would find where she had lived while in town, and they would talk to the neighbors. He did not want to be suspicious and have someone call the cops before he could take her, but he knew there was a chance of being spotted.

It was a harder situation than the others. They had been easier to take, but Rachel Torres had to be taken from her temporary residence. The man did not want to wait until dark. He did not want to sneak into her home and take her unaware. He wanted to take her now and get her to the badlands before dark. He wanted her to get her bearings before he stalked her.

He exited his car, pulling his hood up over his head. He went straight to the door and knocked.

Rachel Torres answered the door a moment later. She was tall with long, straight black hair and hazel eyes. Rachel had some beauty to her, but that didn't interest him. She was athletic, but he could have done with her being more athletic to pose a bigger challenge. It did not matter—he could compensate in other ways.

"Hello?" Rachel asked.

"Miss Torres?" the man asked.

"Yes," she said with some hesitation and confusion.

"My name is Detective Hunter. Might I come in for a moment?"

"Detective Hunter?" Rachel asked. "Do you have some ID I can take a look at?"

"Of course," the man said. "It would be better if we spoke inside. It is to do with Leah Grant?"

"Leah Grant?" Rachel asked.

"I really don't want to have to do this out here," the man said. "You were her friend, weren’t you?"

"I am her—what happened to Leah? She was leaving town for a week. Did she—?"

"I wish I didn't have to come here to inform you of this, but Miss Grant is dead. We hope you could shed some light on what might have happened."

Rachel quickly covered her mouth.

"I know this will come as a shock, but anything you can tell us will help," the man said. "You are in shock. Some water will help, and the blood will be rushing to your head, so please sit down." The man took her arm and helped guide her into the home, closing the door behind them.

"I haven’t heard from her in a few days, but I thought…" Rachel muttered as she was taken toward the kitchen.

"We don't believe she left town," the man said. "She was found in the badlands."

"Oh, no," Rachel said, covering her mouth again.

"I hate this part of the job," the man said. "Were you good friends with Leah Grant?"

"I was." Rachel was trembling slightly. Her pupils had widened, and she didn't know where to look, her eyes taking in the interior of her residence as if she were seeing it for the first time.

"Some water will help," the man said. "Run the faucet until it is cold and sip it slowly. Do that, and then we can talk more. I know you can help me with what I need."

Rachel nodded, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. There was something in Rachel’s look that excited the man more. She was a deer in the headlights, a wild animal at the moment a gun is fired. He would not need a gun to kill her—he would not need much to kill her. The man would outfit her with more than any of the others. He would give her a fighting chance.

"Water," the man whispered.

Rachel nodded again and turned toward the kitchen. As soon as she began walking, the man mimicked her footsteps, moving at the same pace but without making a sound. He pulled the rag from one pocket and the vial from the other. He silently uncapped the container and spilled the contents onto the rag. Then, he wrapped his arm around her and placed the rag over her mouth.

She struggled, but his free arm came around and held her tight. It was easy to still her, and it did not take long for the chemical to work. Rachel folded like a paper bag left out in torrential rain.

The man helped her to her knees and then scooped her up under her armpits and brought her to the couch.

"Sleep for now," the man said. "You will need your rest for what is to come."

He went to the window and looked out, checking the short path from the house to his car. It was a risk he had not yet taken, but it was amazing how little people saw. People had grown weak and dependent on modern convenience.

He went back to Rachel and waited by the couch. She slept for a while but eventually came to a little. She was groggy, and it was what he had been waiting for. The man lifted her to her feet, and she stumbled with him as he walked her toward the door.

The man opened the front door and walked in broad daylight down the path, supporting Rachel all the way to the car. He opened the passenger door and put her inside. Then, he went to the driver’s side and got in. He took a quick look around to see no one on the street and no one looking from a window or doorway.

He was glad, but it only highlighted what was wrong with the world. The man started the engine and drove slowly down the street. Once he turned the corner, he took up the rag again and added more chemical from a second vial. He placed it over Rachel’s mouth again, and she murmured something as she slipped back to sleep.

"It is almost time," he said.

***

Rachel woke, and the first thing she noticed was the heat on her cheek. One cheek was warm, caressed by the sun, and the other was cold—cold and scratchy. Rachel couldn’t yet open her eyes, but she was able to sit up slightly. She brushed her cheek with her fingertips, brushing something away from her cheek. She was not comfortable as she sat up. She felt she was barefoot.

Rachel finally opened her eyes to see where she was.

For a moment, it was glorious. She had not yet gone to the badlands since arriving in town for the summer, but she was smack dab in the middle of them. There was something intoxicating about the large hoodoos around her, and her immediate thought was to get to her feet and touch them. She wanted to feel the roughness of the structure that had developed over thousands of years.

Her second thought was: what the heck am I doing here?

Some of the day came back to her, and she clamped a hand over her mouth.

Is she really dead? Is Leah dead?

She couldn’t believe that. She had come to town to work for the summer and to visit her friend while she was taking leave from her job at the elementary school. Leah had left Doret to visit some relatives in Fargo. She hadn’t been returning calls or texts, but Rachel could forgive her for that—she was with family, and they would reconnect when she returned.

Still, there was an image of a police officer coming to her home. Women had been found in the badlands over the previous month, and that was one of the reasons that she had not ventured into them yet. She looked around again, and there were no sounds. She could feel the heat and observe the pale grey of the badlands, but she couldn’t hear anything.

I’m going to die.

It suddenly clicked for Rachel as if she had known it all along. She knew Leah was dead, and she had a sense that Leah had died like the other women. And in that moment, she knew she was destined to die like the other women, too.

Rachel scrambled to her feet, trying to get her bearings. She had researched the badlands a little, but nothing she had read told her how to survive.

A backpack sat on the ground near her as if someone had placed it while she had been unconscious. She looked around again before she crept to it as if there were explosives inside. Rachel picked it up, feeling the weight, and then she set it down again and unzipped it.

The first thing she saw calmed her immediately. There was a gun in the backpack.

Rachel picked it up and checked it. She had taken a gun course once back home, and she knew how to load a gun and fire it—always on the exhale. There were three bullets in the gun.

She did not put it down as she looked through the remainder of the bag. There was lots of food and water inside, perhaps more than was wise to carry. If she were stuck in the badlands for so long that she needed food to survive, she would have been there for too long already. Rachel took the food from the bag and dumped it on the dry earth. There were three bottles of water in the bag, and she drank one immediately to cut down on the weight. She also found a knife with a sheath and buckle.

Rachel buckled the knife to her belt, zipped up the bag that only contained water, and slung it onto her back. She didn't know much about survival, but armed with a loaded gun, a knife, and some water, she knew she would get out of there.

She tried not to think of the women who had died previously, nor her friend who was one of them. All she thought about was survival. Rachel had been a decent long-distance runner as a high schooler, and she would use that to her advantage.

She was about to start running when she heard the hissing voice.

"Will you be the one to make it out of here?"

Rachel spun around, pointing the gun, and she almost fired it. Her hands trembled as she tried to hold the gun straight. There was no one there, but she knew what she had heard.

"I will take my time with you."

Rachel spun around again, trying to locate the voice. She had a gun and a knife, but she had never been more terrified in her life. She knew exactly what the other women had felt, and she knew she would die alone in the badlands.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

"Hello?" Kelsey answered.

"Hawk, how are you holding up?" Sheriff Anderson asked.

Kelsey looked through the door from her small office before she answered. "To be honest, I don't really know. Are you with Erica?"

"I just stepped out of the room," Sheriff Anderson said.

"How is she doing?" Kelsey felt her heart race as she waited for the answer.

"I thought about telling you a different story until you got back here, but you deserve the truth. Don’t worry; it’s not awful. Eric is still doing okay, but she’s been having more episodes over the past few weeks, according to what the nurse told me. She’s become more paranoid, and she keeps talking about being in danger."

"Yeah, she said the same thing to me on the phone," Kelsey sighed. "What are they doing about it?"

"At the moment, she just needs time," the Sheriff said.

"She needs me," Kelsey said. "I have a feeling that the longer I am away from her, the worse she will get."

"I can stay with her as long as you need. I have a little more work with John gone, but if I delegate most of the fieldwork, I can concentrate on the paperwork."

"You need to be with your family," Kelsey told him.

"As I said before, you are family, Hawk. John, too. Being Sheriff is about a lot more than just keeping the town ticking over."

"I appreciate it, but I don't want to put this on you. Erica is my responsibility—"

"She’s not," Sheriff Anderson interrupted.

"—and it is my fault I was taken from her. I need to make it right, and I need to get back to her."

"You always put too much pressure on yourself, Kelsey. You always get too close to everything. You need some distance, too."

"Yeah, but I don't seem able to do that," Kelsey admitted. "I can't wait to get back to Winchburgh. I don't know what is going on out here, but there’s a new crime at each turn. I need to make good with my superiors, but catching the killer is the only way. There’s no amount of good that I can do that will satisfy them if I don't get this guy. Five women are dead."

"And that is not your fault either, Hawk," the Sheriff reminded her.

"Why does it feel like it?"

"Because you take on everyone’s problems, and you are a perfectionist. I’ve seen how you work; you expect yourself to solve a case with no information and evidence. Do you have anything pointing you to the killer yet?"

"It’s coming together," Kelsey told him.

"Don't blame yourself for anything unless you make a genuine mistake, Hawk. Have you done anything to jeopardize the investigation, or are you the one furthering it?"

Kelsey was quiet. She knew she was helping, but it still didn't feel like it.

"I’ll take your guilty silence as you being the one helping but still annoyed that you haven’t got this guy yet. Keep helping, Hawk. You and John are the best people to catch this guy. Get him, and then come back to Winchburgh. Until then, I will keep watch over your sister.

Kelsey sighed. She might have cried if she had the emotional energy. There was too much going on inside for any one emotion to slip out.

"Thank you," Kelsey said. "You have no idea how much I appreciate what you are doing for me. If there is anything I can ever—"

"Do to repay the favor?" Sheriff Anderson finished. "You already have, Hawk. You saved my daughter, and I can't count how many times you have made our town a safer place. We are the ones who still need to repay you. Go do what you do, Hawk."

"Thank you," Kelsey repeated.

They said their goodbyes, and both hung up the phone. Kelsey could not help but feel guilty. The longer she was away from her sister, the worse her sister would get. It drove her to catch the killer, and she leaped into action. She got up from her office chair and left the small room, going in search of Deputy Hunt, who was in her office.

"Hey, did we get anything back on Colin Bates?" Kelsey asked.

"Nothing helpful," Deputy Hunt replied. "They checked the knife a second time, and it didn't contain any traces of DNA other than his own. They are still checking the blade against the wounds, but they can't say for sure whether they were caused by the particular knife."

"And the hair?" Kelsey asked.

"It was cut a week before Vanessa King died. I don't know if it proves anything, either. And they are done with his apartment. They didn't find anything there. He doesn’t have an alibi, but we don't have anything on him either. He could have done it, but do you think he did?"

"I don't know for sure," Kelsey admitted. "We keep him in his cell for now and hold him for as long as we can. If you are able, I want you to keep tabs on Thomas Reed. I want to know if he is facing prosecution for another crime or if his people get him out of custody. If he is back on these roads, we need to know."

"I’ll make some calls and see who they have locally around there. I’m sure I can find something. We also got a hit on the friend. We believe she is Rachel Torres."

"And who is she?" Kelsey asked.

"She comes to town often in the summers. From what we have gathered so far, she is friends with Leah Grant. She’s a software developer, originally from West Virginia, but she relocated to Fargo a decade ago. She will spend a couple of months here in the summer before going back home. She works as a software developer, so she can work from anywhere. I have an address for her."

"Great," Kelsey said. "Deputy Gallant and I will pay her a visit now."

Kelsey left the office with the address and visited Officer Brownlee. "Hey, did you find anything else on Dean Harlow?"

"Some stuff," Officer Harlow said. He picked up the file from his desk and handed it to Kelsey. "A lot of background stuff, but nothing from the last three years."

"Does he have any sort of footprint in North Dakota?" Kelsey asked.

"No, nothing. The last time he popped up, it was in South Dakota."

"Alright, thanks," Kelsey said, file in hand. She went in search of John, finding him in the larger conference room with a pile of maps and Arthur Nemetz. "Where are we with the search?" Kelsey asked.

"William is scanning the area with his drone for a residence of some sort, and I have sent an officer to the entry point. No one gets in or out," John said.

"Good," Kelsey said. "Arthur, continue to search for a house. John, we need to visit Rachel Torres."

***

John knocked on the door again, but there was no answer. Kelsey moved away from the front door and looked through the living room window, but there was no sign of anyone inside. There was no sign of anything.

"Keep trying," Kelsey said. "I’m going to talk with the neighbors."

Kelsey left Rachel’s house and went to the house on the right. When she knocked on the door—it was answered quickly.

"My name is Special Agent Hawk," she said, showing her badge. "We are looking for your neighbor, Rachel Torres."

"She’s not my neighbor," the older man said.

"She’s not?" Kelsey asked.

"Victor owns the house."

Kelsey sighed. "Does he rent it out over the summer?"

"Yeah," the man replied.

"Do you know where the woman who is living there is right now?"

"How am I supposed to know?" the man asked.

"Have you seen her come home? Do you know if she went out recently? Have you seen any visitors?" Kelsey tried.

"I’m not her babysitter," the man said.

"Does that mean you haven’t seen anything?" Kelsey asked, growing more frustrated.

"I like to stay out of other people’s business," the man said proudly.

"Thank you for your time," Kelsey told him.

She tried the neighbors on the other side of the house and on the other side of the street, but everyone was happy to stay out of other people’s business. She got no help whatsoever.

"Anything here?" Kelsey asked when she returned to John.

"Nothing. I’ve knocked on the front and back doors, both of which are locked, and checked in all of the windows. I’m starting to feel like a burglar casing the joint."

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Kelsey told him. "If the neighbors I spoke to are anything to go by, they won’t notice if you do break in." As Kelsey said it, she felt a twinkle in her eye.

"What are you thinking?" John asked.

I’m thinking that I need to do things by the book, but I also need to get this guy, and I have a bad feeling about Rachel not answering the door.

"I want to go in," Kelsey told John.

John held Kelsey’s gaze for a moment, then nodded.

"I’ll take any repercussions, but I don't think we can wait on this," Kelsey told him.

"Let’s go in through the back, just in case," John said.

They went around to the back of the house, and John didn't waste any time. He stepped up to the back door and kicked it in with one swift motion. The door swung inward without coming off the hinges. There was not all that much damage except for splinted wood around the deadbolt.

"Someone’s done that before," Kelsey noted.

John smiled as he stepped into the house with Kelsey. Kelsey was ready to draw her gun, but she didn't. She had the immediate feeling that the house was empty. Still, the two of them moved through the house quickly to ensure it was.

"Doesn’t look like she has been home today," John said.

Kelsey sniffed. "Do you smell that?"

"What?" John asked.

"I don't know. And look, her laptop is open on the table. Deputy Hunt said she was a software engineer."

"I’ll check it out," John said.

Kelsey spun in a slow circle, taking in the living room, part of the kitchen, and the hallway. Something didn't feel right. She walked toward the front door and picked up a set of keys from the hook. She unlocked the front door from the inside and went outside. She pressed the unlock button on the fob, and there was a beep as the For Kia unlocked. Kelsey locked the car and went back inside.

It has to be her car and not the homeowner’s.

"Her car is out there," Kelsey said.

"The last log in her GitHub shows an upload from six hours ago, but she never logged out of anything. Could be nothing, but…"

"Seems weird," Kelsey finished. "It feels like she should be here, but she is not. So, where is Rachel Torres?"

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

"There’s no answer," John said.

"Keep trying him," Kelsey said.

John dialed the number again, hoping to get in contact with the officer who had been sent out to the access point to the badlands that they believed was the best point for the killer to enter from.

Kelsey could see John’s frustration as he held the phone to his ear. Then, his features changed.

"Officer Bright?" John asked. "This is Deputy John Gallant. Are you at the access point? … Yeah, good. Has anyone gone in or out? … Okay, good. Keep a watch, and call me immediately if you see anyone." He hung up. "No one has gone into these badlands, and he has a slight incline to sit atop, which gives him a view of the approach road and a little into the distance. He’s been keeping a close watch, and no one has approached, but he’s only been there for an hour."

"Okay, so if we assume Rachel Torres has been taken, then we have to assume he will take her to the badlands. There’s a chance he would take her straight there, but I have a feeling that he takes her to his house first, a holding area of sorts, while he readies himself for what comes next. If he made it to her house, it wasn’t on foot, and I can't see him driving an ATV in town."

"So, he has another vehicle that he takes the women in and then goes home and switches for the ATV?" John asked.

"He must," Kelsey said. "So, we find his home and hope he has Rachel Torres there. Or, best case scenario, we find the killer there, and Rachel Torres is off on an errand somewhere else."

"Hop in the truck, and we can head out to where William is. If the house is in a treed area, he might not find it from above, and we can lend a hand. How about more manpower?" John asked.

Kelsey thought about it as she got back into the truck. "Yeah. This is the best lead we have at the moment. The worst that can happen is we waste everyone’s time for a few hours. We don't have long before it starts to get dark."

Kelsey felt a chill run up her spine, and she fell silent. They didn’t have long until the sun set, and it would be almost impossible to find an off-the-grid house. What would they do after that? Would they head into the badlands just in case Rachel had been taken in there? Kelsey would go in even if no one else would.

She called Deputy Hunt to divert as many officers as they could to the search—they were to be sent to the area William was searching with his drone.

As they drove toward the badlands, Kelsey opened the file on Dean Harlow. There wasn’t a lot on him yet, but it helped to build a better picture. Everything about him fit, but that didn't mean he was their guy.

"My gut tells me Dean Harlow is behind this," Kelsey told John as he drove. "I can't prove anything, but the way he was treated as a child and then going off-grid is exactly what I would expect from someone killing these women. There’s no record of him for the past three years. He just disappeared."

"How about before that?" John asked.

"He was abused as a child. He lost his parents at a young age, and then he was mistreated at an orphanage. He survived out in the wild by himself for three months when he was twelve."

"Wouldn’t he be angry at the orphanage?" John asked. "I could see him going after the people there, but innocent women?"

"It doesn’t seem like it makes sense, but it almost feels like he is making them live through what he had to. He had to survive out in the wild as a twelve-year-old, and now, he is taking women out there to have them do the same. There’s more to it than that, though. He hunts them out there. He even arms them. He wants to kill them but needs the challenge. It’s almost as if he sees them as weak. Maybe he thinks that about the world. He tries to make them stronger by feeding and arming them. Maybe he would let a victim go if they make it out before he kills them; I don't know. All I know is he had trauma, and he is making others live through it."

"If that’s the guy," John noted.

"Yeah, if it is our guy," Kelsey concurred. "I think he has the skills and know-how. He survived out in the wilderness at twelve. It says here he worked at an army supply store. He applied for a gun at one point but was denied it due to his mental health history. Seven different towns and cities, and multiple jobs. He didn't stay in any one place for too long. It's almost as if he is moving around until he finds his purpose. I think he found that here. He's been off the grid for three years, and I wouldn't be surprised if he spent most of that time here, if not all. He wants to distance himself from his past."

Something struck Kelsey as she spoke about Dean—it was something Sheriff Anderson had said about her needing some distance. She always put herself too close to the action when she should have some distance. It was the opposite of what the killer would do.

"What is it?" John asked when Kelsey reached for her phone quickly.

"I think we are looking in the wrong spot," Kelsey said. Deputy Hunt answered the phone before she could explain more. "Deputy Hunt, I think we are looking in the wrong spot for the house. I don't know if we are looking for Dean Harlow or not, but they would have a similar profile either way. He has access to the badlands, but he will want to keep his distance. Have Arthur Nemetz look at the maps again. He won’t live anywhere near the access point, but he will be able to get to that point on an ATV. I want him to look for a place as far away from the access point as possible. We will avert now."

"I will relay that information," the Deputy told her.

"Are you sure?" John asked once Kelsey was off the phone.

"Yeah, I think so," Kelsey said. "It wouldn’t make sense for him to be too close to where he is killing them. Even if I am wrong, we have the access point covered."

"If that is the access point," John pointed out.

"A lot of ifs," Kelsey admitted.

John diverted and headed in the opposite direction to the one they had been going. Ten minutes after making the phone call, Deputy Hunt called Kelsey back.

"Okay, Arthur has sent you over a map of the area and then a zoomed-in spot that you should be able to get to in your truck. There is an old forestry road that winds its way through much of the outskirts of the badlands where there are more trees, and it does eventually reach the access point. There’s a creek running through the area Arthur highlighted. Do you want me to divert resources to that area?"

Kelsey thought about it. "No, keep them looking where they are for now. We are running out of time and light. The park rangers are up close to where the search is being conducted, aren’t they?"

"They are certainly closer to that area than to the one you are going to. Do you want me to see if they can join the search?" Nina asked.

"I don't think they are qualified, and I don't want to put them in any unwarranted danger, but I do want to use them. They have a lot of ATVs at their disposal. I have a feeling they might be needed. Can you have them transport as many ATVs as possible to the access point just in case we need to go into the badlands?"

"I will make sure they do," Deputy Hunt told her.

Kelsey hung up the call.

"Where do we need to go?" John asked.

"Give me a second." Kelsey brought up the maps Arthur Nemetz had sent over. She checked the zoomed-out map to give John general directions, and then she took a close look at the zoomed-in map of the area. Arthur had marked some areas with X’s.

The sun threatened them, not with its heat, but with its departure. It was slowly moving down toward the horizon at a time when they needed as much light as possible. Kelsey willed John to go faster even though he was already going as fast as he could.

"Okay," Kelsey said to him. "This looks like the end of the main road, but there should be smaller roads. Hopefully, it’s big enough to get the truck in."

"I’ve driven in worse situations," John said. He flicked the button to turn on the headlights as they wound their way through the trees. It was not dark yet, but the trees blocked out most of the light.

It was slow going. Kelsey was frustrated by the progress, and she could feel the same from John. She directed him as best she could, but it was hard when there were no roads marked on the map, and there were no roads between the trees, only spaces large enough to get the truck through.

"There!" Kelsey called.

John hit the brakes, bringing them to a lurching stop.

"Go back," Kelsey urged.

John backed up the truck and looked where Kelsey was pointing.

"I don't see anything," John said.

"I saw a flash," Kelsey told him. "Back up a little more, but slowly."

John did as he was asked.

"There!" Kelsey shouted.

John slammed on the brakes again and then edged forward. There was a flash from up ahead.

"Something is reflecting the light," John said.

He turned off the truck, and both of them got out. Now that the truck lights were off, there was no reflection anymore. Kelsey walked toward where the reflected light had come from. When they got close enough, it looked so obvious. A basic structure was covered in branches. A net curtain hung as a door, leaves woven into the ropes. John pulled it to the side to reveal a Jeep.

Kelsey pulled her gun. John followed suit, and they both approached the Jeep windows, just enough light filtering in through the net curtain to see inside the vehicle. There was no one inside.

John gestured, and both of them fell silent as they often did when there might be danger near. They exited the car shed and moved around to the other side of it. The trees were thick, but amongst them was a log cabin.

Kelsey immediately looked upward, expecting or hoping to see smoke. There was none. She could not make out any windows on the side they were looking at, but it was dark enough that they would have noticed any light coming from inside.

John gestured again, a silent command for them to split up and move around opposite sides of the building. Kelsey held her gun pointed, ready to fire when needed. She found a window on the side of the structure with no pane of glass. She slowly peeked in through the corner of the open window.

It was dim inside, but it was still light enough outside to make out shapes, even with the trees blocking out most of the light. She could see a stove and fireplace, a small bed, a table, and two chairs. She did not see any signs of life inside.

A shadow moved on the other side of the door; someone was outside. She knew it was John and quickly rounded the building to join him at the front door.

"No one inside," Kelsey told John.

John nodded and pushed the door open. It was unlocked. He pulled a flashlight from his pocket and shone it into the one-room home. It was rudimentary but cozy. It was the sort of place where someone could live alone but not the sort of place where someone would keep a captive.

"It shouldn’t take long to search," John said.

"No, but we don't have the time," Kelsey replied. "His vehicle was out there, but no ATV, unless he has hidden it somewhere else. If he has been here, he has left already. If he took Rachel Torres seven hours ago, he would have had time to come back here and then get into the badlands before we posted someone there. I have the feeling that we are far behind him. I’ll contact Deputy Hunt and get her to send someone here to cordon it off and search the place, but we need to get to the access point. I know it’s getting dark, but we have to go into the badlands there as soon as we can."

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

The truck bumped up and down as John drove. There was a reason that ATVs were used out in the badlands. The forest roads were narrow, and the truck clanked and screeched as the terrain threw it around. John didn't speak, but he kept his eyes forward, going as fast as the curves of the road would take him.

Kelsey kept a lookout, too. The sun had not fully set, but until they got out of the treeline, it would be dark and dangerous. John skidded almost to a halt and turned the wheel quickly to avoid a tree stump that seemed to pop up from nowhere. He turned the wheel back the other way to go around it, and then he righted the truck. The headlights were on full, but it didn't completely help. It was a treed labyrinth they had to get through before they got into the badlands labyrinth.

Again, he slammed on the brakes, and the truck lurched to the side once more. It felt as if they caught some air for a second, and Kelsey’s heart leaped into her mouth. The truck bounced down onto the hard ground, and Kelsey was thrown up in her seat. Her stomach lurched as she bounced around.

A final corner was turned, and the trees thinned out. Kelsey let out a sigh of relief. The tension in John’s body as he drove dissipated. Even with the horrors the badlands had produced over the past weeks, they still looked beautiful. That beauty was enhanced with the setting sun. Pale pinks and purples streaked from the horizon, coloring the sky and reflecting on the pale, dusty earth below. The tops of the hoodoos, many already rust-red from the iron in the petrified wood, looked on fire for brief moments until the angle of the sun changed.

"We’re almost there," John said, glad to be out of the trees. "What is our plan when we get there?"

"Hopefully, the ATVs are there when we arrive," Kelsey said. "I’m going in, and I know you will go in, too. We can't ask that of anyone else. No civilians join us, and any law enforcement only join us if they understand the dangers."

"Do you think he is out there right now?" John asked.

"I have a feeling he is. He has a few hours head start, but that might not matter. It’s not about where he goes but where his victim goes. We don't know much about her, but I don't think she is as trained as Vanessa was. She’s going in there blind, and that means she might panic. She might try to climb or go around in circles. That shortens the distance we need to travel, but it also shortens the time. We don't know how long we have, but we have to assume we have no time."

"I don't like to think this, but even if we don't get to her in time, we get him before he leaves the badlands," John said.

"If it were anywhere else, I would agree with that sentiment, but I have the feeling that he could disappear in there and exit somewhere else or outlast us. We are going in there with nothing but our firearms. We don't have time to stop for supplies or have them brought to us. All we can do is have law enforcement follow us at dawn with supplies and backup if we are still in there."

"Check the glove compartment," Kelsey said. "I have another flashlight in there, maybe two, and possibly some batteries."

Kelsey checked the small compartment and found one additional flashlight and two AA batteries.

"You can take the batteries," John said. "We need to split up in there, don't we? I put new batteries in my flashlight recently."

Kelsey couldn't be sure if he was telling the truth about that or if he wanted her to have the best chance of survival. She really wanted to be by John's side as she walked into the badlands with the sun going down, but they had more of a chance of finding Rachel Torres if they split up to look for her.

Kelsey checked the back bench of the truck and the door compartments for anything else she could find to put together a makeshift survival kit. She found a bottle of water and a small folding knife. It would be useless as a weapon when they both had their guns, but it might come in useful.

"Take the water and knife," John ordered as he slowed the truck.

"Don't tell me," Kelsey said. "You just had something to drink before we came out here, and you sharpened your nails in case you needed to cut something? You know, chivalry can be annoying when you put yourself in danger."

"A knife and bottle of water won’t save me out there. Take them," John said. He pulled the truck to a stop.

The headlights were still on, and they illuminated three ATVs and four people: three park rangers and the officer stationed at the access point. John and Kelsey exited the truck and approached the four. Kelsey carried her pitiful survival kit.

"We’ve had no one come close," the officer said when they got close. "No one has gone in."

"We think he might already be in there," John said.

The officer looked at John and then at the three ATVs. The look in his eyes told them of his bravery, even if he had never been in a situation like that before.

"I want you to stand guard here," Kelsey said. "I’ve been wrong before, and if he does turn up here, either to get out or go in, I want you to take him down. We want him alive, but I authorize you to use as much force as necessary.

Kelsey opened the file on Dean Harlow and showed the officer the most recent picture of him. "This is the man we believe we are looking for, but if anyone approaches, they are to be arrested on site. I’ve spoken to Sheriff Lute, and backup is on the way. They will be stationed with you here in the morning, and then you can follow us. More ATVs are on the way."

"What about us?" one of the park rangers asked.

Kelsey knew it would be safer for the officer if they stayed with him, but they were civilians. They might have had some badlands training, but they were not trained to face a killer.

"Take the third ATV and go back to town for now," Kelsey told them. "You have helped with the delivery of the ATVs. Nothing else is asked of you. If we have not emerged by dawn, you can come back and help with any searches if the Sheriff authorizes it, but that is not a command; it is only an option."

The three park rangers looked at each other and then back at Kelsey. They didn't say anything as they handed over the keys to the two ATVs and headed for the third. Kelsey had no doubt they would be back in the morning. She had no doubt they would enter the badlands that night if they were asked.

Kelsey tossed one of the keys to John, and they headed for the two remaining vehicles.

"Is there any plan?" John asked.

"No, I don't think so," Kelsey said. "We drive down there, and maybe we see some tracks we can follow. Other than that, we split up at the first opportunity to cover some ground, and we drive as far as the ATVs would take us. Hopefully, we will find another ATV or some signs of life."

"Hey, it’s a more thorough plan than some of the plans we’ve had in the past."

Kelsey smiled. She could see the concern in his eyes even if he didn’t voice it. If John thought he could talk her out of it, he would try to convince Kelsey to stay with the officer while he searched for the missing woman. There was zero chance that Kelsey would sit this one out.

They both started their ATVs and headed toward the decline down into the valleys. If Dean Harlow was the killer, and if he had already entered the badlands with Rachel Torres, then it was the path he would have initially taken. Where he went after that was anyone’s guess.

It didn't take long for them to come to a diverging path. Kelsey looked over at John, the rumbling of the engines too loud for them to talk. John gave a thumbs up, and Kelsey responded with the same. After that, John went left, and Kelsey went right.

She was alone in the badlands again, but she was going much farther this time. As John left her, so did the sun. Perhaps it hadn’t yet dipped down over the horizon, but it didn’t shed light between the hoodoos and mesas. Kelsey only saw by the illumination of the ATV lights.

They had split at the first fork in the road, but there were many more. When Kelsey came to the next one, she decided to go right. She did the same at the next. It became a guessing game, and she could not help but think she was relying solely on luck. She had no idea how far the killer had driven in on his ATV or which direction they had gone, both before and after driving. All she had was a sense that four people were in the badlands, mostly alone.

She and John were alone. Was Rachel alone? Had the killer engaged with her yet?

Kelsey stopped the ATV and quickly turned off the lights to get a better look up ahead. She was sure she had seen something—a movement at the top of a ridge. She scanned the flat top, hoping to see someone move, but it was still. If she got too close to the killer, he would see the light from her ATV. She would rather he didn't know she and John were in there.

A flash of movement had her spin to her right. A coyote stood five feet from her ATV. It stared straight at her. Kelsey kept it in view while looking around and behind it for a pack. The coyote yipped softly as if clearing its throat, and then it walked off, taking one final look behind at Kelsey.

When she looked forward this time, she was sure she saw something at the top of the ridge. She made the decision to continue on foot. She couldn’t be sure if it were a person or an animal, but it moved in a more human way than animalistic. She checked again, and it looked like it stood on two legs, but she was too far away to tell for sure.

Kelsey looked where the coyote had gone, but she couldn’t see it.

Did you come to warn me? Did you see him, too?

Kelsey had her flashlight, but she didn't use it. She checked that her gun was still in the holster. It was. Then, she left the safety of the ATV behind and jogged now the heat of the day was gone. She needed to make up some of the distance between them. She hoped it was a person and not a wild animal she was running toward. She wanted to face the killer.

Thirty minutes later, she stopped and stared down at the packaged high-protein food and empty water bottle. Kelsey crouched down and caught her breath. She touched the packages to make sure they were real. The sun had gone down now, and there was a chill in the air. She could not see very far ahead of herself but could make out rough outlines.

She was here. This is what he gave her, but she left it behind for some reason.

Kelsey picked up a small bag of cashews before placing them back down on the ground. It didn't matter why she had left the food, only that she had. Rachel Torres had sat in the same spot she was in now, and that meant Kelsey was on the right track. She had not passed her on the way out, and that meant Rachel had headed in the opposite direction, likely guided or lured by Dean Harlow.

There was some discomfort in her thighs as she stood back up. She hadn't run fast, but she had run far. Still, there was nothing that would stop her pursuit, and she took off running in the direction of the figure she had spotted.

The night closed in. There were no stars that night. The clouds were thick and dark, obscuring any light, and Kelsey had to use the flashlight.

Was it the killer up on the ridge? Can he see better from up there? Does he have a light, too?

She had to use the flashlight and knew it made her even more of a target. She would not have to get close for the killer to spot the illumination. She knew he carried a knife, but did he also carry a gun?

Kelsey heard a sound and froze. She quickly looked up, swinging the flashlight over the top of the ride like a sword. There was no on there, but there was—

Kelsey took off running. She had heard the sound from up ahead. She didn't care if it was the killer or the victim. To find one was to find the other.

If I get too close, will he attack me?

That didn't matter to her. She picked up her pace, feeling something closing in on her. It felt like the badlands were speaking to her, telling her where to go. Maybe they were, or maybe she could put herself in Rachel’s shoes and go where she would have gone.

It hasn’t been that long. She will still be alive.

Kelsey rounded a hoodoo, and the situation felt all too familiar. She dropped the flashlight. There was no time to draw her own weapon. As the flashlight bounced on the ground, sending shards of light splaying over the enclosed area, Kelsey caught sight of the hand on the gun and the finger that trembled over the trigger.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

Kelsey did the only thing she was able to: she raised her hands in the air but readied herself to pounce and disarm her attacker. She only had a split second before—

"Oh, my goodness!" the woman exclaimed.

The woman’s hand trembled, and the gun fell, clattering to the dusty ground. The light from the flashlight had some spillage upward, and Kelsey could make out some features of the woman before her.

"Rachel Torres?" Kelsey whispered.

The women nodded with wide eyes.

Kelsey quickly bent down and retrieved the flashlight first, picking up the weapon right before she turned off the flashlight. She moved closer to Rachel.

"Do you know where he is?" Kelsey whispered. The search was done. This was a rescue operation now. All she had to do was retrace her steps back to the ATV.

Rachel shook her head quickly. "I haven’t seen him since shortly after I woke," she whispered. "I can feel him. I think I can feel him out there. He’s been following me. What does he want with me?"

"That doesn’t matter. All that matters is getting you to safety, okay?"

Rachel nodded. She didn't question the situation or ask Kelsey who she was. She was with someone other than the man who had brought her out into the badlands, and that was good enough.

"Take this," Kelsey said, pressing the gun back into Rachel’s hand.

"No, I don't want it."

"You have to," Kelsey said. "If he comes for you, don't hesitate to shoot, okay?"

"I can’t," Rachel whispered.

"You can," Kelsey assured. "I will protect you at all costs, but you take the shot if you see him. This ends tonight." She drew her own gun, ready to take him down.

Kelsey didn't wait for her to argue the point. She took Rachel’s free arm and brought her close. They walked back side by side, Kelsey hoping she was going the right way.

"Be ready to run!" Kelsey whispered to Rachel. "I think he is here."

Kelsey couldn’t see him, but she could sense him. Someone who had spent so long in the badlands would know how to move quietly.

There was a flash of light, and Kelsey was too slow. The light reflected off his blade as he swung it, and all Kelsey saw was a shadow in the darkness as he sliced through her upper arm. The fabric of the shirt did little to stop the blade as it cut, and she felt a coldness before a numb ache. She fired off two shots, unsure in the chaos if she hit him.

All senses were lost in the badlands. Kelsey was not sure if there was no blood on her arm or lots of it running down. She felt a wetness but was unsure if she imagined it or not. She couldn’t see if she had been injured badly.

Kelsey spun around to track the killer, but he had already disappeared behind one of the hoodoos—the red flection from her flashlight was eerie in the partial darkness.

"Dean Harlow!" Kelsey called, hoping to drive him out of hiding. "Dean, I know what you have been through."

She spun to her left, hearing a rustle, and she pointed her gun. The sounds echoed between hoodoos and mesas, and it became nearly impossible to pinpoint the direction of the noise. She grabbed her flashlight and flicked it on. There was no need to hide now—he knew where they were. She spun the flashlight and gun around together, scanning where the sound had come from and then checking the opposite direction, just in case.

"No!" Rachel gasped.

Kelsey whirled around, and she saw his shadow as he slammed straight into her. She willed Rachel to open fire, but it was deathly quiet once she hit the ground. Kelsey kicked herself back a few feet, pointing the flashlight and gun, firing a couple more shots toward him. She saw the dust spring up from the ground as he ran again.

The valleys were so cavernous and winding that it would be impossible to follow him, and he could easily double back and get behind them.

Her arm ached more where she had been previously cut. He had not cut her this time. She flashed the light onto Rachel and saw red on her stomach. Kelsey quickly got to her feet and went to her side.

"How bad is it?" Kelsey asked.

"I—I don't know," Rachel gasped. "He got me with something. I don't know where my gun is. I think I dropped it."

"It’s okay. It’s fine. We are getting out of here, okay?"

Kelsey moved cautiously around with her gun, checking all directions and scanning the ground. She could not see their attacker or the gun. Kelsey pointed her gun up and away and fired off three shots. She hoped it would help draw John toward them if he had not heard the previous shots.

If Dean has a gun now out here, we might not stand a chance.

"It doesn’t need to end like this!" Kelsey shouted. "They didn't know what mercy was when you were a child, but you can show mercy now. You can let her go."

"You are just as weak."

Kelsey spun around again, expecting an attack, but he confined himself to the shadows. Opening a dialog was a good start.

"I read your file, Dean. I know what they did to you, and I know what that does to a person. You lost your parents when you were young, and that changes you."

"They were weak, too," Dean shouted.

Kelsey spun around to face the source of the noise, but with the valley, noises echoed and reverberated around, making it hard to tell where the words were coming from.

"Is that why you do it?" Kelsey shouted. "You want to do what they did to you, and you want to show how strong you are compared to everyone else? I know you hunt them."

"And now, I hunt you," he replied.

"Keep moving," Kelsey whispered. "Backup is on the way."

Kelsey held Rachel’s arm to lead her, but it was slow going with her stomach wound. Kelsey couldn’t remember how far she had walked from her ATV—they only needed to get back there to get to safety.

There was a flash of movement to the left, and Kelsey swung around, taking a couple of shots before he slammed into her again. The gun was knocked from her hand this time, but not the flashlight. Dean must have seen the gun flying off. He grabbed Kelsey and pinned her to the ground, flashing his knife before her face.

"Get off her!" Rachel shouted.

Dean swiveled to the side and swung the knife. "Take a step back. I will deal with you later."

Rachel clutched her stomach and did as she was told.

"I know you have pain," Kelsey said.

Dean moved, and Kelsey quickly grabbed his wrist as he tried to bring the knife down. His eyes glowed red in the darkness. He looked as if he relished what he was doing; it was something he craved and needed.

"I know we are weak, but doesn't that mean you prey on the weak?" Kelsey asked, trying to hold the knife from her face.

"It doesn’t work like that," Dean claimed. "I am releasing them from the monotony and convenience of modern life. They will fear the fear I felt, and if they can move past it, they will finally live. You have the chance, too. You have more spirit than most. I will enjoy killing you.

All Kelsey needed was for Rachel to swing a boot at him to disorientate him for a moment. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Rachel was barefoot. For some reason, it sapped a lot of her hope.

"It is time for you to leave this world," Dean said.

"You don't have to do this," Kelsey said through gritted teeth. If she had not been cut in the arm, she might have been able to fight him, but he was overpowering her.

"Maybe we do all deserve this," Kelsey said suddenly.

It was something Dean had not expected her to say, and for the briefest moment, he loosened his grip. It gave Kelsey the fraction of a section she needed. She held the knife back with one hand while she grabbed the small folding knife from her pocket and flicked open the blade with the nail of her thumb. She moved in one swift motion and dug the short blade into his thigh.

Dean roared in pain as he was stabbed, and he lost more grip on his knife. Kelsey pushed his arms up a little, and it did something to Rachel. She suddenly had a rock in her hand, and she brought it down toward Dean, hitting him in the shoulder.

Dean roared and turned his attention to Rachel. Kelsey swung her foot up and hit Dean in the groin. The knife dropped from his hand, and Kelsey had to shift her head quickly to the side to avoid the point. Kelsey kicked again as he went for the knife, and his arms turned to rubber. Kelsey brought her knee up and rolled Dean off her.

She stood and saw him draw the gun—the one Rachel had been carrying. Dean forgot all pain and injury for a moment as he pointed the gun like a trained marksman. Kelsey moved forward, not back, enclosing her hands around Dean’s on the gun, and she quickly jerked to the side as a bullet whizzed past her ear. She pressed his trigger finger, sending two bullets harmlessly past her head before the gun started clicking.

Kelsey used the last of her strength as the pain in her arm became sharper, and she slammed the gun downward, driving it into Dean’s nose. She heard a bone crunch and crack. She let go of his hands, not caring about the gun now it was empty. She pushed herself up and off him as he groaned and grabbed the flashlight from the ground.

Kelsey pointed it at Rachel, who was frozen to the spot again, and then at Dean, who looked in shock.

Dean reached for his pocket.

"Don't move an inch!" John said.

Kelsey resisted the urge to spin around to see John. She kept the flashlight trained on Dean as John joined her, his gun pointed at the killer.

"I’m glad to see you," Kelsey said.

"And I’m glad to see Rachel Torres with you. When I heard the gunshots, I feared the worst. It’s finally over."

"Yeah, it is," Kelsey said.

John passed Kelsey the gun, and she held it pointed at the killer, the flashlight casting shadows on his face. John went to him and roughly flipped him over in the dirt. He wrenched Dean’s hands behind his back and slapped the handcuffs on him before jerking him to his feet. Only then did Kelsey feel relief overcome her. She lowered the gun and went to Rachel, who was still frozen to the spot.

"It’s over," she whispered to Rachel. "It’s time to go home."

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

The sun rose on the horizon of the badlands to bring the hope of a brand-new day. Kelsey stood on the ridge, looking down into the valleys. They had always been beautiful, but there was a new beauty contained within them on that morning as the yellows and oranges of minerals in the rocks were reflected by the sun. The evil that had been sweeping through the badlands and the town was removed. She and John had caught the killer and had been able to save one woman.

The sun was warm as it peeked over the rolling hills in the distance. For a long time, Kelsey had lamented the crime in the town. Three people breaking the law and a serial killer on the loose. The killer was caught, and there would be some justice for the crimes. Maybe not complete justice, but some would be enough after what had happened.

As she looked down into the valleys that formed a labyrinth, she saw what the people of the town saw. She would not have time to hike or walk down there, but she had spent enough time in the valleys for one lifetime. It was a beautiful place, but one she did not mind leaving.

Kelsey didn't see him coming. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, and she leaned her head on John’s shoulder. Her arm had been bandaged, and she felt little pain. Rachel had fared a little worse and was on her way to the hospital, but she would make a full recovery.

"How are you doing?" John asked.

"I’m tired, and I want to go home."

"Do you know yet?" John asked.

"No, not yet. I don't know when I will know, and I don't know what the decision will be either. All I can do is wait and hope."

"You did good work here again." John tightened his hold on her.

"We did good work here. Don't play down your role in all of this and all the previous cases we have worked on together. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you." Kelsey put her arm around John’s waist.

"They didn't find anything at the log cabin, but that won’t matter. We caught him in the act, and he is going to jail for a long time. He killed five women, and all because of what? He was abused as a kid."

"It doesn't justify anything he did, but it messed him up. Who knows how much of what he did came from that and how much was inside him already? He needs to be locked up for the rest of his life. I looked into his eyes out in the badlands, and I don't think there is any hope for him. He hates people, and I think he will always have that hate."

"Well, it’s a good thing we are here to fight against the hate with… I mean, we will always fight the hate and evil." John let go of Kelsey as the Sheriff and Deputy approached along the ridge.

Multiple off-road vehicles were stationed at the access point, and officers and park rangers were making their way in and out of the badlands. They didn't need the evidence, but it was better to be thorough.

"We found your gun," Deputy Hunt said, handing Kelsey her firearm.

"Thank you," Kelsey replied.

"And I want you to know that we released Colin Bates as soon as we heard. I hope that is okay," the Deputy said.

"That is fine," Kelsey said. "And if you ever want to try the FBI, give me a call."

Nina nodded.

"Aw, now," the Sheriff said. "Not trying to poach my staff, are you? I only just found the best deputy sheriff I have ever had, and you are trying to take her from me."

"That might be hard," Kelsey admitted. "She already told me how much she loves the town, and it is obvious how much she loves the job and how everyone around here benefits from that."

"Ain’t that the truth," the Sheriff said.

Nina smiled some more at the compliments from Kelsey and her boss.

The Sheriff reached out his hand to John, who was the closest to him. "Well, I can't thank you enough. We were lost when this all started. I don't know if we would have got him if the two of you hadn’t shown up." The Sheriff moved along a little to shake Kelsey’s hand.

"I’m glad we could be of service," Kelsey said.

The Sheriff looked out over the badlands as the sun fully rose. "Ain’t it all so beautiful," he said.

"Yeah, it is," John replied.

"So, when do the two of you leave? There’s a hotel room for as long as you want it, and I sure would like to treat you folks to breakfast, at least."

"Breakfast would be good," Kelsey said.

She didn’t want to make the call to the Deputy Director. She would wait for him to call her before she thought about going to Winchburgh. She had done as asked, and she could wait a little longer to ensure she got what she wanted.

"Well, let’s go and get some," the Sheriff said. "You must try our grits. You’ve not really had grits until you have tried Doret grits."

John walked with Kelsey back to the ATVs. "You’ll see her soon," he said.

"Yeah, I know," Kelsey replied.

I hope.

EPILOGUE

Two Days Later

Kelsey got out of John’s truck and gestured for him to stay where he was. John gave her the space to talk with the Deputy Director by herself. They had driven close to Winchburgh on the way back, and Kelsey had desperately wanted to stop there just to feel the air and smell home again, but there were far more important places to be.

Or one far more important place: St. Wentworth’s.

Kelsey swallowed three times on the way to the large black sedan with tinted windows. They had let her come that far, so she was sure she would see her sister, but she worried it would be for the last time before they arrested her again.

The door to the sedan opened, and Kelsey slipped in immediately, eager to get it over with.

Deputy Director Harper sat on the other side of the back bench, dressed in an immaculate black suit.

Kelsey closed the door behind her. The interior was air-conditioned and had a faint pine smell. A blacked-out piece of glass separated the driver from the rest of the car.

"I have to admit that you did a good job in Doret," the Deputy Director said.

Kelsey felt her heart sail at the praise. "What does that mean for me?"

"You did what you set out to do, and I hear you caught some other crime out there, too. I can't argue with your results."

Kelsey swallowed again. "But?"

"But, you did step on the toes of an ongoing drug smuggling operation, and after reading the full report, you didn't do everything by the book. I believe that deserves a leave of absence."

"Sir, if I can just—"

The Deputy Director raised his hand. "A leave of absence with full pay, and you will return to work as soon as you are needed. Until then, you will help your sister recover. Do I make myself clear?"

Kelsey was frozen for a moment, and she almost stumbled over and hugged her boss. Instead, she put out a hand, which the Deputy Director took and shook.

"Thank you, sir," Kelsey said.

"Thank you, Special Agent Hawk," Harper said. "Thanks to you, we have criminals off the street. We might still have the nuisance of an internal investigation, but it will be for the best. Now, get out of here before I change my mind."

Kelsey didn't have to be told twice. She exited the vehicle without looking back. She did look over at John with a smile before she ran toward the building.

Kelsey stopped. She looked back toward John's truck and then to the car almost alongside it. Someone sat in the driver’s seat, and it felt as if they were staring back at her. The small car shook as the engine rumbled to life, and then it backed quickly out of the parking lot. Kelsey shook her head and ran for the building, pushing the doors open and hastily entering.

"I’m looking for Erica Hawk," Kelsey blurted as soon as she was inside.

The receptionist looked up from the computer and then back down. She read something and then said, "Room 201. You must be Special Agent Hawk. We have been expecting you."

Kelsey wanted to stop to hug the receptionist, but she didn't have time. She ran past the desk and down the long hallway, scanning the room numbers. She almost bundled over one of the nurses, avoiding her at the last minute. She found the room and ran straight in, unable to wait a second more.

Erica lay on the bed, looking forlornly out of the window. She turned her head and looked at Kelsey. Erica didn't have time to change her expression before Kelsey lunged for her and embraced her sister for the first time in weeks.

Kelsey cried and could not stop. She held her sister tight and felt Erica embrace her back. The tears flowed from weeks of built-up angst. She kissed her sister’s cheek far too much. She laughed as Erica pushed her jokingly away.

"I’m still annoyed at you for being away for so long," Erica told her.

"I know," Kelsey said, "but I am here now. I’m here to stay."

"Really?" Erica asked.

"Yeah, really," Kelsey replied.

Kelsey got off the bed when she saw the nurse at the door.

"Oh, I can come back," the nurse said.

Kelsey pulled over the closest chair and sat down by the bed. She took her sister’s hand and held it tight.

"How have you been doing?" Kelsey asked.

"That depends on who you ask," Erica replied. "Don't ask them, or they will say I am doing awful. I think they want to keep me in here. They have tried to come for me, the outsiders, but they have been too afraid to come in. I know they won’t try anything now that you are here with me."

The man in the car?

Kelsey wanted to assure her sister that no one was coming for her, but something about hearing it in person made it ring true. She was sure it was partly from being away for so long and just coming off the case.

"I’m here now, and I will protect you," Kelsey said.

"Okay," Erica said seriously. "They will come back for us, and we will have to fight."

"Just rest for now," Kelsey soothed. "That’s all you have to worry about now that I’m back. You are going to get better, and then we will get out of here and get a place together, okay?"

"We will have to deal with them," Erica whispered. "With them and the past."

Kelsey felt a shiver run down her spine as her sister spoke. Kelsey knew no one was coming for them, even if Erica believed it. She was sure it was all over. Even though she didn't know why her sister had been taken and by whom, they were still out there somewhere.

Kelsey tried not to think about it. She brought herself back to the present. If they needed to deal with the past, they would do it in the future. For now, they would enjoy the present. She was finally back with her sister, and no one would come between them.

NOW AVAILABLE!

DEAD CALM

(A Kelsey Hawk FBI Suspense Thriller—Book Eight)

“This is an excellent book… When you start reading, be sure you don’t have to wake up early!”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tough and brilliant FBI special agent 30-year-old Kelsey Hawk is relocated to the desolate and unforgiving landscape of small town North Dakota, to which she’d vowed to never return, when human bones surface amongst the Badlands' ancient rock formations. A predator obsessed with outliving time is leaving his mark on the world in bone and earth—and Kelsey must stop this architect of death before she's cast in his next diorama.

“This book moved very fast and every page was exciting. Plenty of dialogue, you absolutely love the characters, and you were rooting for the good guy throughout the whole story… I look forward to reading the next in the series.”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DEAD CALM is book #8 in a new series by #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Kate Bold, whose bestseller NOT ME (a free download) has received over 1,500 five star ratings and reviews.

When she was just a child, Kelsey’s entire family was murdered, leaving her, the sole survivor, to grow up in the foster system. A rising star in the FBI, Kelsey set her ambitions on being assigned to a field office in the big city, away from the ghosts of her past. But when she’s reassigned to a small town in North Dakota, she can’t help but remember all the tragedy she fought so hard to leave behind.

Can she stop this killer in time?

A page-turning and harrowing crime thriller featuring a brilliant and tortured FBI agent, the KELSEY HAWK series is a riveting mystery, packed with non-stop action, suspense, twists and turns, revelations, and driven by a breakneck pace that will keep you flipping pages late into the night. Fans of Rachel Caine, Teresa Driscoll, and Robert Dugoni are sure to fall in love.

Future books in the series are now available!

“Kate did an amazing job on this book and I was hooked from the first chapter!”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I really enjoyed this book. The characters were authentic, and I see the bad guys as something we hear about daily on the news... Looking forward to book 2.”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This was a really good book. The main characters were real, flawed and human. The story went along quickly and wasn't mired in too many unnecessary details. I really enjoyed it.”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Alexa Chase is headstrong, impatient, but most of all brave with a capital B. She never, repeat never, backs down until the bad guys are put where they belong. Clearly five stars!”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Captivating and riveting serial murder with a twist of the macabre… Very well done.”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“WOW what a great read! Talk about a diabolical killer! Really enjoyed this book. Looking forward to reading others by this author as well.”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Page turner for sure. Great characters and relationships. I got into the middle of this story and couldn’t put it down. Looking forward to more from Kate Bold.”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Hard to put down. It has an excellent plot and has the right amount of suspense. I really enjoyed this book.”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Extremely well written, and well worth buying and reading. I can't wait to read book two!”

—Reader review for The Killing Game

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

DEAD CALM

(A Kelsey Hawk FBI Suspense Thriller—Book Eight)

Kate Bold

Bestselling author Kate Bold is author of the ALEXA CHASE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); the ASHLEY HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); the CAMILLE GRACE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising eight books (and counting); the HARLEY COLE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising eleven books (and counting); the KAYLIE BROOKS PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); the EVE HOPE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising seven books (and counting); the DYLAN FIRST FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting);  the LAUREN LAMB FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); the KELSEY HAWK SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising nine books (and counting); the NORA PRICE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); the NINA VEIL FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising ten books (and counting); OF the BARREN PINES PSYCHOLIGICAL SUSPENSE series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the ADDISON SHINE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising seven books (and counting); and of the MAGGIE FLIGHT SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising seven books (and counting).

THE KILLING GAME (an Alexa Chase Suspense Thriller—Book #1), LET ME GO (an Ashley Hope Suspense Thriller—Book #1), and NOT ME (a Camille Grace FBI Suspense Thriller—Book #1) are available as free downloads on Amazon!

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Kate loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.kateboldauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY KATE BOLD

MAGGIE FLIGHT SUSPENSE THRILLER

FINAL KILL (Book #1)

FINAL CHANCE (Book #2)

FINAL MISTAKE (Book #3)

FINAL LIE (Book #4)

FINAL BREATH (Book #5)

FINAL WHISPER (Book #6)

FINAL HOUR (Book #7)

ADDISON SHINE SUSPENSE THRILLER

FIND ME (Book #1)

FIND HER (Book #2)

FIND HELP (Book #3)

FIND HOME (Book #4)

FIND HIM (Book #5)

FIND YOU (Book #6)

FIND HOPE (Book #7)

BARREN PINES

THE UNSEEN NEIGHBOR (Book #1)

THE UNSEEN WIFE (Book #2)

THE UNSEEN KILLER (Book #3)

THE UNSEEN WOMAN (Book #4)

THE UNSEEN PAST (Book #5)

NINA VEIL SUSPENSE THRILLER

AWAY FROM HERE (Book #1)

AWAY FROM HIM (Book #2)

AWAY FROM HOPE (Book #3)

AWAY FROM HOME (Book #4)

AWAY FROM HUMANITY (Book #5)

KELSEY HAWK MYSTERY

DEAD INSIDE (Book #1)

DEAD RECKONING (Book #2)

DEAD TO ME (Book #3)

DEAD SILENCE (Book #4)

DEAD TO DAWN (Book #5)

DEAD END (Book #6)

DEAD OF NIGHT (Book #7)

DEAD CALM (Book #8)

DEAD AND GONE (Book #9)

ALEXA CHASE SUSPENSE THRILLER

THE KILLING GAME (Book #1)

THE KILLING TIDE (Book #2)

THE KILLING HOUR (Book #3)

THE KILLING POINT (Book #4)

THE KILLING FOG (Book #5)

THE KILLING PLACE (Book #6)

ASHLEY HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER

LET ME GO (Book #1)

LET ME OUT (Book #2)

LET ME LIVE (Book #3)

LET ME BREATHE (Book #4)

LET ME FORGET (Book #5)

LET ME ESCAPE (Book #6)

CAMILLE GRACE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

NOT ME (Book #1)

NOT NOW (Book #2)

NOT WELL (Book #3)

NOT HER (Book #4)

NOT NORMAL (Book #5)

NOT AGAIN (Book #6)

NOT SAFE (Book #7)

NOT TODAY (Book #8)

HARLEY COLE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

NOWHERE SAFE (Book #1)

NOWHERE LEFT (Book #2)

NOWHERE TO RUN (Book #3)

NOWHERE LIKE THIS (Book #4)

NOWHERE GIRL (Book #5)

NOWHERE TO HIDE (Book #6)

NOWHERE CERTAIN (Book #7)

NOWHERE PURE (Book #8)

NOWHERE SOUND (Book #9)

NOWHERE SANE (Book #10)

NOWHERE TRUE (Book #11)

KAYLIE BROOKS PYSCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THRILLER

LAST BREATH (Book #1)

LAST CHANCE (Book #2)

LAST WISH (Book #3)

LAST SHOT (Book #4)

LAST MISTAKE (Book #5)

EVE HOPE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

IN HIS BLOOD (Book #1)

IN HIS SIGHTS (Book #2)

IN HIS REACH (Book #3)

IN HIS MIND (Book #4)

IN HIS WAY (Book #5)

IN HIS THOUGHTS (Book #6)

IN HIS DREAMS (Book #7)

DYLAN FIRST FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

OUT OF REACH (Book #1)

OUT OF TOUCH (Book #2)

OUT OF TIME (Book #3)

OUT OF BOUNDS (Book #4)

OUT OF LUCK (Book #5)

LAUREN LAMB FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SOMETHING KNOCKING (Book #1)

SOMETHING CALLING (Book #2)

SOMETHING WRONG (Book 3)

SOMETHING DARK (Book #4)

SOMETHING TO HIDE (Book #5)

Table of Contents

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

EPILOGUE