Disturb Sign and gave it to the analyst. “Maybe the killer hung this on the door before she or he got down to business, and you can lift some prints from it.”
Jake’s phone buzzed, and he punched connect. “Yeah. Okay, good. Stay there with her. I’ll be there soon.”
“Did Sadie find Amelia?” Nick asked as Jake ended the call.
“Yeah, she’s back in her condo.”
“Where was she?”
“She wouldn’t tell Sadie,” Jake said. “She said she was tired and just wanted to sleep. Sadie’s trying to give her some leeway, to prove she trusts her.”
Nick hated to consider Amelia as a suspect, but she had mental problems. According to Jake, one of her alter personalities, Viola, was promiscuous. Another personality, Skid, was violent. The combination could be volatile.
“You still need to find out where she was,” Nick said. “What if Viola took a lover, then Skid emerged and killed him?”
Jake’s gaze met his, tension thrumming between them. “I know, but Sadie will be upset. Amelia has made progress in merging the personalities.”
“But she could have suffered a setback,” Nick said. “Maybe she saw the news story and snapped.”
A mixture of emotions tightened Jake’s face. Then he sighed, resigned. “Don’t worry. I’ll question her.”
“Okay—I’ll see if Logger has family or friends. We need to find out everything we can about him.” Nick addressed the crime team. “Copy me and the sheriff on your findings. And let me know asap about the prints and DNA results.”
Maddison agreed, and Nick left Jake to monitor the crime scene. He needed to talk to Brenda and to trace that text.
Determining its source might be the best chance they had to track down the killer.
Brenda gestured for Louis to capture the medics transporting the dead body to the ambulance.
The teens who’d first arrived protested as Deputy Waterstone ordered them to stay behind the line. “It’s a free country, man. You can’t make us go.”
“I can arrest you for interfering at a crime scene,” the deputy said.
“We’re not interfering,” one of the boys shouted.
“Let me see your IDs.” The boys argued at first, but the deputy took them and made a note of their names and contact information.
For a moment, Brenda wondered if he suspected the boys of the murder, although after seeing the body, she didn’t think they fit the profile of the killer. Still, killers often return to the scene of the crime to watch the investigation. She searched the crowd, then used her phone to take random shots of the crowd in the parking lot.
Louis photographed the deputy and the group, then followed Brenda to question the ME. “Dr. Bullock, can you confirm the cause of death?”
Bullock’s eyes narrowed below the rims of his glasses. “Not at this time. When I’m finished with the autopsy, I’ll release the results to the police.”
“Thank you, Dr. Bullock.” She turned to the camera as the doctor climbed in his car. “As I stated earlier, we will bring you more on this late-breaking story as more information becomes available.”
Nick exited the motel room and walked toward her while Jake remained inside with the crime team.
She braced herself for a battle.
“The crime unit is finishing processing the scene,” he said when he joined her. “I need to trace that text.”
“Of course.” Brenda removed her phone from her purse. “As long as I get my phone back.”
“Actually, I don’t need the phone. I can use your number from my caller history. But I figured I’d get your permission.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks. I’ll get a warrant for the wireless provider, and then we’re set.”
“I texted the caller back, but she didn’t respond,” Brenda said.
“Keep trying. And let me know if you receive any more communication from her.”
“Of course,” Brenda said. “You know, Nick, it’s not like I asked for this. The killer chose me.”
Nick’s dark eyes flashed with annoyance.
Jake’s phone buzzed, and he punched connect. “Yeah. Okay, good. Stay there with her. I’ll be there soon.”
“Did Sadie find Amelia?” Nick asked as Jake ended the call.
“Yeah, she’s back in her condo.”
“Where was she?”
“She wouldn’t tell Sadie,” Jake said. “She said she was tired and just wanted to sleep. Sadie’s trying to give her some leeway, to prove she trusts her.”
Nick hated to consider Amelia as a suspect, but she had mental problems. According to Jake, one of her alter personalities, Viola, was promiscuous. Another personality, Skid, was violent. The combination could be volatile.
“You still need to find out where she was,” Nick said. “What if Viola took a lover, then Skid emerged and killed him?”
Jake’s gaze met his, tension thrumming between them. “I know, but Sadie will be upset. Amelia has made progress in merging the personalities.”
“But she could have suffered a setback,” Nick said. “Maybe she saw the news story and snapped.”
A mixture of emotions tightened Jake’s face. Then he sighed, resigned. “Don’t worry. I’ll question her.”
“Okay—I’ll see if Logger has family or friends. We need to find out everything we can about him.” Nick addressed the crime team. “Copy me and the sheriff on your findings. And let me know asap about the prints and DNA results.”
Maddison agreed, and Nick left Jake to monitor the crime scene. He needed to talk to Brenda and to trace that text.
Determining its source might be the best chance they had to track down the killer.
Brenda gestured for Louis to capture the medics transporting the dead body to the ambulance.
The teens who’d first arrived protested as Deputy Waterstone ordered them to stay behind the line. “It’s a free country, man. You can’t make us go.”
“I can arrest you for interfering at a crime scene,” the deputy said.
“We’re not interfering,” one of the boys shouted.
“Let me see your IDs.” The boys argued at first, but the deputy took them and made a note of their names and contact information.
For a moment, Brenda wondered if he suspected the boys of the murder, although after seeing the body, she didn’t think they fit the profile of the killer. Still, killers often return to the scene of the crime to watch the investigation. She searched the crowd, then used her phone to take random shots of the crowd in the parking lot.
Louis photographed the deputy and the group, then followed Brenda to question the ME. “Dr. Bullock, can you confirm the cause of death?”
Bullock’s eyes narrowed below the rims of his glasses. “Not at this time. When I’m finished with the autopsy, I’ll release the results to the police.”
“Thank you, Dr. Bullock.” She turned to the camera as the doctor climbed in his car. “As I stated earlier, we will bring you more on this late-breaking story as more information becomes available.”
Nick exited the motel room and walked toward her while Jake remained inside with the crime team.
She braced herself for a battle.
“The crime unit is finishing processing the scene,” he said when he joined her. “I need to trace that text.”
“Of course.” Brenda removed her phone from her purse. “As long as I get my phone back.”
“Actually, I don’t need the phone. I can use your number from my caller history. But I figured I’d get your permission.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks. I’ll get a warrant for the wireless provider, and then we’re set.”
“I texted the caller back, but she didn’t respond,” Brenda said.
“Keep trying. And let me know if you receive any more communication from her.”
“Of course,” Brenda said. “You know, Nick, it’s not like I asked for this. The killer chose me.”
Nick’s dark eyes flashed with annoyance.
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