Page 22

"I…" Anita paused suddenly. "Perhaps I could."

"Instead of trying to protect her—" Nora began, but I cut her off.

"Weaponize her, so to speak," I said.

"Not the word I would use, but it might be the right idea. Let me think on this."

"Okay. Call me back later. I'll be stuck in this hotel room all day," said Nora.

"Call Wilkinson, Anita. Maybe ask for Nora to consult. The two of you can maybe intervene if it comes to it," I suggested. "He might have some ideas, too. He knew James pretty well at the point when she broke the case."

"I'll consider it. My thanks to you both."

"Bye, Neets," said Nora, and they ended the call.

"Harsh." I frowned at the situation. "That sounded bad."

"Anita doesn't say anything directly, but I don't think Detective James is a stable person," Nora said, rather gently. "I think she's worried about her fragility."

"I mean, I don't even know her and I'm marginally worried about it. If someone showed up here digging up shit about my past, I might lose my shit and my shit is already packed pretty tight. If it wasn't…" I shrugged, shaking my head. "Who the fuck knows what damage could be done."

"Yeah…" Nora's tone saddened then. "How long will you be gone?"

"Not sure. I'll text you. Maybe I'll pick up some grub on the way back." I clapped her on the back. "Though this place has good room service."

"It does." Nora turned to watch me fasten my gear belt. "Be careful."

"Always am. Text us if you come up with anything. What time are you and Jenson getting together?"

"Around eleven. We're going to compare our notes and stuff. I like working alone first."

"I know." I winked at her before heading out. "Later."

"Bye."

I caught up with Wilkinson and the rest of the team in the field not long after. Ten agents from three different districts gathered around the second crime scene where another decapitated body was found hanging upside-down from a tree in a state park. The first occurred in Seattle, and the second one here. If it wasn't for Nora's combing of our database, we never would've learned of the second.

Roderick and I spent an hour walking through the park, attempting to connect data, or come up with connections from the first murder to the second.

"Bled both victims," Roderick said. "Do you think the unsub is taking any of the blood?"

"We're not sure. The medical examiner couldn't determine. Partly because the heads are missing, and partly because of the porous ground below, plus animals."

"Right." Roderick gulped. "Imagine the animals visiting the area at night…uck."

"I do not, in fact, want to imagine it." I thwapped him upside the head. "If you hurl at another crime scene, Roderick, I swear to fucking god."

"It's been months since that's happened." He grumbled, propping his hands on his hips. "C'mon, Donovan."

"You'll never live it down, Brian." I laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Swallow your lunch because we're heading back there now. Think of all those pretty maggots. Yum."

He blanched, his face reddening. "I fucking hate you."

"Ah." I grinned while watching him bolt off behind a tree. "Sweet sound of victory after torturing a probie."

"Donovan!" Wilkinson shouted as he descended upon me. "What'd you do to him?" He waved in Roderick's direction.

"Said the word maggots, Sir." I shrugged, keeping the satisfied grin under wraps. "Not my fault he can't handle it."