Page 23

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Sylvie Deering

June 2025

Wednesday — 2:47 pm

“I 'm sorry. Like I said before, I didn't mean to upset you folks,” the hunter repeated, his rifle now pointed safely toward the ground. “That shot was meant to scare away a cow moose with her calf about fifty yards back. Those mamas can be more dangerous than most people realize.”

Sylvie's pulse had only just begun to steady.

At least ten minutes had passed since the gunshot rang out, and adrenaline still flowed through her system. From where she stood, Tim Lofton appeared harmless enough. He had immediately called out to identify himself after Sylvie and Theo had drawn their weapons. He emerged from the tree line with his arms raised high, the rifle vertical and pointing toward the sky.

“No harm done,” Sylvie replied, doing her best to give the man a reassuring smile. Once they had determined that Tim Lofton wasn’t a threat, Theo had made his way a good eighty yards up the slight incline behind the cabin. He was using hand gestures to communicate with the pilot of the chopper, hopefully indicating their need for a satellite radio. She wouldn’t mind delaying the ride down the mountain. “I’ll be honest, Mr. Lofton. I don’t know a lot about Alaskan wildlife. We’re grateful for?—”

“Most tourists think bears are the big danger up here, but moose injure more people in Alaska than bears do. Especially cow moose with calves—they're incredibly protective.” Tim shifted his weight, his hiking boots sinking slightly into the soft ground. He was oblivious to her attempt to send him on his way. “They can weigh up to fourteen hundred pounds and stand nearly seven feet tall at the shoulder.”

Introductions had already been made, and Tim was informed that the cabin was now a crime scene. The man’s curiosity had clearly gotten the best of him, but it was his incessant chatter that prolonged their conversation.

“When moose charge, they can hit thirty-five miles per hour in seconds. And those hooves?" Tim gave a long, low whistle. "Sharp as knives when they're coming down on you.”

“I didn’t know that,” Sylvie murmured as she observed a large black bag being lowered down by the chopper on a thick cable. The bag swayed gently in the breeze, but it eventually made its way steadily down towards the ground. “Well, Mr. Lofton, we really need to?—”

“What most people don't know is how they use the landscape to their advantage. In spring and early summer, the calves are vulnerable to predators—wolves, black bears, grizzlies. When a moose feels threatened, they'll sometimes move into rougher terrain. Seems counterintuitive, but the uneven ground slows down the predators more than it does the moose. They've got these long legs, see? Can navigate through fallen logs and deep snow better than a wolf pack or a bear.”

Tim patted his rifle.

“That's why I fired the warning shot. Moose have poor eyesight but excellent hearing. The sound scares them off, sends them looking for safer ground. Better than having her charge you because you surprised her. They'll trample you without a second thought if they think you're threatening their calf.”

Tim stood about six feet tall. His beard was neatly trimmed, and he wouldn’t have given Sylvie a hunter’s vibe. There didn’t seem to be any calluses on the palms of his hands, either. He wore a bright orange hunting vest over layers of practical outdoor clothing—sensible for June in Alaska, where the temperature could drop unexpectedly even during the endless daylight hours.

“While we’re here, we’ll be more vigilant,” Sylvie assured him.

“And you really think that the serial killer leading the authorities to Lusa Kalluk’s body stayed in that cabin there?” Tim asked with skepticism. “I mean, nothing ever happens around here. I moved here a few years back. Met my wife at a medical conference, fell head over heels in love, and uprooted my life from the East Coast. Crazy, huh? Anyway, it took a while for me to get used to all this wilderness. It’s quiet, but my wife loves nature. I couldn’t ask her to leave. Now? The East Coast is looking pretty damn good. I’m not so sure she’s going to feel safe knowing that a serial killer was practically in our backyard.”

“Jacob Walsh has been in federal custody for several years,” Sylvie explained patiently, having already taken time to clarify the situation to Tim. “You and your wife have nothing to fear from him.”

“It’s not him we’re worried about, ma’am. We heard about that federal agent being murdered yesterday.” Tim removed his focus from Theo to concentrate on her. “We might live an hour away from Blackpeak, but something of that magnitude affects everyone around these parts. If that Walsh guy is in custody, then who killed that woman?”

“The investigation is being handled by the local FBI field office, Mr. Lofton.” Sylvie noticed that the man’s interest was the kind of morbid fascination that high-profile cases often generated in the public. Unfortunately, until they could apprehend the individual who killed Kate, Sylvie couldn’t give Tim any assurances. It also didn’t serve her in any capacity to inform him of S&E Investigations’ involvement with the case. “Again, we appreciate your assistance with the…moose. It appears that my colleague has secured a satellite radio. You might want to steer clear of the area for a while.”

“Did you find the remains of Lusa Kalluk yet? I wasn’t in Alaska at the time, but my wife told me all about how she disappeared one night from a bar in Blackpeak,” Tim shared as he made no effort to leave. His gaze drifted back to Theo, who had secured the bag that had been lowered from the helicopter. "I heard on the news this morning that the feds were crawling all over the mountain in that area. Why aren't you on the other side? Was that just a ruse to get the media off your back?”

A flicker of wariness passed through Sylvie. His questions seemed innocuous enough, but in her experience, specific questions about locations in an active investigation rarely were.

“I'm afraid I can't disclose that information,” Sylvie replied, her tone cooling several degrees. "All I can say is that the cabin is now a crime scene. Thank you for?—”

“Did you find a body in there?” Tim was a little too enthusiastic, but Sylvie relaxed when she understood the reason behind his demeanor. “Wait until my wife hears about this. Not to move back to the East Coast, mind you. But a serial killer’s hideout in our backyard? What are the odds of that?”

“As I said, I can't discuss details of the case.” Sylvie motioned in the direction they had originally spotted him. “We appreciate your help with the moose situation. We'll keep better vigilance of our surroundings. In the meantime, we would appreciate your discretion on this matter.”

Tim finally registered her dismissal, his expression shifting as understanding dawned. He then frowned in displeasure.

“You mean, I can’t even tell my wife?”

“You can discuss this with your wife, but I would still ask for discretion from both of you.”

The absolute last thing they wanted was for the couple to speak with the media, whether local or national. Tim’s earlier comment made it clear that the press had already discovered where Jacob had taken the group. A checkpoint would likely have been established a mile or two from the entry point.

Unfortunately, such recourse would only divert resources that could be better utilized elsewhere.

“You have my word, Agent Deering.” Tim held out a hand, which she took with a small smile of appreciation. “Good luck to you.”

With a final curious glance at the helicopter, which appeared to be flying in the direction from which it came, Tim reentered the forest and eventually disappeared from sight.

Theo was still making his way back to her. He retraced his path while keeping an eye on Tim’s departure. The rhythmic thrum of the helicopter rotors had finally faded, and the previous quiet began to settle in once again.

“Did you know that a female moose is called a cow moose?” Sylvie asked as she leaned back against the leather seat of the ATV. She crossed her arms, but the action had more to do with her displeasure than the chill she was still fighting off. “Next time, you take the statement. And please tell me there is a protein bar in that bag.”

“Protein bars, water, and some warmer jackets,” Theo replied as he lowered the bag in front of her. She quickly removed the jacket he had lent her and exchanged it for a heavier one. “Are those hand warmers?”

Theo tossed her a pack, which she immediately opened and began to air out so that she could accelerate the chemical reaction. While she was busy trying to warm up, he pulled out a satellite radio and immediately pressed the PTT button.

“Bit, do you copy?”

“Big T? Are you and Little T alright?”

“We’re fine.” Theo grimaced before announcing his request. “I need to speak with Brook. We found something at the?—”

Theo’s transmission was cut off suddenly due to a click, followed by a long period of static. Sylvie met Theo’s gaze, both of them comprehending Bit’s intentional interruption.

“Switch to a private channel, Big T.”

“What’s going on with your end, Bit?” Theo asked once he had followed through with the request. “Was the recovery mission a success?”

“No.” Bit’s blunt answer meant that Sylvie and Theo weren’t the only ones having a bad day. “Boss is still up in the mountains. Kavik was found dead, Nanuq has disappeared, and Slick Mitch is officially in federal custody. A burner phone was discovered in his hotel room, linking his knowledge to Kate’s death.”

The radio fell silent for a moment, as if Bit needed to gather his composure after saying Kate’s name. Sylvie tilted her head back and peered up at the sky. She couldn’t even recall what his nickname for Kate had been, and the fact that he hadn’t used it to reference her spoke volumes about his grief.

“The working theory is that Nanuq killed Lusa. Kavik must have recently figured out that he covered for a murderer, and he paid the price. We also believe Nanuq has been the person receiving text messages from Slick Mitch.”

“The two men knew each other?” Theo asked with a slight shake of his head. “That is quite the theory. Why isn’t Brook on her way down with Jacob then?”

“Jacob led the group to the entrance of an ice cave,” Bit explained, taking both Sylvie and Theo by surprise. “I think Boss is trying to figure out why.”

Sylvie raised her hand to stop Theo from making another transmission. Brook’s answer was right below the cabin. They needed to warn her.

“Go ahead,” Theo said as he handed Sylvie the radio. He had witnessed just how much Jacob’s shrine had shaken her. “Make sure to request a forensic team and some federal agents.”

“Bit, it’s me,” Sylvie said after pressing the PTT button. The warmer jacket was more efficient at maintaining her body heat. “We know why Jacob led Brook to an ice cave. Can you request that she join this transmission? Away from Jacob?”

“Hold on.” A long pause took place, allowing Theo to search through the rest of the bag’s contents. “Little T? Give Boss a second to step away from Jacob. She just gave me coordinates where the rest of the forensics team should meet the two techs already up on the mountain. She thinks that they passed the area where Lusa was buried on the way up the mountain. From what I pulled up on my laptop, the location is about a half-hour hike away from Boss’ position. Are you and Big T about to head back to Silverton? The pilot of the chopper said you were still near the cabin. The only one who knows that you and Big T went to speak with Mekhi Hale is King P. Tell Big T that I didn’t mean to cut him off.”

“No worries, Bit.”

Sylvie lowered the radio.

“This is going to kill her, Theo.”

“No, it isn’t.” Theo sighed and leaned back to sit on the cold ground. He had already put on the jacket she had given back, though he hadn’t bothered to zip the front. He rested his forearm over one knee before reassuring her that she wasn’t about to destroy all Brook had built over the last several years. “Brook spent most of her childhood suspecting there was something seriously wrong with her brother. The barriers that she put into place were for her own mental protection. She is strong, Sylvie—the strongest individual I know, and she became the profiler she is today based on her brother’s crimes.”

“Brook accepts Jacob’s sins as her own. You know that, Theo.”

“I also know that she has worked to make room in her life for someone other than Jacob. She allowed us in, Sylvie. We won’t allow her to slip away. I promise.”

After what felt like an eternity but was likely only a minute, the radio crackled back to life.

“Theo? Sylvie?” Brook's voice came through, steady and controlled as always, though Sylvie could detect the faint undercurrent of tension that had been present since their arrival in Alaska. “I'm glad to hear your voices. Are you both safe?”

“We're fine,” Sylvie replied before closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, still unsure of how to proceed. “I’m sure Bit has already filled you in on our morning. We met with Mekhi Hale, discovered that Jacob stayed at a cabin about an hour or two from Silverton on some land owned by Atka Iverson. The property passed to his son. We were able to borrow an ATV from one of the residents in town. We…”

Theo stood, brushing the debris from his jeans. He then joined her so that they were side by side, leaning against the four-wheeler. His support had her lifting the radio back to her lips.

“The cabin is pretty broken down, but we found Jacob’s sketchbook. I don’t know if it’s the same one you discovered in his bedroom when you were teenagers. There are…a lot of victims. Pages and pages of detailed sketches with names. Victims who we never connected to him. I’m assuming their remains have never been found.” Sylvie paused, giving herself some time to mentally compose her thoughts. “We found something else, Brook.”

This time, Sylvie delayed giving Brook time to process the information.

“Some boards gave way beneath me. I fell into what turned out to be an ice cave.” The memory of that moment—the sudden drop, the shock of cold, the disorienting darkness—rushed back with vivid clarity. Sylvie pushed it aside, focusing on the facts. “We don’t know how, but Jacob somehow dug up Sally Pearson’s grave. He took her head, Brook. He transported it from Illinois to Alaska and created a shrine.”

The silence that followed was absolute, as if even the static had been shocked into submission. Sylvie would have given anything not to relay this information over a damned radio, but these were the cards that they had been dealt.

“June.” Brook’s voice had come through the radio. Not soft. Not with disbelief. Just…a factual word. “I guess we know why Jacob wanted me here in the month of June.”

Sylvie turned her head and met Theo's gaze, understanding passing between them. June had been the month Sally Pearson was killed in the middle of a cornfield. It was the month Jacob had first destroyed Brook's world, setting in motion the chain of events that led them all here, to this remote mountainside in Alaska, unraveling a horror that spanned thousands of miles.

“Coordinate things with Bit. He’ll get you a team up there as soon as possible. We’ll need to keep this from the media until I’ve had a chance to speak with the Pearsons,” Brook directed without hesitation. Only then did she soften her tone. “Keep her safe for me until I can take her home.”

Sylvie had known Brook during her tenure with the FBI. That version had been cold and distant. Theo had been right. Brook wasn’t going to revert back to that person, whose sole purpose was to sacrifice herself for her brother’s sins.

Jacob’s power had just been stripped down to a mere icicle.

Brook was now armed, and her brother had just lost his last advantage.