Page 62 of Deadly Storms (Sunrise Lake #3)

“I screamed,” Theresa admitted. “We were there to have fun. We’d been talking so much about how Felicity and Eve were helping us.

Miguel sometimes too. I had pointed out this one boulder and said it looked epic and I wanted to climb it, but Eve said no, that was a ‘highball’ and I wasn’t ready for a climb like that.

Janine loved the name and wanted to see it, so Edward offered to take us out early in the morning. ”

Shabina sank into the empty chair at their table. Raine, Zahra and Harlow leaned closer to hear.

Three days into Rainier’s absence, a fifth victim was discovered.

The fact that he was discovered alive, but in a coma, shocked everyone.

Lawyer Collins, a man well-liked and respected in the community, had been out climbing the Buttermilks.

Usually, there were numerous people around this time of year, and that was probably what saved his life.

“Edward said he knew a good boulder for Janine to start. We’d already put our crash pads down and were discussing who would climb first, but he didn’t think the boulder was right for Janine. He was going to check out another one to see if any climbers had beat us to it.”

Val took up the story. “I was going to climb the boulder where we had our gear when Miguel showed up with Avita and her brother, Pablo. They had the same idea as Edward—to get there really early before too many climbers were out. Edward did have a flying gig later in the afternoon, so he wanted us to have fun and all of us get our climb in before he had to go.”

“We heard moaning. But it sounded awful like someone was really injured and in pain. We decided to investigate,” Theresa said. “There was a spot just where the next boulder was, and there was blood all over the ground. I’m not going to lie, I was scared.”

“Terrified,” Janine corrected. “I started yelling at the top of my lungs for Edward. We followed the blood trail and drag marks in the grass. His body had been dragged away from the boulder into the brush.”

“Miguel got ahead of us, and he was the one to find the body on the ground,” Val said.

“I screamed,” Theresa reiterated. “I’m surprised everyone in Knightly didn’t hear me. The man’s skull looked as if it had been bashed in.”

“It looked like a scene from a horror movie,” Val said. “Edward and Miguel said they knew him. They kept calling his name, Lawyer, and told him to hang on, help was coming. We called the emergency number, and they sent the paramedics and the sheriff.”

Shabina gasped. Lawyer. She knew and liked him. Why would the murderer choose Lawyer?

“Edward said it looked like his skull had been smashed with a rock, not once but twice,” Theresa said. She brought a shaky hand to her eyes as if she could blot out the image.

“A flat rock had been set very close to where his body lay, but only a few items were on what appeared to be a makeshift altar,” Janine added. “Some were scattered on the ground.”

“By that time, with all the screaming we were doing, or I was,” Theresa said, “more climbers showed up. Felicity and Eve arrived. They were meeting Miguel and Avita. They became very distraught or looked like it to me. Eve especially. I felt sorry for her and Avita. Miguel asked Felicity and Eve to take Avita away from the scene while we waited for the paramedics to arrive. I wasn’t any help with my screaming, so I volunteered to do it. ”

Val continued their story. “The sheriff came to the conclusion that we must have scared off the murderer before he could finish off Lawyer and build his altar the way he wanted.”

Shabina dropped her head into her hands. “We need to figure out who’s doing this.” Her eyes met Raine’s. Raine nodded and immediately sent out a text to their friends to come to Shabina’s house if possible after work. She told them why.

Vienna and Harlow already knew about the attack on Lawyer because they were surgical nurses and had been called to the hospital to help try to save their friend.

“He was struck from behind,” Raine said, reading the text from Vienna.

“He most likely didn’t even see his attacker.

The sheriff believes he was actually on the boulder, back to the assailant, when the first rock smashed into his head.

He was dragged into the heavy brush when he was unconscious.

It was the murderer’s bad luck that, even unconscious, Lawyer made noise, and the other climbers heard him. ”

“I was so scared once I realized we were right there, in the same place with whoever is killing people,” Janine said. “Poor Edward was so distraught. So was Miguel. Edward told me later that Lawyer Collins is a good friend and a really good man. I felt terrible that I couldn’t console him.”

“This killer has to be stopped,” Shabina reiterated.

—

The women gathered at Shabina’s home once again.

As usual they brought their dogs with them, and Shabina had made more food than they could possibly eat.

They were there for one real purpose—it was time to figure out who was doing the killing.

They were all intelligent, and they had the same facts and clues the FBI had.

They also had the advantage of knowing the two locals who had been victimized.

“This person is a serial killer,” Stella declared. “I haven’t touched them, or I would be having nightmares. That’s the way it’s always happened. I can’t imagine that I would suddenly lose the ability to envision the details before the murders happen.”

Stella’s father had been a serial killer, and more than once, she had helped the police track down killers.

“That doesn’t mean you haven’t seen the murderer or even spoken to him,” Raine reminded. “It just means you haven’t had physical contact with him. That’s the way it works, right?”

Stella nodded. “It always has in the past.”

“I’m glad you don’t have to go through the nightmares, Stella,” Zahra said. “It’s so hard on you, even with Sam there now.”

“Sam is very upset with me for not telling him you were in trouble, Shabina,” Stella informed her. “And I think he’s slightly hurt as well. He considers himself part of our group and doesn’t understand why you didn’t include him when you told us everything.”

“He would have gone straight to Rainier. You know he would have. It’s the same with Zale.

Had he been told about the severity of my PTSD and what was triggering the episodes, he would have let Rainier know immediately,” Shabina explained.

“I lucked out that Zale is in the field and can’t be reached. ”

“I’m sure Sam reached him,” Stella said. “Rainier made it clear to Sam that you’re to be watched over.”

Shabina wasn’t surprised that Rainier had included his friends in her protection detail. “I’ll talk to Sam, Stella. I knew he would feel it was necessary to talk to Rainier, and I didn’t want to put him in that position. Not when I was asking for confidentiality.”

“I tried explaining,” Stella said. “Rainier apparently found you with a gun, Shabina.” Her voice was very quiet, and the other women instantly fell silent, exchanging looks.

Shabina sighed. “I was in a bad way, trying to figure out how best to give Rainier his life back, and yes, I did have suicidal thoughts. I was grateful that all of you kept coming to my house and even up to the campsite. I needed you, and you came through. I couldn’t ask for better friends.”

“That was too close, Shabina,” Stella said. “If Rainier isn’t here and you’re triggered, someone needs to stay with you.”

Vienna agreed. “We can’t lose you because you have a momentary lapse in judgment. That’s what PTSD can do to you—make you feel as if the world would be a better place without you.”

“We’d like you to agree to have one of us stay with you when Rainier is away,” Raine said. “Especially if you’re having a difficult time.”

Shabina swallowed her pride and nodded. She didn’t want to lose her life in a moment of despair. She had everything she wanted right there, and yet she was intelligent enough to know another event would happen at some point. She had to be prepared with a plan.

“I can do that. Thank you for caring so much.”

“You won’t be thanking us after Sam and Zale get with Larado and his crew to boss you around,” Vienna said. “They’ll probably sleep on the floor of your bedroom.”

Shabina groaned. “Don’t say it out loud. I wouldn’t put it past them to have listening devices in here.”

“I checked.” Raine sounded smug. “They don’t. Moving on. I’ve been thinking about these murders and trying to put it all together. They must have a common denominator.”

“The Sunrise Café,” Harlow said. “All the victims ate in her café at one time or another.”

Shabina shook her head. “The young kid, Craig Barker, living out of his van, had never been to my café. He’s the only one that hadn’t.”

“It wasn’t his van,” Vienna pointed out. “It was stolen.”

“Could you be mistaken?” Raine asked Shabina. “Maybe he came for takeout. He would only have been there a few minutes. You might not have spoken to him.”

“I have this weird gift,” Shabina admitted. “I don’t forget faces or names. It’s a thing with me. The boy had never been in my café.”

“You often give food away to the dirt baggers when they’re staying near the hot springs,” Zahra reminded. “I’ve helped you. Maybe you took food to him.”

“I haven’t been out to the springs for weeks. Months, even. I’ve been too busy, and once the two university students began leaving the various items from Saudi Arabia, my mind was all over the place. I didn’t even think about taking food to anyone other than my usual customers.”

Harlow rolled her eyes. “I like how you call them customers when they don’t pay for the food you bring them.”

“I think of them as customers,” Shabina defended. “But the tie-in with the victims can’t be my café if the boy, Craig Barker, has never been there.”