Page 24 of Girl Lost (The King Legacy #1)
Turning back to Luna, he said, “Let’s hope this lead takes us somewhere.”
“It’s a start. And something tells me we need all the help we can get.”
He pointed at the chopper circling. “I don’t see how we can possibly keep this top secret. I’ll have to call the commissioner and see where he stands.”
Together, they moved away from the makeshift seating area and through the tangled maze of boats and debris. As they approached Agent Ayres, Corbin noted the man’s focused expression as he directed officers to document the sprawling scene.
“Ayres,” Corbin called out, drawing the agent’s attention. “What have you found so far?”
Ayres shook his head. “It’s a mess out here. Everything could be trash or could be evidence. We’ve got officers documenting, but it’s slow going.”
Corbin glanced around, taking in the discarded items. He didn’t envy the job of searching this place. Every boat would be combed over for evidence that this place was more than a graveyard. He decided to start with the obvious. “Any signs of a struggle? Footprints? Anything that stands out?”
“Nothing definitive,” Ayres replied, gesturing to the area. “We’ve marked some potential evidence, but it’s hard to tell what’s relevant. We’re planning to get a drone up in the morning for aerial footage. Maybe that’ll give us a clearer picture.”
Luna asked, “What about the perimeter? Any signs of recent activity or entry points?”
“We’ve got officers checking the fence line and any possible escape routes. But so far, nothing obvious.” Ayres scratched his cheek. “I’ve got the local PD canvasing the neighborhood, such as it is. Maybe one of those fancy doorbell cameras caught something.”
“Good. Let’s make sure we have everything covered. Get me a full sweep of the area and detailed documentation of anything unusual,” Corbin said.
“We’ll keep at it,” Ayres said. “I’ll update you as soon as we have something concrete.”
Corbin thanked Ayres and turned to Luna. “Let’s go talk to Mr. Morales.”
As they walked back to his car, he took one last look at the scene. The flashing lights of the police cruisers cast an eerie glow over the rotting boats. What a place to leave victims. Whoever put the bodies here had turned the boat graveyard into a human one.
“The layout of this place,” he said, opening his car door. “It’s a perfect cover for someone looking to hide bodies. All those boats, the overgrowth ... it’s a labyrinth.”
Luna waited until they’d gotten in the car and closed their doors before she replied. “They must know the area well. They’d need to be familiar with the best entry and exit points.”
Corbin nodded, starting the engine and pulling away from the crime scene. The car’s headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the twisted path.
He adjusted the air vent, trying to dispel the lingering scent of decay that seemed to have seeped into his clothes. “The drone footage will help us figure out how they’re getting in and out.”
Luna frowned. “But wouldn’t it make more sense to just dump the bodies in the swamp? They’d be harder to find there. Why risk bringing them here and going through all the effort of burying them?”
Corbin nodded, considering her point. “My guess? They were controlling the discovery. If they disposed of the bodies in the Everglades, they could surface at the wrong time.”
“You should bring in Tori to study the graves for a pattern. Her expertise as a behavioral analyst and criminal profiler could help. Maybe the killer simply wanted to keep them as trophies. Or someplace he could revisit them.”
“Or blackmail,” Corbin added. “If it’s organ harvesting, they could be holding on to evidence to use against someone. A way to tip the scales if they ever needed to.”
That made the most sense. If this was just about disposal, the swamp would’ve swallowed the evidence whole. But burying them? That meant control. Leverage. Someone in the chain wasn’t just making money off stolen organs, they were keeping receipts.
Luna’s phone screen lit her face as she swiped. “Oh, great. The media’s already reporting this. They’ve just told the whole world about the bodies.”
“That was fast.” A little too fast. He gripped the steering wheel tighter.
“Let’s get Tori on board. If this is a serial offender targeting young girls like Carlie, we need to cross-reference with any similar missing persons cases in the area.
Vulnerable teenagers, runaways ... they make easy targets and could be in danger. ”
His phone rang through the car’s infotainment center. He glanced at the center screen where Harlee’s name displayed across the top. He tapped the button to answer. “Hey, Har. I’ve got you on speaker with Luna here.”
“Yeah, okay. I need to talk to you.” Something in the way she said it cut through the noise in his head. Harlee didn’t rattle easy.
“What’s wrong?” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “What’s going on?”
“I saw the news, then Tori filled me in. Is it true? You found Carlie ... and others?”
Tori already knew. Sounded like the Behavioral Investigative Unit had been briefed on the details of the case, the victims, the potential scope. But he wasn’t sure why Harlee sounded so upset.
“Harlee, I appreciate your concern, but this isn’t really an ATF case. We’re not even sure what we’re dealing with. Human trafficking. Organ harvesting.” Or worse. A killer who murdered for enjoyment.
“Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m so worried. Trinity Brown, one of our students.” She drew in a breath loud enough for him to hear it. “Corbin ... she’s missing.”