Page 26 of Pretty Broken Dolls

“C’mon, Katie, I can read you fairly well now—I know that you have more insights.”

Katie glanced around to make sure that their conversation was still private. She looked at the dead woman as John documented the scene and the medical examiner’s office waited to extract the body. She watched as the flash of the camera bounced around the area in a hypnotic display.

“And…”

“It all seems almost juvenile in execution. The over-exaggerated makeup and the long list of clues that don’t really go anywhere—yet. We have more about motive, signature, and posed crime scenes. It takes time and energy to do this.”

“So what’s his motive?”

“The killer is playing with us.”

“I would have to agree, but from previous crime scenes that we know of, there won’t be another killing for a year.”

“There’s something different about this one. It seems more personal, more exaggerated with the sad clown face and the jewelry found further away from the body…as if the killer is working towards something. I can’t pinpoint it." Katie watched as John dusted the Ferris wheel car for fingerprints and the technician dusted the area around the controls.

“Interesting. I like it when you describe your first impressions—it’s telling and I can see where your intuition comes from.”

“There’s still a ton of evidence we need to sift through in all the cases to see what will fit the puzzle this killer has left for us,” she said. “We need a lead to push us to the next level.”

“But…”

Katie remained quiet.

“Something is weighing heavy on you…”

“My gut. It’s just a gut instinct related to why and how Agent Campbell is here.” She couldn’t dismiss the way he kept checking up on her, or that he seemed to be watching her every move right now. “But the theater of the crime scenes is telling me that everything isn’t what it seems. I think this crime scene indicates that the killer is escalating and that means it’s possible that the next murder—and there will be another, if we don’t catch them—could be sooner.” She paused. "And there will be another victim soon.”

Chapter Ten

Tuesday 1145 hours

Katie had been calling to talk to Agent Campbell, but he didn’t answer, so she placed a call to the administrative assistant at his headquarters in Sacramento who said he was still in Pine Valley.

“I have his cell number, but there has been no answer. Can you give me the address where he’s staying?” She eyed McGaven with a look of uncertainty. “Oh, you can. Please. Yes. I know it. Room number? Thank you.” She ended the call.

* * *

McGaven drove toward the downtown area of Pine Valley.

“I’m a bit confused,” Katie said.

“Confused? That’s not a part of Katie Scott’s genetic makeup.”

She smiled. “No. It seems that Agent Campbell is staying at the Hobson Inn & Suites in Pine Valley.”

Cisco barked suddenly from the back seat as they passed a cluster of pine trees with birds flying around.

“Isn’t that a weekly place?”

“That’s why I’m surprised. Why would he give us all of these cold case files and then stay here? Seems a bit off.”

“Time off?”

“Maybe.” Katie watched the landscape whizz by her window. “No…there’s something else.”

“You’re still angry?”

“I don’t like being played. And that’s what this feels like. You aren’t forgetting about the gas, are you?”