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ELEVEN

“Wow,” was all Kaely could say by the time Erin finished telling her about her morning. “I thought this kind of stuff only happened to me.”

Erin grinned. “If I wasn’t convinced you were an honest person, I wouldn’t have believed all the stories you told me when we were working on the book. I think I’m going to have to blame you for this one too.”

Kaely laughed. They’d just finished ham and cheese sandwiches with fruit and ice cream. She was impressed with the cabin and all the food Steve had left for them. He and Noah hadn’t seen each other in years, so she hadn’t expected this kind of welcome. At least they wouldn’t have to worry about shopping for a lot of supplies. That would give them more time to talk. Kaely was here to listen—something Erin needed right now to help her deal with the tragedy she’d endured. Kaely also hoped to get her out a few times to have some fun. Shutting herself up in her apartment for the past two years wasn’t healthy. Kaely had seen some cute shops and a few restaurants in Sanctuary. Hopefully, she could talk Erin into visiting the town while they were here. For now, though, they could both just kick back and relax. Well, anyway that was the plan before Erin told her about the body found in the woods.

Kaely scooted off the bar stool next to the breakfast bar and gathered their dishes. She took them over to the sink, rinsed them off, and stacked them up. Might as well wait for tonight before running the dishwasher. When she turned around, she caught Erin frowning at her. Although Kaely felt as if they were already friends, being together face-to-face was different. A little awkwardness was normal.

“You said you took some pictures?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Erin picked up her phone from the counter and clicked a few buttons.

Kaely sat down next to her and waited.

“I probably went overboard,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure you saw everything.” She handed the phone to Kaely, who took it and began scrolling through the photos.

“Tell me again what you told the chief,” she said as she studied each one.

Erin began to repeat her observations while Kaely nodded.

“So can you do that thing?” Erin asked.

“Not sure what thing you mean.”

Kaely knew what Erin was referring to. She’d shared her profiling technique with her, and Erin had incorporated a modified version of it into her book. But in reality, Kaely hadn’t used it in a while. After Noah was transferred to the Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico, she’d quietly worked a few profiles with him without his supervisors knowing. It still worked well for her, but she avoided teaching it to others. A few years earlier, she’d shared it with someone else and the results had been a little disturbing. It had reminded her that there were two forces at work in the world. One good—and one decidedly evil. She had authority over evil through her relationship with Christ, but not everyone else knew about that power or were trained to use it.

“Let me get settled in,” she said. “Then we can talk about that. So, about this ghost...”

“I’m sure you don’t believe in that type of thing,” Erin said. “But I’m not so sure. I’ve heard some weird stories.”

It was true that Kaely didn’t believe in the kind of ghosts Erin was talking about, but she knew that demons were real. However, that wasn’t a conversation she could have with Erin now. It wouldn’t make any sense to her. Kaely smiled. “Why do you think I don’t believe in ghosts?”

Erin frowned. “Do you? I mean, I know you’re a Christian.”

“Maybe I don’t, but it’s clear to me something odd happened to you. My guess is that some kind of animal made the noise you heard. But I have to tell you, it would have spooked me too. I may be a Christian, but I’m still human.”

Erin laughed nervously. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t.”

“It’s okay. I really don’t get offended easily. I’m the same person you’ve talked to on the phone for the past couple of years. Just relax, okay?”

Erin nodded. “Thank you. I guess I am a little tense. One of the officers who worked out of my station was a Christian. She was pretty hard to get to know, and I always got the feeling she was judging me—and everyone else.”

“Like I said, Christians are still people. Some are better than others at showing who God is.” She shrugged. “That’s why it’s important to follow Christ—not Christians. I’m sorry she made you feel that way. I hope I never do. If it should ever happen, I give you permission to put salt in my coffee.”

Erin grinned. “I’d say that’s not a very harsh reprimand, but I know how much you love your coffee.”

Kaely laughed. “Now, if you’ll show me to my room, I’ll unpack.”

“There are three bedrooms upstairs. I slept in one of them last night, but if you want it, I’ll gladly move.”

“I’m not very particular,” Kaely said. “I care more about a soft bed than I do about the room’s decor.”

“Okay. I’ll lead the way.”

Kaely followed Erin upstairs and chose the bedroom at the other end of the hall. The bed was soft, and there was an electric blanket underneath the soft, down comforter. It had a fireplace, just like Erin’s, and a bathroom attached. The walls were painted a dusty blue and the comforter was cream colored with blue and cream accent pillows. It was restful and inviting. Besides spending time with Erin, Kaely wanted to relax—get a break from the treatments and the worries about getting pregnant. Although she was distressed to learn that a young woman had been murdered, the idea of profiling an UNSUB actually appealed to her. Although her first goal was to start a family, she missed working for the FBI. She’d spent several years working for the St. Louis field office after being transferred out of the BAU because of her father, a notorious serial killer. She missed her friends there, especially her boss, Special Agent in Charge Solomon Slattery. They stayed in touch by phone and online, but it wasn’t the same. She and Noah were making friends in Virginia, and that helped. They’d found a great church with wonderful people. It would take some time, but she could tell that she and Noah were going to be happy there.

But for now, she not only had a chance to help Erin, she could also work a profile for the local police. Creating the profile of an unknown subject was like putting together a puzzle. The stakes were life and death, and the reward came when your profile helped authorities locate and arrest a criminal. It was incredibly satisfying. Of course, there was a downside. A terrible price that had to be paid if you chose to pursue a career in law enforcement. Only those on the inside truly understood what it was like to view horrific photos of victims and hear stories that couldn’t be repeated anywhere else. Most serial killings had a sexual aspect that the public never heard about.

At this point, Kaely was pretty sure the woman found in the woods hadn’t been molested by her killer. The white dress suggested purity. This wasn’t a sexual sadist. This killer would never molest someone he treated so carefully. Kaely felt that the angel figurine had something to do with his reason for killing. His anger wasn’t directed toward the woman. So, what did it mean? Did he think the angels were telling him to kill? That didn’t quite feel right. This crime scene was different. Kaely suspected that writing a profile wasn’t going to be easy. There was something odd about the scene and the message the killer had sent.

She’d just unpacked when she heard the doorbell ring downstairs. She checked out her reflection in the bathroom mirror and then headed down to where Erin waited. She was certain that dealing with the local police was a strain for Erin. She would most likely need a buffer. Kaely suspected Erin had developed agoraphobia. She barely ventured out of her apartment, so this trip was a great step in the right direction. She was convinced that the trust they’d built between them was the reason Erin was willing to meet her here—someplace out of her comfort zone.

“Are you expecting anyone?” she asked Erin when she joined her near the front door.

Erin shook her head. “Didn’t expect anyone earlier either. Now what?”

Kaely stayed close to Erin as she opened the door. A tall man with dark hair and striking hazel eyes stood there. It was clear by his expression that he was upset. His body language made it clear he was uptight and very uncomfortable. Why?

“Chief Nightingale,” Erin said, “this is my friend Kaely Quinn-Hunter.”

“Nice to meet you, Chief,” Kaely said, trying to fill the awkward silence.

The chief nodded at her. “I... I don’t quite know how to tell you this,” he said, after clearing his throat. “But there are more.... Bodies, that is. So far, we’ve found three of them.”