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SEVENTEEN

“He thinks we’re imagining things,” Erin said when she disconnected her call to Adrian. “You should have heard him. I mean, he was polite and everything, but I could tell he doesn’t believe us.”

Kaely took a sip from her mug and then set it down. “So, he’s coming? Even if he thinks we’re somewhat unbalanced?”

Erin sighed. “Yeah. I feel so silly about this. I mean, I know you don’t believe in ghosts, but what we saw tonight...” She frowned at Kaely. “I’m just glad you not only heard it, but you saw something too. So, Miss I-Don’t-Believe-It’s-a-Ghost , what do you think now?”

“Let’s not make that my nickname, okay? It’s too long and just... weird.” Kaely shook her head. She’d been asking herself the same question. The sound of a woman sobbing was loud enough for them to hear it inside the cabin. To be honest, at this point, she wasn’t certain exactly what she’d heard. It was more like a wail. A cry of pain. She’d definitely heard something, and then Erin had told her what she thought it was. Had she made herself believe it was a woman crying because Erin put it in her head? It was entirely possible, but regardless, she could understand why Erin believed it was someone sobbing loudly. Yet when they looked outside and saw... What did they see? Someone tall, wrapped in some kind of cloak, an odd light emanating from them. Of course, that was impossible, right? It had to be light from somewhere else, illuminating the figure in the woods. The moon? It wasn’t that late, but it was possible. Perhaps it was an outside light from the cabin? Was there a motion sensor light out front? Maybe that was it.

Kaely realized that Erin was talking. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I was just wondering, if we didn’t see an actual ghost, why would someone want to pull a prank like this on us?”

They were sitting in the living room, waiting for the chief to show up. Kaely was parked in the overstuffed leather chair, and Erin was on the couch. Kaely leaned forward and picked up her cup. She’d brewed some Earl Grey tea and realized it was probably getting cold. As she took a sip, she thought about Erin’s question. It was a good one.

“I’m not sure. No matter the reason behind it, doing it now means taking a rather big risk. I realize that the murders didn’t happen close to the cabin, but if I wanted to play a practical joke, it wouldn’t be right now. Not only is there a murderer roaming around, but I’d also wonder if the police might be patrolling the area.”

“You’re right,” Erin said, frowning. “So, you think people know about the murders?”

“I’d bet in a town this small, word spread rather quickly. The police were trying to identify the woman. I’m guessing they were asking around in town. Then there’s the police of ficers, the ME, and the people working at the resort. Trust me, people know.”

“I don’t see how the figure in the woods could be connected to the killing... or killings,” Erin said. “Why would they want to do something that would bring attention to themselves?”

“You said this figure is called the Woman in Watcher Woods.” Kaely frowned and thought back to some of the cases she’d worked. There was something familiar about this situation. It was then that she remembered one case she and Noah had worked. The killer believed himself to be the ghost of a renowned serial killer. He would dress up like John Wayne Gacy and kill young men. She shivered involuntarily.

“Okay, I saw that. What was that about?” Erin asked.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know. It’s not impossible that the killer thinks he’s a ghost, but from the lovely poem you recited to me, it seems that except for using a knife, William Watcher killed his wife in a different way. Besides, where does the angel figurine come in? It has nothing to do with the Woman in Watcher Woods. From my experience, I’d agree that these two things aren’t related.”

“So glad you said that,” Erin said, breathing an audible sigh of relief.

“It’s just an educated guess,” Kaely said. “Don’t take it as gospel. Frankly, I’m itching to write that profile. I need to get a handle on this killer.”

“Kaely, are you sure we should be here?”

Kaely heard the nervousness in Erin’s voice. Was this too much for her? She’d come here to get away from murder. From death. And here it was again. She prayed silently, asking God if they should leave, but she didn’t get an answer—or a warning. She quietly formulated a measured response.

“I think that if you want to leave, we should go,” Kaely said. “But in my opinion, if we’re on our guard, we’ll be fine. If we were closer to where the bodies were found, I’d be a bit more concerned. Also, the woman who was killed was alone. There are two of us, and we’re ex-law enforcement. I don’t care who this guy is, if he has a brain, we’re the last people he would want to target. But again, I want to do whatever you feel is best for you. If this situation is adding any stress to you, let’s go home. Or somewhere else. This isn’t the only town in the Smokies, you know.”

Erin stared at her for a moment before saying, “Well, with the snowstorm coming, I doubt our killer will venture out once it hits. Besides...” She shook her head. “I really thought I needed a break from murder and mayhem. But to be honest, since we’ve been here, I’ve felt strangely exuberant. A little nervous, yes, but not so much that I want to leave.” Her eyes widened. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not excited because someone died. I just...”

“You miss using your talent to combat evil?” Kaely smiled at her. “Trust me, I understand that, Erin. I know why you felt you had to leave the police department. I made the same decision when I left the FBI. But that fire inside doesn’t just fade away. In your case, you had to write a book to let it out. And here I am, itching to write a profile. Wanting to understand the UNSUB behind these horrific crimes.”

“Why is that? What’s wrong with us?”

Kaely leaned forward in her chair and took another sip of her tea. She had to be wise in how she answered Erin’s question. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, “You’ve asked me a question. I’m going to respond with what I believe the answer is. You might not like it, but I have to be honest. I believe that God creates us with special gifts and abilities. We feel pulled toward them because of that.”

Erin snorted. “He creates people that like to be around death and destruction? To have to deal with the worst that mankind can produce?”

“Erin, answer this question for me. If there weren’t people like you and me, what kind of shape would the world really be in? No one willing to confront evil? No one who cared about the innocent victims of crime? No one to protect people?”

Erin just stared at her, but she blinked several times, telling Kaely that she was thinking. It was a good question. One that she’d had to ask herself more than once down through the years. She was surprised when Erin’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.

“So, you think God made me like this?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Kaely smiled. “I think He made you a warrior. Someone to hold criminals accountable and to protect those who need defending.”

A tear slid down Erin’s cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. Kaely knew about Erin’s background. Her parents died in a car accident when she was young, and she had a sister who was a drug addict and disappeared after her parents’ deaths. She was raised by an aunt who only took Erin because she thought it was her duty. The only man Erin had ever loved had betrayed her, and she’d watched him die in front of her. Yet here she was. Still fighting. A woman who would defend the underdog at the drop of a hat. Kaely had taken a chance, bringing up God. But she felt that Erin was touched by the idea that God saw her as unique. Someone with special gifts.

Erin opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get the words out, someone knocked on the door, causing both of them to jump.