Page 13 of The Creekside Murder (Pacific Northwest Forensics #1)
He turned his head. “Do you think Tiffany would want you to put yourself in danger to find her killer? Tiffany protected you. You told me yourself she risked her life to protect you when you were children. She’d want you to live your life, Jessica.”
“If the drunk driver that killed your father while he was on patrol hadn’t been apprehended at the scene, are you telling me you wouldn’t have moved heaven and earth to find that person and bring him to justice?
You know you would have. You went into a career that you didn’t even like just to honor his memory. ”
Finn closed his eyes, and she reached out and stroked his thigh.
“I’m sorry to bring that up…but you know it’s true, Finn.
I never believed the Creekside Killer was responsible for Tiffany’s death.
It didn’t add up to me. Avery Plank never stalked his victims. His were crimes of opportunity.
He picked up sex workers and dumped them on trails, at campsites, recreational areas. Tiffany’s killer stalked her.”
“You know the theory.” He rolled onto his side and propped up his head with his hand, his elbow planted on the wooden dock.
“That Plank knew her when she’d been turning tricks, discovered her again and decided to kill her.
” She flipped her hand in the air. “Nope. Tiffany wouldn’t have met up with a former john.
I doubt she’d even remember him. This person stalked her, perhaps stole the rag doll and slipped away when Plank took the blame. ”
“Never to strike again. You don’t have to take one of my classes to know how unlikely that is—especially if this killer was unknown to Tiffany.”
“I’ve thought of that. He could’ve gotten picked up for another crime.
He didn’t leave any DNA at Tiffany’s scene.
Didn’t sexually assault her, probably for that same reason.
If the cops had picked him up for peeping or burglary or assault, they wouldn’t have had any DNA to match him up with Tiffany’s murder. ”
“So, he’s been in jail for the past ten years and decided to come back to the scene of his first murder and start up again—while contacting the sister of his victim.”
“Yeah, I don’t know.” She pulled her feet from the water and curled her legs beneath her.
“I’m just so heartbroken for Missy and Morgan.
I wonder if the investigators will find any connection between the two women other than the first letter of their first names and the fact that they were both on that trail at night.
Just like Morgan, Missy was wearing running clothes and earbuds.
So it would seem they were both on that trail voluntarily.
Why would Missy go running where another woman had been murdered just a week before? ”
“People do careless things all the time.” He sat up and gave her a hard stare. “Are you going back to the crime scene in the morning when it’s light out to finish your examination?”
“Yeah, poor Deputy Holden has to spend the night out there to guard it. I’m not the only CSI member who’s going back.
We still need to look for tracks. Also, I told Detective Morse that I’m pretty sure the killer had been farther up the trail at Morgan’s site.
He could’ve left pieces of evidence along that trail without realizing what he was doing.
” She stuck her legs out in front of her and wiggled her toes as she grabbed one of her socks. “He was sloppy this time.”
“I hope Missy got his DNA beneath her fingernails. I saw blood. Of course, it could be her own blood, as I also saw scratches on her neck. The poor girl was probably trying to claw the scarf from her neck as he twisted it tighter and tighter.”
Jessica swallowed, the beer tasting bitter on the back of her tongue. “How do you know it’s a scarf and not a tie or a sleeve or something else?”
“I don’t. Just a guess.” He smacked both hands on the dock and pushed up to his feet. “Let’s get going before your toes turn to icicles.”
She shoved her feet into her hiking boots. “Warm and cozy now.”
He hovered over her, extending his hand.
She took the offer, and he pulled her up beside him.
He kept hold of her hand and with the other brushed a lock of hair from her forehead.
“I was scared as hell when I heard you scream. That few seconds before you answered your phone felt like minutes ticking by in my head while I imagined all sorts of things happening to you.”
“Instead of screaming, I should’ve gone after him. I had my gun. I knew he’d cross the creek. I could tell from his creepy laugh. Maybe I could’ve…caught him. Stopped him.”
He pinched her chin, his thumb almost touching her bottom lip. She closed her eyes, waiting for his anger to well up again, waiting for him to chastise her for her stupidity.
His lips brushed hers, and her eyes flew open. The tenderness that touch communicated melted the ball of fear and tension lodged in her chest, replaced by a deep longing. Before she could respond in kind, because oh, she did want to kiss him back, he drew away from her.
His voice rough, he said, “I’m glad you didn’t.”
Lacing his fingers with hers, he tugged her back up the dock toward the hotel. They dropped their beer bottles into the trash can in the parking lot, and he finally released her hand as they stood just inside the lobby.
She wanted to invite him up to her room, but that desire felt so wrong hours after discovering Missy Park crumpled at the side of the creek.
He made the decision for them as he turned toward the door. “Try to get some sleep. You’ll have a busy day tomorrow, and school is going to be a nightmare again. I haven’t forgotten about the card. I’ll have a look in the student store.”
“Thanks again for…following me. See, you’ve still got those instincts.”
He made a gun with his fingers and cocked it at her before heading back to his car.
She sighed as she crossed the lobby, and the hotel clerk called out to her. “Did you hear about another body down by the creek? Just like Morgan.”
“I did. Terrible news.”
“Be safe out there, Ms. Eller.”
“Oh, I will.” She patted the gun in her pocket on the way to the elevator. She’d be safe enough from physical danger, but keeping her heart safe from Finn Karlsson was another matter.