Page 54 of The Whispering Girls

Katie and John arrived back at the lodge to an active investigation. The fireplace was burning, making the room comfortable, and Cisco was on the couch watching over everything.

McGaven and Officer Clark were organizing crime scene information as well as making lists of interviews. There were more points indicated on a large overall map of the area that included the crime scenes with possible entrance and exit locations.

“Wow,” said Katie as she studied the board. “What time did you get up?”

Cisco jumped off the couch and greeted Katie, sniffing her curiously, wondering where she had been without him.

“I couldn’t sleep because I knew Clark would have reports and preliminary details of the hospital crime scenes,” said McGaven.

“Next time, wake me up.”

“You needed to sleep.”

“I appreciate that, but this is more important,” she said.

“Depends on how you look at it.”

“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be right back.”

Katie hurried to her room to take a quick shower and change her clothes for the long day ahead. Cisco closely followed her.

She returned about fifteen minutes later completely refreshed and ready to work. The new information helped to breathe fresh life into the investigation.

“Where’s Clark?” she said.

“He’s back on patrol,” said McGaven.

“What do you want me to do?” said John.

“By the way, where did you sleep last night?” she said to John.

“I crashed out on the couch for a couple of hours,” he said.

Katie saw a leather duffel bag on the floor.

“Fresh coffee and toast,” announced Jack as he emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray.

Katie was surprised to see him. There was a part of her that didn’t like so many people coming and going; being in a place she didn’t have one hundred percent control over. Back at the department, there weren’t any surprises inside their cold-case office, but the lodge seemed to have a revolving door and there was no way of telling how many people had the combination for the front keypad. She wondered if Jack changed it when new people stayed there.

“You look surprised,” said Jack as he handed her a cup of coffee.

“Thank you. This case has been quite the surprise on so many levels. We really appreciate you letting us stay here.”

“My pleasure. Anything to help solve these crimes.”

John didn’t say anything and nodded his thanks when Jack gave him his cup. Jack then headed out. Katie wasn’t sure if the men had met officially but decided not toworry about it and approached the board, munching on her toast. Noticing that the board had been previously covered by a sheet, she assumed McGaven was keeping things private from anyone who happened to be in the room.

Katie studied the two forest crime scenes and the hospital ones. The list of evidence collected seemed to connect, but the blood message with the warning was different. However, that warning was consistent with the other scenes on some level. The thought-out extravagant totems weren’t an afterthought, but a clear warning—even if it only made sense to the killer."

John left the lodge and Katie assumed he was going to his truck.

“What do you have?” she said to McGaven.

“With Theresa Jamison, I remember you saying that Officer Clark’s sister, Tami Clark, knew her.”

“And?”

“I found out from Clark that Tami’s in town and we can interview her.”