Killer Insight

Bryce’s composure shifted to protective mode. “Are you sure?”

She saw his concern and felt silly at her obvious misinterpretation. “No, I’m not.”

“Let’s check anyway.”

He headed inside, and Lucy instructed Mrs. Ferguson to wait while they searched the house. She and Bryce looked through every room and saw no evidence of an intruder. Lucy was starting to feel like she’d imagined the threat—until she opened the door to the back room.

She shouted for Bryce, who was upstairs checking the bedrooms. She stared at the mess that was now her workspace. All her papers were strewn everywhere, and someone had been searching through her things. And on the wall, in freshly painted large letters, was a threat.

Leave town now or pay the price.

Bryce went through the entire house, checking all the doors and windows. He found what he was looking for in the first-floor living room. One of the back windows had been busted out, and it was obvious the intruder had gotten in that way. That must have been the noise Lucy had heard that made her investigate.

Lucy did her best to make Mrs. Ferguson comfortable while they waited for the police to arrive. He couldn’t help but notice how gentle she was with the older woman, and it spoke of her kindness.

The police arrived and got busy dusting for fingerprints and taking Mrs. Ferguson’s statement about the call she’d received that had lured her out of the house.

Bryce chatted with Jim Ross about the likelihood of finding the person who’d placed the fake call.

“We’ll try to trace the call, but if the guy was smart, he used an untraceable burner. It’s unlikely anything will come of it.”

“At least he didn’t try to harm her.”

Ross nodded. “We’ll increase patrols around her house just in case too.”

“Thanks, Jim. I appreciate it.”

Bryce looked for Lucy and found her in the back room glancing through her evidence files. The offending threat had already been photographed and well documented, but it sickened him to look at. He’d go by the hardware store tomorrow and pick up paint to cover it.

“What are you looking at?” he asked her.

“Just checking to see if anything was bothered.”

“Was it?”

“Only this.” She handed him a photo of Jessica Nelson, the same one they’d looked at earlier. Green paint now dotted its edges.

“He looked through the evidence.”

“This is the only thing I can find with any paint on it. It’s all he touched. I mean, why take the time to break in? What was he looking for? What did he want?”

He motioned toward the threat painted on the wall. “To do that, I suppose.”

“It doesn’t make sense, Bryce. The man who abducted me on the road—” she picked up the evidence photos of the murdered women “—the man who did this, he’s a killer. He wouldn’t be the type of person to orchestrate getting Mrs. Ferguson out of the house and vandalize my room just to frighten me into leaving town. It doesn’t fit what we know about him. Why not snatch us both? Or kill her then come after me?”

“Serial killers have types, don’t they? All of these women are between a certain age. Mrs. Ferguson is in her seventies. Maybe she didn’t fit his type.”

“Then he would have killed her and moved on. Besides, he brought the paint with him. He came here planning to do this with no intention of hurting anyone.”

“Could this be his way of reaching out to you like you said about the note? Taunting you?”

“He has no history of doing that before.” She shook her head, and worry clouded her expression. “It doesn’t feel right.” She sighed then turned to him. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask this—do you know where your brother was an hour ago?”

He hated the suspicion he saw on her face. “I knew someone would be asking me that question.” He hadn’t expected it to be her. He’d brought her here to help his brother, not join the accusers. “The answer is no. I haven’t seen him or spoken to him. But then again, there are a lot of people I haven’t seen today either. You’re only asking about Clint because they’ve put it in your head that he’s involved in those women’s deaths.”

“No, I’m asking because the only photo he bothered was the one of Jessica Nelson. Why would anyone else be interested in it?”

He gave a resigned sigh. Bryce was tired of the constant questioning of his brother’s motives, but she did have a point. “I don’t know. But Clint would have no reason to threaten you. You came to town to help him.”

“I also came here to profile a serial killer. Is it possible he’s worried I’ll uncover him in the process?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s not. He didn’t do this,” he said, motioning toward the horrific photos of murdered women. “He couldn’t have.”

“Why are you so certain your brother didn’t do this? It has to be more than family loyalty. You have to at least entertain the possibility. I can spout off countless instances where offenders were arrested for horrific crimes and their family members insisted they couldn’t be responsible.” She turned and rubbed her neck. “What is it about those we love that makes us doubt their culpability?”

He heard the weariness in her voice and wondered if she was thinking about Danny and the traffic accident. Had she known about his drug usage, or had she been as oblivious as she seemed to believe he was?

But her question had merit, and if he wanted her help, he needed to explain what must seem like crazy loyalty to his brother. “I’ve seen evil, Lucy. I’ve faced it down eye to eye.” He shuddered at the memory of the men who’d attacked the embassy and their disregard for anyone’s life. “There’s a coldness in their eyes. I don’t see that in my brother. I’m not saying he’s perfect. He’s messed up royally, I’ll admit that, but he’s no killer. He doesn’t have it in him.”

She looked like she was about to challenge him again, then she just sat down.

He took the seat beside her. “What are you thinking?”

“That someone wants me to leave town, but it’s not the same person who abducted me yesterday or who killed all those women.”

He had to agree with her assessment. Whoever heard of a cold-blooded killer breaking into a house only to send a threatening message? A killer was going to kill until someone stopped him.

But someone was determined to frighten her into leaving town.

If it wasn’t the killer then who was it? And why?

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