Nowhere Left by Kate Bold

Author:Kate Bold [Bold, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kate Bold
Published: 2022-07-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The forensic team, clad in HAZMAT suits, carefully brushed the dirt from the bodies, pausing now and again to take pictures with the camera mounted on a tripod nearby. Harley watched, arms folded, reminding herself to be patient.

The problem was, she had already been waiting for hours. The forensics van had gotten bogged down in a sinkhole, and they’d been forced to wait for a tow truck to pull them out. The afternoon was getting late, and Harley couldn’t help feeling discouraged that they were no closer to catching the killer than before.

“Anything interesting?” Callaway said, coming up behind her. He regarded the scene with a thoughtful expression.

“Hard to see much,” Harley answered. “I should have gotten better seats.”

The joke was in poor taste, and Harley regretted it as soon as she’d said it. Some agents made a habit of such jokes as a way of distancing themselves from the humanity of the situation—and thus from any unpleasant feelings. They were the same agents who preferred talking about “perps” and “vics” to using real names. That had never been Harley’s way, however. It was the very humanity of the killings that drove her to find the killer.

Callaway nodded, acknowledging the joke, but he seemed to find as little humor in it as Harley did.

Harley, wishing to move on, said, “Anyone see anything?” She nodded toward the crowd of spectators a stone’s throw away. While waiting for the forensics team to arrive, Callaway had conducted interviews, pencil and paper in hand, getting down as many details as possible before the memories were corrupted by time. From his frustrated expression, however, Harley guessed he hadn’t learned much that was useful.

“Tight-lipped, all of them,” he answered. “Can’t help but wonder what Ms. Hargrave told them. They seem to think we’re just as likely to help the killer as to stop him.”

“Well, these two were killed on our watch. We couldn’t have saved the first pair, but Isla and Bev…” she trailed off.

“You’re doing it again. That thing where you blame yourself for not being Superwoman.”

“I’m not blaming myself. I’m just explaining why they don’t trust us. If they knew how often investigators have no leads to go on and nothing to do but wait for the killer to strike again, hoping he’ll make a mistake…” she trailed off, hoping they would not find themselves in the same situation. She had joined the Bureau to stop murderers, not to do damage control after the fact.

Callaway rested his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get him, Harley. Sooner or later, his number will come up.”

She nodded, grateful for his attempt to encourage her, though she did not feel any better. Then she spotted a teenage girl lingering at the front of the crowd. It was the same girl she had seen during their first visit to Holy Hope, the one with the basket of vegetables who had hurried away from the agents when they tried to question her.

A look of fear came into the girl’s eyes as her gaze met Harley’s.

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