Shadow's Collision (Shadow Island FBI Mystery Series Book 19) by Mary Stone

Author:Mary Stone [Stone, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mary Stone Publishing
Published: 2025-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

21

The piercing December cold clawed through the dense woodland of Deerskin Island, where Rebecca continued to lead her team with a vigilant eye. After the discovery of blood along the shore, everyone was on high alert as they searched for additional evidence.

The VSP boats had split up like the ground crew, and they now circled the island to help provide cover and clarity. It was both a help and a hindrance. The searchlights improved visibility overall, but the chaotic shadows distorted the scene.

Fearing they might miss a crucial piece of evidence that could lead them to their killer, the members of each search party spread out farther. Occasionally, due to the terrain, they struggled to keep each other in their lines of sight.

Leaves crunched underfoot as her deputies and the state police fanned out, their flashlights sweeping methodically over every inch of ground, illuminating the areas at the fringes of the searchlights.

“Keep your sectors as tight as possible,” she reminded them through the radio, her breath forming misty plumes in the cold air. “We need eyes on every shadow.”

As Rebecca moved forward, she never strayed her hand far from the reassuring weight of her holster. Having found the blood evidence, she firmly believed more answers lay hidden somewhere in this quiet serenity.

A sharp snap resonated behind her. Instinctively, she spun around, her flashlight beam cutting a swath through the darkness as she gripped her weapon.

“Who’s there?” She felt like an idiot heroine in a horror movie as the words left her mouth. Too much time spent watching TV recently was the excuse she told herself. She scanned the area, searching for the source of the noise.

It wasn’t long before she caught the glint of eyes reflecting back at her. Two orbs suspended in the blackness. She tensed, preparing for confrontation.

But as she lifted her light to illuminate those eyes, the figure resolved into a deer—a doe, judging by the lack of antlers. Her large eyes were wide and frozen in the harsh light, and the bark she was stripping from the tree branch still hung from her mouth.

Like a deer in headlights even though she’s standing on her rear legs to reach the tree.

With a flicker of amusement, Rebecca redirected the beam, freeing the beast. Through the slashes of light, she watched the creature bolt, vanishing into a thicket with a rustle of disturbed foliage.

“Heads up, all units. We’ve got a deer heading west,” she radioed, fighting to keep her voice professional despite the absurdity.

“Copy that, Sheriff,” crackled a response, a hint of laughter tinging the words. “Appreciate the heads-up on Bambi. We’ll stay out of the way.”

“Stay alert. It could spook something else our way. Keep an ear out for sounds of thumping,” another voice chimed in, followed by a chorus of chuckles.

“Screw that! Watch out for that stinky striped friend of his!”

Rebecca shuddered at the thought of running into a sleeping skunk and startling it awake. The last thing she wanted during an already tense investigation was to get doused in skunk spray.

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