Tallyman (A CainHarper Thriller Book 3) by D. P. Lyle

Author:D. P. Lyle [Lyle, D. P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: crime fiction, gypsy, ex-military, police procedural, psychological suspense, kidnapping, medical thriller, murder thriller, siblings, vigilante, justice, serial killers
Publisher: Suspense Publishing
Published: 2022-08-15T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 29

Harper pointed. “I found the earring here, barely peeking through pine needles. I was lucky to see it. The prints were up that way a few meters.”

Willa looked around before directing her attention down the slope toward the county road where Sonny Coleman’s body had been found. “This is too close for comfort,” she said.

“Sure is,” Harper agreed. An earring, apparently belonging to the so-called Tallyman’s latest victim, Gina Campanelli, located only a hundred yards from where Sonny Coleman crossed paths with his killer. Same guy? The proximity spoke volumes.

“Let’s search the area again,” Ryan said. “Might find something else.”

They started where the trail abutted the paved road where Sonny’s body had been found. Cain and Harper entered the woods on either side, flanking Willa and Ryan as they trudged uphill, each hugging an edge of the rutted trail. They took their time, examining every inch of ground. Harper could hear the scrapes of Willa’s and Ryan’s boots on the dirt surface, as well as Bobby pushing through the brush and pine branches along the opposite side of the fire road. The pungent aroma of pine thickened here among the trees. Over the next twenty minutes they worked their way up and over the crest and halfway down the other side, finding nothing.

Then Willa said, “Got something.”

Harper exited the trees and saw Willa squatting near the edge of the trail, Ryan leaning over her shoulder. Bobby emerged from the trees.

A gold necklace with a gold and turquoise seahorse pendant.

“Amazing,” Willa said. “It’s a perfect match for the earrings. This has to belong to Gina Campanelli.”

Game changer didn’t quite cover this. To Harper, there was now no doubt that Gina Campanelli had passed this way. Probably running for her life. At least that made the most sense.

Ryan straightened and twisted his neck to one side as if working out a kink. “This is insane. What the hell is this stuff doing here?”

“Gina Campanelli came this way,” Harper said.

“When is the question,” Ryan said.

“The night Sonny Coleman was murdered.”

Ryan looked at her. “We don’t know that. She could’ve been up here months ago.”

“She could’ve,” Harper said. “But the odds are they’re connected.” Ryan started to respond but Harper raised a hand. “You have two pieces of evidence: Sonny Coleman’s corpse and Gina Campanelli’s jewelry. Both are found in the same area around the same time. Within a couple of days anyway. The proximity and the timing suggest a connection.”

Ryan sighed. “I don’t know.”

“How does all this fit?” Willa asked. “Are you thinking the killer brought Gina up this way, did whatever he does, and in the process ripped her earring and necklace off and tossed them aside?”

“Or she did it herself,” Harper said.

“What do you mean?” Willa asked.

Harper looked down the hill to where the trail joined the road opposite from where they had parked. “Maybe she was brought up here or maybe even chased up this way. She didn’t drive up here on her own. Her car wasn’t here. She wasn’t dressed for jogging so she didn’t run out this way.

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