Wind Chill by Herron Rita

Author:Herron, Rita
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Beachside Reads
Published: 2019-12-18T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

11:00 a.m., December 19, Tinley

Gia hoped to hell the DNA from the hair gave them a name. But time was of the essence. Getting it to the lab with the bad weather hampering travel would take time.

“I’m going to look around outside,” Murphy said. “See if I find any footprints or tire tracks. The killer had to get in and out of here some way.”

Gia considered his comment. If there had been footprints or tire tracks, the snow had probably buried them. Still, she appreciated Murphy’s diligence. Some small-town sheriffs she’d worked with hated the FBI encroaching on their territory.

Others weren’t quite as on-the-ball professionally.

Murphy was professional, intelligent and observant. He had the mind of a good detective. He could have made it in the Bureau if he’d chosen that route. But seeing him here, connecting to people, treating the town as his family, fit him well. She admired him for his convictions, for …having heart. So may agents and law enforcement officers and detectives became desensitized.

A cold blast of air engulfed her as Murphy stepped outside, and he shoved at the back door to shut it.

She turned back to the room and surveyed it again.

The image of Sari in that red scarf and apron with the ornament tied to her wrist as she pressed the cookie cutter into the dough was imprinted in her brain forever.

One by one the crime scene photos of the other victims flashed through her head.

Something had happened around the holidays to trigger this mad man to murder. The loss of a child? A spouse?

The ornaments were also significant. Had his family decorated lavishly and given nice gifts for the holidays? Or had they shunned Christmas, and the ornaments represented the kind of gift giving he’d dreamed of?

She punched Brantley’s number, and leaned over to study the table again. Something about the cookie dough was bothering her.

“Gia?” Her partner’s voice echoed back, although static popped, indicating a bad connection.

“We have victim number ten.”

A tense second passed, then a sigh. “Carly?”

“No,” Gia said, relief pouring through her voice. Guilt followed for her selfishness. But Carly was her sister. “She’s still missing. He killed a young woman named Sari Benedict. She owns the local bakery.”

“You’re certain it’s him?”

“Yes. I’m sending you pics when we hang up.”

Brantley cursed. “I’m sorry, Gia. I wish I was there to help.”

“It’s fine. The sheriff is an asset. He also knows the area and his deputy has formed search parties. The blizzard is complicating the situation though.” She explained about the forensics she’d found.

“If the weather’s so harsh, how is the perp traveling around?”

“Good question. Murphy’s working on that angle. He’s outside now searching for footprints or tire marks. But with all the snow…”

She let the sentence trail off. No need to finish it. Brantley understood.

An indentation in the dough caught her eye, and she leaned closer to examine it. “Tell me you found something on that veterinarian.”

“As a matter of fact, I did,” her partner answered. “Whitman had a practice in Omaha.

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