Chapter 5 #3
“I did not do this.” Cam’s protest was immediate.
As if sensing his tension, Evie uncrossed her arms and put a hand on Cam’s arm. “He’s right. As I already told you, Bruno led us to this location. We were heading toward the river when he turned and bolted away.”
Jackson glanced up at them. “Why the river?”
“Why not?” Cam wasn’t going to give either of the local cops any information on their suspicions. Not when every word out of his mouth was being recorded as a top suspect. “We thought it would be nice to see what changes have been made since we lived here as kids.”
He’d hoped that putting some emphasis on the fourteen-year gap since the last time he’d stepped foot in Grand Haven would help, but Rueger only smirked before turning toward Jackson. “Let’s get the ME out here pronto. I don’t like being eaten alive by mosquitos.”
“Does that mean we’re free to leave?” Cam held the detective’s gaze, trying to figure out how close the guy was to arresting him. It wasn’t as if there was any evidence linking him to this second victim, other than his being with Evie when Bruno found her.
But somehow, he didn’t think a lack of evidence was going to get in the way if Rueger really wanted him behind bars. And for the second time in a matter of hours, he wondered if he needed to call Rex to get a name of a good criminal defense lawyer.
After a long pause, Rueger finally relented. “Yeah, you can go, but I don’t want either of you to leave town.” Rueger scowled menacingly. “Especially you, Walker. Do you understand?”
He forced a nod. “I can assure you I don’t plan on leaving until my name has been cleared.”
“Me either,” Evie added. “Besides, you’re going to need Bruno to help find this guy.”
“He’s not a police dog,” Rueger repeated with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry, I’m confident we’ll find the evidence needed to arrest the killer.”
Ignoring the less than subtle dig, Cam tugged Evie’s arm. “Let’s go. They’re not going to tell us anything.”
Evie shot Rueger a dirty look but nodded in agreement. “Come, Bruno.”
Rather than heading out of the woods the way they’d come, Cam figured they should make good on their plan to walk toward the river. If nothing else, to put distance between them and the poor innocent victim Bruno had found.
Cam glanced over his shoulder, noticing how Jackson had continued to uncover the victim’s body. Grand Haven had crime scene techs; Rueger had called them in the other day. But apparently Jackson was interested in seeing the girl’s face.
He quickly turned away. He had more than enough nightmares after the tragic exfil from Afghanistan. Seeing this young girl’s deceased face would only add to them.
Neither of them spoke for long minutes. It was only when they could no longer hear Rueger and Jackson that Evie broke the silence.
“Did you notice her arm was completely bare?” Evie glanced at him, her expression solemn. “When I saw the fabric of Skye’s favorite top, I knew it was her. But I can’t help but wonder if that girl was buried without her clothes.”
“Could be she was wearing a tank top and shorts. Maybe even a swimsuit.” He wanted to believe that, over the obvious assumption that the killer had sexually assaulted the victim before, during, or after killing her. “Let’s focus on the facts, not supposition.”
“The fact is I didn’t see any clothing,” Evie stubbornly insisted. Then she sighed. “But you’re right, it could be that she was wearing something skimpy.”
“The other fact is that the body was found about two hundred yards from Skye’s remains.” He frowned. “That almost makes me want to take Bruno farther into the nature preserve to see what else he might find.”
Evie grimaced. “I would only try that if we could be sure Rueger wouldn’t arrest you.” She glanced up at him, then said, “I still can’t understand how a serial killer could operate undetected in a town the size of Grand Haven.”
“Don’t forget there’s lots of tourists and some residents who have summer cottages here.
” He glanced at her. “As far as proving my innocence, the more bodies we find, the more likely the information would help clear my name. I must have an alibi for the time frames of some of the murders.” He strove to sound casual, despite his deep fear that his life as a free man was limited to a matter of days. If not hours.
“There’s no proof you did this.” Evie’s staunch support eased the tightness in his chest. “I think Jackson knows who that victim is. He almost said her name, before Rueger stopped him.”
“I know.” He tried to remember each person he’d encountered during the twenty-four hours he’d been back in Grand Haven. Between the pizza parlor and the hotel, he couldn’t remember seeing anyone with a circle of flowers tattooed around her wrist.
Then again, the girl would have been dead before he’d arrived. Especially if their theory of Bruno recognizing the scent of the serial killer was correct.
And right now, that was about all they had going in their favor. He glanced at the dog, hoping the animal would help find the killer.
Before he found them.