CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Kari stared at the body, the beam of her flashlight illuminating what the moonlight had only suggested.
The now-familiar bundle of sage, cedar, juniper, and white prairie aster protruded from the man's mouth, placed with the same care they'd observed in the previous victims. The killer's signature was unmistakable.
"Call for full forensics," Kari said, her voice tight as she crouched beside the body.
Ben was already speaking into his radio, his words a distant murmur as Kari examined the scene.
The victim was an older man, perhaps in his early sixties, with silver hair and the weathered skin of someone who spent considerable time outdoors.
His clothing—a quality button-down shirt and khaki pants—suggested a professional rather than a tourist or hiker.
"No obvious signs of a struggle," she said, careful not to disturb anything as she leaned closer. "Stab wound to the chest. Clean. Methodical."
The man's expression was peaceful, almost serene, giving no indication of a violent end. Only the ceremonial herbs and deliberate positioning revealed this as part of the pattern they'd been tracking.
Kari gently checked the pockets of the victim's shirt, finding a leather wallet. Opening it revealed a driver's license along with several cards.
"Jason Haskie," she read aloud. "Sixty-three. Navajo Nation license, Phoenix address." She continued examining the wallet's contents. "Mechanical engineering certification, business card listing him as a 'Mechanical Systems Consultant.'"
Ben, having finished his radio call, frowned. "Mechanical engineer? Not an academic like the others?"
Kari shook her head. "Strange, isn't it?"
"What did you say the name was again?"
"Haskie. You know him?"
"Not sure. Sounds familiar."
Kari stood, her joints protesting after hours of surveillance followed by their pursuit through the canyon. "When will forensics be here?" she asked.
"About twenty minutes," Ben said, joining her beside the body. "Captain Yazzie is on his way with Agent Daniels."
"The killer knew we'd be watching Whipple Creek," Kari said. "He skipped to the fourth location in the historical sequence rather than risk confrontation at the third."
"And still, he was almost caught here," Ben said. He paused, thinking. "If they're following a ritual pattern, wouldn't changing the sequence disrupt whatever they're trying to accomplish?"
Kari had no answer. The recreation of the original murders suggested ritual significance, yet tonight's killing demonstrated adaptability that seemed at odds with rigid ceremonial requirements.
Either the pattern was more flexible than they'd assumed, or something else was driving the killer's choices.
The wail of approaching sirens broke the predawn silence. Red and blue lights flashed against the canyon walls as vehicles navigated the access road. Kari stepped back from the body to preserve the scene's integrity.
Dr. Hatathli arrived first, her medical examiner's kit in hand. Her face remained professionally neutral as she surveyed the scene, though her eyes lingered momentarily on the herb bundle.
"Same presentation as the others," she murmured, pulling on latex gloves. She worked methodically, checking for lividity, examining the victim's hands, inspecting the visible portions of the body without disturbing the position.
"Help me turn him," she said to her assistant. "Carefully."
They eased the victim onto his side, revealing a dark stain on the back of his shirt. Dr. Hatathli lifted the fabric, exposing a single wound.
"Clean entry between the fourth and fifth ribs," she said, examining the wound with a penlight. "Narrow blade, just like Reynolds. Penetrated directly to the heart based on wound trajectory."
"No defensive wounds on the hands," her assistant noted.
"None visible on exposed skin," Dr. Hatathli agreed.
"Suggesting he didn't see the attack coming or didn't have time to react.
" She gently returned the body to its original position.
"The herbs were definitely placed post-mortem.
No signs of trauma to the mouth or lips that would indicate they were forced in while he was alive. "
"And none of that yellow substance?" Ben asked. "The dust found on the second victim's face and hair?"
"None that I see," Dr. Hatathli said, examining Haskie's face. "It seems your killer's MO is somewhat flexible."
Just like his choice of victim, Kari thought. It seemed the killer wasn't only targeting academics.
Captain Yazzie arrived as Dr. Hatathli completed her preliminary assessment, his expression grave as he surveyed the scene. Agent Daniels followed close behind, already speaking into his phone to coordinate FBI resources.
"What's your initial time estimate?" Kari asked Dr. Hatathli.
The doctor checked the victim's temperature with a specialized thermometer. "Based on body temp, liver temp, and lividity... approximately four to six hours ago. I'll narrow it down after the full examination."
"Which means the killer arranged the body and was gone before we even set up surveillance at Whipple Creek," Ben said, his voice tight with frustration.
"He's adapting," Kari said, surveying the crime scene as forensics technicians photographed the body from multiple angles. "Learning our patterns while maintaining his own."
Captain Yazzie joined them, his weathered face grave in the harsh crime scene lighting. "We found the victim's vehicle half a mile away at the main trailhead parking. Arizona plates, rental from Phoenix Sky Harbor."
"So Haskie was visiting from Phoenix," Kari said, looking again at the driver's license she'd found. "What would bring a mechanical engineer to Cottonwood Wash after dark?"
"Meeting someone, perhaps," Ben said. "Or looking for something specific."
Dr. Hatathli carefully removed the herb bundle from the victim's mouth, placing it in an evidence bag. "I'll perform the full autopsy as soon as we transport the body. Preliminary findings should be available by noon."
Agent Daniels approached, tucking his phone into his jacket pocket. "FBI field team is expanding the search perimeter to three miles. If our suspect is still in the area, we'll find him."
Kari didn't share his confidence. Whoever had evaded them in Thunder Rock passage knew the terrain intimately. By now, they could be miles away, leaving no trail to follow.
Kari pulled out her phone, checking the time. Nearly 5 AM. Dawn would break soon, bathing the canyon in revealing light that might expose evidence hidden by darkness. "We need to notify next of kin before this hits the news. Does he have family nearby?"
"His emergency contact information should be in the rental agreement," Daniels said. "I'll have my team check."
"We should check his residence," Ben said, "see if there's any connection to the other victims or the original murders."
"Ben and I will head back to the station," Kari said decisively. "Start building Haskie's background while forensics processes the scene. Captain, can you coordinate with Daniels on the expanded search?"
Yazzie nodded. "I'll stay here until the scene is fully documented. Keep me updated on what you find."
As they walked back to their vehicle, the eastern sky began to lighten, the first tentative rays of dawn reaching across the desert.
Kari felt the weight of missed opportunity pressing down on her shoulders.
They'd been so focused on Whipple Creek, so certain the killer would follow the historical pattern precisely, that they'd missed the adaptive intelligence behind the murders.
"Three victims now," Ben said as they reached their SUV. "All with the same signature, but with variations in method. The killer's evolving."
"Or testing different approaches," Kari suggested, sliding into the passenger seat. She hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours, and fatigue was beginning to cloud her thinking. "Let's find out who Jason Haskie was, and why he deserved a place in this pattern."
***
The police station hummed with unusual activity for 6 AM, officers and support staff responding to the heightened alert following the discovery of a third victim. Kari stood at the coffee machine, willing the ancient percolator to work faster as Ben set up their incident board.
"Haskie's preliminary background is interesting," Ben said as Kari returned with two steaming mugs.
"Sixty-three, mechanical engineer specializing in vehicle fleet maintenance.
Worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for twenty years before starting his own consulting business.
Married to Elaine Haskie, who still works for BIA in their Phoenix office. "
"Any connection to our first two victims?" Kari asked, studying the photos Ben had pinned to the board.
"Nothing obvious yet," Ben said. "He doesn't appear to have an academic background like Reynolds or Holbrook. No publications, no research interests beyond technical papers on fleet maintenance."
"So why target him?" Kari murmured. "What makes him fit the pattern?"
"His widow might know," Ben said, pointing to his computer screen. "I found her contact information. She's already been notified by Phoenix PD as a courtesy to us."
Kari nodded. "Let's drive down there today. She might remember something that could help us understand why her husband was targeted."
"It's a three-hour drive," Ben said. "If we leave now, we could be there by mid-morning. Want me to clear it with Yazzie?"
Kari nodded. "And update Daniels, too. He'll want his people to canvas Haskie's neighborhood, check for security footage."
As Ben made his calls, Kari found herself staring at the three victim photos now arranged on their board. Reynolds, Holbrook, and now Haskie. Three deaths recreating a fifty-year-old pattern, yet with subtle variations that suggested both ritual purpose and strategic adaptation.