Chapter 35
Dani disconnected with Knight then texted Miranda to tell her mission accomplished. Miranda probably wouldn’t admit it, but she’d obviously been worried about Knight and him having to deal with his own personal boogiemen.
Those two…so cute together. Terrifying at times—they were both beyond brilliant, seriously take-charge, dynamic personalities—but the connection between them…yes. It was real.
Those two, so cute. Just so, so cute.
Michael came in. She listened to his demands again. Then told him to go stick his head in the toilet.
He hadn’t liked it; she’d seen the disgusting snarl on his face. But…Dr. Compton had come into the lab looking for his wife—they had a lunch date and were almost cooing at each other, he’d been out of town for two weeks—and Michael had taken off. He always did that when a male threat was too close.
Her phone buzzed. Dani answered quickly. She did not like having her people spread out as far as they were now. Yes, most times not a problem. But…Miranda was surrounded by law enforcement she and Knight had made it clear they just did not trust. That made Dani antsy.
“Talk to me.” It was Ian. Dani brought up the little map she used to track the members of the team.
Knight was like he’d said, just over an hour away from Finley Creek now, accounting for the time it would take to get through Wichita Falls.
Miranda was…back at her hotel. It was time for a late lunch.
They’d already established that Lindhour was required to do a patrol round at one-thirty p.m. every day she was on the clock.
It took approximately two hours and ten minutes.
Lindhour was definitely a creature of habit, that girl.
She probably needed to vary it up a little—just to be on the safe side.
People could learn her routine far too easily.
That was never good.
“Hello, Danielle.”
Oh, the man said her name in a really shivery way. “Hey, Ward.”
“I’ve found something. I’ve found another victim.”
“What? Give me details.” Dani pulled up a search window on her database. “I’m ready for all you have.”
“That has so many meanings.”
Yikes. Well, she supposed he was right. “Give me details, Agent Doctor Ward.”
“Twenty-eight years ago. Nineteen-year-old. Louis D. Stephens. BFT. Murder weapon found next to the body. He had been working on his truck at the time. Crowbar.”
“That doesn’t really match Kevin and Harper, though. Other than method of death.” But she wasn’t a profiler. Ian was. “What makes you think he’s related?”
“That’s just it. Related. Related.” Ian’s phone cut out a little. She waited. “He was living at the trailer park right there by the ball field. The closest unit. Just three hundred feet from the third base line behind field three. There was a game going on. He was found during the final inning.”
Dani was typing. But… “There are at least four Louis D. Stephens in Helery County alone. A senior, and a junior, still. But…statewide…a lot. I need more to go on.”
“Related, Danielle. He was Sheriff Ted Johnson’s stepbrother. Johnson was listed as next-of-kin. And he inherited the victim’s estate. Acreage at the edge of the county. Parents were both dead. Before Johnson was a cop.”
“Well, just…isn’t that nifty.”
“I have all the autopsy reports. There was one for Harper Wycoff. It matches the one Lindhour has. But…nothing on Kevin Adams, except the private one. I’m suspecting one wasn’t even requested by Johnson.
I am bringing copies back with me. I have uploaded them for you.
We need to focus on Louis Stephens and Sheriff Johnson.
He’s the only real commonality with all of them. ”
“Miranda is there in Helery County with Johnson. Not feeling so secure here, Ward. I am just not.”
“Likewise. I am on my way back. Maybe…just…maybe…find out who else PAVAD has nearby. Someone may be close. Until Knight and I can get back there. Just in case.”
Dani would do that. She was feeling a bit antsy here. She clicked the link to the reports Ian had just uploaded. And began reading.
When a blonde woman in glasses came into the lab, Dani looked up. Well, wasn’t she just handy? “Hi, Dr. Reynolds. You have a minute? I have some questions here. Autopsy reports so aren’t my thing.”
“I’m just waiting for Kelly to get back before we head out for the day. I’ve got a few minutes. What do you need?”
Dani printed out copies. It was time to get started.