Chapter 7
SEVEN
Katie returned to the crime scene after changing her clothes at home to something more appropriate to the task at hand.
This time she was in her Jeep with Cisco and they were going to search the property in order to find anything that might shed light on the crime scene.
Even though the bodies had been buried some time ago, there still could be some indications of clues, answers to why this particular property was chosen, and who the unknown man in cowboy boots was.
Katie slowed as she entered the loose gravel drive. The barrier was still there with a sign stating “Keep Out.” The patrol officers were gone, while John and Eva were loading up the forensic van. McGaven pulled in behind her.
Katie got out of her Jeep. She stood quietly and observed the now empty area.
There was a cool breeze, stronger than earlier.
She wondered how the killer had brought in the bodies.
Did he lure them? Did he load them into a car and drive them here?
Twenty years ago the area would have been even denser and any buildings or businesses even farther away.
The killer most likely thought the bodies would never be found.
It seemed probable the third body was connected to the skeletons; the killer coming back to the same dumping ground.
Was there something that prompted them to choose this particular spot?
“Hey,” said McGaven. “How do you want to proceed?”
“I think we need to start on the south side,” she said, referring to the entrance area. “I’ll have Cisco work a tight grid.”
“Sounds good.” McGaven automatically checked his gun belt and weapon, and made sure he had another magazine in case of trouble.
Katie went to the Jeep and let Cisco out.
The dog spun around, tail wagging, and gave a snort.
He was definitely ready to go. Katie grabbed the long lead and searching harness.
The dog stood still, allowing her to put on his gear like so many times before.
Katie double-checked that she had her weapon, cell phone, and evidence bags.
“You going to search the property?” said John. He had quietly approached. He stood close to Katie. “Need anything?”
Katie took a step back. She could feel his penetrating presence and didn’t want to get distracted. His handsome face, muscular body, and dark eyes that could read your every thought made it difficult to concentrate. “I think we’re good.”
“Good.” He smiled. “Eva and I have our work cut out for us.”
“I can’t wait.”
“Can’t wait for what?” said McGaven as he walked up.
“To find out more about the skeletons.”
“Oh that,” McGaven said sarcastically.
Katie gave her partner a stern look.
“Okay, good luck,” said John and he returned to the CSI van.
Katie pulled Cisco close. “You ready?” she said to McGaven.
“Always.”
Katie and Cisco led the way back to the entrance where the gravel road ended.
It was clear the construction crew had put down the gravel due to all the driving back and forth through the property.
There were two tree lines that seemed old, and most likely had been there for decades, if not longer.
Katie roughly surveyed the area and decided how they would grid the search.
It was really more of a tracking to locate something not typical or not related to the surroundings; dogs were so adept at finding lost items or things that were out of place.
Katie glanced back and saw McGaven taking his position just behind and a little to the right of her. He was out of the downwind location but close enough to still be able to see up ahead.
The wind seemed to stop, which was a good thing as it made it easier for Cisco to find the odor or follow the scent without it blowing all over the place.
Katie felt a tightness in her throat. It wasn’t always present, but in times of stress or when she was pushing through anxieties and other challenges, post-traumatic symptoms surfaced.
It was something she had learned to deal with in her life, and today she pushed herself to find more clues that would help to direct them in the investigation.
Taking a couple of deep quiet breaths, Katie said, “Such,” a German command directing Cisco to search.
The jet-black dog took his direction and moved forward at a moderate pace, his large paws working their way into the forest area. His long body remained relaxed but focused on the surroundings, tail hanging straight, sense of smell heightened, as he trailed from left to right.
Katie watched Cisco for any indication of a change of behavior.
Her mind flashed to the skeletons with their fingers intertwined and the shiny bracelets hanging on the wrists.
Even though they hadn’t received official information about the bodies and forensic evidence, she still pressed her mind and theories to move forward.
She heard the crunch of the gravel under vehicle tires as the CSI van left the area. Her mind gently wandered back to her morning with John, but she quickly pushed forward to the task at hand.
Cisco slowed his pace. He was still keeping his body relaxed, but there was something that seemed to pique his attention. It could be a scent he’d caught in the air that wasn’t related to the investigation: a bird, a small mammal, or even the leftover smells from the crime scene.
Katie glanced back to McGaven who was keeping a watchful eye of their surroundings. He had a serious expression, no smile, giving only a quick thumbs-up indicating everything was good so far.
The sound of the van leaving the area finally dissipated and then disappeared altogether.
They were alone. Normally this didn’t bother Katie, but ever since their first visit to the scene something hadn’t seemed right.
That could be said for most of her crime scenes, of course, but this feeling had a certain jab to the gut that was keeping her on her toes.
They worked the area for almost ten minutes, winding their way back and forth, making a grid pattern. The only noises heard throughout were their footsteps toward another grove of trees.
As they reached the grove Cisco slowed. His fur prickled along his spine and the back of his neck, and his tail stiffened, slowly moving from side to side as he took a few strides.
Katie raised her hand, indicating to her partner that something was up that the dog didn’t like.
She didn’t speak and intensely studied Cisco’s posture.
She slowed her pace to match his. Watching Cisco, she realized it was an unusual stance that she had only seen him in during their tours in the Army. That set off more warning signals.
Cisco suddenly stopped and downed his position, indicating there was danger ahead.
Katie looked from side to side, expecting a wild animal like a bear or mountain lion to charge them.
Seeing nothing, she too kneeled down to try to figure out what Cisco was warning them about.
McGaven quietly made his way to them and took his position next to her. His face clearly expressed his concern.
Katie leaned toward his ear and whispered, “I’ve seen him act like this when there are tripwires or other signs of a trap.”
She felt her partner’s tension.
“What do you want to do?” he said softly.
“We need to make sure there’s nothing here.”
McGaven nodded and waited to follow Katie’s lead.
She was contemplating how to investigate so that they would be better equipped to deal with the situation, and whether they needed to call in the police department, SWAT, or bomb squad. She might be getting ahead of herself, but she knew that whatever Cisco was picking up, it wasn’t good.
Katie lowered the long leash and dropped to her belly. She gave Cisco the command to back up a few feet, but to stay in a down position, keeping him from moving until she gave the next command.
“Okay?” said McGaven in barely a whisper as he lowered his body to the ground and mirrored his partner.
“Cisco alerted to something in the air, but he downed and won’t go any farther.”
“Which means?” he said.
“It means there’s something either right in front of us or on either side.”
“What do we do?”
“Do you have your mini binoculars?”
“Yeah.” He reached around on his police utility belt and retrieved them.
Katie took the binoculars and then scooted on her belly toward the right side. She peered through the lenses with her elbows supporting her and slowly scanned the area, starting with ground level and then gradually moving higher.
McGaven watched his partner breathing shallowly.
The forest was silent, with trees standing tall as if watching over the area.
There was no sound coming from nearby or anywhere in the distance, apart from Cisco lightly panting.
The rhythmic sound felt like a ticking time bomb getting ready to detonate.
Katie didn’t see anything that appeared unusual or out of place. It was frustrating because she knew there had to be something. She and Cisco had been through a lot; she trusted the dog and had to rule out everything before moving on.
“Anything?” said McGaven.
She could tell by his voice that he was deeply concerned—and she was too.
“No, but…”
“I don’t like the sound of that ‘but,’” he said.
“It’s just that there’s a branch that looks weird.”
“Weird how?”
Katie scanned around the area again and came back to the branch. There were leaves that didn’t seem to belong to the large pine tree; they looked to belong to a California oak instead. “It looks like…”
McGaven patiently waited.
“There are leaves that don’t belong on that tree.”
“You mean like another tree is growing around it or through it?”
“No, I mean it looks like the leaves are fake,” she said.
“Like someone put them there?”
“Exactly like that.” Katie had that feeling she got when things weren’t as they seemed.
She scooted to the other side, crawling over her partner.
She wanted to make sure that what she saw was on the other side as well.
When she raised her body, she felt exposed and vulnerable, relief permeating throughout her body when she was back on her stomach.
Her arms and legs slightly twitched with the anxiety running rampant in her system.
“What do you see?” said McGaven.
His voice breaking the quiet almost made her drop the binoculars.
Katie sucked in a breath. “Here,” she said giving him the binoculars. “Tell me what you see.”
McGaven positioned himself and looked. “Is that—? Is that a—”
“Yes.”
He down put the binoculars and stared at Cisco. Looking at his partner, he said, “There are heavy branches set up to swing down. Why or when was that done? It’s amazing no one has been hurt or killed working this construction job.”
Katie’s mind whirled. “It’s a type of trap meant to swing down to stop who or what is passing the area. There could be more things like it too.”
“Do you think a hunter put that up for large game? Maybe very recently?”
“No, this is aimed at a person. That much is obvious.” It made Katie shudder. She had seen traps and snares in the military that were beyond belief. She’d learned how barbaric people could be to their enemies.
“It’s like someone is protecting, or was protecting, this area,” he said.
Katie nodded and pulled in Cisco next to her. The detectives carefully retreated from their positions back to the entrance and called in the deadly situation.
They had stumbled into a lethal trap.