Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
McGaven drove through an area that didn’t appear to be a road as they tried to find the old Collins property. The overgrown trees and mangled shrubs were blocking the regular drive, so they had to bypass it and try another way to access it.
“Maybe this was a bad idea?” said McGaven, holding the wheel with a frown on his face. He stopped the car.
Katie looked from front to back. “There’s room.”
He laughed. “If we get stuck and have to call a tow, I’m blaming you.”
“Be my guest.”
McGaven thought for a moment and then continued.
The grinding and slapping sounds of the foliage and dead debris from under and around the car seemed to go on forever.
Katie cringed at the screeching sounds. Finally, the car exited the overgrown area into a field with high weeds and the remnants of a gravel driveway.
McGaven gave a sigh of relief. “I would hate to have to describe to the sheriff how we wrecked one of the unmarked police cars.” He found a mostly cleared area and parked.
“No need to tell anyone anything,” She looked at them. “This is a nice big acreage. Why wouldn’t they have sold it by now?” she said, changing into hiking boots.
“No clue.” McGaven replied.
Once the detectives were out of the vehicle, the clouds seemed to block the sun, shading the area and making things appear dismal.
It was as if the greens and yellows suddenly turned into various shades of gray.
Several predatory birds swooped overhead, making large circles in the sky, and Katie could see worn paths that must have been from deer and other animals.
There were trees in long lines throughout the property, but the rest was open, flat areas that resembled part of a ghost town.
She remembered Ventura had told them how he felt uneasy when he was there, as if someone was watching him.
She brushed her hand over her holstered Glock.
“Look,” said McGaven, pointing ahead of them. “It’s part of the house.”
Katie surveyed the area. A breeze picked up, making the almost four-foot-tall weeds wave back and forth. In between sweeps from the wind, you could see the remaining structure of what was once a small old-style farmhouse.
The crumbled building drew Katie closer. She easily stepped through the weeds and stood on what was once the front porch.
“I still can’t understand why someone hasn’t bought the property. It could be a farm or even used for commercial purposes like cattle or produce.”
McGaven had walked around the spot where the dwelling had once stood. “I agree,” he said, returning from the other direction.
Katie stepped slowly as she searched the area as well as the remnants of the house.
She didn’t feel as if someone was watching them as Ventura had explained—it was more like someone was tracking them like they were prey.
It could be someone connected to the property or it could be squatters.
Either way, Katie wanted to hurry and check out everything they needed to see and move on.
There were more pressing matters to investigate.
She took several photos around the dilapidated structure and land area.
It would help with comparing it to county maps and any historical records of the property they could find.
The house had disintegrated over the years, leaving the ground scattered with pieces of siding, porch lumber, and interior wall panels.
They were spread out, but some appeared to have been moved by hand.
It didn’t seem recent, but someone had been here inspecting and organizing the remnants of the house. It struck her as odd.
“Gav,” she said.
There was no answer.
Katie walked around the outside of where the house had been. It was difficult to see due to the overgrowth of foliage. The breeze picked up again, causing her to sneeze. She didn’t see her partner.
“Gav?” she called again.
Silence still.
Katie figured McGaven was inspecting the open area behind the remaining structure.
She followed the path he’d taken earlier.
The property seemed different behind the old home.
There were no indications a barn or other outbuildings had existed, though there were many reasons why she couldn’t see where they might have been.
Perhaps they’d completely broken down and the pieces removed.
“Katie?” said McGaven, sounding like he was a mile away.
The wind had a way of pushing sounds in different directions. Katie turned every which way, but she didn’t see him. “Gav?”
“Over here.”
Katie followed his voice, but she still didn’t see him.
“Here!”
She ran now with urgency. It was as if everything were invisible to her, standing just out of reach. The ground started feeling squishy beneath her feet, so she slowed her pace… looked down. The soil had changed slightly; it was darker with more gravel mixed in. Katie stopped.
“Gav?” She took another couple of steps. The dirt had given way, revealing a large oval-shaped hole. Dropping to the ground, Katie carefully crawled forward. “Gav?”
Her instincts and anxieties fought each other. Her heart beat faster, but she was almost frozen in fear. Memories flooded in of their last case, where John had been thrown into a well and left to die.
“Gav, are you all right?” She pushed away her fears and peered down about ten feet. “You okay?”
McGaven was standing and leaning against the side of the hole. “The unexpected drop knocked the wind out of me for a moment.” He was breathing hard.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “But”—he pointed.—“they’re not.”
Katie didn’t quite understand at first. She looked to where her partner had indicated.
There was a body in what appeared to be a fetal position, mostly bones remaining.
The arms and side of the skull were the only things immediately visible.
The shock of the body and its position made her gasp.
Her mind reeled. Here was another body most likely connected to the Collinses’ house.
She stared at the bones a bit longer, running through her mind who it might be.
Could it be someone related to Meredith and Misty?
She shook her head. She could worry about that later. “Let’s get you out,” she said to McGaven.
“That would be nice.”
Katie ran back to the car and rummaged around in the trunk. She found some rope and figured it would suffice. Without wasting time, she ran back to her partner. It didn’t take long for her to help pull him up. He climbed out and lay on the ground, winded, his arms out to his side.
“Gav,” she said softly. She saw that his arm was bleeding. “You’re not okay.”
He sat up, covered in dirt. “This? It’s just a little scratch.”
Katie examined it, tearing away his shirt. The cut was long though most of the bleeding had stopped, but it required looking at by a doctor. He was probably going to need stitches.
“We need forensics out here ASAP. John is really busy already,” she said, taking some preliminary photos of the area, the grave, and what she could see of the body. “The ground probably gave way due to erosion around the hole.”
“It seems this might be the reason why the family disappeared and didn’t follow up on the missing persons report.”
Katie sighed. “This case is getting more complicated by the minute.” She looked around the area to see if the soil looked different in any places. “I’m worried about another body turning up…” She was also really worried about their safety.
McGaven interrupted her thoughts. “You know, ever since I’ve been partnered with you, I have accumulated a lot of cool scars.”
She tried not to laugh at his joke. “Let’s get you checked out.”
“I hope I don’t need a tetanus shot.”