Читать книгу Capturing the Huntsman - C.J. Miller - Страница 8
ОглавлениеClearing leaves from the paths around the Trail’s Edge campground leading to the Appalachian Trail was a full-time job. As luck and financial misfortune had it, Autumn Reed had plenty of free time. She hadn’t rented a cabin in weeks, not since the news broke that a serial killer was stalking female hikers on the trail. She fit the general description of his victims, which made it that much more disturbing.
She’d procrastinated starting the task all day and with the sun setting low and casting shadows, she wished she had come out earlier. The trail after dusk was pitch-black, and she knew better than to be alone on the trail after dark.
Autumn called to her dog, Thor, feeling better with him at her side. He outweighed her by twenty pounds and his build was enough to intimidate anyone who had the idea she would make a good victim. He was the one constant in her life. She could always count on Thor.
Thor looked back at her from thirty feet ahead, but he didn’t heel. The wind blew, rustling dry leaves in a symphony she usually found pleasant, but now she feared would mask footsteps. She turned in a circle, looking around her. She and Thor were alone.
She called to Thor again. It wasn’t like him to disobey, but if he had caught sight of a squirrel or rabbit, he might be thinking about giving chase.
“Thor, heel.” She spoke sharply to make sure he knew she wasn’t playing around.
Thor ignored her. His attention was focused on the woods, his back arched and his legs locked. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. What had Thor seen? Was it a hiker? The trail had been empty for weeks. Maybe it was a bear. Though it was rare for them to wander this far down the mountain, a bear would pose more danger to Thor than he’d realize. One swipe of a bear claw would send Thor sprawling.
She called to her dog again, her feet sliding in the mud as she jogged toward him, scanning the tree line for a bear. “What’s gotten into you?” She reached his side and heard a low growl in his throat. Despite his size, Thor wasn’t an aggressive dog. What was wrong?
She followed his line of vision into the woods, peering through the gray and brown tree trunks, wondering what had Thor so riled.
The view hit Autumn hard, knocking the wind from her lungs. Suspended from a hickory tree and swinging slightly in the wind was a figure wrapped in ivy vines. Were those dirty hiking boots? Were those wooden arrows? Why did it smell like charred wood? The scent was heavy in the air.
Horror washed over her and she gasped in air, doubling over and emptying the contents of her stomach on the ground in front of her.
As quickly as horror had struck, so did fear. Grabbing Thor’s collar, she dragged him toward her cabin. She stumbled, the heel of her boot once again getting caught in the mud. Scrambling to her feet, she didn’t let go of Thor’s collar. She needed to call for help, but she needed to be somewhere safe.
Entering her log cabin and bolting the door shut behind her, she reached for the satellite phone on the counter. She dialed 9-1-1 with shaking fingers.
Calming the fear that pulled her vocal cords tight, she managed to choke out a few words. “I need help. I just found a dead body.”
* * *
Nathan Bradshaw caught the call from his police scanner. A body had been found near the Appalachian Trail at a campground called the Trail’s Edge. A woman had called it in to police. A witness? Besides not having an arsenal of resources at his fingertips, the lack of a witness had been one of the most difficult parts of the case. No one had lived to provide a description of the serial killer stalking the trail, and if anyone had seen anything, the person wasn’t coming forward with information.
A quick internet search revealed the address of the Trail’s Edge campground, and Nathan plugged the location in to his GPS. The body wasn’t as close to the trail as the other victims, most of whom had been found in the backcountry, farther away from civilization. A break in the killer’s pattern or an unrelated murder?
The only way to find out was to be on the scene.
Nathan had been tracking the Huntsman for weeks, from Boling Springs, Pennsylvania, to Smithsburg, Maryland. The killer was consistent, which made it more infuriating that no one had caught him. Nathan was growing better at predicting his movements, and it was a matter of time before he got inside the killer’s head and caught him.
Nathan needed to find justice for his sister. His mother, his former brother-in-law, his niece and his nephew were counting on him to catch Colleen’s killer.
Nathan arrived on the scene in thirty minutes amid a flurry of activity. FBI agents were combing the area, shouting commands at the park rangers who’d been called to assist. The local police were on the scene, as well. Nathan scanned for a familiar face, irritation flickering when he spotted special agent-in-charge Roger Ford talking to a tall, slender woman. Nothing about her said law enforcement or park ranger. She had to be the witness.
Roger Ford, Nathan’s former brother-in-law and the current lead investigator on the case, wanted nothing more than for Nathan to disappear. Ford was a good agent, but he was by the book. By the book wouldn’t catch the killer. But Nathan had no bounds to what he was willing to do.
Ford had ten years more than Nathan on the job and he was using his considerable weight and connections to shut Nathan out. Punishment for what had happened between Nathan and Ford’s sister, or maybe Ford didn’t believe Nathan could be objective, but either way, Nathan had made a promise and he wasn’t backing down.
Nathan knew the exact moment Ford spotted him. Their eyes connected across the distance, hostility plain on Ford’s face. Nathan gave Ford credit for blatant honesty. They’d never gotten along and Ford hadn’t pretended otherwise. The woman Ford was speaking with turned, as well, looking over her shoulder in Nathan’s direction.
Nathan hadn’t seen her before, but his gut reaction was strong and swift. Even at this distance, he could see she was beautiful. She was nearly as tall as Ford, her body lithe, her brown hair pulled into a ponytail and her arms crossed over her chest. She wore khaki pants and a blue-and-gray windbreaker, a style he had seen on several hikers he had spoken with during the course of the investigation.
Approaching Ford was a bad idea, but Nathan needed to speak to the witness. More than finding out what she knew, he wanted to talk to her. The impulse was so strong, he hadn’t realized he’d left his observation spot until he was standing next to her, facing Ford. She smelled of the outdoors, like fresh pine and earth.
“What are you doing here? I told you to stay away from my crime scenes,” Ford said, annoyance clear in his voice. “You’re worse than the press.”
“You know why I’m here,” Nathan said. When the FBI had refused to assign Nathan to the case, citing he couldn’t be objective because he was too close to one of the victims, Nathan had taken a leave of absence from the Bureau to investigate on his own time. The killer had proved to be smart and had avoided the FBI’s traps. If they wanted the killer in custody, they’d need to work outside the box. The red tape of the FBI didn’t allow anything outside the box.
Nathan introduced himself. “Special Agent Nathan Bradshaw.”
“Stop misleading the witness. You’re not working this case,” Ford said.
Curiosity gleamed in the brunette’s eyes. She ignored Ford and extended her hand. “Autumn Reed. This is my campground. I am the person who found the body.” Her voice quavered and he shook her hand. It was trembling.
Ford gritted his teeth. “Why don’t you either enjoy your vacation or go back to work on another case instead of impeding my work on this one?”
Abandoning this case wasn’t an option for him. Colleen’s killer deserved to pay, and Nathan would see that she and his family had justice. “You know I can’t walk away from this one.”
Ford’s face didn’t relax even a fraction of an inch. He believed it was most important to follow protocol, and Nathan on the scene flew in the face of the rules.
“If you won’t walk away, I can force you to stay away. Don’t make a nuisance of yourself,” Ford said.
Nathan tucked his hands into the pockets of his pants. “I don’t plan to be a nuisance. I plan to catch a killer.”
* * *
Autumn rubbed her temples, a massive headache throbbing. Fifteen minutes after she had made the emergency call, park rangers, CSI and local police had converged on her land. The FBI had arrived later.
The most recent arrival was a man who had taken post next to her. His serious expression and deep-set eyes drew her to him. Whatever his reason for being on the scene, Autumn was glad he was. Though he hadn’t cracked a smile, an air of strength and bravery surrounded him. Her instincts about people were usually pretty good, and her instincts told her Nathan Bradshaw was a good friend to have.
He was handsome, almost too handsome. She felt a little guilty for thinking about his looks under the circumstances, but it was hard not to notice. His dark hair was cropped close to his head in a look she liked. Broad shoulders tapered to a lean waist, and the tailored cut of his black wool coat suggested wealth and style. Not the best jacket for hiking, but it looked great on him.
Special Agent Ford continued to talk about the investigation. “The sheriff mentioned you live here with your brother. Where is he?”
The mention of her brother chilled Autumn to the core. She believed what she had seen in the woods to be the work of the Huntsman. No one had outright said it, but she knew it. Her concern for her brother increased tenfold. “Blaine is hiking the trail. I haven’t heard from him in a few weeks.”
“The sheriff tells me your brother has been in trouble around here,” Ford said.
The sheriff of their town, also known as her former fiancé and Blaine’s ex–best friend. What had he told them about her and Blaine? “My brother has been hiking for months. I haven’t heard from him in weeks.” Not since the news had reported on the murders along the trail, which had amplified her anxiety. Though her brother was a gentle man, if he knew anything about the murders, he would keep his mouth shut.
“Is that unusual?” Ford asked.
Blaine was a free spirit and Autumn worried it would get him killed. “Not unusual for Blaine. I’ve been concerned about him. He could be in danger.” The skitter of fear never seemed to go away completely. Until Blaine was home, she would worry about him.
“A male doesn’t match the profile. Our killer targets women.”
Another tremor of fear traced up and down her body. She could become one of the victims.
“Why don’t you give her a few minutes? You can see she’s taking this in. We’ve invaded her home and her land,” Nathan Bradshaw said.
Gratitude for Nathan surged inside her.
Special Agent Ford snorted. “We are not doing anything. You’ll return to your hotel room and forget we’ve found another victim. In the morning, check out and go home.”
Nathan didn’t move. Autumn had watched animals circle each other over territory. This was about the same.
“I know this situation is difficult.” The warmth in Nathan’s tone surprised her. It was the first time someone had expressed empathy for what she had been through tonight. The coldness in her chest lifted slightly.
“I control this crime scene. You need to leave. We can’t have anyone compromising evidence,” Ford said.
Autumn looked between the two men. “Do I have to leave, as well?” She hadn’t considered the possibility the FBI would want her to vacate the premises until they finished their search. Where would she go? She had friends in town, but since her father’s funeral, she had been keeping to herself. What could she do with Thor if she had to leave?
Ford moved closer to her. “Your cabin isn’t part of the crime scene.”
Crime scene. Her home, the place where she had always felt the safest, had become a crime scene. She wished her brother was home to help her. For that matter, she wished her father was there. Anyone to take away some of the loneliness and emptiness, emotions that were amplified by her fears. They had once been happy at the Trail’s Edge. They’d talked about their home being like a resort and their jobs nothing like work. Those memories were only a few years old, but they felt dim and distant.
“Are the cabins part of the crime scene?” Nathan asked.
Anger gleamed in Ford’s eyes. “Not at this time.” The words were punctuated with irritation.
Nathan retreated a step and faced Autumn. “What do you think about renting one of these cabins to me for a few days?”
Autumn swallowed hard, trying to think of a diplomatic way to handle this situation. She needed the income from renting one of the vacant cabins, but she didn’t want to place herself on the wrong side of Special Agent Ford. He could make life difficult for her—such as by insisting she leave the Trail’s Edge for an extended period or leaking to the press that a murder had occurred at her campground. If the threat of the Huntsman didn’t frighten away business, a murder on the premises surely would. Her business may not recover, and then what would she do? Her options were limited.
“I have a few empty cabins for rent,” Autumn said slowly. “But if Special Agent Ford and his team need a place to stay, I think it’s fair to offer them first dibs.” There. She hadn’t lied to Nathan and she had given Ford priority, even if something about him rubbed her the wrong way.
“We’re staying at a motel in town,” Ford said, jutting his jaw. “Our mobile unit won’t make it up these paths. But that shouldn’t matter. We don’t consider this location a hot zone.”
Regardless of what the FBI thought, how would she ever feel safe again with the overarching sense of violation and terror that had clung to her since the moment she and Thor had seen the body? “How can you know he won’t return?”
Special Agent Ford lifted his brow as if her question amused him. “We know his profile. We know how he behaves. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some questions I’d like to ask in private.”
“I’m more comfortable with Nathan staying with me.” Where had that come from? The words had popped out of her mouth before she could censor them. She didn’t know who looked more surprised—Nathan or Ford. If he was planning to question her about Blaine, she wanted someone else in the room as a buffer. She would become defensive about her brother, and her irritation with Sheriff Daniel would shine through.
“Let me stay. You know I’ll ask her the same questions you’re planning to,” Nathan said.
Ford set his jaw. He looked between her and Nathan.
After a few moments of hesitation, he let out his breath sharply. “Ms. Reed, tell me what you were doing before you found the body.”
Nathan moved closer to her, and the air around her heated. His stance was protective, almost as if he wanted to shield her from this unpleasant conversation.
Autumn answered Ford’s question, trying to give helpful details, but not sure what was important. Images of the victim flashed in her mind, but not clear enough to form a complete picture.
Living in this area, she was friendly with many of the trail’s frequent hikers. Was the victim someone she knew? Autumn had read every article she could find online about the killer and his victims, and as yet, each victim had been identified. All females, but it made her anxious to think about Blaine on the trail.
She would have recognized tonight’s victim if he was her brother, right? She wanted someone to reassure her the victim wasn’t Blaine. “Do you know who the victim is?” Autumn asked.
Ford shook his head. “We don’t expect to make that information available until we’ve gotten positive identification and notified the victim’s family.”
The FBI agents weren’t allowing her near the crime scene, and fear fogged her brain. Could the victim be her brother?
“Do you routinely walk your dog on this path?” Ford asked.
Autumn struggled to clear her mind and focus. Routinely? No. Frequently? Sure. “Sometimes. I don’t really—”
He lobbed another question at her before she could finish her thought. “Have you read or heard the news reports about the dangers on the trail? Have you spoken with your brother about the Huntsman? Have you taken any precautions?” Ford asked.
Was he trying to catch her off guard? Did he think she had something to do with the murder? Ford studied her, his eyes burning into hers, as if the answers were hiding inside them. She needed a few minutes of quiet alone to compose herself and her thoughts. “I’ve read about the Huntsman and I’ve been more careful about going out at night. I keep my dog with me as added protection.” He was a rescue dog and Autumn thought he might be part Labrador retriever. She didn’t add that Thor was more friendly pup than fierce beast.
“Why did you take your dog to that location?” Ford asked.
His questions were starting to sound familiar. Was he asking the same question in a different way to trip her up? Autumn pressed her hand against her roiling stomach. “I don’t know. I don’t plan a route.”
Ford stared at her. “And?”
Frustration pulled at the edges of her temper. “And nothing. I don’t know what you want me to say.”
Nathan moved his body partway in front of hers. “Ford, come on. She’s had a rough night. She told you what she knows. If she thinks of anything else, she’ll call. Let her get a good night’s sleep and revisit this tomorrow.”
Gratitude for this near stranger surged inside her. She needed a break to try to cope with the horror of the night.
Ford stiffened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I’ll call you tomorrow morning, Ms. Reed.” Ford’s gaze swerved to Nathan. “Go home. Stop forcing your way into my investigation.”
Ford stalked away from them in the direction of the crime scene. Autumn relaxed, realizing she’d been fisting her hands and curling her toes in her shoes.
Autumn pulled the collar of her jacket up to block the wind that kicked up. “Mr. Bradshaw, if you want to follow me, I can register you.”
“Please, call me Nathan.” He set his hand on her lower back, steering her toward her lighted porch. Normally, she wouldn’t have liked a man being so forward with her, but Nathan’s hand through her jacket was warm and comforting. After what she had seen in the woods, she didn’t want to be alone and she welcomed the connection.
When her brother had announced his plans to hike the trail, Autumn hadn’t realized how unsettled she’d feel alone at the campground. It was the first time she had been alone for any length of time at the Trail’s Edge, and without any campers, she felt even more lonely. The short distance to town didn’t feel like a short distance in the middle of the night when it was utterly quiet and she was poignantly alone. And now, knowing someone had been murdered on her property sent a chilling sense of fear along her spine.
She forced herself to play hostess. “Nathan, welcome to the Trail’s Edge. I wish you were visiting under happier circumstances. This is a great campground. The views are beautiful and it’s usually peaceful and quiet.”
He tossed her a half smile and her heartbeat quickened. “Believe me, I wish the same.”
She opened the door to her cabin, and Thor rushed to greet her. She snagged his collar before he ran outside and caused a commotion. She hated to keep him penned in the house, but now wasn’t the time to let him run around the campground. He would drive the investigation team crazy, and she didn’t want him hurt.
Ford’s words didn’t comfort her. The Huntsman was still at large.
Suppressing a shiver of fear, Autumn stroked Thor’s ears. “This is Thor. He was with me when we found the body. He found it first. Unfortunately, I don’t think he will make a very good witness.” She dragged Thor away from the door, and after Nathan stepped through, she shut and locked it behind them. The warmth of the room stung her face. She hadn’t realized how cold it had gotten outside.
As soon as she registered Nathan into one of the cabins, she would turn up the pellet stove and curl up near the heat with a cup of hot chocolate. Though she doubted she would sleep tonight, perhaps she could rest in the warmth and comfort of her cabin.
“I’m sorry you have to go through this,” Nathan said.
Autumn blinked, her eyes feeling gritty with exhaustion. She sat at the kitchen table, her registration sheet blank in front of her. “Why here? Why would he pick this campground of all places?” The Appalachian Trail was more than two thousand miles long. When she’d read about the case three weeks ago, she hadn’t considered the killer would strike so close to her home. For so long, the Trail’s Edge had been her sanctuary from the world.
Nathan took a seat kitty-corner from her. His nearness both calmed and excited her. “I haven’t determined how he chooses an area or why he chooses the victims he does and what makes him move on to another location.”
“Does that mean he could come back?” Autumn said. “Ford didn’t seem to think so.”
Nathan looked from her to her dog. “I don’t think he’s finished here. You described the smell of burning to Ford, but no fire. At every other scene, he has burned his victims’ body. I think you and Thor interrupted the killer before he was finished with his routine.”
Her stomach grew queasy and Autumn closed her eyes. “He was planning to burn her? That wasn’t in the news.”
“It’s a detail the FBI has been keeping close to the chest.”
What about Nathan? “Why are you working this case? Special Agent Ford indicated he didn’t want your help.”
Nathan’s face darkened and a shadow crossed his eyes. “My twin sister was the killer’s third victim. I’m doing this for her and our family.” Grief underscored every word.
“Oh, Nathan. I’m sorry for your loss.” Her words were a useless platitude. She remembered the article in the news about the third victim. The unnamed victim had been planning to go hiking with a friend, but when the friend became sick, she’d gone alone. A park ranger had found the body less than a quarter of a mile from the trail. It made sense now why the ranger had been drawn to the location. A fire along the trail was cause for concern.
“Thank you. Finding Colleen’s killer is the only way I’ll sleep easy at night,” he said.
“You don’t trust Ford to find her?”
“No.”
No explanation.
With his intense dark eyes watching her, she found it hard to think, hard to put together rational thoughts. She’d never had this kind of reaction to a man. It had to be the stress from the night. Finding the body and the exhaustion catching up to her. Being lonely for too long. Missing her father and missing Blaine. She needed a friend, and at the moment, Nathan was the only one who fit the bill.
Nathan straightened his shoulders, as if pulling himself together. “I know you’re tired, but I’d like to ask you a few more questions, if you’re willing to answer them.”
Autumn pulled her hair free of the elastic band holding it. She rubbed her fingers along her scalp, trying to massage away the headache that pulsed there. “Does that mean you’re not planning to follow Ford’s suggestion?” Seeing the raw emotion, she wondered if it was wise for Nathan to stay involved in the case. But how could she refuse to answer his questions knowing how much this meant to him and his family?
“Never considered walking away. Stopping him from killing again is too important.”
