Lawson and I climbed out of our vehicles at the same time. His face looked just as grim as I was sure mine did.
“This trailhead is farther out than the other two,” I told him—something he already knew. But my true question was hidden in the words. Why?
Lawson scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. “I’m guessing the unsub is a little less brave when they have a human victim.”
My gut churned. Hadn’t our town seen enough death and darkness?
“Another hiker called it in?” I asked.
Lawson shook his head. “Forest Service. They’ve had an increased presence just like Fish and Wildlife.”
It was then that I saw the guy sitting on a log, a cop I recognized giving him a bottle of water. He wore the Forest Service uniform but couldn’t be more than twenty. Twenty-one tops. A kid. His hand shook as he took the water bottle, taking a small sip.
Lawson led us in that direction.
The kid looked up and swallowed hard. “Chief Hartley.”
“Brian. You doing okay?”
Brian’s cheeks colored. “Lost my lunch.”
Lawson lowered himself to a boulder so he was at eye level with the kid. “Did the same thing the first time I worked a case with a body. It’s completely normal.”
Brian jerked his head up and down in a staccato nod.
“Think you could walk me through it?” Lawson asked.
He was so good at this—the people stuff. Letting others know he cared. That he was with them. It was a gift I’d never have.
Brian’s throat worked as he swallowed. “My boss is having us all work different trailheads right now. We’re supposed to walk a mile and a half in and then back out, then go to the next one.”
It was smart. All the bodies had been found within a mile of the trailheads.
Brian stared down at the water bottle, his hand tightening around it. “I’d already done four others today. Nothing. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“Were there any other vehicles in the parking lot when you pulled in?” Lawson asked.
Brian shook his head.
“Did you see signs of anyone else on the trail?”
“No,” he answered. “Nothing until I saw her.”
My gut soured. I hadn’t known anything about the victim until right then. But it was a she. It made it more real then, knowing that.
A muscle in Brian’s jaw ticked. “It was so bad. Never seen anything like it. Just…awful.”
Lawson squeezed the kid’s shoulder. “Need you to think really hard. When you were walking back out, did you see anything?”
“I-I don’t know. I was kind of in a daze. Had to step off the trail to puke. Made the call on my sat phone. And then I just…waited. I almost thought maybe I’d imagined it. Like I got dosed with something and was hallucinating.”
I’m sure he wished that was the case. Poor kid would have nightmares for the rest of his life. He’d signed up to work in the wilderness, not discover dead bodies.
Lawson gave him another squeeze. “We’ve got mental health services. Want you to take advantage of that.”
Brian looked up. “I don’t need—”
“Do it,” my brother urged. “You don’t want something like this getting a hold. Don’t want to start looking to booze—or worse—to dull the memories. Face it. Get help. Get healthy.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay.”
“Good.” Lawson slapped him on the back and stood, giving his officer a look that told the cop to stay with the kid. The guy nodded.
Lawson started toward the trail, and I followed, turning on my flashlight. I didn’t need the light to hike by. I’d trained my eyes to adjust over the years and could navigate most of these woods blindfolded and with my arms tied behind my back.
But tonight, I didn’t want to miss anything. Evidence could be anywhere.
“You take left. I’ll take right,” Lawson said, flicking his light on.
We moved slowly up the path, taking our time. My flashlight beam swung by brush and trees, rocks and fallen logs. But I didn’t see anything out of place. The forest was just as it should be.
But someone had tainted it. Brought evil into a place that had always felt like my respite. Just the knowledge of that had me pissed as hell.
I’d spent so much of my youth escaping here. The trees and creatures had always welcomed me. Never judged or mocked. They embraced me.
Voices sounded up ahead, making me take my focus off the ground in front of me. Lights shone brightly. It almost seemed like the kind you’d find at a stadium. But this was no football game.