Chapter 42

It took ninety minutes to drive to the exact location in Harrisville that Eloisa Fairchild had marked on the map. It took another ten minutes of driving down little used nearby tracks to spot a small dark gray sedan parked along the side of the road near a hiking trail.

"Same make and model Graham Burns drove, but different plate." Aaron pointed out to Frazer, who was driving.

They pulled up a short distance away.

Frazer called in the license plate, and it came back to a Toyota Camry not a Chevy SS.

They both got out of the Beemer and walked toward the other car. Frazer handed him a pair of surgical gloves.

They walked around the vehicle slowly, careful to avoid any tracks in the snow and frozen earth. Frazer took photos with his cell from multiple angles.

"Door's unlocked," Aaron noted.

"Probably hoping it would be stolen."

Aaron nodded and eased open the door, avoiding the vague indented footprints that led from it. It had snowed since the person, presumably Leech, had dumped the car. Frazer placed a quarter on the ground and took more photographs from various angles. He obviously believed this was the car they were looking for. So did Aaron.

Aaron reached inside and popped the trunk. They both walked to the rear of the car. The orange jumpsuit and the brown of the prison guard's uniform were instantly visible.

Frazer took more photographs.

This was definitely the right car.

The profiler reached inside and gently pulled the heavy jacket back to reveal the pale face of a young man who'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

At least the cold weather had held decomposition at bay.

"Graham Burns." Sympathy welled within Aaron's chest followed by anger. "Think Eloisa Fairchild will believe this evidence?"

Frazer's mouth thinned. "I think she'd find a way to convince herself Leech was innocent even if he stabbed her with a letter opener."

"Are we about to ruin her kid's life?" Because Aaron didn't mind Eloisa paying for breaking the law, but he had a hard time condemning a child.

"I'll talk to the DA. If we can get her full cooperation, maybe we can use her to help catch this bastard. Spring a trap."

"At least we know what he's driving."

Frazer shot him a glance. "We know what he was driving yesterday."

Aaron swore. Checked his watch. "You call it in and organize evidence recovery techs to get out here. I'll see if I can get a local cop to guard the scene in the meantime. I need to get back before Hope leaves work."

Frazer's eyes gleamed at the mention of Hope's name, but Aaron ignored him. He took another long look at the young man who'd been murdered and dumped in the back of his trunk like so much garbage. This was who Leech really was. Not the mansion or the private jets. Not the wardrobe full of fancy suits or protestations of innocence. He was death and destruction and egocentric self-gratification. And perhaps Eloisa Fairchild had been right to deceive him, because who would want that man, a serial killer, as the father of their child?

Aaron stared up at the tops of the trees as the naked branches swayed and tried to keep his own fears at bay. Julius Leech wanted to kill Hope, a woman Aaron was starting to care deeply for.

He strode to the BMW, suddenly anxious to get back to her side. Frazer locked up the other car while Aaron called the local police department. He didn't have time to waste, but Graham Burns deserved the respect of being guarded, being watched over and protected in death.

Aaron thought about Burns' loved ones and how they'd never get the chance to say goodbye, and of Hope's overwhelming grief at the loss of her family. It hit him with sudden insight that he could no longer hang on to his lingering resentment about what had happened with his brother and ex.

Life wasn't perfect, and it was surely too short to hold grudges, especially if it meant him missing out on occasions that had always been important to him.

Look at Leech and his twisted need for revenge because he couldn't let go of perceived wrongs. Or Minnie Ramon blaming Hope for simply doing her job.

It was exhausting.

His brother and sister-in-law were blissfully happy and, however Aaron had felt about it at the time, he was over it now. Done. Finished. And the last thing he wanted was to go to his own grave with this lingering resentment haunting his soul. He wanted his brother back even though it would never be exactly how it had been before. He wanted the chance to know his new niece or nephew because he loved kids and wanted his own someday. He wanted the cousins to be friends. He desperately wanted to be free of the stinging resentment and hurt and to accept what had happened, not just as a cross to bear but also as a blessing, a lucky escape. It wasn't as if he still loved his ex. He didn't. He really didn't.

And, although it wasn't exactly the same kind of situation, Hope had found a way to coexist with Brendan despite their issues. She clearly set boundaries, and the relationship was far from perfect, but she'd found a way to make it work.

He was tired of living in the past. It was time to put it behind him and truly forgive. He needed to move on while he still had the chance.