Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

A s the Carswells’ taillights faded in the distance, Andi turned to the rest of the team. They all stood near the door, where they’d told Patricia and her son goodbye only a few minutes ago.

“So what do you think?” she asked.

“I thought it was especially interesting that Anderson wasn’t supposed to be working the day he was murdered.” Mariella retreated into the living room and plopped down in an armchair, tucking her legs beneath her.

“Me too.” Andi sat on the couch, needing a moment to deconstruct the conversation. “So the question is, was this killer watching Anderson and waiting for the right moment to strike? Did he find that moment when Anderson was working alone?”

“Or was this guy keeping his eye on the greenhouse for some reason?” Simmy leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed. “Maybe this guy targets people because of their location. Maybe he targeted the camp and the nursery.”

“It is a theory worth considering,” Andi said. “Remind me about the other locations?”

“A utility worker who worked in North Pole but lived near Eielson Air Force Base was found dead in his home. A gift shop owner was picking up some homemade candles from a vendor, a nurse was found dead in her car at the grocery store, and someone who works at the planetarium was found deceased in his backyard.”

She frowned. “I’m not sure there are any connections there.”

She wished Duke and Ranger were back so she could get their opinions. She also wondered if they’d discovered anything—if they’d figured out Caleb’s location or what he might be up to. So far, they’d heard no updates.

Honestly, she was beginning to get worried. The weather was brutal, and they weren’t supposed to be gone this long.

With a possible killer on the loose, too many things could go wrong. Duke and Ranger were capable, but bad things happened to capable people all the time.

That truth left her unsettled.

Duke drew his gun as they approached the cabin. Out of caution, he stood on one side of the door while Ranger stood on the other.

With a nod, Duke threw the door open and swung around to see the inside.

He wasn’t sure what to expect. Part of him imagined the place being taken over by nature. But to his surprise, the one room cabin was neat and clean—and empty.

Duke and Ranger stepped inside to take a better look.

“Someone has definitely been here recently.” Duke put his gun back into his holster at his waist.

Ranger held his hand over the cast iron stove in the corner. “This is cold. So recently could mean sometime in the past several days. It’s dipped below zero.”

“I agree.” Duke continued to pace around the room to make sure his initial scan was correct.

There weren’t many personal effects in the cabin. A beige blanket was strewn across a mattress on the wooden floor. Candles lined various surfaces—there was clearly no electricity.

The cabin was primitive, but for the right person, it could be a warm place to stay at night.

Was this where the December Dismemberer had been staying?

His throat tightened at the thought.

He paused near a dresser. Still wearing his winter gloves, he opened the drawer and squinted.

Two neatly folded flannel shirts waited inside. He picked up one.

It appeared, based on the size and shape, to belong to a woman.

A woman had been staying out here?

Duke was fairly certain this killer wasn’t a woman. But he could be wrong.

So just who had been living out here? And where was this person now?

Before he could explore the questions too long, something snapped just outside the window.

His back tightened.

He and Ranger weren’t here alone, he realized.

Ranger froze and glanced at him, clearly hearing the noise also.

Was the person lingering outside a friend or foe?

They needed to find out.