Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36

A ndi walked beside Duke as he held a flashlight in front of the group as they trudged through the snow back to their cabin.

Gibson had told them they should turn in for the night. He still had more investigating to do, but a lot of it involved wrapping up loose ends.

Juniper had offered to let him and his colleagues stay at the camp tonight, since they now had empty rooms. Andi wasn’t sure if he would take her up on the offer or not. Either way, Gibson had promised to be in touch in the morning.

Snow was still coming down lightly, and the clouds above prevented them from seeing any northern lights that might be dancing above them right now.

Something about the aurora still fascinated Andi to this day. It seemed otherworldly and reminded her of the vastness of the universe.

She wished it was out to distract her now.

“This has been some day, hasn’t it?” Mariella finally broke the silence.

“You can say that again,” Duke said. “Yet, even after everything that’s happened, I’m not sure we’re any closer to finding answers.”

“Then we keep looking,” Ranger said. “We’ll get there.”

“That is if all these crimes are connected with the December Dismemberer,” Simmy said. “I mean, what’s happened since we’ve been here breaks his pattern. I’m no profiler, but even I know that.”

She had a point, Andi realized. If this serial killer was behind this, why was he deviating from his MO? Had something triggered him?

Was there more than one killer at play right now?

The question wasn’t comforting.

Mariella started jabbering about some things they needed to do for the podcast, but Andi only half-listened. She had too many other thoughts running through her head instead.

When they reached their cabin, Duke stopped and threw his arms out to stop everyone behind him also.

Andi’s breath caught. “What is it?”

He took his flashlight and shined it on the snowy ground. “Someone’s been here.”

Andi squinted, trying to see what he saw.

Then she realized what it was.

Footprints ran along the perimeter of the cabin.

Those tracks appeared to stop near each window, as if someone had peered inside to see if anyone was in there.

“Everyone, stay here,” Duke grumbled. “Ranger, stay with them . . . just in case.”

Ranger grunted and his shoulders broadened as he took on more of a bodyguard stance. “Good idea.”

Duke held his flashlight in one hand and his gun in the other.

Then he quietly opened the front door and glanced around.

Silence greeted him. As far as he remembered, the place looked as the gang had left it. Nothing appeared out of place.

So who had been walking around outside the cabin?

The logical conclusion was . . . the killer. Had the man come to see what they were up to?

Based on what Duke had seen outside, there were no signs anyone had entered the cabin. Still, he needed to play it safe.

He checked the rest of the rooms, looking under every bed and behind every door.

He saw nothing.

Whatever that guy was doing outside, it didn’t appear he’d left them any surprises. Duke was thankful for that.

Maybe it wasn’t the killer who had been out there. Maybe it was one of the state troopers checking to make sure everything was okay. Or maybe even a worker from the camp.

He could jump to any number of conclusions. But he wouldn’t.

He had to remain objective.

He walked back to the door and signaled to the rest of the group, letting them know that they could come inside.

Slowly, they filed in. But everyone appeared on edge with their tight shoulders and darting gazes.

“Wait . . . you’re sure it’s safe?” Mariella’s voice wavered.

“No one is hiding in here,” Duke assured her.

“Good, because I need to run to the restroom.”

She hurried down the hall.

As soon as she stepped through the bathroom door, she called, “You guys . . . you’re going to want to see this.”

They took off toward the bathroom, anxious to know what she was talking about.

Duke sucked in a breath when he glanced at the mirror.

Someone had drawn a beard on the mirror. No face. No body. Just a beard scrawled in black marker floating in the middle of the reflective glass.

He hadn’t bothered to look at the mirror earlier. He was too busy looking for intruders.

Was this image some kind of warning? Or was it a sick joke?