Page 105 of Coordinates of Death

“Thanks.” She motioned toward the kitchen. “Let’s see what SBK left. I’m hoping it’s the clue to finding Ginny.” She snapped multiple pictures before opening the package. “Looks like an envelope and a recorder.” She set them both on the counter.

“Open the envelope first.”

She complied and brought out the single sheet of paper, unfolding it.

Clusters of letters with spaces between each grouping littered the page with a note at the bottom.

I’ll make it easy for you to find Ginny. Shift 3.

Kordell hissed out a breath. “Not another one of these. What’s this one?”

“A Caesar cipher.” Aurora fished out a notepad and pencil from a drawer. “At least he gave us the shift, so each letter shifts forward three.” She began decoding the message, and ten minutes later, the words filled her notepad. “They’re numbers written out in full.”

“Coordinates.”

“Yes.” She tapped the numbers into her cell phone’s map, and the red target indicator appeared on her screen with an H in the middle of it. She enlarged the map. “Looks like a hospital an hour from here in a remote dense forest, but there’s no hospital there that I’m aware of.”

Kordell gestured to the window. “It’s snowing pretty hard. SBK doesn’t give their usual ticking time effect. Play the recording. Maybe it’s on there.”

Aurora hit Play.

A rap song blared.

She gripped the sides of the counter, her pulse elevating. She remembered the annoying song well. It was the same one the teenage boys had played while raping her.

And Kordell’s tortured expression revealed the song also haunted him. But why?

The song stopped abruptly. “You have until seven thirty tonight to find her,” the robotic voice said. “Don’t worry, she’s not dead. Ginny, tell them what time it is right now.”

Shuffling sounded through the small speaker. “Seven thirty. Aurora, don’t—”

“That’s seven thirty this morning. You’d best get moving, and don’t forget my last gift to you. You have twelve hours. Ticktock.”

The rap song blared for another second before the recording ended.

Dread coiled through her chest, consuming her body. “SBK knows too much. That’s the same song that played while I was raped.” Aurora noted his tightened expression. “I can tell it’s also giving you a negative vibe. Why?”

“Just hate rap. Let’s move. I’ll grab my winter survival kit from the SUV.” He avoided her gaze and tore out of the room.

Why did Kordell’s explanation not sit right with her? What are you hiding?

No time to ponder the answer—the countdown ticked through her mind.

Panic clawed at Aurora, threatening to send her over the edge. She had to find Ginny before the clock ran out.

Chapter Nineteen

Aurora white-knuckled her steering wheel. “What are you saying, Dirk? SBK spoofed the librarian’s IP address?”

“Yes. Mic missed that little detail. So much for the specialized skills of CWS.” He laced his jab at Kordell’s sister with sarcasm.

She stole a glimpse at Kordell.

His brows knit together, forming a tight line of anger.

Aurora returned her gaze to the road. “Dirk, stop with the ridicule. They’re only here to help, and your team has missed things in the past too. I’m guessing SBK hid his location well. It was obviously a setup.” She hit her signal light, slowing before turning right. “You said you had two things to tell me. What’s the second?”

“As you know, the frames are slightly different on these new shadow boxes. We have a lead on the unique material used. They’re chiseled out with distinctive etchings. We’ve tracked it down to a store a few towns over. Constables are checking it out now.”