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The main reason that Brook had received a call this morning regarding a murder in the Smoky Mountains was due to her and her team wrapping up a cold case in Charlotte, N.C. The underlying justification for their presence was the domestic terrorism case that the other park ranger had mentioned mere minutes ago.
“Of course,” Erica replied as she reached for the radio at her side. The black device was clipped to her belt. “I’ll notify our supervisor, and he’ll assign one of us to be your liaison and guide.”
“I’d prefer you,” Brook stated without reservation. It was her understanding that there were maybe thirty park rangers for the Smoky Mountains. That was a lot of area to cover with minimal staff. Erica Ashton had been professional, knowledgeable, and she never hesitated to give a valid opinion…unlike her colleague, who had a tendency to complain. “Would you please excuse us for a moment?”
At first, Erica seemed at a loss. It was evident that she didn’t want to upset her supervisor, but there was also an underlying excitement in her eyes at being chosen over Park Ranger Hal Egger. Brook wouldn’t tolerate an individual who questioned her every decision and criticized the workload. The investigation would be difficult enough without having to deal with a potential liability.
“Yes, of course,” Erica replied before she made her way to the edge of the forest. She didn’t look back, and her stride was purposeful now that she’d accepted her role. “Base, this is…”
Brook waited patiently for Theo to point out the obvious. She used the time to cleanse the lingering pungent odor from the lining of her nose.
“We’ve taken active cases before, but usually with ties to a previous investigation,” Theo pointed out as he adjusted his beanie hat. The material was meant more for a jogger than a hike in the woods, but it was what he’d brought with him for the trip. He always managed to maintain his daily workouts while in the field. She’d offered to buy him one more appropriate for the cooler temperatures experienced at such a higher elevation, but he’d refused her offer. “Are you sure you want to take on one that could potentially take months—if not years—to close?”
There was another reason that Brook had been comfortable with choosing Erica as their liaison with the park rangers—the woman’s interaction with Theo. He’d been injured in the line of duty during his tenure as a federal field agent. The loss of his right eye had resulted in him wearing a black eyepatch and looking at a long future of desk duty until he’d come to work at S&E Investigations. Whereas Hal Egger avoided looking directly at Theo during a conversation, Erica had no such issue.
Brook had known immediately who she’d wanted on her team upon agreeing to establish S&E Investigations. She’d initially chosen three team members who had each brought with them their own set of skills—Theo Neville, Sylvie Deering, and Bobby “Bit” Nowacki.
Theo had been raised by two loving parents who had dedicated their lives to law enforcement. His father was currently the NYPD commissioner, and Theo’s mother had been an officer. She’d officially turned in her retirement papers a couple of months ago. Theo’s instincts had continued to be cultivated during his training at the FBI Academy, and it was the Bureau’s loss that their requirements were outdated. Theo wasn’t meant to be behind a desk, and his injury only fueled him more to prove them wrong.
The Bureau’s loss had turned into Brook’s gain.
“The FBI lacks the resources to cover this case, unless they pull agents from other field offices,” Brook said before she mulled over their options. Theo wasn’t wrong that this type of investigation could take months if not years. “This isn’t the unsub’s first victim, though. It’s too neat. Too clean. He knew what he was doing when he abducted the victim and exactly how much time he had with her. I also believe that he expected to return to the cabin in order to dispose of her body.”
Her last statement had caught Theo’s interest.
“You think the unsub is a local.”
“Not necessarily.”
Brook would need to sit down and draft a profile before she was able to make any assumptions. She’d crafted a method when creating an outline that would help her team narrow down the suspect pool. Every single aspect that she drew from the crime scene then fed into another until a profile emerged, giving her insight into their killer. She wouldn’t skip steps, and she wouldn’t lead her team down the wrong path by rushing her process.
“The unsub could be a local, a seasonal hiker, or maybe even someone who chooses different trails across many states as a way to remain camouflaged,” Brook said as she began to study their surroundings. “The crime scene is too neat, which tells me that he wouldn’t leave the victim and her belongings to be found by some random hiker. Erica mentioned that this cabin was off the grid and nowhere near the trails. Our unsub was comfortable leaving behind his victim. Too comfortable.”
Theo nodded his understanding before reaching into his jacket. He pulled out a small notebook along with one of those miniature pencils. While he had access to the latest technology, his mind processed details better when they were handwritten on paper. It was a technique that he’d learned from his father.
Brook took advantage of the pause in their conversation to mentally catalogue what needed to happen within the next twenty-four hours. First and foremost, the team would need a place to stay that would allow them to setup a makeshift headquarters. The nearest town was Moonshine Valley, which they’d already visited to buy the essentials for today’s hike at a local hiking shop. She’d placed the cost of everything on the corporate credit card, although they’d only bought the necessities needed for one day. They would need a lot more gear in the coming days. The town couldn’t have more than a population of five hundred people, but surely there was a B&B for the tourists.
The inability to reach Bit by phone was a nuisance. There were no cell towers nearby, and they were currently relying on the park rangers to relay information. Brook wasn’t looking forward to giving their talented technology expert approval to use his own corporate credit card, but they would need special equipment to communicate with one another while canvassing the mountains.
“Did Sylvie really discover something behind the cabin?” Brook asked as she caught sight of movement through the trees. She thought for a moment that the forensic techs had arrived on the scene, but it had only been a squirrel scurrying across the ground. “Or was that something you said so that I wouldn’t lecture Ranger Egger on the importance of canvassing a crime scene?”
“A little of both,” Theo replied with a smile as he joined her to walk around the cabin. He tucked the notebook and small pencil back into his pocket. “Sylvie and I noticed a piece of fabric stuck to a tree. It was almost as if someone’s shirt got caught at one point, but it looked old. We were hoping that one of the park rangers would be able to tell us how old.”
Brook was mindful of where she stepped as they rounded the corner of the small cabin, although it was doubtful that any evidence remained outdoors. The forensic techs would still take photographs and collect anything unusual, but a week had passed since Luna Breen had been reported missing by her family.
“…nothing of importance. Riggs is the man to speak to, though.”
“Is that his first or last name?” Sylvie asked, raising a hand to indicate that she noticed Brook and Theo. “I take it that he’s a park ranger?”
“No,” Hal replied dismissively as he peered over his shoulder. He shifted so that he was facing Brook and Theo as they continued forward. “Deputy Rigby Kendric. He grew up in Moonshine Valley, and everyone just calls him Riggs. He volunteers for one of the mountain rescue teams, which is comprised of volunteers who are trained in wilderness rescue and emergency medical services. Good guy all around, but he has a chip on his shoulder.”
“To my knowledge, Moonshine Valley doesn’t have a sheriff’s office,” Sylvie stated, having done her homework when they’d arrived in town this morning. “I take it that he works out of the county sheriff’s office?”
Sylvie’s ability to conduct due diligence in record time was one of the reasons that Brook had requested she join the team. She also had as close to an eidetic memory as one could get, and her proficiency to compartmentalize was invaluable when dealing with sensitive cases.
Similar to Theo, Sylvie had been employed by the Bureau, but in the roll as an intelligence analyst. Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of her control, her security clearance had been suspended when an internal investigation was launched after her father’s arrest and conviction of fraud. Such clearance would have eventually been reinstated, but Sylvie had taken Brook’s offer to work at S&E Investigations without any regrets.
“That’s correct,” Hal confirmed as he hooked his thumbs inside his utility belt. “The sheriff’s office is about a forty-five-minute drive from Moonshine Valley. Riggs is the point person for the town since he still lives there. As I said, he volunteers with the mountain rescue team, so he knows these trails like the back of his hand.”
