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The purpose of Bit and Erika speaking somewhat freely in front of the members of the press was so that they would print the scoop for tomorrow’s headline or maybe even cover the story on tonight’s local news channel. It was then that the unsub should make an attempt to clean up what trace evidence had allegedly been left behind. With any luck, Theo and Riggs would make an arrest and escort the killer back to town.
“You aren’t wearing a jacket,” Erika pointed out as they reached the front door of the bar. “I’ll wait for you if you want to go back upstairs to grab it.”
“We’re only walking across the street.” Bit opened the door and ended up gritting his teeth at the cold temperature. Why was the October weather so much crisper here than in D.C.? He managed to put on a brave face as he motioned Erika ahead of him. “Did you notice the news vans? There were two this morning, but another one must have gotten tired waiting for the sheriff to return to the B&B.”
Sheriff Otto Jackson had kept in touch with Brook since she’d arrived back into town. In turn, she’d given the team an update on the remains that had been discovered this morning. Darlene Hummel had been murdered, and it was looking more and more like her fiancé was guilty of said crime. The sheriff currently had Lance Griffin at the station being questioned with the man’s lawyer present. One would think that the media would be parked out front of the police station forty-five minutes from Moonshine Valley. As it stood, word must have leaked that the police believed Darlene Hummel was not the victim of the serial killer.
“The usual volunteers should all be back to their normal routines,” Erika said as she tugged on the zipper of her jacket. Bit was doing everything in his power not to shiver. “Maybe once the press gets wind of what we have to say, one of the reporters might go live for the ten o’clock news. If no one bites, then I assume we move on from the volunteers, right?”
Brook had gone over and over the possibilities of what could happen once their plan was set in motion, which was why she’d requested that Theo and Riggs camp out near the remains of the burnt structure. Brook had mentioned that there was hardly anything left of the log cabin, but it was doubtful that the unsub would be able to stop himself from going back to the scene of the crime. At least, that was the reaction they were hoping for later tonight or tomorrow morning.
“Boss wouldn’t be making these types of preparations if she wasn’t convinced the unsub was one of the volunteers,” Bit managed to say without chattering. “Did you know that she had the best closing rate in the Bureau? Her profiles are becoming legendary, and she was even asked to teach a course at one of the universities.”
Bit shot Erika a sideways look of concern as they stepped up onto the curb. He reached for the handle on the diner’s door. It took all his strength not to tug on the handle to seek the warmth inside, but he had to ask Erika something first.
“Do you still think that there is a chance that Allen Brixton abducted, tortured, and murdered those women?”
“No.” Erika cleared her throat and reached for the handle. She pushed his hand aside and opened the door. “Theo confirmed Allen’s alibi for when Luna Breen was killed, so we don’t need to worry about him, right? He was with my sister in Vegas. Let’s just get this over with so that we can go back to the bar.”
Bit wasn’t a man who got in someone else’s personal space, but he couldn’t let their conversation slide—not when Theo was camping out in the mountains with only Riggs, another local, as backup.
“Dominic Ryder.” Bit had taken a quick step across the threshold and made sure that Erika couldn’t advance toward the counter. He would have also liked to relish the warmth that was radiating from the massive fireplace on the other side of the room, but he kept his focus on his current coconspirator. “You think that Dominic might be the unsub.”
“How did you…”
Erika let her voice trail off before biting the inside of her cheek. She broke off their stare. Bit had learned a lot from Sylvie and Theo over the past couple of years. Brook, especially. He’d studied the way they would monitor a room, how they observed body language, and especially the manner in which they kept close tabs on those outsiders involved with an investigation.
Upon exiting the bar, Erika’s gaze had swept over the patrons enjoying their evening. There was only one table that had truly captured her interest, and Bit had noticed the way Dominic Ryder had acknowledged her presence. At first, Bit had thought it had been mere courtesy, but he now realized that it was much more than that.
“You’re personally involved with Dominic Ryder,” Bit whispered in incredulity as he adjusted his knitted hat in disbelief. “And you didn’t say anything. This entire time, you’ve been working this investigation with us, and you didn’t say a word that you were involved with a potential suspect. A prime suspect who just so happens to be part of the press.”
Bit had gone above and beyond in his online search of everyone involved with the investigation, and there had never been any kind of link between Erika and Dominic. He trusted his programs explicitly, so that meant either the relationship was brand new or they had purposefully kept it secret from everyone.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but we had a one night stand a couple months back.” Erika tugged at the collar of her jacket with a mixture of annoyance and agitation. “I didn’t think it was relevant to the investigation.”
“Not relevant?” Bit wasn’t usually one to come down on someone else. He always made an attempt to try and view things from another’s perspective. Given the fact that this was a murder investigation, he’d come up blank. “The man you slept with is a potential suspect in a murder investigation, and you didn’t think it was relevant to the case? Did you say anything to Dominic about what we’re doing this evening?”
“No, but everyone else—including members of the press—will hear about it if you don’t turn around right now. We’re causing a scene.”
Bit glanced over his shoulder and noticed the stares of a few people, but they were mostly locals. He’d seen them often when picking up orders or during his walk down to the bakery. The reporters and their crew were too busy looking at their phones, so it was relatively easy to tell them apart.
“Let’s get this over with,” Bit muttered with apprehension. Brook and the others needed to be alerted that the case might have been compromised, regardless of Erika’s denial. The performance that he and Erika were about to give could be for naught if she’d inadvertently let something slip in a conversation with Dominic Ryder. “Did I mention that I have a newfound respect for actors?”
“We’re technically not acting,” Erika whispered as they continued their way to the counter. “We’re just discussing details of the case.”
Bit acknowledged her rational view of their current situation, but that didn’t mean his stomach agreed with it. He rested a hand over his abdomen in an attempt to quell his nerves.
“Hi, Bit,” Irene called out from behind the wooden countertop. She had a hand towel thrown over her right shoulder, and she was setting a soft drink down in front of someone. “Erika, it’s good to see you. I figured you were working late tonight after hearing about the anchovies. Your order should be up in a few minutes. Can I get you two some drinks while you wait?”
“I’d love a large iced tea to go, please,” Erika replied before gesturing toward the crowded tables and stools. “Business is good tonight.”
“I heard Wyn’s place is packed, as well.” Irene turned so that she could pull one of the disposable cups off the top stack. “Care to share any updates on the case? Everyone is a bit on edge after hearing that another hiker was found dead, and I can’t blame them. Is it true that Hiker’s Haven is the connection? By the way, Kirk had to take Mauve into the hospital about an hour ago. Poor thing.”
“We’re not sure about the connection to Hiker’s Haven,” Erika said after a brief pause. She glanced at Bit as if to say that he should have been the one to follow up Irene’s question with an answer, but he was too interested in the lighted display of the diner owner’s phone. She’d left it near the coffee pot. “We should know more in the coming days, though. The sheriff doesn’t think that Darlene Hummel is a part of our investigation. We discovered another site where we believe another woman was murdered around five years ago. Ms. Sloane checked it out today with Hal, and she discovered something that could help identify the killer. She requested a forensics team to process the remains of the structure, but they were diverted to the body discovered by the search party this morning. Unfortunately, it might take them a day or two to reach the other site.”
Irene must have silenced her phone. She was so engrossed in what Erika had to say regarding the investigation that she hadn’t even noticed that someone was calling her. What Bit found most interesting was that the call was from a blocked number. The name wasn’t revealed, which just so happened to occur when the caller used a burner.
Was Irene’s nephew trying to get in touch with her?
