Page 36 of Once Hidden
Chief Peckham’s expression was grim beneath the brim of his department-issue cap.“Cable’s truck was right here,” he said, pointing to an empty patch of gravel.“Facing that direction, engine still running, driver’s door open.”
The scene was unremarkable now.Even the light traffic out here had obscured any tire marks or footprints that might be specific to the crime scene.But as Riley scanned the area, taking in the tall grass along the roadside, the dense trees beyond, the way the road curved just enough to limit visibility from either direction, she began to get a sense of what had happened here.
“The bicycle was there,” Peckham continued, pointing to a spot in the road about fifteen feet from where they stood.“Child’s bike, small, red, with tassels on the handlebars.”
Peckham pulled out his phone, tapped the screen several times, then handed it to Ann Marie.“These are the crime scene photos I showed you back at the station.Figured you’d want to make comparisons.”
Ann Marie scrolled through the images carefully and Riley moved to look at them too.The photos showed Cable’s delivery truck, a FleetRush Logistics vehicle, parked at an angle as if he’d pulled over quickly.The driver’s door gaped open, and a small bicycle lay on its side in the road nearby.
“You mentioned his keys were in the ignition and his phone was still in the car,” Ann Marie said.“Was anything missing?Personal effects, packages?”
“Nothing we could determine,” Peckham replied.“His wallet was still in the truck, along with his lunch box.Three packages remained undelivered.”
Ann Marie continued scrolling through the images.“And the bicycle—was it reported missing from anywhere locally?”
“No reports matching its description.We canvassed homes within five miles.Nothing.”
Ann Marie handed the phone back to Peckham and pulled out a small notebook.“Would you walk me through it?Show me exactly where everything was?”
As Peckham led Ann Marie around the perimeter of the scene, Captain Hodge followed along with them.Riley stepped away, drawn to the spot where the bicycle had been found.She closed her eyes briefly, letting the sounds of the countryside wash over her—birds chirping in the trees, the occasional vehicle passing on a distant road, the soft murmur of Ann Marie’s voice as she questioned Peckham.
Riley tried to reconstruct the sequence of events in her mind.Cable driving his route, seeing the bicycle, pulling over to check if a child was in trouble.The moment he stepped from his vehicle, he would have been vulnerable.No witnesses.No help nearby.Just a man doing the decent thing, walking into a trap.
She opened her eyes and scanned the tree line, looking for signs of disturbance, trying to determine from which direction the attacker might have come.This was planned, not a crime of opportunity.The unsub had selected this spot with care—remote enough to work unobserved, but accessible by vehicle.They’d brought the bicycle as a lure, knowing it would be effective.
The same hollow certainty that had gripped her at Amanda Lindeen’s disappearance site settled in Riley’s mind.Cable Morris was already dead.She felt it with the same intuitive clarity that had guided her throughout her career.What remained was to find his body and stop the killer before they struck again.
But as before, this wasn’t something she could share with Peckham or Hodge.Another gut feeling—not evidence.
“The bicycle was clever,” she said instead.“It guaranteed the driver would stop and get out of the vehicle.”
“Different jurisdictions, different victims, but the same MO,” Hodge muttered.“Targeting delivery drivers specifically.”
“People who follow predictable routes,” Riley added.“People who are expected to stop when something seems wrong.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of Peckham’s phone ringing.The police chief stepped away to answer it, his posture stiffening as he listened to the caller.
When he returned to the group, his face was grave.
“That was the station,” he said, his voice tight with tension.“Bob Montgomery—local guy, owns the hardware store in Bundydale—was out walking near the old abandoned church on the outskirts of town.Says he found what looks like a fresh grave at the edge of the churchyard.”
The air seemed to still around them.
“Did Montgomery disturb anything?”Hodge asked.
“No,” Peckham shook his head.“Said he noticed freshly turned soil that didn’t look right.Backed off and called us right away.”
“We need to get there now,” Riley said, already moving toward her vehicle.“And you’ll need to secure the scene.”
“Already dispatched two officers,” Peckham replied, matching her pace.“They should be arriving any minute.”
Riley felt the familiar surge of adrenaline that came with what could be a break in a case.But beneath it lay a darker current—they were likely heading toward confirmation of what she already suspected.
As they returned to their vehicles, Captain Hodge was still following along beside Peckham, asking questions.He turned and waved to Riley, saying, “I’ll ride with along with the Chief this time.You can follow us.”
“See you there,” Riley replied.The two agents got into their car and Riley started the engine, watching as Peckham’s patrol car pulled away from the shoulder with a spray of gravel.As she followed him back onto the winding road, Ann Marie fastened her seatbelt and turned to face her.
“Glad we have a chance to talk,” she told Riley, “You think it’s Cable Morris who is buried there?”
