Page 4 of Race to Save Her

But the parking area was just as it was when she’d entered. There wasn’t anyone around. Just a suffocating silence.

Keeping a watchful eye, Katie slowly leaned into her car. Everything else inside her Jeep was exactly as she’d left it that morning when she’d arrived at the department. She retrieved the small white box. There wasn’t much weight to it.

Katie carefully lifted the lid. She sucked in a breath as she took in the image of the severed finger lying on cotton, decorated with crimson blood spatters. The cut was clean, as if a type of saw had been used. From the shape and manicured nail, it was clearly a woman’s index finger.

THREE

Friday 2215 hours

The police parking lot was soon lit up like daytime. Lights on tripods replaced those that weren’t functioning, the cause of which was inconclusive—maintenance was working on it. Several patrol officers were cordoning off the crime scene, which circled around Katie’s Jeep. She watched as an officer and the forensic technician, Eva, examined and documented the vehicle. It wasn’t difficult to miss Eva, with her short blonde spiky hair. She was extremely helpful to John in the forensics department, and seemed to be managing the scene well without him.

One of the deputies was dusting the Jeep for prints. The team had already agreed the finger in the box was likely a female right index due to the painted nail, and that it was highly probable it had been severed two to four hours before it had been placed in Katie’s vehicle.

Katie had seen more crime scenes than she liked to remember, but this one sat uncomfortably with her. She was satisfied with how the area was being processed, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the finger had been a personal message—a threat to her, perhaps? Had she angered someone during one of her investigations? Or was someone trying to highlight a case or a piece of evidence for her? Whatever their plan, this finger was absolutely getting her attention—and she supposed that had been the point.

A white SUV drove into the lot and parked nearby. A distinguished man stepped out and immediately commanded attention with his posture and stance. Sheriff Scott was dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and a jacket. His eyes expertly swept the crime scene as he walked toward Katie.

She turned to the sheriff. “I’m surprised to see you,” she said.

“When something like this happens at my department, I want to know about it.”

Katie nodded. “What are your thoughts?”

“I should be asking you that question.” He smiled slightly, knowing Katie was always thinking about motives.

She smiled back. Her uncle knew better than anyone how her mind worked.

“So?” he said, eyeing his niece.

Katie took a breath; she was still unsettled. “Well, the person who left this is trying to get our attention and they’ve made a big statement.” She watched Eva take the white box and put it into a metal canister so she could take it to the medical examiner’s office for identification.

The sheriff watched Katie. “I can see something is troubling you.”

“I’ve just got this feeling there’s going to be more,” she said slowly.

“More body parts?”

“Yes,” she said slowly. She had a sense this was only the beginning and something big was brewing. Though she had no idea what. She turned to her uncle and said, “I know what you’re thinking.”

“And what’s that?” He continued to watch his people work the scene.

“You want to put a patrol car in front of my house.”

“That goes without saying, until we know more.”

Katie sighed.

“With both McGaven and John out of town, it’s especially important you have someone watching your back.”

“I get where you’re coming from. But⁠—”

“There are no buts about it. There is going to be a patrol at your house when you’re not here.” Once the sheriff made a statement, he wasn’t going to retract it.

She sighed again. “Hamilton going to run point?”

“For now.”

She didn’t push her uncle. His comment could mean that she and McGaven would be given the case once Gav was back—or not.