Page 83 of Race to Save Her

There were photographs of Arson Investigator Ames at various locations, one when he was running and another at the fire department with a few other firefighters. There were a couple of photos of Deputy Chris Anderson going to the coffee house, and when he was with Katie on the search. But the most disturbing of all were photos of Katie—in her driveway with Cisco, at the police department parking lot, and after she had pulled Cisco to safety from the mud trap. The expressions of anger, relief, and anguish on her face were clearly evident, telling a story.

It was disturbing. It was shocking. It was how the killer was able to stay steps ahead of the investigation.

“He wanted us to find this,” she said. “He’s luring us.”

“I’m afraid to ask. Luring us into what else?” McGaven glanced around the cabin where the decomposing stench was still strong and a severed arm remained in the shower.

“Into his world, but I can’t pinpoint the exact reason for doing it. I need to work on that part of the profile—his behavioral evidence left behind at the scenes—to try to figure him out,” she said. “But we need to be ready for whatever’s going to hit like a wrecking ball.”

“You’re forgetting something,” said McGaven.

“What?” she said, looking around at the cabin and what was left behind for them to find.

“He has more photos of you than anyone else. If we’re preparing for a wrecking ball, you’re who he’s trying to hit.”

FIFTY

Saturday 1845 hours

Katie and McGaven came back to the police department wanting immediately to update their murder board. The deputies were still searching the surrounding area, and John had a lot more to document and collect. Eva was called in to dust for prints, which was going to be a huge undertaking.

Katie had wanted to stay at the scene, but there were so many moving parts, she thought it was better to be updated throughout the day and move through all the puzzle pieces back at the office.

“I’m going to order pizza,” said McGaven. “Trust me?”

“Of course. Extra pepperoni, please. I think we’re going to be here for a while,” said Katie.

“The boxes of paperwork will be arriving soon. Chris said he would bring them.”

“Great.”

Katie thought about the killer. Now they had seen what he looked like and how he moved. The new crime scene remained a bit of a mystery, but it was still telling them about their unidentified man.

“Okay, what do we know now?” she said standing in front of the investigation board with her hands on her hips. It was her battle stance; she intended on making progress and finding a new lead that would take them closer to apprehending this man.

McGaven put down his phone. “That explains it.”

“What?”

“That attorney, Jake Devaroux, doesn’t exist. There never was an attorney.”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah, but annoying.” He printed something from his computer. “This is the face of Martin Sills.” He put it on the board near the pinpoint of the crime scene on the map. The fifty-two-year-old man had a receding hairline, a rounded face, was clean shaven, and looked like an average guy.

Katie added to the killer’s profile and highlighted the new information.

Killer’s Profile:

General Assessments:

Expanded power and control type—more violent tendencies than just control. He wants control of another person’s body.

Lonely.

Understimulated. Overstimulated by everything going on around him. He seems to be watching the world instead of being a part of it.

Empty.