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“Excuse me for a sec,” D.D. said, then moved from the stone room into the hall. “Sergeant Detective D. D. Warren.”
“Sergeant Warren? This is Special Agent Rachel Childs. I’m leading the ERT.”
“I remember.”
“I’ve been trying to reach SSA Quincy, but she’s not answering her cell.”
“Okay.” Maybe Kimberly didn’t feel comfortable answering her phone in front of Walt? Though for a taskforce leader to not take a call...
“We have news to report,” Childs said. “Since I can’t reach Kimberly, I felt it was best to inform you.”
“I heard you guys had discovered another possible grave?”
“We’ve found five more graves.”
The team leader’s tone was curt. Even after seeing Bonita’s drawing, even knowing there had to be more bodies in the woods, D.D. felt shocked.
“Given the number,” Childs continued now, “I need to contact HQ for reinforcements. We’re going to need multiple teams, perhaps even multiple forensic anthropologists, to work a scene of this size.”
“There may be dozens of graves,” D.D. managed to say.
A moment of silence. “Then I’m going to recommend bringing in search dogs again.”
It wasn’t really D.D.’s call, being an out-of-state cop, but she still said, “I would agree.”
“These remains, they appear more recent than the first ones we found. We’re not experts, but based on some flora, fauna, something”—Childs’s voice was dry—“Harold is thinking the past five years.”
“I have a feeling we’re going to find remains from all sorts of time periods.”
That pause again. But D.D. didn’t clarify. She was keeping Bonita’s role to herself. The girl was in enough danger. The fewer who knew about her, even among the taskforce, the better.
“I texted SSA Quincy and left a message,” Childs said now.
“But you still haven’t heard anything back? Not even a text?”
“Negative.”
“I’ll reach out.”
“I appreciate it. I’ll be in touch later this afternoon. We’re going to cordon off and secure what we’ve found thus far, while Harold and Franklin continue to search.”
More graves, thought D.D. More bodies. “Sounds good.”
“I’ll be in touch. If you do hear from Quincy—”
“I’ll be sure to let you know.” D.D. hung up the phone. She moved back into the meeting room. “Keith, when you and Flora were at Walt’s yesterday, did you have cell phone coverage?”
“Oh yeah. Wi-Fi, too. His security system depends on it.”
D.D. nodded absently. “Mind texting Flora for me?”
“Why?”
“Just... touch base. I’ll do the same with Kimberly.”
Keith wasn’t fooled. But he followed D.D.’s gaze to Bonita, who was standing near the table, arms wrapped tight around her waist. “Okay.”
He pulled out his phone, tapped away. D.D. sent her own message. She had a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. But whether that was the effect of this dungeon-like space or a legitimate investigative instinct, she couldn’t be sure.
