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“You don’t think it’s Jacob?” Flora spoke up quietly.
D.D. shrugged. “I haven’t ruled him out. But four bodies, three in one site... This is different. This isn’t lone-predator activity—at least not any kind of lone predator I’ve ever heard about.”
Keith nodded vigorously.
“I think we’re back to our first theory,” D.D. continued. “Murder as a team sport.”
“Why the IV?” Kimberly pushed.
“I have no idea.”
“Where’s the closest hospital?” Kimberly asked the sheriff.
“There’s a couple,” Sheriff Smithers offered. “Nothing too close, though.”
“I wouldn’t go straight to hospitals,” D.D. volunteered. “I’d start with people with medical backgrounds. Nurses, EMTs, a retired doctor, even a vet. An IV isn’t that difficult, right?” She turned to the sheriff. “Is that something Dorothea could help us with, being the town busybody and all?”
Sheriff Smithers nodded. “I could ask her.”
“Where do you get an IV?” Keith asked.
“Medical supply company,” said Kimberly. “Online retailer. I asked Dr. Jackson. Tubing, cannula, medical tape, those items are easy to come by.”
“Especially around here,” the sheriff added. “In the mountains we always have some survivalist types, and they keep a fair amount of medical supplies on hand. You know, for the coming plague and all.”
More nodding from around the room.
“All right,” Kimberly said. “This is the plan. Tomorrow, teams of two visit our list of properties. Sheriff, you’re in charge of those efforts.”
He nodded.
“Sergeant Warren—”
“I’ll continue interviewing locals,” D.D. immediately spoke up. She gave Kimberly a measured look, and belatedly Kimberly got it. The girl—whomever it was D.D. had met today, she planned on going back. Kimberly didn’t get it, but she trusted D.D.’s instincts.
“Okay. We need to start running the lists of hotel guests, such as they are.”
As expected, her fellow agents nodded. Crunching massive amounts of data was any FBI agent’s bread and butter, and exactly who Kimberly would want to do the job.
“And, um...” She turned to Keith and Flora, then realized she really didn’t know what they should be doing. “Eat more?” she suggested.
“No, thank you,” Flora said.
“I think we should walk around,” Keith said. “Visit stores, other establishments. Team sport, right?” Keith glanced at D.D. “Let’s see if anyone recognizes Flora. Or if her appearance...”
“Spooks anyone?” D.D. filled in, with a pointed look at Keith.
“Exactly.”
Kimberly shrugged. They were civilians, so she could hardly give them official tasks. “Scare away,” she ordered.
Then hoped the words didn’t come back to haunt them.
