Fear weighed her limbs down as Ava grabbed some line and yanked. Working together, whatever lay beneath the surface slowly rose.
A woman’s face and head suddenly appeared covered in wax. Ava screamed and let go of the line. The body floated back underwater.
She stepped back and fought the urge to be sick. “We need ERT and the ME here now.”
Rachel grabbed her phone then dropped it, her fingers shaking at the horror they’d witnessed. The phone slid several feet across the ice.
“Sorry.” She retrieved it and turned away. Her voice was unsteady as she relayed Ava’s message.
“We need to secure the perimeter,” Ava told Caleb as she continued to stare at the gaping hole. “And document all visible evidence.”
She radioed the team on shore. “We have a body underneath the surface. Deputy Vaughn, I need you, Archer, and Detective Hunter to secure the scene and document the evidence. Ranger Larabee, I’ll need you to take photos as well.”
Rachel ended her call. “ERT’s twenty minutes out. The ME will be longer.” She glanced back at the hole. “He took the time to drill the hole to put her in the water. Why?”
Ava glanced at the altar. “This place—the woods where we found Emily—they’re all important to Wax somehow. Familiar. He’s spent a lot of time here.”
Rachel looked at her curiously. “You think he’s from the area?”
Ava had long thought Wax had lived here at one time. “I think so. He knows the area too well, not to have lived here once.”
The team on shore arrived. Shackleford handed Shadow over to Ava. The K-9 was already sniffing the air.
“He may still be picking up Wax’s scent,” Caleb said when he noticed.
Ava had no doubt. Shadow was one of the best trackers. “Let’s see where he takes us. Rachel, I need you to oversee securing and documenting the crime scene.”
“Copy that.”
“Caleb, can you come with me?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Lead the way.”
“Shadow, hunt.” As soon as she gave the command the dog headed off to the right. The dog slipped and slid across the ice until they reached the shore.
“Which way now?” Caleb asked as the dog appeared to waver for a brief moment.
Before Ava could respond, Shadow had picked up the scent again.
Wax’s footprints had long been covered by fresh-fallen snow. But it didn’t matter. The dog could smell what they couldn’t see.
“Where does this lead?” Ava asked.
Caleb clicked on his flashlight as the dense woods prevented light from penetrating. “To a small community just beyond those woods. It’s remote—there’s only a handful of houses.”
“Why would he deliberately head toward a place where he might be identified...unless he lives there?”
Everything about this felt off to Ava. She listened for any other noise, any clue that Wax might have left behind. Here in the trees, the wind appeared muted. Shadow didn’t show any sign of letting up. In the distance, the sound of vehicles approaching could be heard.
Soon, the trees thinned. Gray skies rained down snow. The early afternoon light appeared filtered. Ava knew night came early in the mountains.
Down a sloping incline was a valley covered in snow. Maybe ten houses were spread out on what appeared to be one to two acres each.
They reached the first house. Shadow suddenly stopped near the drive. The dog sniffed around but the scent was gone.
“He must have had a car parked here.” Ava glanced back at the house. “I don’t see any cameras around the house. Let’s see if anyone’s home.”
Shadow fell into step with Ava who started up the sidewalk to the door. She rang the doorbell.
