“Amen,” Cam echoed. “Thanks, Evie.”
“You’re welcome.” She reluctantly released his hand, acutely aware of her growing feelings for him.
And wishing very badly that he might one day feel the same way about her.
Cam glancedat the screen of his phone as they ate, anxious for Doc to call him back. He needed to get himself or someone else out to the Lighthouse Motel before darkness fell.
Maybe it was a big assumption to believe the killer would wait until dark to strike. Especially after he’d nearly run them off the road earlier. Yet he couldn’t fathom why a hunted killer would take the risk of being spotted during the daytime.
He’d thought of mounting a camera in the motel room after he’d left to walk over to meet Evie at the restaurant. He’d decided against it, preferring to head back to the nature preserve with Evie while it was still light out. If nothing happened tonight, he’d set up a camera the following day.
By now, the body of Jasmine Kramer was likely out of the ground and lying on a slab in the city morgue. He wanted to know how she’d been killed and whether she’d been sexually assaulted. Not that Rueger would give him of all people any of the details about the murder.
“I need to take Bruno outside,” Evie said, when she’d finished her meal.
“Hold on, I’ll come with you.” He quickly ate the last of his fries and chugged his water. Then he stood. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“Let’s go, Bruno.” She turned and headed out the back door to the yard. Cam’s gaze went instantly to the path they’d walked earlier that day. Of course, nobody was there, but seeing it again made him think about how many hikers had tread there to create the path in the first place.
Bruno watered a few trees, then got down to business. Evie praised him as she took care of the mess. He admired her dedication to the dog, always putting Bruno’s needs first.
One of many reasons to admire her, he silently admitted. Tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, he stood back, scanning the woods for any sign of a threat.
“Who’s a good boy?” Evie asked, clapping her hands together. Bruno romped toward her, his tail wagging furiously. Then he abruptly wheeled around and ran back toward the woods.
He was about to voice a protest when Bruno returned with a stick in his mouth. He dropped it at Evie’s feet, then backed up, looking from her to the stick and back down again, clearing expecting her to throw it.
She didn’t disappoint. The stick wasn’t heavy enough to go too far, but Bruno was all about the chase. He brought it back, and they repeated the game.
The third time, though, the stick landed farther in the woods. Bruno scrambled after it, but he didn’t reappear right away.
“Bruno! Come boy.” Even as she called out, Evie walked toward the path. Cam hastily ran over to catch up to her.
“That’s the stick.” Evie frowned. “Where did Bruno go?”
“You better wait here. I’ll find him.” Cam strode down the path, scanning the woods for the dog. Anything could have snagged the shepherd’s attention, but he couldn’t discount the possibility the dog had caught the scent of the killer.
“Bruno!” He couldn’t squelch the feeling of unease. Glancing back over his shoulder, he was glad to see Evie had stayed back as requested. He couldn’t afford to be distracted between watching her and the dog.
Within minutes, he was far enough into the woods that he grew uneasy. Where was Bruno? How could the dog have disappeared from his line of sight so quickly?
Cam had assumed that the killer’s dumping ground was the nature preserve, which was close to the river, perfect for unloading bodies, especially via a boat, but now he had to consider another possibility.
That the killer might have dumped his victims in a variety of places seemingly safe from detection.
Like Duncan Woods.
He pulled his weapon, holding it ready. He didn’t call out for Bruno again but continued scanning the woods for the dog. His phone vibrated in his pocket, likely Doc returning his call, but he let it go to voice mail.
After a full ten minutes of walking, he caught a glimpse of the dog moving through the trees to his left. “Bruno!”
This time, the dog turned his head at the sound of his name. Bruno must have spotted Cam because he trotted toward him, taking a direct path without regard for the thick brush.
“What did you find, boy, huh?” He dropped to one knee to examine Bruno more closely. There were no obvious signs of injury, which was good. Nothing in his mouth either. He still wasn’t sure what had drawn the canine this far from the rental house?
“Did you find something? Did you?” Bruno’s brown eyes were steady on his, but of course, the dog didn’t answer.
He straightened, then swept his gaze over the woods. Bruno took that moment to turn and head back into the brush, glancing back at Cam, clearly signaling he should follow.
