Page 94 of Long Past Deadly

“It’s not going to change anything. I’m guessing we’ll find at least one. And once again we’ll be without the bodies for tangible proof. Who’s to say this was only U.S. troops he picked on. It could have been local militia, too. He called Esme sweet honey.”

Quaid squeezed her shoulders in surprise. “What?”

“Right before I attacked him, intoned like a goodbye.” That memory ripped into old hurt and left her trembling.

“From all the info we have, we can’t make any predictions about how deep this goes.”

“Exactly. But I’m right about this. He works for control over every situation, and he’s losing it. These last few have been messy, public, and emotional attempts, not the strategy of a professional. He’s not hunting anymore. He’s reacting. We can use that.”

“How?”

“Manhunt plus a target for him to pivot to. It’ll work. If he’s reacting, he can be provoked.”

She liked proof, logic, and facts that led to a solid conclusion. It was in her training.

This time her gut was saying the same thing.

Chapter Seventeen

QM International Situation Brief: 14:00:30 PST 12/23 – San Diego HQ. Manhunt active. HQ coordinating with law enforcement and military agencies. Security Level 5 remains in effect. All personnel maintain heightened vigilance. Ϙ

QM Operations folded aside a temporary wall and took over the adjoining conference room on the third floor. Mackey and Ryker stood in front of a map of Southern California and were speaking intensely in a shorthand only both of them understood. Her crime boards had been shifted from Quaid’s office into the room some time ago. Her notes were all under scrutiny. She wasn’t close enough to hear their conversations even with perfect hearing, which she didn’t have; frankly, her mind was elsewhere.

Sweet honey. Did Mercer call all his victims that before he killed them? Could they use the endearment to goad him? She mulled the question while twirling her coffee cup on the table.

Kerry Jahle came to the table and sat next to her. “I may have found something.”

“Mercer?”

She shook her head. “No, Esme.” I did a search of the two girls who disappeared around the time Esme did. The ones Sergeant Walker gave you.”

Alanna’s eyes widened, then she took a good look at Kerry. “Did you sleep?”

The woman grinned. “Yes, I did. Turbo charged me.”

“Noted. Tell me.”

“I did a search of the names. Not much in the police files on the two. Whether the lack was minimal effort, there wasn’t much back then, or the coordinated way we search now gave me an advantage, I don’t know. But I did some searching of the area’s high school year books, news reports, addresses, family, DMV, and what there was of social media in that time frame. I may have found one of them in our morgue search.”

Alanna leaned closer. “What?”

“Yeah, already passed it on to Sergeant Walker.”

“Tell me. Which girl? And which high school?”

Kerry slid a piece of paper across the table.

Alanna read the information, pulled a marker from her pocket, and went to the boards. Updating the information with another death agitated the anger she kept pushing aside.

Kerry followed her, eyes scanning the boards, too.

Alanna turned and faced her, taking a minute to settle. Several eyes in the room were on her. “Any other details?”

“Not about this. I may have found a name. Seth Tenney’s wife, Barb? It’s her boyfriend.”

Alanna blew out a breath, exasperation joining the anger. “Why am I not surprised?”

Kerry rolled her eyes. “It’s always family, right?”