Page 11 of The Burning

“Not well. I went to school with him. Arrested him twice myself in the last two or three years. He led a troubled life, I think.”

“Any ongoing disputes?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to go speak with his family now.”

“Damn.” He grimaces. “Is he married?”

I nod. “I’ll probably speak to his parents, too.”

“Jesus.” He scrubs a hand over jaw stubble. “I’m still trying to get my head around this one.”

“Not easy, is it?”

He looks past me, toward the post just inside the crime scene, and shakes his head. “Look, this is your jurisdiction, Kate, but if you need a hand…”

“I’ll take all the help you can spare. This is an extraordinarily heinous crime. I thought it might be a good idea to bring in BCI. Maybe set up a task force.”

“Whatever you need.” He offers up a small smile. “Since you and Tomasetti are married now, can you work together?”

“As far as I know there aren’t any rules against it.” I shrug. “Painters Mill falls inside his region. We’ll see.”

“That’s good. I think the three of us make a pretty good team.”

I look past him, see Mona and Skid standing a few yards away, talking. “First light we need to set up a search grid of the immediate area. Metal detectors. Dogs. The whole nine yards. Expand from there. Chances are this happened just a few hours ago. We did a preliminary search, but it was dark. We might’ve missed something. Killer could have dropped something, left something behind.”

“There’s a pullover on the other side of those woods.” He motions toward the trees beyond the crime scene. “I’ll get a deputy out there, see if there are any tire marks or prints.”

“That’s good.” I sigh. “Snow isn’t helping.”

“Never does. This one’s going to be a tough scene to process all around.”

“I’ll call Tomasetti,” I tell him. “Have your guys get with Skid and set up that search.”

“Will do.”

“Can you spare a few guys to start a canvass?” I ask. “Not many houses in the area, but we should check.”

“I’ll do it,” he says. “Never know when you might get lucky.”

Back in the Explorer, I call Tomasetti as I pull onto the road.

“I appreciate your getting me out of that meeting with the suits,” he says by way of greeting.

Despite the disturbing images still playing hide-and-seek in my brain, I smile. “So you heard.”

“Came over my Spillman a few minutes ago,” he says, referring to the software system used by law enforcement and other agencies to record dispatch activities for police, fire, and emergency medical services.

“Where are you?” I ask.

“Just outside Painters Mill. Crime scene tech should be pulling in there about now. What about you?”

“I’m on my way to Swanz’s residence to do the notification.”

“Shit.”

“Yep.”

“Want some company?”