Page 3 of Coordinates of Death

“Aurora Hunt, he’s dead.” Black’s firm voice boomed in the early-morning hours. She turned her attention to Rain and held out her hand. “I’m forensic investigator, Nadine Black—Wheeler’s niece. You are?”

Aurora noted Black’s emphasis on the word niece, obviously more for Aurora’s benefit and not Rain’s.

Rain returned the gesture. “Constable Brianna Rain. I transferred from Whitehorse. First day at the station, and I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier as I left to take this call before the briefing.”

“Good to meet you,” Nadine said. “We’re referring to the Shadow Box Killer.”

“The cold case that the team failed to solve, you mean?”

Aurora bit back her frustration. Seriously? Not a good way to win over friends.

“Nadine, we never concluded he died. Just that I had wounded him.” Aurora’s fears resurfaced as she pictured the hooded individual from the crime scene two years ago. His oversize clothing and slumped posture had hidden his figure as if the killer had tried to conceal everything about himself. They didn’t even know if SBK was male.

Aurora had pointed out her suspicions about the figure to her team before moving closer for a better look, enlisting an additional constable’s help. She wanted to question the person, but he spotted their approach and whipped out his gun and started shooting. Her colleague scrambled to the left, pushing other onlookers out of the way, and Aurora returned fire. She had wounded the figure, but even after a brief chase through the area, the suspect escaped.

Black crossed her arms. “So where has he been for the past two years?”

“Good question.” Rain shifted her position to face Aurora head-on, as if waiting for her conclusion about where the killer had been hiding.

Like Aurora knew the answer. “Prison? Traveling? Who knows? Believe me, I turned over every stone to find him and put him behind bars, but we didn’t even know his identity or have any concrete evidence to arrest anyone.” She squatted to get a better look at the clear bag. The rectangular shadow box held various types of dried flowers beneath the glass case, but the pretty picture concealed what Aurora guessed was inside.

A gruesome present.

“I read the killer left boxes at each woman’s resting place.” Rain kneeled beside Aurora. “Tell me about them.”

“Handcrafted. Each with some sort of embroidered item similar to these flowers. Animals, butterflies, nature scenes. But it was what was inside that terrorized the public and why the press dubbed him the Shadow Box Killer.”

“You mean objects with blood on them?”

“Yes. With clues to the next victim’s location, but we could never figure them out in time to save the women.” Aurora stood and addressed Black. “Check the box for fingerprints and any other evidence. I need to open it. If this truly is SBK, something inside should lead us to the next victim he’s kidnapped. We’re already behind the eight ball.”

“You’d best inform Staff Sergeant Hill and my uncle of your suspicions, even though I don’t totally agree with your conclusion.” Black didn’t wait for a response but opened her forensic kit, ready to inspect the evidence.

Like she didn’t know how to do her job. God, help me set aside my frustration with Nadine and concentrate on this case before more women’s lives are lost.

A male constable approached through the trees.

She stood and gestured to the growing group. “Rain, get Constable Murphy and canvass the crowd, but—” she held up her finger “—be careful. SBK could be lurking among them.”

“On it.” Rain hustled through the deep snow, heading toward Murphy.

Aurora unclipped her cell phone and hit her leader’s button. This won’t be easy.

“Hill here.”

“Sir, we have a situation. Is Sergeant Wheeler in his office? Can you get him on the line too?” Aurora positioned herself away from the scene and out of earshot of anyone.

“Just a sec.” Muffled voices filtered through the phone.

“Hunt, go ahead,” Hill said. “Wheeler is here too. Tell us what’s going on.”

“Nothing good.” She described the scene. “Sirs, I believe the Shadow Box Killer is back.”

“Are you sure?” Hill’s baritone voice held concern.

He knew what the case had done to Aurora. Thrown her into a dark pit. One she’d barely escaped.

“Pretty sure, but Nadine is testing for prints before we open the box.”