Page 37 of Coordinates of Death

Chapter Six

Several hours later, Aurora bent over for an eye-level view of the hand and took multiple pictures as per Dr. Sharpe’s instructions. Earlier, Kordell and Aurora had turned up the heat in the small room and added the bowl of hot water, locking the door before proceeding to the main level. Howie had a steaming bowl of chili ready for them as they waited for the ice to melt enough for them to access the hand. Aurora had struggled to contain the worry building inside her at the coroner’s findings on Jennifer’s body, not only about his sick fascination with her but about the horror of what he was probably inflicting on his current victim. Unless SBK changed his MO, that person would be a woman. Lord, protect her. Whoever she is.

Aurora concentrated on the task at hand and passed her cell phone to Kordell. “Okay, I’m going to open the hand now. Can you take a video of me doing it? Plus a few pictures.” She put on her latex gloves.

“Of course.” He grazed her arm. “Are you okay? You’ve been awfully quiet since Dr. Sharpe revealed his findings.”

“In my line of work, one has to learn to compartmentalize.” Although, if truth be told, she sometimes had a hard time doing it. “I just want to concentrate on what we’re doing here. We need to get to the next victim before our time runs out.”

“Understood.” He positioned the camera. “Ready.”

“Get as close as you can without making the frame blurry.” Aurora wiggled her fingers before gingerly prying open Jennifer’s hand. She drew in a ragged breath.

SBK had placed a tiny doll figurine inside.

“Now, that’s odd.” Kordell snapped pictures.

She set the doll on the table, then analyzed the palm. Another tattoo. SBK had inked the global logo for a website on her palm with www at the bottom.

“Why that logo?” Kordell aimed the phone closer and took more shots.

“It’s his next clue for us.”

“What do you think it means?”

“I believe SBK is telling me to go back to the original website he started the game from.” Aurora rushed over to her bag and dug out her tablet, tapping on the screen to bring it to life. She typed in the website.

Horror music blared on her tablet seconds before latitude and longitude coordinates displayed. Aurora memorized them seconds before a message replaced them.

Did you like my present?

The question faded from left to right as if a curtain closed and erased the words one at a time. A timer appeared, counting down from twenty-four hours.

“I’m hoping your photographic memory captured that information as I wasn’t quick enough with your phone. Incoming texts distracted me.”

“I did.” She keyed in the coordinates. “These lead back to the park at Sweetwood Falls.”

Kordell’s jaw dropped. “Why would SBK take us there? Did he do that two years ago?”

“No. Another change of MO.” She picked up the tiny doll, inspecting it closely.

“What’s the significance of the doll?”

Aurora’s chest tightened, her heart rate increasing. “No, it can’t be.” She recognized the figurine.

A replica of Anna’s favorite doll.

“What is it?”

How much did she want to share? After all, they were only just getting to know each other again. “A childhood doll.” Partial truth—a doll from the past, but not Aurora’s.

“How would SBK know that?” Kordell leaned closer, studying the little figure.

“No idea.” She set the figurine back down and gently placed the hand inside the cooler, adding ice before closing the lid. She pointed to the box of plastic bags on a shelf. “Grab me one of those resealable bags.”

He complied and passed one to her.

She dropped the doll inside. “Okay, it’s late, and we need to get an early start back to Canada in the morning.”