Page 43 of Coordinates of Death

Clearly, she didn’t want to talk about Dirk. He guessed they had a rocky past. Kordell took the hint and lifted the box’s lid, revealing its contents.

Folded papers and pictures.

Aurora spoke into the phone, reciting what they saw. “Okay, Kordell, lift out the papers and see what they say.”

He obeyed and unfolded them. “Looks like it’s from the Bible.” Kordell scanned the passage, his chest constricting. “The story of Cain and Abel.”

But the name Abel was stroked out and replaced by sons.

Meaning, Sheldon and Sebastian Roche.

Aurora’s grip on her phone faltered, and the device slipped from her fingers, thudding into the snow.

Kordell scooped it up and handed it to her.

Was the reference to the Roches for her—or him?

Breathe, Rory. Breathe. Aurora fumbled with the phone and stopped recording. How did SBK know about the Roches and what had happened to her? The rape was not a subject she brought up with anyone—not even her father anymore. She inhaled. Exhaled. In fact, if she never spoke of it again, that was okay. While she never knew who raped her, she had suspected the Roche brothers, but when her father questioned them, Cain Roche quickly stepped in and gave his sons an airtight alibi.

It was the next day that Kord had disappeared, and Aurora had sunk into a pit of despair. She bit the inside of her mouth, pushing the horrific memories to the background. She had a job to do, and the Roches would not win again.

Aurora studied Kordell’s handsome face. An emotion had clouded his normally cheerful countenance. Fear? Anger?

Something about the Bible passage had haunted him too.

“Kord, what is it?”

“Huh?” He jerked and looked up at her. “Oh. Nothing. Just caught me off guard, but do you think SBK somehow knows about the Roches?”

“Good question, but we need to see what else is inside.” She wouldn’t tell him what she was really thinking—that this message was a reminder for her and a warning that SBK knew more about her than she knew about him. Move on, Rory. She cleared her throat and continued to record the scene. “What are those pictures of?”

He picked them up and stood. “Caves. Could he be telling us his next victim is in one of these?”

Three pictures. Three caves. “That’s exactly what he’s saying, and we have to guess which one it is before he kills her. Is there anything on the back?”

He flipped all three over. “There’s a message on each.” He rearranged the order. “Eeny, meeny . . .” He tapped the last photo. “Miny, moe.”

Aurora glanced at the countdown on her watch. “There’s no way we can get to all of these in three hours. Thoughts?”

“I have an idea, but you’re not gonna like it.”

“What?”

“We need to bring in your constables or an SAR team.”

She held out her hand. “Can you pass them to me? I want to take a picture and send them to park warden Quinn Nicols. He’ll be able to tell us where these caves are.” She checked her cell signal. Two bars. Thankfully, they weren’t too far into the wilderness, so she snapped shots and texted them to her friend. “Let me see if he recognizes these. I’m scared if we bring in the others, SBK may kill again like he did the trooper.”

“I’m concerned we don’t have a choice in the matter. Not if we want to find this person alive.”

Aurora’s phone dinged a few moments after, and she read the text from Quinn, shoulders slumping. “Not good. Each of the caves is at opposite corners of the park. There’s no way you and I can reach them in time.”

“Time to break the rules?”

“It’s like SBK is challenging us to do just that.” She gestured toward the trail. “Let’s hike to the park station. I’ll call Hill along the way.”

Twenty minutes later, Aurora and Kordell entered the station.

Warden Nicols, Constables Rain and Murphy, plus Dirk, Wheeler, and Nadine huddled around a large map mounted on the wall.