Page 99 of Coordinates of Death

Kordell followed the group upstairs but hovered at the threshold.

He wasn’t about to get in the way.

Aurora waited with Kordell at the entrance of the secret room but kept a close eye on the team. She didn’t want to miss anything, and even though her energy was waning, she kept it hidden. Kordell had already checked her wound twice to ensure the cut hadn’t started bleeding again. Thankfully, it hadn’t. She tapped her foot as if that could speed up Dirk and Dr. Sharpe’s process.

Kordell leaned closer. “That’s not gonna help.”

She stilled her foot. “Sorry.”

“I get it. I want to see what’s in the box too.” He rubbed his arms. “And what I wouldn’t do for a roaring fire right about now.”

Even though they were wearing parkas, the mansion’s chill radiated throughout the house—not only in temperature but creepiness. “I hear—”

“Ready for you now, Corporal,” Dr. Sharpe yelled from the room.

“Finally,” she whispered, pushing herself off the doorframe and entering. “What do you have?”

Dr. Sharpe pointed to her foot. “He tattooed the symbol there.”

“You okay if I take a picture, Doc?” Kordell fished out his cell phone. “I want to send the image for Mic to search.”

“Of course.”

Kordell took a few close-ups.

“Aurora, as you can guess, Candace’s left eye is missing.” He motioned toward the box. “I’m guessing it’s in there.”

The shadow box sat to the right of Candace’s body.

“No prints, so go ahead.” Dirk stepped backward, giving Aurora space.

She kneeled in front of the box and examined the creativity of the embroidered cluster of flowers under the glass frame. If it wasn’t for the sickness of the box’s use, Aurora would be impressed. She stilled at the choice of lilacs—her favorite. Coincidence? Hardly. She silenced her apprehension and pushed on the button, releasing the latch. She slowly eased the lid open.

A flip phone lay inside with a sticky note with the words Play me written in bold ink.

“Wait, let me examine it. Although, I’m not gonna find any prints.” Dirk quickly checked the device, but as suspected, it was clean. “Go ahead.”

Aurora opened the phone and hit the video icon, then pressed Play.

A skull mask popped up, close and personal.

She almost dropped the phone.

“Hello, Rory. Do you like my mask?” the distorted voice said. “It’s time for me to unveil my next girl.” SBK adjusted his position, and a wide-eyed female sitting gagged in a chair came into view.

This time Aurora dropped the phone, her hands flying to her mouth. “No!”

Her best friend and reporter, Ginny Davis, mumbled beneath her gag.

“Wait for the clue to help you find Ginny. It’s coming soon.” SBK laughed before the video ended.

Aurora crumpled into a fetal position. Unprofessional, she knew, but she couldn’t help it.

The Shadow Box Killer had raised the stakes and made the game even more personal.

Chapter Eighteen

Kordell dropped to the floor beside Aurora and brought her into a hug. He didn’t care how it looked—he only wanted to comfort her in the shocking news of her friend’s abduction. “I’m so sorry. We’ll find her.” They had to, as Kordell wasn’t sure Aurora could take another loss, especially after what she had shared about her rape and miscarriage. He’d hated to act surprised when she told him, but he was more worried about her reaction if he confessed to seeing how the Roche brothers had mistreated her. He had struggled against the deception, but Cain’s threat to kill her had silenced him. Made him run away. And now? Fear of her hating him kept him silent. It was wrong, he knew. He would tell her. At the right time. But it wasn’t now. She deserved that much.