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“This is Rusty. We’re getting word that Kevin Vanzant’s body was found at his campsite a short while ago. He was shot. Cameron Pope said local and county police are both on the scene, which bothers me. If they start arguing jurisdiction, we may lose an evidence trail. What are your orders?”
“Shit,” Howard muttered. “What do you suppose prompted this?”
“We know nothing beyond what I told you earlier about the photos on the laptop.”
“This changes everything,” Howard said. “I can’t get there in time to stop the dispersal of evidence, so you are officially no longer undercover. Go in and claim the crime scene as part of an ongoing federal investigation. I’ll get the team down there as soon as possible. Don’t let them remove anything, and keep me updated.”
“Yes, sir,” Rusty said, then called Cameron. As soon as he answered, she started talking.
“Where are you right now?” she asked.
“On my way back into town.”
“Come get me. Undercover is over. I’ve got to get to the scene ASAP.”
“On the way,” Cameron said.
Rusty hurried back inside and slid back into her seat and leaned forward, speaking softly.
“I’m sorry. I don’t have a lot of time to explain. I’m in Jubilee as part of an ongoing investigation that just blew up in our faces. I’ve got to leave for a while. I’ll tell you more later, but right now I’ve got to get to a crime scene before crucial evidence disappears.”
Patricia gasped. “In Jubilee?”
Liz grabbed Rusty by the wrist. “Will you be in danger?”
“It’s part of the job,” Rusty said as she pulled out a handful of twenties and left them on the table. “That’s enough for the lunch and tip. I have to go. Both of you go home. For now, don’t talk about this to anyone but Uncle Ray.”
Then she grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair, slung her purse over her shoulder and bolted.
Patricia’s face had lost all its color and her voice was shaking. “She’s still limping,” she mumbled.
Liz was still reeling from Rusty and Cameron’s reunion, and now this. She didn’t know how to feel. “I called her a dark horse. I had no freaking idea how close to the truth I was,” she said.
***
Rusty was standing on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant parking lot when Cameron drove up. He had already moved Ghost and his blanket to the back seat, so when he saw her at the curb, he braked in a skid.
She jumped in, slamming the door. She was buckling up as he sped away.
“Sorry this is blowing up so fast,” she said. “Are you still going to be okay with this?”
“Absolutely,” Cameron said.
Rusty nodded, then turned around in the seat to look at Ghost.
“Hey, buddy. Sorry I took your seat,” she said, and held out her hand.
Ghost licked her fingers.
“You’re already forgiven,” Cameron said. “They have a police presence keeping people off the property. You’re going to have to elbow your way in.”
“Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it,” she said.
“Whatever you want done on scene, Ghost and I are at your disposal.”
“Special Agent Howard is sending in our crime scene team. All we have to do is secure the site and wait for them to arrive.”
Cameron nodded.
