AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Duke still suspected that there was more to it than that, but he remained quiet.
A few minutes later, they pulled back up to the trading post.
When they walked inside, Duke noted that most of the officers were outside. In fact, inside was relatively quiet.
Simmy rushed toward them from behind the counter. “Good. You’re here. I’ve been worried about you.”
Even though Simmy wasn’t that old, she had a nurturing, mothering quality to her. Everyone who passed through this shop seemed to come under her care. Duke had to wonder who took care of her, though. Certainly not good-for-nothing Lloyd, who owned this place and took advantage of his employees.
“We’re fine,” Duke said. “Is everything okay here?”
Relief filled her gaze, and then she nodded. “It’s been busy. But no danger or anything of that sort. I just heard the news about Bosch.”
Duke frowned. “We came upon the scene on the drive here. Just before we left, a copter arrived to airlift him out of here. Hopefully, he’ll get the medical treatment he needs and will be okay.”
Otherwise, this killer will have a third victim to add to his list. But Duke didn’t say that out loud.
The rest of the crew must have heard them come in because Mariella and Matthew emerged. They all gathered—around the murder board, which appeared to be their new meeting place.
“Did anyone learn anything new?” Mariella blinked, her makeup done and looking like she was ready to hit the Arctic runway in her designer winter clothes.
While they’d been gone, she’d decorated the murder board.
Duke didn’t even realize she’d brought so many things with her on their fourteen-hour tour. But apparently, she had glittery tinsel with stars shooting from it that she’d framed around their clues. She’d added a few smiley face stickers as well. She’d found a posterboard somewhere and at the top in fancy script had written, “The Arctic Circle Murder Club.”
The Arctic Circle Murder Club? How morbid.
But catchy.
His gaze went to Matthew. Was Matthew recording his sister?
In some instances, Duke would demand he put that camera phone down. But he didn’t have the energy right now. Besides, if Simmy didn’t care, then he didn’t see how it would hurt.
“You first,” Duke said.
Her eyes lit as if she didn’t mind that suggestion. “I have found a few things. First of all, word of Craig’s death hasn’t been leaked yet. But people are very curious as to why his podcast went radio silent. There are a lot of theories floating out there.”
“What about that guy who left those other comments?” Andi asked. “Has he posted anything else?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.” Mariella offered a resolute nod. “He said Henrietta deserved to die. That she was ‘unclean.’”
“Unclean?” Andi’s voice climbed.
Mariella swallowed hard. “He said Craig was unclean also.”
“It sounds like the killer is taunting us, even from online,” Duke muttered.
“Maybe,” Ranger said. “But why would he do that?”
“Maybe he wants us to think he’s smarter than we are,” Andi suggested.
Duke’s jaw hardened. “Or he wants to get some kind of message across. He left us a bobblehead doll that looks like the devil covered with blood.”
Matthew scratched his head. “Wasn’t the other one an angel?”
“Yes, I think the Hymn Killer has a religious background,” Andi said. “Or maybe he was burned by the church.”
“Wait . . . the Hymn Killer?” Mariella’s eyebrows flew up. Then her expression softened, and she nodded. “I like it.”
