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She nodded. “Back at home I volunteered when I could. And I’m not telling you why. I’ll help in any way I can.”
“Come on then.”
When Cole introduced her to Tina, the woman held out her hand. “I’ve read several of your books, Miss Moretti, and I’ve talked with teams you worked with before. They say you’re an excellent spotter.”
“Thank you. I told Cole I’m here to do whatever I can. Where and how are we searching?”
“Okay.” On the hood of Cole’s SUV, she smoothed out a large aerial map with a segment marked off. “The bus left Shannon right there at the head of the road. The driver says she started off toward home, and that’s the last anyone saw of her. Cole and one of his deputies have gone up and down both sides of the road and haven’t found a thing.”
Dana studied the map. “Where was Leanne’s body found?”
“At the park where the other kids were waiting for her to come back.” She pointed with her finger. “Close enough so if her friends looked, they’d find her.”
“That’s probably what he did here.” Dana said. “And having a helicopter will help identify likely areas. I’ve learned there’s always a pattern. Each of the serial killers I’ve written about had a special pattern for disposing of the bodies. One guy always used pools, another flowerbeds. One had his own killing ground on a piece of land he owned. Usually related to whatever the trigger was from their past.”
Cole frowned. “So…similar places?”
She nodded. “Just like in the child killings. He wants his victims found without too much trouble and makes it just enough of a challenge to prove how much smarter than us he is. So, he’ll pick someplace close but not obvious. I’m pretty sure we’ll find her somewhere in this area.”
“I hope you aren’t still trying to connect the two cases,” Cole warned.
She shrugged. “You have to at least consider the possibility.”
“Let’s find Shannon first, before we go off on any tangents.”
“I just don’t want you to write it off completely.”
Tina shoved her phone in her pocket and rejoined them. “The helicopter will be here in less than five. I’ll have them overfly this area first. I marked out a five-mile radius to start. No more. We can always widen it.” She looked at Cole.
“Good.” He turned to Dana. “Don’t go anywhere. I still need you.”
“I’m not leaving,” she assured him.
“Smart lady,” she heard Tina say to Cole as she turned back to the topographical map. “Not at all what I expected.”
“Me, either,” Cole said, and Dana swallowed a tiny grin.
Dana listened while Marty Ahern, the pilot, ran his finger over the five-mile area Cole had outlined on the map.
“I’ll take one wide pass,” he explained. “Then I’ll fly an X pattern. Corner to corner. Tina, give your dogs a good sniff of something of the girl’s. Then take them out to the corners of this space and work toward the middle. If she’s not here, we’ll move to the next section. Your regulars know what to do. They can instruct the others.” He turned to Cole. “Sound okay to you?”
“Yes. Fine.” He looked at Tina. “Whatever you all think best. I just want to get started. That’s still a lot of ground to cover on foot.”
“All right, then.”
Tina trudged back to her van and took out a paper bag just as the handlers walked up with the dogs. All four animals were German shepherds, straining at their leashes but tuned to the commands of their handlers.
“Listen up, everyone.” Tina pulled a T-shirt from the bag. “We’ll let the dogs sniff this then start at the corners and crisscross the area. Marty’s getting ready to fly a pattern and see what he can spot from the air. Once the dogs are set, everyone load up. Jerry?” She looked at one of the handlers. “Divide up the group, okay? And head for the outer corners of this sector.” She handed each of them a map.
“Where do you want me?” she asked Cole as the four groups loaded up and took off.
“I hope you don’t get air sick, because I’d like you to go up with the helicopter.”
Dana swallowed hard. “I’m okay. Not my favorite ride, but I’ve done it plenty of times before.”
“Here.” Cole shoved a large envelope into her hands. “Take this up with you.”
Marty helped her climb into the helicopter. “I’ve read some of your books. Happy to have you aboard on this one.”
