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“He did. We know they were alive three days ago. ME thinks they’ve been dead for two.”
“How did they die?”
“Rattlesnake venom.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep, looks like they stumbled on a nest. The coroner still needs to do a full examination, but that’s his initial call. Looks like they were in a fight recently, but the coroner said the bruising is at least a day old.”
“Have you identified the men?”
“Thad Bayne, Shawn Leverett, and Derrick Gatehouse,” Jennings says. “They’re all from Las Vegas. I checked their records, and neither is an upstanding citizen. Looks like karma decided to take them out.”
“You said Barry recognized them. Do they have a connection to this area?”
“Derrick Gatehouse’s uncle has a cabin up the road. The uncle’s name is Gary Mitchell. He’s a piece of work. He’s been in and out of jail.”
My head snaps up when I hear his name. “Gary Mitchell?” I ask her. She nods. Using my phone, I find the image of Gary that Spark found. “This guy?”
“That’s him.”
“Deputy, I need directions to that cabin. Gary is the prime suspect in a murder I’m investigating. I know you have this case to handle, and I’ll give you all the help you need to get justice for these women. But I need to find Gary.”
“I’ll go with you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: VIPER
“Viper, wake up. Please, wake up.”
Angelica’s plea drags me out of unconsciousness. I feel her tiny fingers brushing my cheek. My head pounds with a blinding headache, so I’m reluctant to open my eyes. But when her tear drops on my nose, I bolt awake. Angelica stares at me with eyes full of fear. I try to reach for her but can’t move my arms. I’m handcuffed, with ropes around my ankles. We’re lying on a bed pressed against the wall. I’m against the wall, with Angela on the far side. Angelica is between us. The bed is the only piece of furniture in the room. The room smells musty, and all I can hear is silence. If I had to guess, I’d say we are no longer in Vegas.
“What happened?” I ask, shifting to get more comfortable, but quickly realize it’s a lost cause.
“They killed Max,” Angelica wails. Her words cut through me like a saber, slicing my heart in two.
“What?”
“We don’t know if Max is dead,” Angela assures me. “Two men grabbed us. One knocked you out, while the other shot Max.”
I have a vague memory of Max falling to the ground. Closing my eyes, I swallow my pain. Angela and Angelica need me. I can’t help Max. Not until I get the three of us out of here. Oddsare good that someone at the casino found Max and is getting him the help he needs. I have to believe it so I can focus on our situation.
“Are you tied up, too?” I ask Angela, who nods. “How long have we been here?”
“Probably an hour,” she says. “The drive here took about that long, too.”
“Okay. Angelica, can you shift closer to your mom? I need some room to maneuver,” I tell her. She shifts over just as the door opens. Two men walk in. I wish I could say I didn’t recognize them, but I do.
“Detective Traynor and Gary Mitchell. What a surprise,” I say drolly.
“Ashley, good to see you again,” Mitchell replies, his eyes skating over my body. “I’ve waited a long time to get you here.”
“Where is here?” I ask.
“Never you mind,” Mitchell says. “You can just call it home. Because you won’t be leaving. Neither will your friends.”
“You honestly think you can keep me here? You’re delusional if you do. I beat your ass the last time we met, and I’ll do it again. And just wait until my brothers get hold of you. Damn, we’re going to have some fun.”
“They don’t know where you are, and they’ll never find you,” Traynor snarls.
