Page 83 of Hunting Justice

She should have stayed home.

No. She had to come.

“Are you doing okay?” Jonah’s concerned tone snapped her from her thoughts.

“I’m not sure if I want it to be Nelson or not.”

“What do you mean?”

“If it’s him and they find him, I’ll come face-to-face with the man who took my life. Not in the literal sense, but in many ways just the same.”

Jonah settled next to her. “You’ll handle it.”

She flicked her gaze at him. “How do you know that?”

“Because you’re one of the strongest women I know. And I refuse to let you do this by yourself.” He shrugged.

“Thanks,” she whispered, unable to make her voice work. The man had kept her grounded since they’d arrived.

Matt had given her an update that the house appeared abandoned, and so far, they hadn’t found Nelson.

Jonah scooted closer and slid his arm around her.

She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. “What’s taking so long?”

“Matt’s doing a thorough search of the house, then moving out from there to the small shed and building beyond. Give him time.”

Matt strode their way with a sour expression on his face. “Doc. Noelle.”

She straightened and shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. “What’d you find?”

“The house is clear. I’d say with the dust an inch thick and the petrified food in the kitchen, no one has lived in that house for quite a while. Years, in fact.” Matt rubbed the back of his neck.

“Then why the grim look?” Jonah moved to Noelle’s side as if to protect her from the bad news.

“It’s what we found in the outbuilding.” Matt’s gaze landed on Noelle. “I want Noelle to come see it.”

Jonah stepped forward, fists on his hips, staring at Matt. “Not without a heads-up first.”

She placed her hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Jonah.”

“Calm down, Doc. You know I wouldn’t do that.” Matt glared at him.

Jonah grumbled but shifted to the side.

“What is it that you want me to look at?” Her stomach twisted in knots at all the horrible possibilities her mind conjured up.

“We believe the outbuilding is Nelson’s ‘workshop.’” Matt used air quotes around the word.

“Richard Nelson is the serial killer?” She swallowed the bile crawling up her throat.

Matt nodded. “It’s my opinion that he is.”

Her eyes darted along the tree line, and her breaths came in pants. Was he watching? Would he finish what he’d started fifteen years ago?

Jonah laced his fingers with hers. “Calm down before you hyperventilate. Matt and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She mentally kicked herself for her reaction. “Where is he?”