Page 46 of Shephard

Why create a dumping ground here unless the bodies were meant to be found? Maybe that was the point. I’d expanded the search outside our jurisdiction, putting in a call to park rangers and other trusted people not only in the entire state of Virginia but West Virginia and Kentucky as well. It was entirely possible the victims weren’t from around here.

So far, they’d had nothing similar. The entire situation was frustrating and my mind continued to believe there was some odd connection I hadn’t made yet. To a person or to the town?

There were dozens of off roads that bisected with the Blue Ridge Parkway. From there, the perpetrator could have stopped at any number of scenic points, dropping the bodies over the side of a cliff. The victims wouldn’t be found for some time, if at all.

No, the purposeful drop-off points near or on the resort’s property were meant as a direct warning. Maybe my imagination was getting the better of me, but the tips I’d accused Cane of allowing to slip likely pleased the killer. That’s what he or she was looking for.

Notoriety.

Fifteen minutes of fame while keeping his or her enemies off guard.

Well, it was a working theory anyway, but one that had already been scoffed at by Greg. Yes, I knew we had our hands full, but eventually, it was entirely possible a tourist would be caught in the trap.

Just like you might have been.

Yes, the nagging voice was there and had been since the incident the night before. I still found it unfathomable a paid assassin oreven a trained employee considered security for a bad guy had fucked up so badly.

Or had he?

Jesus.

I needed a decent night of sleep at this point.

My Jeep was fully gassed, Pepper’s travel water positioned in the cooler along with mine, and all my usual hiking, camping, and survival items were safely tucked away in my bag. I’d also placed a fresh magazine of ammunition in a hiding place I’d created. I didn’t want any wayward tourists to grab something that could hurt them.

I altered my route, trying to keep the drive as fresh as possible. At least with the seasons, the usual everyday trip was beautiful.

I was about to enter what I considered the most dangerous area given the very sketchy cell phone reception when my phone rang. After pulling over into a small overlook parking lot, I answered quickly.

“Parker.”

“Detective Parker,” a familiar and very gravelly voice said.

“Not any longer. How’s the big bear of a man?” Baron Garnett had been my first partner when I’d joined the Charlotte Police Department as a detective. He’d awakened my naïve self to the real evil buried beneath the pretty city streets and behind the slickened, polished glass of the high-rise commercial buildings.

He’d also become a good friend, there when I’d needed a shoulder to cry on and a guy to protect me from the one person I’d trusted the most. He’d also saved my life and I had his.Including from a vicious killer dead set on making me his next victim.

And I did so adore calling him by his nickname of Bear. He looked like one, all six foot seven of his two hundred and seventy pounds. Try fitting him into a normal vehicle.

“Not too bad. Kinda miss having you around here. No one to pick on,” Baron said and laughed. He was a fun-loving guy, but it didn’t pay to cross him. He could rip out a monster’s throat without hesitating.

“I miss the old days myself, but it is beautiful here.” This was about all the chitchat we would do.

“And satisfying work?” He knew how I craved danger, had called me a danger junkie more than once.

“On and off.” He knew the real reason I’d accepted the park ranger position out of the blue. Others in my squad had truly believed I’d lost a screw, burning out like so many detectives knee deep in the gritty world of crime did. That was far from the truth, yet he’d kept my secret and would to his dying day.

“Yeah, I hear you. You ain’t missing anything here unless you like a big helping of politics.” Which Baron couldn’t stand. “Look, you know I know some people.”

“That’s why I called you. You know everyone with any importance on this entire planet.” He was a typical man. He loved when I stroked his ego. While we’d never engaged in hanky-panky, both having too much respect for the other, I’d learned that some men could be trusted.

At least to a point.

“Yeah, well, I was pretty much stonewalled on this particular inquiry. I had a couple buddies just tell me to walk away. Now, why the fuck would they do that about some goddamn resort owner?”

I knew when he wasn’t sharing all the information. “What do you want, season tickets to the Charlotte Checkers games?” He adored hockey, having grown up in Wisconsin. But he was a lousy player. I’d seen that in action too.

“Already got ‘em. Okay, I called in a favor, but it was like pulling teeth and I’m going to issue my own warning. I think whoever Shephard Fox is, he’s dangerous.”