Hide and Seek (Criminal Profiler #1)(38)

Deal. She packed up the boxes and replaced their tops. She shoved her legal pad in her backpack before clicking off the lights and walking out to the dispatcher’s desk. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“Sullivan will be on at six,” Deputy Morgan said.

“I’m sure I’ll be here several more nights,” Macy said.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”

“Where’s Walt’s Diner?”

“Near the highway in the truck stop. Go out the main road and make a left at the railroad tracks. Follow the signs to the interstate.”

“Thanks.”

Fifteen minutes later when she pulled up in front of Walt’s, Nevada was standing outside the diner, his hands tucked into his coat for warmth. Out of the car with her pack on her shoulder, she locked the door and approached him. “How’d you know I wasn’t in my motel room fast asleep?”

“Really? You’re on a tight clock. You don’t have time to sleep.” He opened the diner door and gave her a slight smile. They passed a SEAT YOURSELF sign and found a booth in the back. A waitress delivered coffee and left them with menus.

She opened the menu, and her gaze went straight to the all-American breakfast, complete with eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Decision made, she dumped two sugar packets and cream in her coffee. “You think you know me that well?”

“I also drove by the sheriff’s office and saw your car.” He sipped his coffee, but didn’t bother to look at the menu. “What did you discover in the files?”

“Basically what we already know. He’s incredibly careful. He stalks and plans. Nothing was random. He left behind his shoe print three times, red nylon rope three times, and his DNA at each scene. He’s not worried about physical evidence.”

“He’s just a regular Joe.”

“He likes to think he is,” she said. “But guys like that have moments when they aren’t as slick as they think they are. If he’s still alive, I would bet he didn’t stop with the crimes here in Deep Run.” She sipped her coffee.

“Maybe the Turner case spooked him. Greene did a few things right.”

“He might have laid low for a while, but I would bet money he found new hunting grounds.” She shook her head. “I submitted the case details to ViCAP and asked a colleague to fast-track it.”

“If this guy has a pattern, then maybe a cop in another jurisdiction made note of it.”

“And filled out his ViCAP form.”

When the waitress returned, Macy ordered and Nevada followed with the number six. After she was out of earshot, Nevada said, “I spoke to Paul Decker.”

“Where?”

“I tracked him to a trailer outside of town.”

“And what did he have to say?” Macy asked.

“Said he remembers seeing Tobi with Cindy Shaw. He said Cindy was always scheming and using other people. Not a glowing referral.”

“Did you bring up Cindy?”

“No, he mentioned her without prompting.”

“Interesting. What else?”

“Not much really, but I encouraged him to give it some more thought. His parole officer would be so proud of him. If someone on that Dream Team was a part of this, Decker will rat him out to save his own ass.” Nevada sipped his coffee. “He’s getting called into the probation office tomorrow for a surprise drug test.”

Smiling, she folded one of the empty sugar packets in half, sharpening the crease between her thumb and index finger. “Well played, Nevada. Well played.”

“I do my best.”

She looked around the diner decorated with neon lights and black-and-white photos of the town from the last one hundred years. “Is this your favorite hangout spot?” Macy asked.

“Since I was a teenager. It’s open all night. A favorite for truckers, kids after football games, and hunters looking for a predawn hot breakfast.”

“I have a few places like that in Alexandria. Bev’s on Route 1 is one of my favorites.” She savored this easy familiarity between them. “Their number three is my go-to meal.”

“You have a thing for pancakes, Crow.”

“That’s no secret. I have a desperate addiction to sugar.” She traced the rim of her cup with her finger. “I actually lived in Alexandria a couple of months before my Texas vacation. I’m amazed we didn’t run into each other there.”

“I was on the road.”

“Not surprising.”

“And yet here we are.”

She stirred her coffee. “Which begs the question: Why me for this case?”

“You applied to Ramsey’s team.”

“You could have investigated this case.”

“It’s nice to have a second set of ears to bounce ideas off of.”

“You have Deputy Bennett.”

“She’s learning fast, but I needed someone who could hit the ground running.”

“Figuratively speaking.” Her sarcasm didn’t coax a smile.

He was silent for a moment and then said, “My last bureau investigation was in Arizona. It was a child abduction case. When we found the little girl, we were too late. You were the first person I called.”

“But I was hooked up to a ventilator.”