Hide and Seek (Criminal Profiler #1)(41)

On the third floor they found their way to the office of a John McDaniel, the forensic expert who’d examined Tobi’s backpack. McDaniel was a pudgy man in his late sixties. His graying hair curled over the edges of his collar, and a thick mustache gave him a quirky, almost cartoonlike appearance.

“Mr. McDaniel.” Nevada introduced them both, and each showed their badges. “We understand you have Tobi Turner’s backpack.”

McDaniel stood, shook both their hands with a surprisingly iron grip, and nodded for them to follow. “It’s in the other room on the light table.”

In the next room, there was a fingerprint chamber, microscopes set up at various stations, and a gun ballistics firing chamber. Resting on a light table was a faded red backpack, unzipped and opened. Beside it was a series of items that they hoped might tell the tale of Tobi Turner’s last hours.

“I ran the backpack through a fingerprint chamber to see what I could pull. I did get a partial thumbprint off the strap of the backpack. It’s a match to a print lifted from Susan Oswald’s windowsill. I’ve run it through AFIS, but so far no matches.”

“What’s in the backpack?” Macy asked.

“Have a look. Pair of jeans, a sweater, sneakers, textbook, pencils, lipstick, hand sanitizer, a candy bar, and a condom. There’s also a set of keys, including a car key that matches the make and model of the Turner family van.”

Macy studied the keys and noted a small piece of plastic that might have once belonged to a key chain.

She shifted her attention to the tarnished condom packet. Macy pulled on a fresh set of latex gloves. “Looks like she never intended to make that study session.”

“The clothing fragments found on the body were a gold metallic. The jeans disintegrated, but the metal button and zipper we found are consistent with a designer pair sold in 2003 and 2004. The shoes were heeled boots.”

“Maybe she did have a boyfriend.” Nevada worked his hand into a glove. “Greene’s report says there was nothing unusual spotted at the school the day she went missing.”

“Maybe he charmed her,” Macy said. “An awkward girl might have been thrilled for a little attention. We know Paul Decker showed some interest.”

“Decker referred to her as the ‘virgin vault,’” Nevada said.

“Which would have made her a challenge,” Macy said.

“Decker also placed Cindy Shaw with Tobi and said Tobi would do almost anything for the team,” Nevada said.

“Evil comes in all sizes.” Macy all but whispered the last words, and she realized Nevada was staring at her. She cleared her throat. “What else did you find in the pack?”

With gloved hands, McDaniel picked up the textbook. “That leads me to this. I went through it page by page. Have a look at the pages I’ve marked with a tab.”

Macy opened the inside cover. Tobi Turner’s name was listed on the third line of LEASED TO. The other names had been neatly crossed out. She flipped to the first marked page and saw pencil writing in the margin.

Test on Tuesday. Section Two.



“It appears she liked to doodle and write in the margins,” Macy said. “How do you know it’s hers?”

“Handwriting matches the signature on the front cover,” McDaniel said. “Have a look at the last page in the book.”

She flipped to the end and saw another note in bolder pencil.

Bonfire. 8:00 p.m. Thursday.



“Decker called the bonfires their good luck ritual,” Nevada said.

“He said ritual?” Macy asked.

“He did. The coach wanted them to burn away all their fears and doubts.”

“Odd.”

“Why?”

“Ritual can also mean something primitive, like a sacrifice.”





CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Tuesday, November 19, 12:30 p.m.

When Macy and Nevada arrived back at the sheriff’s office, a collection of news vehicles was waiting for them. She hadn’t been expecting the media. “Did you move up the press conference?”

“No. Bennett confirmed it was later this afternoon,” Nevada said.

As they crossed the lot, she was grateful she could keep pace with Nevada. The leg felt decent, which was great. She didn’t need the distraction.

Inside, they found several reporters with cameras crammed into the lobby. On the other side of the glass, Sullivan spoke into his headset.

The door opened and Bennett appeared, her hat in hand, wearing a stoic expression. “I need to ask everyone to step outside. A representative will be out soon to make a statement. I need you to clear this space.”

A rumble of comments rolled over the room as Macy opened the exterior door. Several folks passed without incident, but a young reporter with a thick crop of dark hair paused.

“You’re the FBI agent,” the reporter said to Macy.

“I’ll brief you in a few minutes,” Nevada said.

Dark eyes narrowed and the young reporter persisted. “What’s the FBI doing here? Are you investigating the murder of Tobi Turner or the rapes?”

“Save your questions for the briefing,” Nevada said.

The other reporters hovered close, as if fearful they would miss a morsel of news, and several snapped pictures of her walking alongside the sheriff.