In Her Tracks (Tracy Crosswhite #8)(83)

“The guy could bore butter,” Faz once said. Whatever the hell that meant.

“Detective Rowe,” Schwartz said. Kins, already standing, stepped forward. “You’re seeking a warrant to a house belonging to three brothers. Is that correct?”

It was on the paperwork Kins submitted in black-and-white. “That’s correct.”

“I haven’t had a lot of time to review it, so bear with me. This request is based primarily on DNA found on bottles obtained in a bar indicating a familial relationship between the bar patrons and the person who left their DNA on a cigarette butt in a park where a young girl went missing.”

“Primarily, yes.”

“How did you obtain the beer bottles?”

Kins told him.

Schwartz blew out a heavy breath, as if pondering the legality of what Tracy had done. Then he asked, “What evidence is there of a crime committed in that park?”

Kins wanted to scream. He pointed to the paperwork and went through it. Concluding, he said, “CSI located the cigarette butts.”

“I understand that, but the cadaver dogs did not locate a body.”

“No, but the CSI detectives did locate blood, and a man-tracker will testify that a person lay in wait behind the log and carried the woman from the park.”

“The man-tracker,” Schwartz said with a smile.

“Sign-cutter,” Kins said. “Whatever you prefer.”

“I’d prefer hard evidence to speculation.”

“It isn’t . . .” Kins caught himself, not wanting to get into a debate with Schwartz about the scientific validity of Wright’s analysis. “CSI detectives located an earbud, and an eyewitness who saw the woman in the park referenced her running with earbuds.”

“And the assumption is this person who Detective Wright concluded hid behind the log came down into the ravine and hurt this woman, then carried the victim back up the hill to the house you want to search?”

Kins bit his tongue. “Yes, Your Honor.”

“Can she be certain the person carried someone?”

“The shoeprints indicate that was the case.”

“Detective Wright mentioned a toe dig. Couldn’t that toe dig be the result of a person climbing up a hillside, trying to gain footing, with or without carrying something?”

Kins tried not to get frustrated. “The broken plants and bruised brush and the blood indicate there was a struggle between the runner and someone much bigger than her. We believe the person behind the log surprised the runner and struck her, then pulled her into the brush. That person then carried the woman up the hill. The cigarette butt evidences the person was Evan Sprague, and the Sprague house backs up to the park. We believe one of the other two brothers moved the victim’s car to draw attention away from the park.”

“You interviewed him?”

“The older brother?”

“The brother you believe moved the car.”

“Detective Crosswhite interviewed him by phone and we spoke to his store manager.”

“What was his response?”

“Detective Crosswhite opted not to press him at that time, believing it best to ask him in person, where she could gauge his physical reactions.”

“And Evan . . . Is that the name of the brother you believe took the girl?”

“We spoke to him, but with the older brother present and, we think, influencing what Evan said. Evan is slow, Your Honor,” Kins rushed to add. “His brother answered many questions for him. We also have videotape evidence of Evan walking past a home in the direction of the park just before we know the girl was in the park. He claimed he didn’t remember walking that day, but again, that was with the older brother orchestrating the conversation.”

“What would you be looking for inside the house?”

The girl’s body! Kins wanted to say, but again he refrained. “Further evidence tying Evan to the crime scene, such as shoes and clothing Evan might have worn that could contain bloodstains. Possible items belonging to the young woman. As I said, CSI found one earbud. The other could be in the home.”

“Why cadaver dogs?”

Because we like pets. Kins couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. “Ultimately, we’re looking for a body, Judge. Statistically speaking, the chances of this young woman still being alive are not strong.” And growing more remote by the minute.

Schwartz grimaced and scratched his scalp, leaving those stubborn strands of hair ruffled. It was no wonder he was bald; the guy had worried away every hair in his head. “I’ll grant the search warrant,” he said suddenly and without elaboration. He quickly signed his name and handed the paperwork to Kins, as if worried he might change his mind.

“Thank you, Judge.” Kins took the paperwork and turned to leave before Schwartz did change his mind.

“Detective?”

Shit. Kins shut his eyes, then turned. “Yes, Judge?”

“I hope you find the young woman alive.”

“So do I,” Kins said, though he left the courtroom not believing that either.



Franklin worried the van would not make it up the snow-covered dirt road. In the winter, the accumulated snow could pile as high as seven feet, and there wasn’t any snowplow service—no one lived out here in the winter. Which was why Franklin couldn’t leave the three women here any longer. He couldn’t get here to feed them, and he couldn’t leave them alone, chained to posts, to care for themselves. He either had to bring them back to Seattle—or get rid of them.