Into the Night(16)

Someone was hunting serials? We’re the ones who hunt the serials. That was the whole purpose of their group. They were the ones who went in. They were the ones who got the job done.

“Check out the scene in Gatlinburg. Haddox is already dead,” Samantha continued grimly. “We don’t have to hunt him any longer.”

But they did need to hunt the bastard who’d killed him. Was he just supposed to walk away?

“I think the cases are connected,” she said. “My gut—every instinct I possess—tells me that two serial killers...both of them in such close proximity...both of them targeted...”

He knew where she was going. “You believe Haddox’s killer moved to Gatlinburg.”

“He finished his work in North Carolina, and yes, I think he could have moved on.”

Shit.

“I’m sending Tucker up to North Carolina so that we can keep a team member with the sheriff and his team there. It will take Tucker a few hours to arrive, but he’ll be there by nightfall. In the meantime, I need you and Macey in Gatlinburg. Right now, we have to operate under the assumption that Remus is still alive and that he is still in Gatlinburg.”

He understood. “We’ll be there,” he told her.

He ended the call and headed back in to see Sheriff Morris. “There’s...been a development,” he began quietly. “Another case nearby. Agent Night and I need to head out for the day, but the FBI will continue to provide you with backup on this case.”

“What?” The sheriff’s jaw dropped. “You’re leaving? With two bodies here?”

I may have another victim close by. Another killer turned victim. “We’re needed in Gatlinburg.”

Morris’s eyes widened. “Why? Is there another body there?”

A soft knock sounded behind Bowen. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Macey standing there. A Macey who looked too pale and wouldn’t quite meet his eyes. Had Samantha already called her? Was that why she’d come to the sheriff’s office?

“We found something. Dr. Lopez and I...” Macey cleared her throat. She had a manila file clasped in her hand. “I wanted you both to know about it. It’s...very distinct. Could be our killer’s signature.” She headed toward the sheriff’s desk. Her hands trembled a bit as she opened the file. Then she swallowed. “The killer...he put nails into Daniel Haddox’s eyes.”

What the actual fuck?

“Dr. Lopez made pictures for you.” Her fingers pushed the photos across the desk. “This is...this is not something that Daniel Haddox ever did to his own victims. And this did not happen with Gale Collins. Dr. Lopez and I checked. The nails...” She straightened her shoulders. “It’s specific to Daniel’s killer.”

“Why would someone drive nails into the guy’s eyes?” the sheriff demanded.

Macey finally turned her stare onto Bowen. One brown eye. One blue. Just like Gale. “He picked me because of my eyes,” she said, her voice strained as she glanced back at the sheriff. “And I suspect that is the same reason he picked Gale. The killer knew that. The eyes—I think he made Daniel regret that he’d ever looked into our eyes.”

Son of a bitch.

“This is why you can’t leave!” the sheriff exploded. “We need you here. This case needs you! You understand this sick bastard out there!”

“Leave?” Macey blinked. “But...why would we be leaving?”

Because another serial is out there...and he’s about to die. “Samantha needs us in Gatlinburg. She thinks—” he cleared his throat “—there is a possibility that a victim there may be related to these kills.”

Her lips parted in surprise. “Another victim? Already?” And he knew by the tone of her voice that she carried the same fears he did.

The killer is accelerating too fast. There is no cooling-down time between his kills. He’d already been working to build a profile on this guy...and it wasn’t looking good.

Highly intelligent, extremely organized, with knowledge of crime scene analysis and police investigations.

In other words, a killer who would be very hard to catch.

And that was why Samantha wanted them to get in a chopper and get their asses over to Gatlinburg right then. Because if the guy was still there, they had to take him out.

He nodded toward the sheriff. “Our colleague Tucker Frost will be arriving in town by this evening. He’ll make sure to provide you with support until we return.” Because they weren’t just going to leave and not look back. That wasn’t how they worked.

Then he turned and followed Macey out of the sheriff’s office. They didn’t speak again until they were outside. The sunlight fell down on them as they approached the SUV.

“Who’s the victim?” Macey asked him.

“Patrick Remus.”

She stopped, then swung toward him. “What? The Pyro?”

He nodded, grimly. “Now you see why Samantha wants us over there? We’re looking at two high-profile criminals...two men who appear to have been targeted by the same individual.”

“What is the perp doing?” Macey whispered as her brow furrowed. “It’s almost like he’s...”

“Taking out the predators. Hunting them...”

Her gaze met his.