Into the Night(50)

“Sorry,” Bowen said, “should have made the introductions sooner. Dr. Lang, this is Special Agent Tucker Frost. He just needs to ask you a few questions.”

“Just...just Amelia, okay? I kind of think we’re past the formal phase.” Her gaze slid down to Bowen’s side. “You don’t have your weapon.” She bit her lip.

“I won’t have it, not until the official investigation into Curtis Zale’s shooting is over.” He pressed his shoulders to the wall. “I’ve briefed Tucker about your work.”

“You’re the forensic geophysicist,” Tucker added. “And you found the bodies behind the cabin.”

“Thirteen of them,” she said softly. “So far. That’s what I was talking about with Captain Harwell. I was finishing up my notes—he’d let me use an office here at the station. Before I left, I found him in the conference room.” Her lips formed a tight line. “He was staring at all of the photos on the board. The pictures of the victims.”

“Did he say anything to you about those victims?” Tucker questioned.

“He...he wanted to know if I thought there were more out there.” Amelia shook her head. Her hair was in a loose bun. “But I told him I didn’t know yet. That my job was just to find the victims, not to understand the killers. I wouldn’t know more until I’d done more searching with my equipment.” She started to say more, then hesitated.

“Amelia?” Tucker prompted her.

“He...he started talking about Curtis Zale. He said that Curtis had grown up here. That he lived over in Pigeon Forge. He even told me that Curtis had been a normal kid, once upon a time.” She licked her lips. “He almost sounded as if...as if he knew Curtis.”

Tucker slanted a quick glance toward Bowen.

Bowen inclined his head.

“Anything else?” Tucker asked her. His voice was low and easy, a deliberate technique that he utilized when he wanted to keep his witnesses talking without intimidating them.

“Then he just said I could get one of the officers out front to drive me to my motel. That was it. When I left him, he was still in that conference room, staring at the pictures.”

Tucker’s fingers tapped along the table. “And did you see anyone when you went outside?”

“No, the lot was empty.”

Bowen pushed away from the wall. “Why didn’t you get an officer to take you to the motel?”

“I had my own car. A rental. There wasn’t a need for anyone to see me to my motel. I was perfectly safe.” Her shoulder lifted in a shrug.

I’m sure Henry thought he was perfectly safe, too.

“He seemed sad,” Amelia blurted. Then she winced. “Sorry. You probably don’t care about how I think the guy felt—”

“On the contrary.” Tucker’s attention was completely on her. “I’d love to know what you thought about him.”

“He seemed...” Her breath rushed out again. “Guilty, okay? That was my first thought when he turned to me. He was in front of those pictures, asking if I thought there were more victims, and the tone of his voice... I felt as if he were blaming himself. I wanted to say something to make him feel better.” Her shoulders lifted once more. “Only I’m not very good at that sort of thing. I was afraid I’d make things worse, so I left him. I thought he might want to be alone.”

“And who was here when you left?” Bowen asked, though he’d already gotten a list of staff members. Not many at all had been there.

“I don’t know. There was an officer at the front desk. Maybe one...one on his phone in the bull pen? It was empty. So late. And I was just trying to get out.” Her eyes were wide and stark. “I’m sorry that I’m not more help. Do you think the killer was here when I left?” Her hand rose and fluttered near her throat. It was a move he’d seen witnesses and victims make hundreds of times—an absolutely primal response to danger. When threatened, humans always covered their most vulnerable spots...like the jugular.

Tucker smiled at her. Instead of answering, he said, “Thanks for your time, Amelia. I know you have to get back out to the cabin and finish work at the Curtis Zale crime scene, so I don’t want to hold you up any longer.” He rose, and she did, too. “Actually, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you out at the cabin. I want to come and take a look around myself.”

She nodded. “Okay, um, thanks. I’ll be heading out there—I actually called in my assistant because there is so much work there. Carlisle is a grad student at the university. Very capable, and I could definitely use him right now.” Her head dropped a bit as she turned for the door. “There are just so many more bodies there than I’ve ever found before.”

Bowen opened the door for her. “Thanks again.”

She stopped and glanced up at him. “Is Agent Night all right?”

Bowen frowned.

“You seemed quite worried about her last night at the cabin.” Her hand lifted and her fingers fluttered near her throat. “She’s not here today and I was concerned about her wound—”

“Agent Night is fine. She’s assisting the ME right now.”

“Oh.” She gave a weak smile. “Glad she’s all right.” Then she slipped through the doorway.