by Herron, Rita
Another wind torrent hurled a branch from a nearby tree, and it crashed into the passenger window. She ducked to avoid the spray of glass.
Then she glanced at the road hoping for help from a passerby. The truck that had run her off the road hadn’t bothered to stop. And anyone with any sense had stayed off the road tonight.
With the temperature dropping, she had to call for help.
Now. If she was forced to spend the night in the car, she’d freeze to death. Then she’d be no good to her sister.
Shivering, she called Murphy’s number. As she waited, she looked out at the falling snow and remembered a time when she and Carly had built a snowman on Christmas day then skated on the ice on the pond behind their house.
Their mother had been worried the ice would crack and they’d fall in. She felt as if she was skating on that ice now.
But it was thin and cracking, and Carly had already fallen in, and Gia couldn’t reach her.
* * *
4:15 a.m., December 19, Tinley
Murphy’s phone jangled as he finished searching the last motel room. It was empty.
Relief filled him that he hadn’t found Carly dead inside, but worry gnawed at him. Where was she?
The clock was ticking.
His phone rang again, and he checked the number. He inhaled a deep breath and connected the call. “Gia?”
“Did you find Carly?”
His stomach clenched. “No, not yet. I searched the old motel outside of town, but she wasn’t there. My deputy has a team combing every place we can think of. Where are you?”
“Here, well, almost to Tinley.” She sounded shaken. Breathless. “I had an accident.”
Dear God. “What? Are you all right?” Heart thudding in his chest, he tugged his coat up around his neck to ward off the worst of the wind.
He should have picked up her at the airport. She shouldn’t be out there alone. She had to be all right.
A tense second passed.
“Gia?”
“I’m okay. But a truck came out of nowhere and crossed the centerline, and I lost control. I’m in a ditch about five miles from town.”
He scrubbed a hand over his beard stubble, an image of Gia stranded in a ditch with snow piling up around her taunting him. “I’ll call a tow truck, and I’ll be there as soon I can.”
He cursed as he tromped through the freshly falling snow and ice to his vehicle. Even with four-wheel drive, it would take him a few minutes to reach her.
She had sounded all right, hadn’t she?
Of course, knowing Gia the way he did, she wouldn’t admit it if she was hurt.
He crawled in his vehicle and fired up the engine. The wipers screeched as they scraped the ice crystals on the glass. Heat blasted him as he pulled back onto the road, but all he could think about was Gia and whether or not she was lying.
She’d always been tough. Had broken her arm in a high school soccer tournament when she’d been tackled as she’d scored the winning goal for the championship game. But she hadn’t told anyone, not until after the team left the field and the coach noticed her holding it close to her side.
She was too worried about her sister now to admit if she was injured.
But dammit, someone needed to take care of Gia. Whether she liked it or not, he’d damn well make himself that someone.
* * *
4:20 p.m., December 19, Tinley
Gia shivered and burrowed deeper into her coat. The wind outside tossed debris across the ground, the snow swirling in a white fog, frost forming icicles along the car window.
The clock mocked her from the dash. It had already been hours since her sister had called. Where was she now?
Had the Christmas Killer hurt her?
God help her. She’d been tracking this maniac for three weeks now and was no closer to learning his identity than she had been when the first body had been found on a dock on the Intracoastal Waterway in Delray.
The image of the woman’s colorless face, ghostlike in death, taunted her. She’d been posed on a park bench facing the water wearing a red wool scarf, the ornament tied to her wrist, as if she was looking out at sea to watch the boats pass.
A local fisherman had found her when he’d been walking to his canoe at dawn. The young woman had been dead for hours. But the walkway bordering the Intracoastal was busy at night with locals and tourists, so the killer had to have slain her somewhere else and then brought her there when the area was deserted to pose her.
Rubbing her hands over her arms to warm herself, she retrieved the folder from her computer bag, opened it and spread the photographs of the other victims across the seat.
The victim profile was all over the place. Various body types, economic backgrounds, careers, and living quarters. They’d cross referenced every facet of the women’s lives they could think of searching for a connection, from the restaurants they frequented to areas they shopped for food and clothing, churches they attended, social media contacts, clubs and gyms they belonged to—virtually dissecting the woman’s lives apart detail by detail to determine a common denominator.
Three women had joined online dating sites, but none of the others had. Four had shared Facebook friendships, but nothing on their pages or the information the FBI had uncovered about the IP addresses offered a lead.
It was as if the sicko was picking his victims randomly from the crowd, which made it even more difficult to pinpoint who his next target would be.
Except Carly hadn’t been a random choice. He’d made it personal because of her.
A sharp pang seized Gia as an image of her sister’s face flashed behind her eyes. Carly posed somewhere in this den of ice and snow with a red ribbon encircling her slender wrist holding a damn ornament.
Carly out here in this godforsaken barren, flat ice land crying out for help and hoping Gia could save her…
Chapter Nine
5:00 a.m., December 19, Tinley
The tires on Murphy’s SUV churned ice and snow as he drove to meet Gia. He spotted her rental car in the ditch and pulled over onto the shoulder of the road.
Murphy cut the engine, climbed out and walked over to the vehicle. The engine was off, the snow coating the car in a two-inch layer. Another few hours and it might be buried.
His boots crunched ice and snow as he climbed into the ditch. He pressed one hand to the side of the car to maintain his footing as he moved to the driver’s door and rapped on the window.
Through the frosted glass, Gia looked up at him, the strain on her face evident. He opened the car door and was instantly struck by how exhausted she looked. And how beautiful.
He’d thought the feelings he’d had for her in school would fade over time. He’d dated half a dozen women since. But every damn one of them he compared to Gia. And they’d come up lacking.
Not because they weren’t nice ladies. Because they weren’t her.
And now she was in crisis mode.
“Hi, Gia. I got here as fast as I could.”
Relief spilled through her sigh. “Thanks for coming.”
He noticed blood dotting her forehead. “Dammit, you are hurt.” So like Gia to have to be the tough one.
She dabbed at the cut with her fingers, wiping blood away. “It’s nothing.”
“I’ll drive you to the ER,” Murphy said.
“No, I said I’m fine.” Gia shot him a warning look. “I don’t have time. The CK could be doing God knows what to Carly.”
He ground his molars to keep from saying he would save the day. Be her hero. But what if he failed?
An engine sounded, and Ernie’s Tow Truck service pulled up behind his SUV. Thankfully at this hour, Ernie had been home and hadn’t been needed elsewhere. If people didn’t heed the winter advisory and stay indoors the next couple of days, he’d be slammed with business.
“Thanks for coming,” she said as she reached for her bag.
“No problem.” He’d do anything for her. Maybe she didn’t know it?
He glanced past her and saw crime photos spread across the seat of her car. Even stranded in a ditch, she was working.
“Let me get my things.” She quickly gathered the pictures and stuffed them into a folder, then stored them in a large leather shoulder bag.
“Where’s your suitcase?”
“The trunk,” Gia said. “I’ll get it.”
He held up a hand. “I’ll do it. Just pop the trunk.”
She did as he said, and he helped her from the vehicle. One look, and he realized she hadn’t come prepared for the weather here in Nebraska. Her flat dress shoes sank into the snow, and her thin coat was made for much milder climates. The freezing temperatures had to be especially tough on her compared to South Florida.
She shivered, indicating she knew she was underdressed. Then again, she obviously hadn’t been thinking about her wardrobe when she’d received that terrifying call.
He helped her maneuver her way to the back of the vehicle, and he retrieved her rolling bag from the trunk. Maybe she had more appropriate winter attire inside. The bitter swirled snow around them, the hazy fog of white nearly blinding as they climbed from the ditch.
Ernie was waiting, his face barely visible behind his full-face winter ski cap.
Murphy paused to introduce them, and Gia handed the man the keys to the rental. “Let me know about the repairs.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Ernie said.
Gia thanked him, and Murphy placed his hand to the small of her back to steady her as they battled their way back to his SUV. He opened the passenger door and the force of the wind gusts practically pushed her inside.
Murphy stored her suitcase in the back of the SUV, then hurried to the driver’s side. Once in the vehicle, he used his handkerchief to gently blot the blood from her forehead and see how deep the cut was.
She shrugged off his concern. “It’s just a scratch. I want to go to the shop where Carly was abducted.”
Murphy gritted his teeth and started the engine. He didn’t blame her. But a protective streak surged through him. Seeing the shattered ornaments and her sister’s blood wasn’t going to be easy. He wanted to shield her from the truth.
Still, she knew more about this serial killer than anyone. If they were going to find him and her sister, they had to work together.
* * *
5:25 a.m., December 19, Tinley
Gia had forgotten how desolate the endless acres of farmland looked in the dead of winter. Her mother had thrived on living in the small town. She loved her neighbors and customers and volunteered for every church bake sale and charity the small town catered to.
She also organized toy drives in December for low-income kids as well as for the children’s hospital and accompanied Santa Claus to hand out presents to the sick children.
Carly had assumed that role now.
And now she was missing. All because of her.
“I appreciate your help, Murph,” she said, struggling to contain her rising panic.
“I’m sheriff now, Gia. It’s my job,” he said in a deep voice. His Midwestern accent wasn’t quite as strong as she’d remembered. He’d filled out, put on muscle. His jaw was wide and strong, and covered with dark beard stubble. His thick black hair just long enough for a girl to run her fingers through it.
No wonder Carly had talked about him being handsome. He should be on a poster for cowboys, not in a sheriff’s uniform.
Oblivious to her roving thoughts, he maneuvered the icy road. At this time of the morning, the streets were empty, and Tinley looked like a ghost town coated in a sea of endless white. Icicles dangled and clung to the store awnings like jagged knives, and the brutal wind whipped tree limbs and branches as if it might rip the trees from the ground.
“I know you’re worried,” Murphy said gently. “But we’ll find her, Gia.”
Emotions welled in her throat, but she swallowed, determined not to fall apart.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” she murmured.
“When did you last talk to her?” Murphy asked.
“Right after that press conference in Gulf Shores. She …wanted me to come home for the holidays.”
“Did she mention a friend or boyfriend she was close to?”
Gia startled as a tree limb snapped off and flew into the road. She hated to admit she hadn’t known whether her sister had a boyfriend or not. “Not really. We just talked about Christmas and…” You let her down again.
Forget your pride. This is Carly’s life and she’s depending on you.
“And what?” Murphy probed.
“That’s it,” she said quietly. “I’ve been caught up in this case and traveling so much that I told her I wasn’t coming.” Regret seized her like a fist twisting her gut.
Now she might never see her sister again.
Hysteria balled in her throat, and she had to swallow twice to tamp it down.
Murphy’s question about a potential boyfriend registered again, and the hair on the nape of her neck prickled. Was there a man in Carly’s life? Someone new? “Do you know if she was seeing anyone?”
“I’m not sure. I saw her around town a couple of times talking to this veterinarian who was moving to Tinley.”
Murphy steered the vehicle around a curve and passed the welcome sign to Tinley which was flapping wildly in the wind. Christmas garland wound around the pole holding the sign and was tangled now and torn. Beside it, a giant metal elf pointed toward the town square where the festival was usually held.
“What? Who is he?”
“Name’s Dr. Parker Whitman. He visited town at the beginning of the month, scouting out space to open a vet clinic.”
“Is he still here?” she asked.
“I called him, but he was headed out of town to visit family for the holidays.”
A frisson of alarm traipsed up Gia’s spine. “Can you verify he’s really with family?”
A frown creased Murphy’s broad forehead. “I haven’t. But I will.”
Suspicions mounted in her mind. The timing of the man’s appearance in Tinley might be important.
What if this vet was the Christmas Killer?
The perp committed his first kill on December 1st. He waited a day or two in between victims. She’d been assigned the case from the beginning and had addressed the public after the third murder, when they’d determined they were dealing with a serial killer.
The Christmas Killer was methodical. He planned out his crimes. The profile indicated he was charming.
A possible scenario formed in her mind. He could have flown to Tinley following her first press conference regarding the first CK victim. Then he started a charade about opening a clinic here because he’d researched her and knew her sister lived here.
Then he’d met Carly and pretended to be her friend.
“Did this Whitman guy buy or rent a place in Tinley when he was here?”
Murphy swung his SUV in front of Happy Holidays! and parked, then turned to look at her. “I think he stayed at the motel. But I can check with Tamika at Tinley Realty and find out.”
“Do that,” Gia said. “We have to consider every possibility. Let’s make sure this guy is who he claims to be, that he didn’t disguise himself as a vet to win Carly’s trust so he could abduct her without being noticed.”
She didn’t bother to wait on a response. She shoved open the door and climbed out of the car. Her feet sank into the freezing snow and the wind battered her, nearly knocking her over. Murphy grabbed her arm to steady her, and she breathed out a sigh. Even though he was simply helping her, his touch reminded her how much she’d liked him years ago. How much she’d missed him.
How long it had been since she’d let any man get close to her.
You don’t have time to think about what could have been.
Besides, Murphy had put a red light on their dating. He’d been brooding. Angry. She’d heard rumors his old man had been mean to him, but he hadn’t wanted to talk about it.
&nbs
p; Focus on Carly.
Straightening, she pulled away and plodded her way up the sidewalk to the entrance to Carly’s store.
The yellow crime scene tape flapping in the blustery wind looked stark against the red and green tinsel stringing from the door to Happy Holidays!
Images of her mother and sister greeting customers with hot chocolate and cookies as they entered nearly brought her to her knees as she ducked beneath the crime tape for Murphy to let her inside.
* * *
5:30 a.m., December 19, Tinley
Murphy opened the door for Gia, his mind racing as he contemplated her statement about Dr. Parker Whitman.
What if she was right and Whitman wasn’t who he claimed to be?
Living in Tinley had allowed Murphy to breathe. To drop his defenses. To finally forget about what a jerk his old man was and to believe in the good side of people.
What if he’d made a mistake in letting down his guard?
He was the sheriff, supposed to protect innocents.
It hadn’t occurred to him before that Whitman would have lied about who he was. The guy seemed friendly, kind, even tempered. He opened the door for the ladies in town and had seemed polite and easy going.
But…he hadn’t stayed in town for more than a couple of days at a time. And his visits had started three weeks ago. About the same time Gia had been seen on TV announcing a serial killer was stalking the South.
Like the rest of the nation, Murphy had been angry and shocked that a man would prey on women. Doing so at the holidays made the crimes even more heinous. But the killer had struck hundreds of miles from his home. The citizens of Tinley had been safe.
Or so he thought.
Gia’s sharp intake of breath jerked him back to the moment. She stood a foot away from the Christmas tree. Not wanting to contaminate the scene, she stayed clear of the blood, broken ornaments glass and packages. “This is where it happened,” she said in a raw whisper.