“You think they’ll charge Beaumont with everything she did?” Max asked. “Killing her own mom. Shooting at Kyle and kidnapping Sam. And what about Jillian Watts? She did beat two women to death.”
“I would hope that no prosecutor would want to touch either of those cases.”
“Rightfully so,” Dana said. “The abuses they suffered…”
“You think Kyle really believed all that stuff about everyone hiding a monster inside them?” Ezra asked.
Sayer thought about Kyle’s last words to her in the mine. “Yeah, even at the very end he believed it. I mean, he saw his own mother killing those people.”
“And that’s what he was doing, right? He wanted to watch Jillian and Hannah kill someone?” Ezra asked.
“Yeah. He must have gotten a thrill watching his mother kill those people when he was a kid. Over time, that became a compulsion. Something he hungered for. He was trying to re-create that moment, watching a mother as she killed another person to protect her child.”
The room fell silent.
“Jillian Watts woke up from her coma. Her doctors are hopeful,” Sayer said, changing the topic. She was done thinking about the Nelsons for a while.
“That’s great news,” Max said. “I celebrate with another taco!” He grabbed one and took a huge bite.
“Hannah and Sam are doing great,” Sayer added.
“Physically, at least,” Ezra said.
“Yeah, physically,” Sayer agreed. Just like the Wattses, Hannah and Sam had a lot of therapy ahead.
“But we did it,” Max said, looking down at his arm. “We got everyone home alive.”
“We did,” Sayer said softly.
“Huzzah,” Dana said, reaching for the last taco.
Ezra playfully swatted her hand away as Max swooped in and stole it from them both.
They laughed, and Sayer watched with a smile on her face but also with a heavy heart. She trusted and even loved these people. Despite the fact that her job was safe for now, being close to her was still career suicide, and Sayer did not want to bring these people down with her.
With that thought, she patted Kona with finality.
“Sorry to break up the party, but I have to get going. One of my subjects had a brain scan this morning and the results should be ready soon.”
“This from the NSA guy who sent out the video?” Ezra asked.
“Yeah,” Sayer said. “As you can imagine, I’d like to get his results as soon as possible.”
With that excuse, she said a quick goodbye and was about to stand up when Max gently touched her arm.
“Hey, Sayer?”
She paused.
“You know none of us give a damn about politics.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not exactly a subtle-emotion ninja.” Max smiled. “We can tell that you’re worried about the fallout from that news video. The video might’ve been engineered to save your job, but Ezra, Dana, and I know that it showed everyone the real you. Don’t stay away from us on our behalf. You’re one hell of an FBI agent and we’ve got your back no matter what’s happening on Capitol Hill.”
Sayer felt sideswiped by emotion. She looked over at Ezra and Dana, who were both nodding.
Her throat closed with a rush of feeling she couldn’t identify—gratitude, relief, a closeness to her friends that she couldn’t describe. All emotions she wasn’t entirely sure how to handle.
She briskly stood, clearing her throat to ward off the tears that threatened to fall.
“Well, thanks, guys,” she said gruffly. “I’ll see you soon, then.” She fled the room. As she hurried away, her flustered emotions settled down and Sayer realized that what she was feeling was actually happiness.
Her phone buzzed as she made her way through the hospital waiting room and she answered it with a smile, expecting it to be Nana and Adi.
“Agent Altair,” she said almost cheerfully.
“Ah, Sayer…” Subject 037’s voice shattered the easy warmth in her chest.
She stopped walking, frozen by the glee in his voice.
“Turn on the TV. Looks like everything is about to change. Just know I’ll also have your back no matter what.” He laughed and hung up.
With his words echoing Max’s, Sayer hurried over to the television in the empty waiting room and snapped it on.
Assistant Director Holt’s face appeared. She looked solemn, gray hair like a battle helmet as she stood on a low dais in front of a cluster of microphones.
“After over thirty years at the FBI, I’ve concluded that it’s time for me to step down as assistant director.” Holt tried to smile, but Sayer could see the anger in her expression.
“I’m stepping down so that I can spend more time with my family and to pursue a new career outside of the FBI.” Holt paused, clearly struggling to maintain her blank smile. “I look forward to watching Quantico and the hardworking agents of the FBI continue to protect and serve this great nation. Thank you.” Holt abruptly stepped away from the camera, leaving Sayer feeling sick. Jake’s letter told her to trust no one but Holt, and now Holt was gone.
Sayer thought about her team laughing together back in the hospital room. She thought about her family eagerly awaiting her arrival at home. She thought about Jake’s warning and how much she still had to learn about his death. Subject 037 was right: everything was about to change. And for the first time in a long while, Sayer felt like she had something to lose.
Also by Ellison Cooper
Caged
About the Author
Ellison Cooper has a Ph.D. in anthropology from UCLA, with a background in archaeology, cultural neuroscience, ancient religion, colonialism, and human rights. She has conducted fieldwork in Central America, West Africa, Micronesia, and Western Europe. She has worked as a murder investigator in Washington, D.C., and is a certified K9 Search and Rescue Federal Disaster Worker. She now lives in the Bay Area with her husband and son. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Turk Gap Trail, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Sayer Altair’s Town House, Alexandria, VA
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Congressional Hearing Chambers, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Unknown Location
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Unknown Location
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
FBI Headquarters, Quantico, VA
Sayer’s Town House, Alexandria, VA
Ezra Coen’s Apartment, Quantico, VA
Road to Shenandoah National Park, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Road to Charlottesville, VA
Unknown Location
Charlottesville, VA
Unknown Location
University of Virginia History Department, Charlottesville, VA
University of Virginia Psychology Department, Charlottesville, VA
Congressional Hearing Chambers, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Sayer’s Town House, Alexandria, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Road to the Watts House, Cha
rlottesville, VA
Road to Quantico, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Pit
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Pit
Dana’s Cabin, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Road to County Archives, Rockfish Gap, VA
University Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Senator Dewitt’s Office, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Pit
Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Vent, the Pit
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Underground River
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Unknown Location
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Valdez Residence, Charlottesville, VA
University Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Dark Hollow, Shenandoah National Park, VA
University Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Road to the Nelson House, Rockfish Gap, VA
Outside the Nelson House, Rockfish Gap, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Upstairs, the Nelson House, Rockfish Gap, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
University Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
University Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Charlottesville, VA
University Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Southern Ranger Station, Shenandoah National Park, VA
Sayer’s Cabin, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Pit
Wildcat Ridge, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Pit
Wildcat Ridge, Shenandoah National Park, VA
The Pit
The Mine Tunnels
University Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Also by Ellison Cooper
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
First published in the United States by Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group
BURIED. Copyright © 2019 by Ellison Cooper. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing Group, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
Cover photographs: cave © Wojciech Zwolinski / Arcangel; trees © Robin-Lee Vieira / Arcangel; birds © Maggie Brodie / Arcangel
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Names: Cooper, Ellison, author.
Title: Buried / Ellison Cooper.
Description: First Edition. | New York: Minotaur Books, 2019.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018055981 | ISBN 9781250173867 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781250173881 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Women detectives—Fiction. | Serial murder investigation—Fiction. | GSAFD: Suspense fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3603.O582623 B87 2019 | DDC 813/.6—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018055981
eISBN 9781250173881
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at [email protected].
First Edition: July 2019
Buried Page 32