Page 49 of Outlaw Ridge: Hayes

Hayes put the coordinates into the navigation system on his phone. Owen’s techs had designed it for just this sort of scenario where there was no address or even roads.

“Park in the lot where Brook’s body was found,” Hayes instructed as she started the drive toward the park.

“After that, how far is it to the site?” she asked.

Too far. But he didn’t voice that aloud. “About a quarter of a mile.” And he figured she was thinking what he was. “That’s a long way for someone to carry a body, and it would have been impossible for Cordelia to do it solo.”

“Duane could have helped her,” Jemma was quick to point out. “Or the victims could have been lured to that specific location.”

“Or followed into the park,” he tacked onto that. “But that would likely involve some kind of lure. Meet me and I’ll tell you what happened to your friend, loved one, et cetera.”

However, there was an even more disturbing possibility. That these victims weren’t connected to anyone or anything in their investigation. They might have nothing to do with the murdered cops or the attacks on Owen and Jemma. If so, they were back to square one.

“That parking lot doesn’t have any security cameras,” Jemma commented as she drove. “In fact, there are only a couple of cams in the entire town and area around Outlaw Ridge. But I’m betting Duane has some kind of surveillance system set up at the school.”

True, and he texted Angel and Presley about that so they could check for that when they were picking up Duane.

Jemma took a deep breath when she pulled into the parking lot. Not empty. Like before, there were vans for both the ME and the CSIs. There were also two other vehicles that likely belonged to members of the forensic team.

“Keep watch,” Hayes reminded her, which he already knew she’d be doing.

They slipped on their helmets and tested their earpieces to make sure they were in contact with not only Owen but also each other. Jemma and he would need that if for some reason they became separated in the woods.

Both of them drew their guns and started down the trail with Hayes using his phone’s GPS. The first thing he noticed was that the coordinates almost immediately took them off the main trail and onto one that was marked as For Advanced Hikers Only with a yellow caution sign.

That would likely deter many park visitors, and if that didn’t, then the trail itself would likely do that. It was not only narrow but had huge rocks and even some washed-out gulleys that were several feet deep. Added to that, there were thick shrubs, and very little sunlight was making its way through the thick wall of trees.

Unless the killer was as strong as an ox, no way did he or she carry a dead body over this terrain. So, that left the theory of the victims being forced this way at gunpoint.

“The school gate’s locked,” Hayes heard Angel say through the earpiece. “No one is responding, so Presley and I are using a battering ram to get in.”

Hell. Did that mean Duane had gone on the run?

Or worse, was he coming here for a showdown?

“Footprints,” Jemma muttered, pointing to some in a patch of soft dirt. “Likely the responders since they look recent.”

They did, and Hayes figured the CSIs had checked for other prints and evidence as they’d made their way to the bodies. But the footprints could also belong to Duane. Or, hell, to one of their other suspects.

“Ruby,” Hayes said through the earpiece. “What’s your status? Have you picked up Cordelia yet?”

“Not yet,” Ruby replied. “We just arrived at the estate.”

Hayes didn’t bother to ask the same of Declan or Aiden. It would take them another half hour or so to get to Royce.

Jemma and he kept moving. Kept watching for signs of trouble. Thankfully, there weren’t any, and when they walked through a dense cluster of trees, they spotted the responders.

There was already a flurry of activity going on with one CSI snapping photos while two others canvassed the area about them. Dr. Logan was staring down into what was essentially a pit perched right on the side of the bluff.

From this spot, they had a view of the picturesque Texas Hill Country. More bluffs in the distance and yet more trees and shrubs. More of those pits, too. So, plenty of places for a killer to hide and lie in wait, and Hayes knew that in a small town like this, word had likely already gotten around about the discovery.

“Dr. Logan,” Hayes greeted.

She spared Jemma and him a glance and refixed her attention back on the remains. Hayes didn’t have a weak stomach, but it twisted at his gut to see that tangle of bodies and bones.

“That top one hasn’t been there more than a month,” Dr. Logan said, pointing to what appeared to be a young male. “This is just a guess, but it’s not either of our missing hikers, Jacob or Kyle. They both have brown hair, and this guy is blond. Also, he’s not dressed for a hike on an advanced trail.”

No, he wasn’t. He was wearing flimsy looking canvas shoes more suited for a stroll on a beach.

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