Page 29 of Chilled

“Yes, sir.”

“Caught the Tate murderer. I’m glad you’re on the case.” He patted her hand and let go. Then he turned to Nick. “And the FBI, did you say?”

Nick took his hand. “Agent Tarver, sir.”

“This is about the warrant to search the psychiatrist’s files?” the judge asked.

“Yes,” Chief Burkholder said. “Dr. Drummond’s office was burned to the ground a few minutes ago.”

The judge’s eyes widened. “Does this mean you don’t need the warrant after all?”

“On the contrary. The good doctor had the foresight to keep backups. Only I’d like to get to those backups before another house goes up in flames or we lose another citizen of Riverton.”

“Another?”

“Dr. Drummond was found in Eagle Lake this morning.”

“Damn. I was hoping we’d find her alive.” The judge scraped his hair back from his forehead, the lines around his eyes deepening. “I knew Dr. Drummond. She was a good woman, and she even did some volunteer work for the City Council. Not to mention all she did through her practice for the people of Riverton.”

The chief nodded. “Yes, it was a shock to us all.”

“This is very disturbing. Any word on Dr. Gomez?”

Chief Burkholder shook his head. “None. Plus, we had another woman reported missing last night. A Michelle Carmichael.”

“Carmichael?” Judge Tyler pushed away from the wall. “As in the big shot real estate agent?”

The chief nodded. “That’s the one. You know her?”

Judge Tyler squinted and scratched his chin. “No, but it seems I saw something about her in the newspaper recently. Is she dead, too?”

“We don’t know, but based on notes the killer sent to Special Agent Jensen, we have reason to believe he might have been one of Dr. Drummond’s patients.”

The judge shook his head. “I have the warrant already signed and ready for you. I was going to deliver it in the morning, but it looks like you could use it now.”

While the judge retrieved the document, Brenna thought through what he’d said. “Chief, did you happen to see the write-up in the paper that Judge Tyler was talking about? The one with Michelle Carmichael in it?”

“No, I don’t recall seeing it. Why?”

“Nothing. I just wondered.” She might be chasing air, but when she got back to her computer, she’d look through the online newspaper records and see if she could glean any pertinent information from the story. And while she was at it, she’d look for anything on Dr. Drummond and Dr. Gomez.

The judge returned and handed the warrant to the chief.

Chief Burkholder tucked it into his inside jacket pocket. “Thanks, Larry.”

“No problem, Tom. Let me know if I can help you in any way. I hate to think this is happening to our people.”

The chief nodded, his mouth set in a grim line. “You and me both.” As soon as they exited the judge’s home, Chief Burkholder handed the document to Nick. “Go get that thumb drive.”

In the Jeep, Brenna pressed her foot to the accelerator, slowing only for curves and turns.

Nick sat next to her, holding tightly to the handle above his door. “I take it you’ve driven on wet, icy roads before.”

“I cut my driving teeth on these roads. And, if you remember, I was a street cop before I went to work at the Bureau. I know my vehicle’s limits.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

She slid around another curve without batting an eyelash, set on getting to the information Mrs. Keckler had before anyone else learned of its existence.

---