Page 133 of Seven Deadly Sins

He turned his attention out the window. If I were a psycho cult-leader type where would I hide? Somewhere heavily wooded? Trees covered the whole area. A valley? No, too easily seen. Where are you, Robert?

“How far do you want to go?” The pilot asked.

“Start out in a large circle, then make each circle smaller as you pass again. The suspect is out here somewhere.” Liam kept his gaze on the ground. If they didn’t find Robert from the air, then the man had completely stumped him.

“We can’t keep letting him kill.”

“I agree.”

He hadn’t realized he’d spoken out loud. He faced Harper. “I’m fresh out of ideas.”

“I still say setting a trap is what we should do.”

“Too risky.” He didn’t want her in that type of danger.

“It’ll come to that eventually, Liam. We’re the last sin. There’s only one between us and certain confrontation. We need to stop him now.”

“We’ll get him.” He returned to looking outside. The question was not if. It was when and how many more people would die. “I’m calling for more agents to assist.” Not easy. His director said the agency was swamped.

He leaned forward at an odd stand of trees. “Can you get us closer?” He pointed.

“Sure.” The pilot pointed the craft’s nose downward.

Harper took a sharp breath. “Is this necessary?”

“It is if you want to go lower,” the pilot said, evening the helicopter out.

Liam watched closely for any signs of human life. Nothing. He motioned for the pilot to continue the circle.

He doubted Thompson would remain alone for long. He’d have people to wait on him. They couldn’t stay in a house all day. They’d have to venture out. The odds of them flying over the exact spot at the exact time was practically nil. The man was too smart. When he messed up, and he would, his mistake would be a big one.

They circled the mountain the surrounding valleys twice. “Want to try again tomorrow?” The pilot glanced back.

“Yes.” He sat back in his seat. They’d go up every day until the man was found. His phone rang. “McConnell.”

“Donnelly. You and Harper need to get back here asap. We’ve had another kidnapping.”

“On our way. Return to the airport.” By the time they landed and returned, two hours would’ve passed. They’d have a lot of ground to make up.

“Who is it?” Harper removed her headset when they landed.

“I didn’t say anything about a who.” He jumped from the helicopter.

She jogged to his side. “The look on your face did.”

“The chief didn’t say, but he sounded urgent.” He increased his pace as they crossed the tarmac. “We’re on the sin of sloth. Any names jump out at you?”

“Not really. Who isn’t lazy from time to time?”

“Could be something unfinished. Not necessarily laziness. Think of someone big.” He climbed into the driver’s seat of the jeep.

Her lips rounded in an O. “Landon Barker of Barker Construction. There’s an unfinished self-sustainable community on the south side of town that hasn’t been completed. The job was started five years ago, and it’s been stalled for two of those years. Lack of funds.”

“Does he have a family?”

“Got married less than a year ago.”

He bet they had the identity of the newest victim but wouldn’t jump to any conclusions until it could be confirmed by the chief. “What else do you know about them?”

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