Page 41 of Hunting the Crossbow Killer

“I’ve been trying, believe me. Go on. You looked into the killings and what?”

“All of them have happened on a weekend.”

“Which works with Aidan’s schedule since there wouldn’t be any school absences to explain. Maybe the Larsens can prove he has an alibi for at least some of those dates. A family trip or something like that.”

“Is that what you want, Aidan? You want me to contact them?”

Aidan thought about it, then straightened, his heart heavy. “I don’t see how we can avoid it anymore. Niall’s in a world of trouble for what he’s done here in Mystic Lake. He’ll need the only parents he’s ever really known to help him through this. He’ll need a lawyer.”

“I can help his parents get one.”

“I’m speaking to one of the best defense attorneys in the country.”

Nate sighed. “I only wish you’d allowed me to be the best back when all this started, with you.”

“You did what your client wanted. No one can hold that against you. Will you help Niall? If the Larsens agree?”

“Of course. I’d love a chance to keep an O’Brien out of prison instead of helping him into one. It would be my honor.”

“Thanks.”

“What are you going to do now, Aidan? What’s your next step?”

His hand tightened around the phone. “I’m going to find my son.”

* * *

Grace sat alonein the conference room. Fletcher had made no secret that she wasn’t happy with her “friendliness” toward Aidan, as the policewoman had called it. Once Aidan had left, Fletcher had given Grace a look of censure, then returned to her desk. But, thankfully, she was still helping with the case. Fletcher had called Grace half a dozen times in the past twenty minutes to ask about entries on the list she was researching. That left Grace free to explore other leads.

Like finally viewing the lab results.

She’d just received an email that they were ready, so she excitedly pulled them up on her laptop.

The reports were detailed and full of geek-speak, so it took a while to cull through them. She made notes as she went, and then checked her list.

Shoe prints from the festival matched shoe prints taken up on the mountain at Aidan’s place. Fingerprints on each of the arrows retrieved from the boat, the woods and the one that had struck Grace’s arm all matched one another. That was enoughevidence to prove that the same person had struck both the festival and the mountain at Aidan’s place. Although it really wasn’t a surprise, it was a relief to have something solid, actual facts instead of conjecture. But what she really wanted to know was whether the Mystic Lake suspect was the Crossbow Killer.

She scrolled through page after page of measurements of arrows and feathers and paint chemicals as well as comparisons of types of shoes and sizes that could have left the print. Finally, she came to the part she most wanted to see.

The DNA results.

The FBI had already added the DNA profile of the Crossbow Killer into CODIS. The lab had submitted the profile from the Mystic Lake shooter to CODIS to search for a match.

They got one.

Grace read the lab report again, then reread it slowly to make sure she was interpreting everything correctly.

She was.

She locked her laptop, grabbed her jacket and rushed from the conference room.

Fletcher, who was on the phone, called for her to wait as she ran for the door. But Grace didn’t stop. She had to talk to Aidan.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The sound of a snapping twig had Aidan whirling around. He slowly straightened as Grace emerged from between two trees.

“What the— Grace, what are you doing here?” He scanned the woods surrounding them.

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