Page 16 of Silent Grave

"The parking lot where Tyler's truck was found," her father said. "It's visible from the fire road."

"Perfect vantage point," Sullivan agreed. "You could watch that lot for hours and no one would notice. Hunters do it all the time, spotting for deer."

"And if Tyler was drinking..." Sheila traced the route from the parking area to the mine entrance. "He was vulnerable. Alone."

"An easy target," Gabriel finished. "Like I said, crime of opportunity."

Sheila turned back to Sullivan. "We need to know who else might be vulnerable. Who spends time near these mines? Who parks in these lots regularly?"

Sullivan began making a list. "Hikers, mostly. Rock climbers in the warmer months. Local kids looking for trouble. And lately there's been an increase in what they call 'urban explorers'—people who document abandoned places."

"Document how?" Gabriel asked.

"Videos, usually. Social media stuff." Sullivan shrugged. "Had one fellow in here last week, wanted to know about the Copper Queen's history. Said he was planning to film—"

"Wait." Sheila's hand tightened on her coffee mug. "Who was this?"

"Young guy, maybe mid-twenties. Had all kinds of fancy camera equipment." Sullivan frowned, trying to remember. "Marcus something. Said he had a following online, people who watched him explore old mines."

Sheila and her father exchanged looks. Someone who announced their plans to explore the mines? Who would be alone, focused on filming, perfect prey for a killer who knew these tunnels?

"We need his full name," Sheila said. "And we need it now."

CHAPTER EIGHT

Marcus Reed checked his head-mounted camera for the third time, making sure the battery was secure. The hot noon sun beat down on the bed of his pickup truck as he sorted through his gear: backup lights, rope, first aid kit, the works. He had everything needed for a professional mine exploration.

Everything except permission.

"You're really going through with this?" his sister Amy asked from the driver's seat. She'd agreed to drop him off, but her disapproval was clear in every word. "After what happened to that college kid?"

"That's exactly why I have to do it." Marcus adjusted the camera angle, checking the preview on his phone. "My followers need to see this. To understand what happened to Tyler Matthews."

He caught his reflection in the truck's back window—sandy hair pulled back in a ponytail, stubble he kept meaning to shave, eyes bright with the familiar pre-exploration energy. At twenty-six, he was living his dream, even if that dream wasn't exactly paying the bills yet.

"You mean your followers need content," Amy said. "There's a difference."

Marcus sighed. Five years older than him, Amy had always been the practical one. The one who'd gone to nursing school, gotten a real job, made their parents proud. While he…

Well, he crawled into holes in the ground and filmed it.

"Look at these comments," he said, pulling up his latest video. "Eighty thousand views in two days. People care about this stuff."

"They care about drama." Amy killed the engine, turning to face him. "Tyler Matthews died up here, Marcus. This isn't some abandoned factory or empty hospital. This is where someone was murdered."

"Which is why someone needs to document it. Show people what really happened." He shouldered his pack, heavy with gear. "Remember what Dad always said about journalism?"

"Dad was talking about his newspaper career, not YouTube stunts."

The words stung more than he wanted to admit. Their father had been a career journalist, covering everything from city council meetings to major crimes, until cancer took him three years ago. He'd always pushed Marcus to find the real story, dig deeper, show people the truth.

Of course, he probably hadn't meant for Marcus to do it literally by exploring abandoned mines.

"This isn't just for views," Marcus said, softer now. "Tyler Matthews had his whole life ahead of him. If I can retrace his steps, maybe figure out why he went into that mine..."

"And get yourself killed in the process?" Amy's voice cracked slightly. "I already lost Dad. I can't lose you too."

Marcus set his pack down and hugged his sister. She resisted at first, then melted into it like they were kids again.

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