Page 28 of Her Frozen Heart

“Great,” Nikki said. “So water probably compromised the remains.”

“Maybe,” Miller said. “But this is actually the high point of the entire area.”

“Still, why choose this area?” Liam asked. “If it’s not easy walking back here, imagine carrying a dead weight. Seems like there are a lot of other areas with easier access.”

“I can think of at least ten,” Miller said.

“This area means something to him,” Nikki said. “Choosing it has to be significant. How soon before you’ll be able to start recovery?”

“The ground’s frozen three feet deep at least,” Liam said. “GPR showed the bodies around that depth. Depending on how the medical examiner wants to handle it, the ground probably won’t be thawed enough until tomorrow night.” He shivered.

“We have a bigger problem,” Miller said. “Normally, we’d have some kind of structure to put up to protect the site. But the way back here is such a hassle there’s no chance of getting any sort of big equipment in to build something that can protect the site and the diggers once things start. With the way the media’s been acting on this case, I’d really like to have this blocked off in case someone tries sneaking back here.”

“I can help with that,” Rory said. “Mark and I can put something together. I’ve got enough heavy-duty vinyl sheeting to block the area off. I just need to secure it.” He circled the crime scene tape, his gaze darting from one side of the small clearing to the other. “We can use the trees as posts.”

“Really?” Nikki asked.

“This wouldn’t be the first secret hideout I’ve built in the woods,” he said. “Yes, with the right tools, we can get something up in a few hours.” Rory checked his watch. “Maybe before dark, if I move quickly enough.”

“Do whatever you need to.” Miller looked at his watch. “You’ve got maybe ninety minutes of daylight left.”

“Not a problem. But what about Mark?” he asked. “I know there’s protocol, but he’s trustworthy, and this will go a lot faster if I have him to help me.”

Miller thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. “As long as you can vouch he’ll keep the information to himself, it’s fine. But no one without a badge and field clearance”—Miller glanced at Liam, who rolled his eyes—“can be on the inside of this tape.”

“I’m going to the truck to double-check what I’ve got, and then I’ll call Mark and go get the rest of it.” Rory disappeared through the trees.

“I’ll make sure I’ve got deputies posted once Rory’s finished,” Miller said. “One in the lot and one here. It’s a tough walk from the road, but it’s not impossible, and we need someone to check the soil from time to time.”

Liam scanned the area. “It’s snowed at least twice since the lake froze, so anything the killer might have dropped or any physical evidence is covered in a foot of snow. Once the ground is thawed, the body recovery process is going to be crucial. Blanchard and the forensic anthropologist will have their protocol to follow, but we need to make sure a member of the evidence response team is here tomorrow night, assuming that’s when the digging starts.”

“Courtney’s back in town tonight,” Nikki said. “She’ll be here to run point on that.”

Miller looked up from his phone. “I’ve posted a deputy on the road behind the nature reserve, so we should be able to wait in the parking lot for Rory. He and Mark will need help carrying everything back here, anyway.”

While they waited for Rory in the warm SUV, Nikki checked her email to see if the medical examiner had responded about the bag containing Kesha’s remains.

“Blanchard answered my email. Kesha’s remains were in an emergency disaster body bag. The brand is one that is heavily used and available in bulk from Amazon.”

“He intended to bury her, then,” Miller said. “Why else take the time with the bag when he’s going to weigh down the body for the lake?”

Nikki shook her head. “I don’t know, but I’m glad we’ve got an answer before we start recovering the other victims. The body bag may be part of his signature. Liam, widen your net for missing persons. Search statewide, missing women ages sixteen to thirty. Keep an eye out for women from other parts of the state who disappeared from the metro area, like Kesha.”

He twisted around in the passenger seat. “You think he’s deliberately not taking locals?”

“I don’t know,” Nikki said. “But this guy is definitely a local. He chose this area to leave his victims because he’s familiar with it. He knows how to fit in with the community, how to blend in. That’s how he managed to bury multiple people in this relatively small and well-trafficked reserve. What do we know about the houses that border the area?”

“A retired surgeon owns the property northwest of the site,” Miller said, his eyes on his computer. “Looking at property records, it’s probably less than three hundred yards from the burial. But that area is even harder to get through than coming from the lake. He leases it to duck hunters during the season.”

“Is he home?” Nikki asked. “I could go talk to him while we wait.”

“I spoke with him this morning,” Miller said. “He and his wife winter in Florida, and they pay their neighbor on the other side of the road to keep an eye on things. She’s a realtor, no kids. I left a message for her, but the owner said he’d never had any issues with people trespassing, though he always accepted it might happen, given the reserve. As long as he didn’t hear gunshots out of season, he honestly didn’t pay much attention. After all, Washington County is a safe area.” Miller’s sarcasm didn’t do much to lift Nikki’s mood.

Hollywood had given many people the idea that serial killers operated over wide geographical areas like Bundy in the western United States or Hansen up in Alaska, but in reality, the majority chose to operate close to an anchor point like a job or home and family that helped keep up their facade of a normal life. Like Nikki’s mentor had once said,strangers stick out, locals are invisible. “We need to re-interview everyone in Kesha’s life.”

Miller glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “As much as I disliked the Bloomington detective’s attitude, I read the reports. Their questions were pretty thorough. Of course, if you read the newspaper this morning, it’s a racial issue.”

“You don’t agree?” Liam asked.

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