Page 51 of Investigate Away
Jenna and Hanson had finished up with the rest of the guests, taking their information, and were currently helping to escort them off the property. The glamping site would be shut down for at least the next couple of days.
“Let’s take a walk around the grounds again,” Albert said, slipping off his gloves and tossing them in the trash. “Thank you for letting me help.”
Jag laughed. “I had a choice?”
“Not really,” Albert said. “But you do realize that’s the first time the Trinket Killer has left the city of Seattle.”
“That we know of,” Jag added. “But that brings up something I was thinking about this morning.”
“Don’t hurt yourself with all that brain power.”
Jag stepped behind one of the tents and onto a trail that looped around the property and through a couple of hiking trails. “I had originally thought that when we released Adam it gave our killer permission to finish her cycle.”
“You’re really sold the killer is a woman?”
“I am,” Jag said. “I really believe she would have killed Stephanie anyway. There was no pause when we caught Adam, and I think we should take a look at his murder a little more closely. The Trinket Killer could have murdered him for a plethora of different reasons.”
“I’ve already pulled the case.”
“Thanks.” Jag walked slowly down the path, scanning a few feet left and right, looking for clues of any kind. “So, I was thinking that if victims with the mood rings is the Trinket Killer, she didn’t stop when we caught the janitor. But since he wasn’t released, and the world thought he’d done it, she might have switched up her game.”
“That’s a solid reason for a serial killer to change their MO.”
“Which means, we’re looking for three dead young women with blond hair, killed sometime between the last Mood Ring murder and the first dolphin one.”
“Have you noticed the victims haven’t aged that much over the course of fifteen years when all this started?” Albert asked.
“I have. The Mood Ring victims were all younger than twenty. The dolphin victims were under the age of twenty-five, except Stephanie. She was just a year older.”
“But you know what’s weird?” Albert asked.
“What?”
“Normally, when we see this, we think our unsub is killing the same person over and over. But this feels like there is a shift with each trinket or color.”
“I have to agree with you,” Jag said. “And the change of right or left hand. And I believe even more now that Renee and Stephanie knew their killer.” Jag paused just as they came to the clearing on the other side of the property. He turned and faced his longtime friend. “I want to pull Callie into the conversation.”
“You’re joking, right?” Albert asked as he folded his arms across his chest. “She’s writing a fucking tell-all book.”
“Not even close. And let me tell you, I’ve read what she’s written so far, and some of my conclusions that we’ve just discussed have come from her research. She’s smart, and she’d be a huge asset. Besides, she’s not working for the station anymore. As a civilian, she can do things we can’t.”
Albert wiggled his index finger in his ear. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that because I’d hate to see you get fired.”
Jag tried not to laugh because it wasn’t funny. Ajax and Albert had gone out on a limb for Jag more than once.
And they’d do it again, as would Jag.
“I would like to keep this as quiet as possible,” Albert said. “We don’t need the press bringing up the Trinket Killer.”
“That I’m on board with, but how are we going to do that when the Feds have been called in?”
“The agent in charge is going to be very low-key and stay in the background, but we absolutely don’t want the public to think the Trinket Killer is back,” Albert said. “How do you feel about taking a calculated risk?”
“I’ve been doing that my entire career. Why would I stop now?”
“Good.” Albert slapped him on the shoulder. “I’m sure the press will be out here eventually. Mind telling them we’ve got a person of interest that we’re talking to?”
“Do we?” Jag arched a brow. It wouldn’t be the first time something like this happened. “Because if we’re going to play the I’m just the local small-town cop, and you’re the big badass city slicker, and you’re going to go do shit behind my—”
