Page 18 of Hunting the Truth
Maya shrugged. “I’m not a forester, but I know it’s a very sharp tool. Researchers use it to get wood from the core of the trees without damaging the tree, but this is not my area of expertise. If it’s the same person, then she just moved here. I feel for her if she had her truck broken into and found a dead body all in her first few weeks of work.”
Her radio crackled and the dispatcher came back on. “FS 28, the RP is the researcher you met last week.”
“Copy,” Maya said. “Tell the RP to stay in her vehicle at the trailhead, keep her doors locked, and if she feels in danger to leave the area and call you. We can always meet her in another location. Deputy A1 is responding with me.”
“I always feel like a steak sauce when you use my badge number,” Josh said. “Can’t you just say chief deputy or deputy? Or even Alpha One?”
“Takes too long,” Maya said, with a grin.
Dispatch responded that they’d received all the communications, and then Josh and Maya headed out the door.
“Be safe,” Pops said to them.
“Always,” Maya said back.
Chapter Nine
Maya ran hot with the lights on and Juniper in the back howling. She loved to howl with the siren while driving fast. Josh was right behind them along with another deputy. Even going as fast as possible, their response time was about forty-five minutes from the sheriff’s office to the Big Gulch trailhead. The terrain in that area was rough, but it was a popular spot to hike and camp. The researcher had probably been working in that region.
Maya spotted the researcher’s white vehicle with the brown U.S. Forest Service logo on the side of the doors. She parked next to it and Josh pulled up alongside. Juniper turned in circles in the back.
“You wait here, girly,” Maya said. “If we need you, I promise I’ll get you.”
Juniper responded with a few loud indignant barks, but then settled back down as Maya stepped out of her vehicle.
The researcher rolled down the truck window as Maya and Josh approached. Maya couldn’t remember her name, but knew she had moved to Colorado to study drought, pine beetle kill and how that could impact wildfires.
“Hi, good to see you again. I’m Officer Thompson, along with Deputy Josh Colten,” Maya said, hoping the researcher would give her name to Josh.
“Hi, I’m Sofia.” She wiped away tears, her hand shaking.
“It’s okay, Sofia. I know what you saw was difficult. If you want to tell us where the body is, we’ll take a look. You can stay here.”
“You don’t understand,” Sofia said. “It’s not just difficult, it’s horrific. I’ve seen dead people. I’ve seen horrible things in my life, but this, this somehow is the most horrible sight of all. I don’t know if I will ever get this out of my mind.”
“I understand. Does it look like the person slipped off the cliff above the trail? Do you need some water?” Maya hoped to get Sofia calmed down. She and Josh needed to get to the scene, but they also needed to gather information first.
“No, I don’t need water,” Sofia said. “And no, this was no accident. Go look at that scene down there and you’ll see.”
Maya and Josh glanced at each other. If this wasn’t an accident, then the suspect could still be in the area, in which case it was good to have Juniper. Although she’d have to be careful that dog hair didn’t end up in the crime scene or her friend and investigator Miranda would give her a hard time. But first they needed to see the scene. What some civilians thought was a murder sometimes could be an accident or even a self-inflicted death.
“You can stay in your truck. We have another deputy here to help us out. He will make sure you stay safe. We can’t let you leave right now. We might need to ask you some more questions.”
“If the other deputy stays with me, then I guess I’m okay, but I’m not staying here alone.”
Maya had an uneasy feeling developing. That sixth sense that she’d developed in Afghanistan and her short time in law enforcement. Maybe there was more to this than she and Josh realized.
“We understand.” Maya tried to use a soothing tone as she turned to Josh. “Let’s call medical just in case this person is still alive when we get there.”
Sofia let out another sob. “There’s no way this person is still alive. No way.”
“Okay,” Maya said. “It’s okay. Let’s get you some water. We’ll go check it out and then come back.”
“Ma’am.” Josh spoke up. “We do need to ask you a couple questions. Can you help us out?”
Sofia nodded and took a small sip of water.
“Okay,” Josh said. “Thank you. Did you touch the body?”
