Page 62 of The Scenic Route
“You know,” she teased as she got out. “You look pretty natural coming out of that van. Every stalker needs one.”
His only response was a light pinch to her side, right where she was the most ticklish. She twisted out of reach, not wanting to laugh when they were on such a grisly mission. He reached out toward her again but only to take her hand.
“Lead the way,” the sheriff said once the two CSU techs—Donaldson, the man who’d spoken to Summers earlier, and a short blond white woman—had their packs adjusted on their backs.
Felicity went first, but Bennett stayed close behind, still holding on to her hand. As she reached the spot they’d used as a second lookout, dread began curling in her stomach, and she tightened her grip on Bennett’s hand, searching for comfort. An answering squeeze did help soothe her nerves, although she still wished they could call off the search and return to Simpson, maybe have a nice smoothie and a chat with Lou at the coffee shop.
Tightening her jaw muscles, she pushed on. It was important that the bones be identified and the killer—if there was one—brought to justice. She just wasn’t used to interacting with dead bodies, no matter how little remained. Earlier, she was able to shove it to the back of her mind and make jokes to distract from the horror of it, but now she was going to face the bonesdirectly for a second time, and the memory of it loomed large in her mind.
A big hand rubbed her shoulder, giving her a long, reassuring squeeze before dropping away, and she managed a small smile. As unpleasant as their mission was, it was nice to have Bennett there.
When rocks stood around them during a particularly claustrophobic section of trail, she had a worried moment that she was headed in the wrong direction. Then she got a glimpse of the gully and relaxed slightly. The sun had shifted, and she wasn’t seeing the gleams of white she’d noticed before.
The gully was an even better landmark, however, and she led her small group down to the narrowest section, where the washed-out area under a rock overhang created a shallow cave. Peering inside, she had the sudden fear that the bones wouldn’t be there, that someone had moved them or—even worse—that she’d imagined them. But Bennett’s bulk behind her reassured her that it wasn’t just her imagination involved. He’d seen them as well.
Then she glimpsed one of the vertebrae, then another, and finally the dim lump of white that made up the skull was visible at the back of the cave. “There,” she said, breaking a long silence they’d all held on the hike.
“Thank you.” The sheriff shifted forward, nudging Felicity and Bennett to the side so that the CSU techs had access. Donaldson and the other tech crowded into the small space.
“Human,” Donaldson soon announced, and Summers and Chris shared a grim, tired look.
“Definitely,” the other tech agreed, her digital camera clicking as she photographed the scene, and the sheriff silently sighed.
“Okay, go ahead and process this. I’ll give the BCA a heads-up since we don’t have the resources here to do the type of forensic analysis this is going to require.” The sheriff looked at Felicity and Bennett. “Good find. Chris, can you give them a ride back to their car?”
“Sure,” the deputy agreed easily.
Felicity blinked in surprise. She’d expected a great deal more time wasting before they’d be allowed to leave.
As if Summers had read her mind, she gave a wry smile. “No sense in you hanging around while the techs work. Appreciate your cooperation. Don’t go anywhere for a few days, okay?” Without waiting for a response, she turned back to watch the two techs.
“Ah…Sheriff?” Felicity asked. “When you say ‘don’t goanywhere,’ can you be a little more specific? We’re staying in Rosehill.”
“Just don’t go back to Langston yet,” the sheriff said absently without looking away from the bones. “And for the love of god, please don’t return to Vegas until this mess is cleared.”
“Got it.” Felicity wondered how much more information the sheriff had on them, but she kept her mouth shut. There was no way she was going to sabotage their chance to get out of there.
To her surprise, Chris didn’t question them on the foot trail or in the car on the way down the logging road. Instead, he talked lightly about Daisy and some of the other murder clubladies. When they pulled up next to her car, however, he turned toward them and fixed them with a serious look. “We still need to have that conversation.”
“You have my number,” Felicity said, scooting out of the passenger seat and opening the back door for Bennett. She felt bad he’d been stuck in the back, although he’d insisted, using his bigger bulk to gently nudge her out of the way and slide into the back seat before she could protest. He had to have been claustrophobic in there though. “We’re not going anywhere, on orders of the sheriff, so we should have some free time.”
“I’ll text you,” Chris promised, giving them a wave before turning around and heading back up the logging road.
Bennett and Felicity looked at each other.
“Coffee shop?”
He gave a decisive nod, so she tossed him her keys.
“Let’s go, hubby.”
“Yes,wife.” His steamy look nearly melted her brain, and only her empty and complaining stomach kept her focused enough to get in the car and not stand there staring at him like a lovesick idiot.
Fifteen
“Finally!” Lou crowed as Bennett and Felicity walked into the otherwise empty coffee shop. “I’ve been texted by no fewer than five—count them,five—firefighters saying that another body was found by a visiting private investigator, and who else could that be but the surprise husband of my new bestie, Felicity? So I’ve been stuck here making nonfat, decaf lattes whiledyingof curiosity.” She winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make a dead person pun. I’ll rephrase. I’ve beenvery curiouswhether the firefighters are actually right this time or if those gossipy little bunny rabbits are full of it as usual.”
Felicity was a little offended. “You’re getting credit for my dead body?” she asked Bennett, who held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “How much do you want to bet that the rumor came from Deputy Donkey-Face?”
