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"North side is closest to that ridge," Gabe said, pointing into the darkness. “That could be a vantage point."

Cora deferred to him in terms of geography. Gabe was one of those guys who was always in tune with his surroundings, his landscapes. He knew things like that. He knew what the view would be from a certain lookout point, how to get closest to the lake, how to get up the mountain the quickest way. They'd done all that in the past, at various times, as friends.

Now, as an investigator, that knowledge was even more useful.

They got in the car again. It was very late now. Nearly midnight. As Gabe headed up to the ridge, weaving his way up a narrow road in a way that seemed to be guided by pure instinct, Cora acknowledged they might be onto nothing. It was late, dark, freezing cold, and a light drizzle was threatening to turn into sleet at any moment.

She didn't care how late it was, or how many times they might need to drive this route. These bullies could be the key to solving the murders.

As they climbed higher up the ridge, the car's headlights illuminated the trees on either side of the winding road. Gabe slowed, then stopped, glancing to his right.

"I think the barracks is that way," he said.

How he knew that was beyond her. He pulled over and they got out. The wind was stronger up here, tugging at her jacket, threatening to blow her baseball cap right off her head. She should have put on a wool hat, something warmer. But she put the thoughts of the cold aside as Gabe walked through the trees, following the faintest of tracks, but unerringly moving in the direction he wanted to go.

And, as the trees thinned they reached the edge of the ridge,

"Here you go," Gabe said.

There, below them, she could see the edge of the fence, punctuated by spotlights that indicated the north side of the Army base.

"You're a genius," she said. "You got us right here."

"I'm just the navigator," he said. "It all depends on what we see now."

Gabe handed her the binoculars and Cora stared ahead adjusting them, getting her bearings as she gazed into the distance, scanning the barracks on the north side of the base.

At first, all she could see were dark, nondescript buildings with tiny lights in the windows and the walkways. She watched for long minutes, growing cold, feeling as if this was a waste of time.

But Cora reminded herself that the murders had occurred at night. This was when the killer, or killers, would make a move. Being cold and giving up too soon would only mean another innocent person might die.

She shifted, moving closer, lowering herself down on the wet grass. She didn't speak to Gabriel. Saying a word to him would feel like giving up. It would mean she was acknowledging there was a time limit on tonight, and she didn't want there to be one.

But at the same time, wasting time would be just as bad. Exhaustion tomorrow might mean missing a critical detail.

Maybe it was time to go. The stakeout here was starting to feel endless.

But then, just as she shifted position, ready to tell Gabe they should call it a night, she spotted movement near one of the buildings.

"Wait! I'm seeing something," she said.

Gabe moved forward quietly, staring at the spot she was focusing on.

Men were coming out of the barracks, congregating on the road. She could see four of them, shadowy shapes against the light.

Now, in a group, they were moving quickly away from the barracks. Heading to the parking lot.

She swung the binoculars around to follow.

The group moved through the darkness, purposefully, heading for a Jeep. They climbed in. The doors closed. Too far away to hear them slam. Headlights blazed.

She turned to Gabe.

"They're heading somewhere. We have to follow. How fast can you get back down this hill?"

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

He loved the feeling of the base at night, the solitude of it. Yes, a military base never slept, but in the small hours of the morning, it was as quiet as it got.

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