Page 5 of Silent Trail

"You think they're connected?" Natalie asked.

"Looks like there's a good chance. Both victims were female college students, both of them athletes, and most striking of all, both were found shut in their lockers."

Sheila cursed softly, her stomach twisting at the thought. A shiver ran down her spine as she imagined the horror of finding a teammate like that. She hesitated, her hand on the handle of the van's door, wanting to leave but also curious to hear more.

"Have they been identified yet?" Natalie asked.

Finn nodded. "The victim at Elbridge College was Jane Johnson, a runner on the track team. The victim here at Coldwater College was Kristen Lee, a volleyball player."

Sheila's mind was already racing with questions. What could drive someone to target young, promising athletes like that? And why had their bodies been put in their lockers?

"Cause of death?" Natalie asked, rolling toward Finn.

"Stabbing," Finn answered. "Judging by the number of wounds, I'd say someone was pretty damn angry."

Sheila shifted her weight from one foot to the other, eager to get going. As interesting as this all sounded, she felt a need to have some time to herself. Natalie and Finn were more than capable of handling this investigation without her.

"Good seeing you, Finn," she said, waving to the deputy. "I'm going to hit the gym." She had just climbed into the driver's seat and was about to close the door when Natalie's voice reached her.

"Wait," Natalie said, staring thoughtfully at her through the windshield. "You know, Sheila, we could really use your expertise on this one, given your background in the sports world."

Sheila rose and leaned her forearms on the open door of the van. "I don't know the sports world any better than you do, Nat."

"That's not true. I've been out of the game for a while, but you're fresh from the ring."

Thanks for that reminder, Sheila thought. Only two months had passed since her elimination from Olympic competition, and the defeat was still fresh in her mind.

"Come on," Natalie said softly. "You can go to the gym any day. This is an opportunity to make a real difference, Sheila."

Sheila hesitated, biting her lip as she weighed her options. A part of her yearned for the familiarity and comfort of the gym, where she could lose herself in the rhythm of her kicks and punches. But Natalie was right: She could go to the gym any time she pleased.

It's not about going to the gym. It's about being around Natalie. Do I really want to spend all day with her, questioning whether or not she's being passive-aggressive?

"If not for yourself," Natalie said, "then do it for Finn. It's been a while since he trained anyone, so it would be good for him to have the chance to show you the ropes. You're going to need all the experience you can get if you want to be more than a consultant." She winked.

Sheila's potential future in law enforcement was not a subject they'd discussed much since Natalie's injury. That didn't mean it hadn't been on Sheila's mind, though. Here was a chance to make a real difference, and by the sound of it, she and Natalie would get a little breathing room from each other, too.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, feigning disappointment at the prospect of not working alongside Natalie.

"Working at my own pace instead of slowing you two down," Natalie answered. "But don't worry: We'll be in constant communication. I'll still be very much involved, just from a different angle."

Sheila felt a twinge of guilt at the reminder of Natalie's limitations but knew better than to argue with her stubborn sister. Instead, she nodded, trying to quell the unease that twisted in her gut. She glanced over at Finn, who stood a few feet away, watching their exchange with a hint of curiosity. He offered her a half-smile that Sheila couldn't quite read.

"Okay," Sheila said finally, nodding. "I'll help if I can."

"Great!" Natalie said, brightening. "Finn will look after you. I've got a conference call with the state police and the college president, but I'll catch up with you both later."

With that, she rolled away, the wheels of the wheelchair clicking on the pavement as she headed to the administration building.

"Don't worry," Finn said as Sheila stared after her sister. "She can look after herself."

Sheila nodded, taking Finn's words to heart. She cleared her throat and turned to the deputy. "So," she asked, her voice betraying a hint of uncertainty, "where should we start?"

"At the locker," he said. "Follow me."

CHAPTER THREE

As Sheila followed Finn along Coldwater Community College's eerily quiet corridors, she couldn't help but wonder if Natalie had purposely paired her with Finn in order to keep an eye on her. The thought stung, and she quickly tried to dismiss it, but doubt lingered at the edges of her mind.

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