Lisa Gardner - The killing hour

The Marine frowned at her, unimpressed. The other pair of Marines had moved closer, obviously prepared to offer backup. Kimberly flashed them a sickeningly sweet smile. And watched as Special Agent McCormack eased into the clearing behind them.

“Ma’am, I must ask you to depart,” the first sentry said.

“Where’s the crime-scene log?” Kimberly asked. “Just get the log and I’ll show you where I’m signed in.”

For the first time, the Marine hesitated. Kimberly’s instincts had been right. These guys were just foot soldiers. They knew nothing about investigative procedure, or law enforcement jurisdiction.

“Seriously,” she pressed, taking another step closer and getting everyone antsy now. “I’m New Agent Kimberly Quincy. At approximately oh-eight twenty-two hundred I found the victim and secured the scene for NCIS. Of course I want to follow up with this case.”

Mac was halfway to the body now, moving with surprising stealth for a big guy.

“Ma’am, this area belongs to the Marines. It is restricted to the Marines. Unless you are accompanied by the appropriate officer, you may not enter this area.”

“Who’s the appropriate officer?”

“Ma’am-”

“Sir, I found that girl this morning. While I appreciate that you’re doing your job, I’m not leaving a poor young girl like that to a bunch of camo-clad men. She needs one of her own around. Simple as that.”

The Marine glared at her. She’d definitely crossed some line in his mind over to wacky. He sighed and seemed to be struggling to find his patience.

Mac was now at the area where they had both seen the leaf flutter to the ground. He was on his hands and knees, moving carefully. For the first time, Kimberly realized their problem. There were many dried-up leaves on the ground. Red, yellow, brown. What color had been in the girl’s hair? Oh God, she already didn’t remember.

The backup sentries had edged closer. They had their hands on the stocks of their rifles. Kimberly brought up her chin and dared them to shoot her.

“You need to leave,” the first sentry repeated.

“No.”

“Ma’am, you depart on your own or we will forcefully assist you.”

Mac had a leaf now. He held it up, seemed to be frowning at it. Was he also wondering what color it should be? Could he remember?

“Lay a hand on me and I will sue you for sexual harassment.”

The Marine blinked. Kimberly blinked, too. Really, as threats went, that was a pretty good one. Even Mac had turned toward her and appeared sincerely impressed. The leaf in his hand was green. All at once, she relaxed. That made sense. The leaves already at the scene were old, from last fall. A green leaf, on the other hand, had probably been brought in with the body. He had done it. They had done it.

The backup sentries were now right behind the first pair. All four sets of male gazes stared at her.

“You need to leave,” the first Marine said again, but he no longer sounded as forceful.

“I’m just trying to do right by her,” Kimberly said quietly.

That seemed to disarm him further. His stare broke. He glanced down at the dirt path. And Kimberly found herself still talking.

“I had a sister, you see. Not that much older than this girl here. One night, a guy got her drunk, tampered with her seat belt, and drove her straight into a telephone pole. Then he ran away, leaving her there all alone, her skull crushed against the windshield. She didn’t die right away, though. She lived for a while. I’ve always wondered… Did she feel the blood trickling down her face? Did she know how alone she was? The medics would never tell me, but I wonder if she cried, if she understood what was happening to her. That’s gotta be the worst thing in the world. To know that you’re dying, and nobody is coming to save you. Of course, you don’t have to worry about such things. You’re a Marine. Someone will always come for you. We can’t say the same, however, for the women of the world. I sure couldn’t say the same for my sister.”

Now all the Marines were looking down. That was okay. Kimberly’s voice had gotten huskier than she intended. She was afraid of the expression that must be on her face.

“You’re right,” she said abruptly. “I should go. I’ll come back later, when an investigating officer is here.”

“That would be best, ma’am,” the Marine said. He still would not look her in the eye.

“Thank you for your help.” She hesitated, then just couldn’t help herself. “Please take care of her for me.”

Then Kimberly turned quickly, and before she did anything even more stupid, disappeared back down the path.

Two minutes later, she felt Mac’s hand upon her arm. She took one look at his somber expression and knew he’d heard everything.

“Did you get the leaf?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Now would you like to tell me why you’re really here?”

And Mac said, “Because all these years later, I’ve been waiting for him.”

Quantico, Virginia

12:33 P . M .

Temperature: 95 degrees

“IT STARTED IN NINETEEN NINETY-EIGHT. June fourth. Two college roommates went out to a tavern in Atlanta and never came home. Three days later, the first girl’s body was found near Interstate seventy-five just south of the city. Four months later, the second girl’s remains were found a hundred miles away in Tallulah Gorge State Park. Both girls were found fully clothed and with their purses; no signs of robbery or sexual assault.”

Kimberly frowned. “That’s different.”

Mac nodded at her. They were in a corner of the Crossroads Lounge, huddled over a small table, heads together and voices low. “Next year, nineteen ninety-nine. First heat wave of the year doesn’t hit until July. Two high school girls in Macon, Georgia, sneak into a local bar on July tenth. Never seen alive again. First girl’s body is found two days later, this time next to U.S. four forty-one, which happens to be near the Tallulah Gorge State Park. Second girl is found…”

“Inside the gorge?” Kimberly tried gamely.

“Nope. Burke County cotton field. One hundred and fifty miles away from the gorge. It’s the gorge that we searched, however, so nobody discovered her body until the cotton harvest in November.”

“Wait a minute.” Kimberly held up a hand. “It takes all the way until November to find a girl’s body in a field?”

“You’ve never been to Burke County. We’re talking eight hundred square miles of cotton. The kind of place where you can drive all day without ever hitting a paved road. There ain’t nothing out in Burke County.”

“Except a dead body.” Kimberly leaned forward intently. “Both girls fully clothed again? No sign of sexual assault?”

“The best we can tell,” Mac said. “It’s difficult with the second girl of each pair, given the condition of their bodies. But for the most part, yes, all four girls are found wearing their party clothes and looking relatively… peaceful.”

“Cause of death?”

“It varies. For the girls left next to roadways, an overdose of benzodiazepine, the prescription drug Ativan. He injects the lethal dose into their left shoulders.”

“And the second girls?”

“We don’t know. It looks like a fall may have been what killed Deanna Wilson. For Kasey Cooper, exposure, maybe, or dehydration.”

“They were abandoned alive?”

“It’s a theory.”

She wasn’t sure she liked how he said that. “You said you found their purses. What about ID?”

Mac’s turn to frown. He was obviously thinking of the girl they’d found that day, and the lack of ID in her wallet. “They did have their driver’s licenses,” he admitted. “IDing the bodies was never an issue. No keys, though. For that matter, no cars. We’ve never recovered a single vehicle.”