by Shelly Knox
He didn’t.
Keri closed the journal. She couldn’t read anymore right now. After picking up the book, she stood and headed toward the dresser. She started to put the sacred pages into a drawer, then stopped herself. What if Piper opened this particular drawer when she returned? No, she had to hide it.
She headed for the parking lot. Once at the Camry, she opened the door and locked the journal in the glove box. “Why did I bring this journal with me? If Piper finds it, I’m dead.”
Chapter 9
Piper waited at the dining room table while Angela’s mom, Natalie Daniels, made lemonade. Stacks of boxed diapers lined one wall, while the other wall propped up boxes of a changing station, highchair, crib, dresser, and bassinet. Luke walked in, pulled a chair from beneath the table, and sat across from Piper.
“You used to babysit Angela?” Luke stared at her and his gaze didn’t leave her face. “I really don’t like speaking to the press.”
Glasses rattled on a metal tray as Natalie joined them in the dimly lit dining room.
The tray tilted just a little, and it was all Piper could do to catch a glass that tipped. She braced the other drinks from following the first glass’s near fate.
“Piper isn’t press. She’s practically family.”
Piper caught Luke’s gaze again. His puffy, red-rimmed eyes glistened with tears and he swiped at them. The few minutes they had spent together while waiting for Natalie had convinced Piper that Luke wasn’t involved with Angela missing. A person can fake crying, sobbing, sadness. One thing that was too hard to fake was the physical aspects that crying caused, like red-rimmed eyelids, swollen eyes, and a puffy face—redness around the nose and on the cheeks. Luke had all the signs of sobbing all morning.
“Natalie, I am so sorry Angela is missing. We’ll find her,” Piper said.
“I know. I only pray it’s in time.” A new stream of tears tumbled and Natalie dabbed at them with her white tissue.
“One thing I need both of you to understand, you especially Natalie, because I think Luke already gets it…”
“What?” Natalie asked.
“I am a reporter and I will write about my experience up here and what we learn about Angela. One thing I can promise is I will get your story out there, in your words. I want to participate in the search, and it begins in thirty minutes. Tazzie is my service dog.” Piper glanced down at Tazzie’s sleeping form, then continued. “However, I’ve been training her in scent for search and rescue and other search issues. I know it’s a long shot because she’s still in training, but I was wondering if I could have a piece of Angela’s dirty laundry? Neither of you should touch the article of clothing—pick it up with the insides of a plastic baggie and then zip the baggie shut, locking the article of clothing inside.”
Luke tipped his head to the side, looking like the saddest pup she’d ever seen. “And you think this can help find Angela?”
“I don’t want to mislead either one of you. This may end up being no more than real-life training for Tazzie and me. And I would never ask if I didn’t know you so well, Natalie. You know I’ve wanted to assist with search and rescue since I was a teenager. If Tazzie and I can help find Angela, we would be ecstatic. But, we are still learning.”
Natalie stared at Piper for a good couple of minutes. Piper fiddled in her chair. The scrutiny made her very uncomfortable, and the awkward silence raised her anxiety. Tazzie sat up and nudged Piper’s arm with her cold nose. Within seconds, goose bumps covered Piper’s arm and she rubbed them away.
Natalie reached out and touched Piper’s hand. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. I know Angela would want to help you with your goals. She loved you like a big sister.” Natalie stood and disappeared for several moments.
Luke just stared at Piper. His eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. “How could you ask this?”
“I mean no disrespect. If I didn’t think Tazzie had advanced to this level, I wouldn’t ask. Her nose amazes me in class. She finds the scented item in less than a minute. We have worked outdoors and in controlled environments. This is her first opportunity to work a real case, though. She may do as great as she has in her class training—but she may not. That’s why I don’t want to get your hopes up. It’s her first search and rescue for real.” Piper petted Tazzie on the head and then placed her on a down. “If she can help find Angela, we have to try.”
Natalie reentered the room.
“Excuse me, I have some things I want to do. Good luck on your adventure.” Luke left the room, and she heard the front door opened and slam closed.
“I’m sorry. Luke is a good man. He can’t handle the pain he’s in.”
Piper patted Natalie’s arm, her skin soft and silky and very thin. “Don’t worry about it, Nat. I know all people act differently when they’re grieving.”
Natalie handed a plastic baggie to Piper with a bright-red article of clothing inside. Specks of white and navy accented the fabric. Piper took the baggie and slipped it into her purse. “I know you need to get going to wish everyone well as the afternoon search begins. Is there anything I can do to help you get ready in any way? Do you need a ride?”
With the assurance that they could handle everything, Piper let herself out. She patted her purse as she led Tazzie down the path and back to the road. The hustle and bustle outside the home hadn’t slowed down at all. The roar that encompassed the area made it difficult to carry on a normal conversation. A large, mobile command center sat in a parking slot in front of Angela’s condo. Its sporadic movement proved someone was working in there. Only a few police cars remained, but several black SUVs dotted the street. Piper guessed they belonged to the Texas Rangers.
She continued walking back to the area where most of the reporters stood. The three major stations had satellite-equipped vans. Each van had their station’s call letters and motto decorating the exterior. Most of the TV reporters were in their respective vans working—in air conditioning. The newspaper reporters stood around on a small knoll, talking into their phones and typing into their tablets.
She needed to hitch a ride with someone to the search area. And then she would see what Tazzie could do. But she didn’t know anyone. They all probably thought she was some newbie. After another moment, she got her nerve up and asked the group, “Is anyone getting ready to leave for the search area? If you are, could my service dog and I ride with you?”
She stared into blank faces. A brown-haired man, a black-haired woman, and a redheaded woman shook their heads no. A voice from behind startled her. “You can ride with me, Piper.”
She turned, recognizing the voice. He stood right in front of her, a little too close; so much so that she unconsciously took a step backward. “No, I’m going to ride to the search area with one of my colleagues.” She turned back around and gave a pleading look to the strangers, but no one paid her any attention. Within seconds, everyone had turned back to what they were doing. Piper’s shoulders sagged, and she turned to face him again. He had started to walk away. She called after him. “Jaxson, wait.”
He stopped and gazed over his shoulder.
“Could Tazzie and I please ride with you? We appreciate the offer.”
“Follow me.” He led the way to a black SUV.
Chapter 10
Piper double-checked her backpack for a third time to make sure she had enough water for Tazzie and herself. The temperature would get over a hundred today, and the heat index would raise even higher. Satisfied that she had treats, protein bars, and enough water, she readied Tazzie. First, she gave Tazzie a little water. It helped keep her nose and membranes wet and ready to follow each scent. Once Tazzie finished drinking, Piper retrieved the plastic bag with Angela’s clothing. “Tazzie, scent, scent.” She offered the fabric to Tazzie’s nose. Her dog stuck her nose into the cloth and sniffed several sections of the red blouse. When she finished, she sat and peered up at Piper, signifying her excitement. Piper unclipped the leash and said, “Search. Tazzie, Search!”
Tazzie raised her nose, looking for the scent. After less than fifteen seconds, she took off at a good gait, enough of one that Piper had a little trouble keeping up. “Tazzie, wait.” Her good girl followed her command and stopped but was so excited about the scent she twirled in a circle to the right and then back to the left at least a half-dozen times while waiting for her master. Piper caught up and gave her the command again. “Search.” She didn’t need to give it twice; Tazzie was off again.
They had gotten quite a distance off the path. The foliage grew thick with shrubs, vines with thorns, and trees—she identified one as red oak—the other prominent tree was an oak tree of some type, but Piper didn’t know which one. Willows dotted the terrain. She just hoped there wasn’t any poison ivy out here—she’d only had it once, but the reaction left her swollen and covered in a rash. Piper lost sight of her. “Tazzie, come!”
A bark echoed through the trees just up ahead and Piper took off at the fastest pace she could manage. Branches slapped into her arms and face. A thorn ripped open the skin on the back of her hand. Piper wiped her bloodied hand on the back of her slacks. Tazzie, sitting in the middle of a site blanketed in ground cover, vines, and ferns, continued her barking, nonstop, until Piper rounded a tree with a wide trunk. The area resembled a jungle more than just a wooded area. Piper eased toward Tazzie and she immediately went into a down, her signal that she found the scented item. In this case, it would be Angela.
Piper scanned the area but noticed nothing Tazzie could have scented on. She called Tazzie to her. “Come. Good girl, come.”
Tazzie didn’t come, only barked back at her more. Piper remembered what one of her instructors had told her. That Piper would need to learn to work as a team with her, which meant they had to learn to trust each other. Tazzie trusted Piper. Now she needed to trust her dog. She was only about twenty feet away, but Piper didn’t want to walk on the ground cover and thorny vines. Snakes hid in ground cover. But she didn’t think Tazzie would release until she went to her, observed the item found, and then released her. She only hoped Tazzie hadn’t laid on Angela’s grave. Maybe, in truth, that was why she didn’t want to walk to her dog. She didn’t want to find Angela dead.
As she moved toward her Sheltie, she caught the unmistakable scent of death. How she’d missed it earlier, she didn’t know. Tazzie had found her grave. She didn’t need to get much closer to know what she’d discovered. Piper stopped about five feet from her dog and then said, “Tazzie, good find. Release.” She sat up from her down, glanced behind her and then trotted over to Piper.
She didn’t want to see Angela’s dead body. She didn’t want to be here. What had she been thinking? Didn’t she ever even consider Angela could have been dead? Tazz pawed and whined as Piper fell into an unbearable panic attack. Her legs gave out and she fell to her knees on the sticker ground cover. The pain barely registered as she tried to focus enough to count and do the breathing exercises.
Tazz wriggled her way under her master’s arms so she could nuzzle and lick and try with all her might to calm her favorite person. After what seemed an eternity to Piper, she finally began the exercises that would lead her out from the dark and back to the light.
She moved off the ground cover and back onto solid ground. She pulled out a piece of chicken for Tazzie’s reward and poured some water in her portable pink bowl. Once she had her situated, she pulled her phone from her back pocket. She could get GPS coordinates to give to Jaxson. She dialed his number.
“Wyatt here.”
“Jaxson, it’s Piper. Tazzie found Angela’s body.”
“You saw it? It’s Angela?”
“Well…no.”
“What? How do you know—”
“If you will listen for a minute. I had a piece of Angela’s clothing. Tazzie tracked the scent, and it ended up at a dead body. I can smell it—it’s overwhelming.”
“Did you see the body? Did you touch anything?”
“You know me better than that. I didn’t go closer than five feet from the body. I didn’t see the body. It’s covered.”
“Then for all you know it could be an animal.”
“Right, an animal died and then another animal covered up its body, because hey, all animals bury their dead.”
“Smart ass.”
“Well, don’t ask stupid questions. I’ll text the GPS coordinates. Tazzie and I will wait for you and the team to arrive.”
Piper hung up, unable to keep up small talk with him for another minute. She texted the coordinates and turned back to Tazzie. She gave Tazzie her bully stick, which was her treat when she tracked the scent to resolution. Tazzie took the bully stick, circled the ground a couple of times, then laid down and held the stick between her two front paws and enjoyed her reward. Piper covered her nose so she didn’t have to smell Angela’s decomposing body.
Chapter 11
Keri pulled the bedspread off the queen bed closest to the bathroom and propped the pillows up so she could sit comfortably. The air conditioner clicked on and she enjoyed the cool breeze. The room wasn’t anything special. It was clean and tidy. She turned on the bedside lights and opened Piper’s journal to read more of her ordeal.
The second entry mostly discussed her investigation of the serial killer, trying to learn his psychology. She found this more interesting than the Investigation Discovery channel.
It wasn’t that I was smarter than any of the other investigative reporters, or anyone on the task force trying to find him. I had something they didn’t have—blonde hair and blue-green eyes. I only wanted to catch him to stop the horrific torture he enacted on other women.
I guess Jaxson could see how invested I was in this case. He often complimented me on my articles. So, when he offered to be my anonymous source, I about fell out of my chair. I never expected this from him; he was such a dynamic law enforcement officer. His morality was impeccable. I learned later that he did it to win my love. But when I became close to discovering the identity of the serial killer, Jaxson didn’t want to give me any more information. It was only with my perseverance and pressure on him that he did. He gave me the lead that led to Samuel Quinton. And when I got close to Sam, he threatened me. A subtlety I didn’t pick up on until after ….
Reaching for her chardonnay, Keri picked up the chilled glass and took a long, deep sip of the cold beverage. She put the glass on the coaster with a clink and returned to the journal.
Then when I was on my way to meet Samuel, to prove to Jaxson that he was the serial killer, I made a mistake. It never dawned on me that Samuel would know as much about me—more even—than I did about him. He hijacked my vehicle less than a mile from the fast-food restaurant where we were to meet. That move kept everyone in the dark for hours, too many hours.
Keri placed the book beside her. The idea of the torture her sister went through made her crazy. To think how close she came to losing Piper… She shook off the memories and hit the power button on the remote to turn on the television. She flicked through the channels to find a news station so she could catch up on the news. She had to find out whether anything had developed on the case Piper worked on for the paper. Finding a news channel, she sat and listened. The news reporter briefed the audience on the female body found in the woods and mentioned that Angela took daily walks near where law enforcement found her body. The reporter insinuated that it must be Angela.
“That’s it!” Keri exclaimed to herself. She would force Piper to go back to the newspaper and refuse this story. If they fired her, then Keri would help her sue for discrimination against her disability. Keri had to prevent her older sister from getting mixed up in this case. It wouldn’t be good for her at all—for either of them. She had to keep close tabs on her sister. Keri stomped around the hotel room, packing everything she’d unpacked a few hours ago. She planned to keep Piper out of trouble if it was the last thing she did.
And it just might be.
Chapter 12
A few minutes after Pi
per had shot a text to Jaxson about their find, the place swarmed with police and Rangers. She’d been hustled out of the riparian forest so fast she didn’t even get confirmation that it was Angela that they found.
Now, he was taking her away from the scene in his SUV on a ruse to get her a meal. As if she could eat now. A bark announced a text message on her phone. She clicked on the app and scrolled down to read Keri’s text.
I saw the news. We’re going home in an hour. I packed your bag. Meet you in the lobby in fifty-five minutes.
“That bitch!”
Jaxson automatically slowed the SUV as he glanced at Piper to see what had pissed her off. “What’s wrong?”
Tazzie whined in the back and pawed at the seat.
Piper had to count to ten before she could answer. “Keri is checking us out of the hotel and thinks she’s dragging me back home.”
He glanced toward her. “When?”
Shaking her head, she let out a loud sigh. “In an hour.”
“Which hotel are you checked into?”
Piper told him.
“Me too.” He changed their course and headed to the hotel. Several minutes later, he pulled up in front of the Hilton DoubleTree.
Keri stepped through the double glass doors surrounded by a shiny gold frame.
“Watch Tazzie for me, okay?” Piper jumped out of the SUV and stopped Keri from progressing further. “What the hell, Keri?”
“Good, you’re here. I want to get back before it gets too late.” Keri pushed past her and headed for her Camry.
