Jenna and her deputies had been working tirelessly to follow their leads, but by dinnertime on Wednesday, they had gotten nowhere. After eating dinner with Kane at Aunt Betty’s Café, Jenna decided to have an early night. She slipped into her slippers and strolled into the kitchen. The moment she added cream to her mug of coffee, her cellphone sounded the nine-one-one ringtone. She groaned and stared at the constant vibrating interference in her life then swiped the screen to accept the call. “Sheriff Alton, what is your emergency?”

“Oh my God, oh my God. You gotta send someone. I don’t know what to do.”

Jenna snatched up the pad beside the landline and grabbed a pen from the bunch in the empty pickle jar on the kitchen counter. “Take a deep breath and give me your name and location.”

“Chad Johnson and I’m outside the gates of the pool at the campus.” He let out a mournful moan like an animal in distress. “Something has happened to my girlfriend Kate, Kate Bright. I can see her lying on the diving board and her guts are hanging out. Send someone to help her.”

Jenna sucked in a breath to steady the rush of terror and forced her voice to remain calm. She moved swiftly to the landline and dialed Kane’s number.

“I can’t get to her. She is inside the aquatic center and someone has locked the gate. I called out to her but she isn’t moving.”

“Is anyone else there? Have you seen anyone in the area?”

“No, please hurry.”

“Okay, stay on the line. I’m going to speak to my deputy, he’ll call the paramedics and we’ll be heading in your direction immediately.” She muted the cellphone and heard Kane pick up. “Kane, it’s Jenna, I have Chad Johnson on my cellphone. It sounds like we have another murder. Send the paramedics to the campus aquatic center but make them aware of the potential danger. Instruct them not to enter the area if the victim is deceased—he mentioned her guts are hanging out, so I think we have another murder. It’s the same M.O. as Felicity.”

“I’m on it. Do you want me to drive you?”

“Yeah, give me five to get dressed.” She hung up the phone and went back to the cellphone. “You still there, Chad?” She poured her coffee into a takeout cup, filled another for Kane, then marched into her bedroom.

“Yeah, but I think I’m gonna puke.”

She wriggled out of her nightgown and dressed quickly. “That’s okay. Is there a garden bed or something close by you can use?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, vomit if you must but don’t hang up. I need to know you’re okay.”

Trying to ignore the sounds of retching, she pushed her feet into boots and took her weapon from the bedside table. She slid her cellphone inside her pocket and attached the earpiece then went via the kitchen to collect the coffee. She set the house alarm and stepped onto the porch as Kane arrived at her front door.

“I’ve called Wolfe, he’ll meet us there.” Kane raised one dark eyebrow, waited for her to place the coffee in the console, then hit the gas. “What have we got?”

She buckled her seatbelt then glanced at Kane’s profile as he engaged the new siren and lights he recently fitted to his personal vehicle. “I have Chad on the line but at the moment he is throwing up.” She covered the microphone hanging midway on the earpiece from her cellphone. “He said little, only that we need to send someone because he found Kate Bright on the diving board at the campus with her guts hanging out.”

“Jesus.” A nerve in Kane’s cheek ticked. “It’s only been two days since we found Felicity and Joanne. If this is the same guy, he is escalating fast.”

The powerful vehicle roared along the highway, and green fields flashed by as it ate up the miles. They sped through town, lights flashing and siren blaring. Kane expertly maneuvered the vehicle through traffic, breaking then accelerating so hard, the G-force threw her back in her seat. Her deputy owned more than an SUV: Since the recent modifications, he had a bulletproof rocket on wheels. Reaching Stanton Road in record time, the SUV screamed along the edge of the forest and made it around the corner onto College Road seconds before the paramedics came over the rise from the other direction. She glanced at Kane. “Nice driving.”

He flicked her a dark blue glance but dropped his lashes as if to hide his feelings. “Thanks.”

She uncovered the microphone. “Chad, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I can hear the sirens. Do you want me to wait here or walk back to the front of the building?”

“Stay there. We are at the main gate now but it’s locked. How did you get inside?” She turned as Kane leaped from the car and, in one smooth movement, pulled his weapon, took aim at the padlock on the front gate, and fired. The chain burst apart in a shower of sparks and hung like a dead snake trailing on the road. “Ah, never mind, we’ve found a way.”

Muscles bunching under his cotton shirt, Kane ripped away the chain and dragged open one of the massive gates in an impressive show of strength. Jenna gaped open-mouthed at him but he shrugged then climbed back behind the wheel.

“Wolfe just arrived. Any idea where the aquatic center is in this place?”

Jenna shut her mouth with a click and pointed ahead. “Yeah, this one I know. I came to watch an event here last fall. It’s out back of the sports center.”

She gave him directions, and moments later they pulled up outside the gym. “The pool is down that passageway. Can you see the water glistening?” She uncovered the mic. “Chad, we’re here.”

“I’m out front of the pool gate but it’s locked too,” Chad’s voice came in her ear.

“Okay, you can hang up now, we are heading toward your position.” She disconnected the call then slid from the car and walked over to meet Wolfe and the paramedics. “This is probably a murder scene. Wait here until we check it out and be aware there may be a threat in the immediate area.”

“Did you see anyone on the street on the way here?” Wolfe’s cold gaze moved over the paramedic’s faces.

“Yeah, a white-haired old lady walking a poodle,” one of the paramedics responded. “No one else. We didn’t see any other cars except yours.”

Jenna allowed Kane to take the lead and followed him along the darkened passageways then out into the clear night. A young man was sitting hunched on the ground, his back to the gates to the Olympic-sized swimming pool. Her stomach clenched at the sight of the girl stretched out, feet and arms dangling down each side of the diving board at the side of the pool. From the complete evisceration of the body, she knew it was too late to save Kate. She moved toward the young man. “Chad?”

He lifted a tear-stained face to her. “Yeah. Kate is in there.” He indicated with his chin toward the pool but kept his eyes fixed on her face. “She hasn’t moved and I’ve been calling her name. I know she’s dead.”

“Okay, come with me and we’ll go and speak to the paramedics.” Jenna led him away, taking a mental note of his pristine appearance. Apart from dust on his jeans from sitting on the ground, his clothes appeared clean. She turned to Kane. “I’ll get him off the scene.”

After leading Chad back toward the gym, she raised both eyebrows and shook her head at the paramedics. “Will you take Chad to the ambulance? I don’t want him going into shock.”

“Yes, ma’am. I assume the patient is deceased?”

“I would imagine but we’ll go in and check. I’ll call you if we need you.”

One of the paramedics took Chad by the arm and they walked away. Taking a deep breath, she headed back to her deputies and peered through the gate. The sight of the girl, with her blonde hair blowing in the wind, presented in such a disgusting fashion appalled her. She turned her attention to Kane. “I know her. I spoke to her yesterday. She was so vibrant, so fun-loving. I’m not looking forward to informing her parents.”

“When this sort of thing happens, I’m glad I never had kids. It must be hell for Wolfe to see her. All of our victims are the same age as his daughter.”

“Well, we’re not going to catch this animal unless we can get into the pool area to examine the body.” She looked up at him. “Do your magic but if possible, try and hit the chain—we might get some prints off the lock.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She turned to make sure Chad and the paramedics had not entered the immediate area and moved into the corridor between the changing rooms to avoid any ricochet but noticed Wolfe standing a few feet away from Kane, his bag of equipment in one hand. Having an expert shooter in her department sure made life easier. One shot and the chain fell away. She walked back to Kane’s side. “Great job!”

“I think a good leader takes full advantage of all the assets on hand.” Kane leaned closer. “In saying that, would you like to send Wolfe to check Kate and use me for a preliminary recon of the immediate area? With the gate locked, the killer might be close by watching to soak up our reactions, and we’ll need to make a note of any possible escape routes from the scene and check them as well.”

The offer of not listening to Wolfe describe the intimate details of Kate’s demise would give her stomach time to stop rolling. “Good idea, and as I know her, I will be able to make a positive ID.” She took out her notepad and pen. “You go ahead and I’ll question Chad and find out how Kate happened to be here alone at this time of night.”

“You okay?” Kane viewed her with concern. “Seeing that kind of carnage is hard for the most seasoned homicide team.”

It was nice to have someone to worry about her but she had a job to do. She gave him a curt nod. “We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t react to seeing a young girl mutilated but thanks for asking. I’ll be fine.”

“Good.” Kane turned away, swung open the gate and headed toward the body.