BooksBarbecue
Back 55 Save as PDF
Chapters (60)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. Acknowledgements
  59. About the author
  60. Copyright

Chandler informed the teenager that he was in no danger. It was a huntsman’s web, a big, hairy but harmless spider that would flee at the first sign of trouble. With this declared, more people stepped in to help, including Arthur’s kid. Chandler watched the boy laugh as he shook his hands furiously to remove the sticky web and scolded himself for getting caught up in the yearning to find Martin’s dead body to further his own selfish desire to get back home.

27

Chandler quickly discovered that the press was desperate for information. They wanted to know who the people of interest were, what they were suspected of, background and beliefs, anything and everything about them, seeking the tiniest crack to edge into and take root.

As he finished his latest briefing, Erin and Roper had returned and were updating Mitch, Luka floating around the outside, a new planet orbiting the sun. A few minutes later Mitch addressed the station, failing to hide his disappointment. Mostly at them.

‘So far we’ve had no luck in identifying a gravesite near the shack, so I’m making this our number one priority. Without graves, without bodies, we do not have a murder, we do not have a serial killer, just two men who are accusing each other of such. If – when – we locate the graves, then we can pressure one of them into giving up the other. They’ll fold like a house of cards.’

‘Assuming they are working together,’ said Chandler. Mitch shot him an angry glare but Chandler continued. ‘And if they were and had a falling-out then they’d have created differing stories of how they got to the woods. There would be no reason for them to match.’

‘That could be their plan. To put us off the scent. And it’s succeeding,’ said Mitch.

‘No,’ said Chandler. ‘If they have the same story that means the killer is using it to piggy-back. That means only one—’

Mitch fought back. ‘Both admit to having seen the graves.’

In full flow now, Chandler wasn’t going to be stopped. ‘Explain to me why they would admit seeing the graves if they were trying to get away with it, or trying to pin the blame on the other. That would make no sense. It only gets them into deeper trouble.’

‘They may not be too smart, Sergeant.’

‘Smart enough to have us running in circles.’

‘Ever-decreasing circles,’ said Mitch. ‘We’ll get them soon. What I want now is a positive attitude.’ He turned to the group, but continued staring at Chandler. ‘I need teams on the Hill searching for the graves. I’ll be coordinating.’ Pointing at pairs he continued, ‘Erin and Roper you’re up again. Yohan and Suze. MacKenzie and Sun.’ His eyes scanned the room, straight past Chandler. ‘Luka, you can pair with Flo. Jim and Tanya, you too.’

Tanya interrupted.

‘You should take Chandler,’ she said. ‘Give him a team.’