Jack held up his cell and let a video play across the screen. Even in the shade, it wasn’t easy to see. Alex could barely make out the dark, grainy figure. But he could see enough. The headlamp on the vandal’s helmet shone brightly as they bashed away with their sledgehammer, taking special interest in the plaque dedicated to Alex’s father. Then everything seemed to go dark, but light caught the figure disappearing into the woods.

“Wow,” Alex said. “That’s not going to help you much.”

Terra walked toward her mother’s plaque, which was vandalized in October but received no damage this time. “We know it was someone acting alone. They dressed in black, wore a helmet with a headlamp, and brought a sledgehammer. So the act was premeditated. Our first thought was that this was just some kids, or a kid acting alone.”

“But you don’t know if it was the same person.” Alex remained next to his father’s destroyed plaque and shoved back the harsh memories—the brutal reality of lives forever changed.

Jack rubbed his neck. “We’re comparing the shards of broken stone, but we concluded a sledgehammer was used in October too. It’s probably the same person.”

“What we’re lacking,” Terra said, “is—”

“Motive.” Alex walked around his father’s plaque.

Terra nodded. “Yes.”

“What does Erin think?” The criminal psychologist in their group. He recalled that about eight months ago, back in October, he’d been in town and he, Terra, and Erin had discussed the vandalism.

Erin had suggested the violence was malicious. He offered up revenge. After all, it was the fifteen-year anniversary of when the avalanche took out his father and the other two members of the SAR team. Erin didn’t think someone bent on committing an act of revenge would wait so long.

Violence. Revenge. He’d wanted to leave it all behind when he came back to Montana. When he was home with the fresh air and pristine rivers and waterfalls. This was the place he ran to when he’d had enough of the rest of the world.

Except, well, the rest of the world was encroaching on his home state, what with the murders last fall and now with what happened to Erin and Nathan recently. He accepted the painful reality.

Jack’s shoulders relaxed. “Maybe you can help us with this vandalism.”

“What can I do?” Alex shrugged. “You’ve got nothing.”

“Not true,” Terra said. “We can find out who bought helmets with lamps. Batteries. A sledgehammer.”

“Things someone might already have in their garage.” Alex wasn’t impressed. “Tools everyone around here buys.”

“Okay, wise guy, what’s your plan?” Jack’s brows furrowed.