clenched. There was no time to waste.
“The killer’s already identified his next victim. Stalked her.” Emilia bit her lip. “Use the media to warn women to be careful. Ask them to call in anything suspicious, especially if they feel they’re being followed.”
“We’ll get hundreds of tips.”
“Yes, but we know this killer only likes pretty, single, dark-haired women. It’s not much to go on, but it will help narrow the pool.”
Claire nodded. “What else?”
“He has a place where he takes the victims.” She glanced at the body. “It can’t be far. Within a few hours’ drive. Probably closer. The killer is from Fulton County or is extremely familiar with the area. Oh, and of course, he’ll have a connection to Derrick.”
Something rustled in the trees. Bennett peered into the woods. A man was lurking in the shadows of some bushes near the taped-off boundary securing the crime scene. The killer? It wasn’t unusual for a murderer to revisit the scene of the crime.
“Police!” Bennett’s hand went to his weapon. “Freeze!”
The man turned and ran.
Bennett bolted after him.
Emilia dashed after Bennett through the woods. Her boots slid over the pine needles and dry leaves. She pulled her weapon from the holster hidden along the small of her back. Ahead of them, a man dodged and weaved.
“Police!” Bennett shouted. “Freeze!”
The man paid them no heed. He picked up his pace, disappearing around a bend. Bennett muttered something before increasing his speed. The ground had a slight incline. Emilia’s heart pounded and the cold air stung her lungs. Her heavy wool jacket and scarf slowed her progress.
Bennett rounded the bend, disappearing from view behind some foliage. A shout followed.
Bennett!
Emilia forced more power into her legs. She rounded the bush, gun raised. Two men rolled on the ground. Bennett and the man he’d been chasing. Emilia stepped closer, shouting. “Stop! Police!”
The warning seemed to register with the man in blue. He froze. Bennett whipped the man’s hands behind his back and cuffed them. “You’re under arrest.”
“Wait!” the man shouted. “What are you doing? Hold on.”
Something about the voice was familiar. Bennett hauled the man to his feet, and for the first time, Emilia got a look at his face. She inhaled sharply.
John McInnis. Derrick’s former employer.
Claire came racing around the bend, gun in hand. She assessed the situation in three seconds and lowered her weapon.
Emilia lowered hers as well, but didn’t holster it. John was cuffed, but that wasn’t enough to prevent him from trying something. “You okay, Bennett?”
She scanned the Texas Ranger for injuries. He had a scrape on his cheek and mud stained his pants, but otherwise he looked fine. Anger hardened his handsome features.
“I’m okay.” Bennett pushed John into a sitting position on a nearby fallen log. “What are you doing here, John?”
“In the park? I’m exercising.” John’s gaze flickered to Emilia and then to Bennett. His chest heaved and sweat coated the front of his shirt. “Can someone explain what on earth is going on? One minute, I’m exercising and the next I’m being tackled.”
Emilia ignored his question. “What were you doing sneaking up to a crime scene?”
John’s mouth dropped open. He blinked several times, giving the impression of a
startled goldfish. “I didn’t. I’m running in the park.”
“You were near the crime-scene tape.”
He shook his head as if struggling to comprehend her words. “What are you talking about? What crime-scene tape?” John struggled against the cuffs. “Get these off me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“You disobeyed an order to stop,” Bennett said.
“I didn’t hear an order to stop. I had my headphones in.” John jerked his chin at the ground. An earbud lay in the dirt.
Emilia retrieved it and held it up to her own ear. Loud rock music filtered out. A niggle of uncertainty tugged at her. Claire looked around and came up with a matching earbud a short distance away. They must’ve fallen out of John’s ears in the tussle with Bennett.
“One of you, please explain to me what is going on?” John swallowed hard. “Wait…you said crime scene.” His complexion paled, stark against the dark beard covering the lower half of his face. “Is this connected to Alice? And Derrick?”
“Yes.” Emilia’s hand closed around the earbud.
“I knew it was weird you were asking about Alice after so many years.” John licked his lips. “Listen, guys, I run this route all the time. I zone out when I’m exercising. I didn’t see the crime-scene tape and I didn’t hear you order me to stop. The first time I heard