and Hobbs are fixin’ to take them to the station and wait for their parents to arrive. That’ll give them a chance to calm down before we question them further.”
“What about CSI?”
“On the way. Emergency responders are coming out of the woodwork. I’ll bet you can see the lights flashing from down in Foggy Ridge.”
“All right,” Virgil said. “You’re in charge. Preserve the scene. I don’t want any missteps. It’s hard to say what we’re dealing with.”
“Wouldn’t it be something if this turned out to be Micah Cummings?”
“That’s the understatement of the century.” Virgil looked up into Jill Beth’s wide, questioning eyes, his pulse soaring, his curiosity on tilt. Did he dare hope that this was the break they’d been waiting for? “You know what, Kevin? The media will be all over this like fleas on a hound dog. I’m coming up there.”
Virgil moved his flashlight across a swath of the forest floor that had been roped off with crime scene tape. Bones were scattered over an area of about twenty square feet, a human skull visible in the midst. It was sobering to consider that this might be all that was left of Micah Cummings. Virgil had imagined such a scenario many times in the past five years but didn’t realize that the discovery would make him feel as if he had swallowed a lead weight. He had grown up on the same street as Micah. Knew him when he was a scrawny, runny-nosed little kid, always wanting to hang out with the big boys. He should’ve let him.
Virgil heard voices and spotted Kevin walking over to three crime scene investigators getting out of a familiar black Suburban. Virgil raised his hand to acknowledge them, content to let Kevin fill them in.
Several minutes later, just as the red-white-and-blue van from KOMN-TV pulled up behind the long row of flashing lights, Kevin came over and stood next to Virgil. The chief deputy’s carrot-red hair was unruly from the humid night air.
“The media didn’t waste any time,” Kevin said. “Want me to call Mrs. Cummings? She probably should know what’s going on before it hits the news. The way these bones are scattered, could be more than one person.”
“She doesn’t need to hear that over the phone,” Virgil said. “I’ll drive up there and tell her myself.”
Kevin nodded toward four Foggy Ridge police officers talking to Deputy Duncan. “PD’s up to speed. Chief Mitchell’s en route.”
“Thanks.” Virgil patted Kevin’s shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
Virgil walked a hundred yards across a clearing. He got into his squad car and made a U-turn, avoiding the potholes in the crude dirt trail that led back to Angel View Road. He turned north and headed up the mountain to the Cummings’ house.
Kate was sitting at the kitchen table, writing out a new recipe for herb chicken, when she heard the doorbell ring. She glanced at the clock. Who would come to the house at this hour?
She heard footsteps running across the wood floor, and then the door open.
“Evening, Sheriff,” Jesse said. “Come in. Mom! It’s Sheriff Granger!”
Kate came out of the kitchen, the recipe card still in her hand, and stood next to Jesse. “You need to come get me when we have a guest,” she said softly. “It’s not polite to yell.”
Jesse nodded apologetically. “Sorry.”
Kate turned her attention to Virgil. “So what brings you out this late?”
“I’d like to talk to you about something. Is there a place we could talk privately?”
“Sure, come out to the kitchen.” Kate felt as if her pulse rate had doubled. Had Abby done something she didn’t know about?
She walked across the living room and through the doorway to the kitchen, Virgil on her heels.
“Can I get you something to drink?” she said. “Coke, iced tea, lemonade, spring water?”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
“Let’s sit here at the table.” Kate pushed her recipe box aside. “Is this about Abby trying to find that little girl?”
“Actually, I don’t know anything about that.” Virgil pulled out a chair and sat. “I came to inform you of a new development that happened less than an hour ago. I don’t know of an easy way to say this, so I’ll get right to the point. A couple of teenagers stumbled onto human remains. The skull size suggests an adult.”
The world stopped. Kate put her hand on her heart and struggled to find her voice. “You think … it’s Micah?”
“We have to consider that possibility. CSIs are doing the investigating and will make sure the remains are