Hunted by a Killer
Author
Laurie Winter
Reads
18.8K
Chapters
20
Is she the pursuer… Or the pursued? When a body was found at the edge of the bayou, police detective Charlotte Reid knew the serial killer who murdered her sister was back. And if she didn't stop him, he'd kill again. FBI special agent Austin Walsh insisted Charlotte couldn't do it on her own. But then the murderer gave Charlotte a deadly challenge — catch him, or she'd be his next victim…
One
He’s back. Her blood ran ice-cold, producing a shiver. Detective Charlotte Reid glanced down at the crime scene photo before sliding it back across the table to Chief Gunther. The last time she’d seen a body like that—a body drained of life and stripped of all human dignity—it had been her sister’s. “It’s the same killer. I’m sure.” They’d never caught him. A failure that haunted Charlotte.
Chief Gunther rubbed a hand down his stubble-covered face. “I thought we put the dark days of brutal killings behind us. Things have been quiet in Presque for six years.”
She’d never shared the chief’s optimism. Her hometown of Presque, Louisiana, had been a sleepy Southern town until a serial killer had turned it into his hunting and dumping grounds. Four murdered women had been tied to one killer, with her younger sister, Ruby, as his last victim. Until yesterday, when he’d added one more to the list. The evidence confirmed what she suspected.
Last night after dinner, Charlotte had been notified a body was discovered. She didn’t mind working long hours with no breaks. She had no family at home. No significant other who needed attention. She did mind being called out to a homicide and viewing the body of an innocent woman who would never spend another day with the ones she loved. Anger brewed in her stomach. She would not allow the cases to grow cold again.
She continued her update to the police chief. “Our most recent victim has ligature marks on her neck. Red fibers were found embedded in her skin. She was left in a ditch outside of town.” Charlotte’s sister had been posed in an identical manner. “Most significantly, there’s a crescent moon shape carved into her inner upper arm.” The mark of a killer who wanted his murders linked. Did he believe he was too smart to be caught? To date, he had been.
“The crime lab needs to complete its testing. Could be a copycat.” The chief pushed up to his feet. Collecting the crime scene photographs, he placed them into a large envelope. “But I already alerted the FBI under the presumption we’re dealing with the same perpetrator. They’re sending an agent to assist. He should be here soon.”
“Soon? The body was discovered last night. Surely the FBI won’t send anyone down yet. And why not wait for assistance until we know what we’re dealing with?” Having federal assistance meant she’d have access to resources outside her department’s reach...but it also meant an FBI suit with a badge would take over her investigation. She checked her ego, refusing to let pride overpower good judgment. Last time, she’d waited too long to trust her federal partner and risked the quality of the investigation.
Charlotte had to remain on this case. The Presque Police Department wasn’t large and lacked the resources of its big city counterparts. If she stepped aside, the Kingston Parish Sheriff’s Department would likely take over the investigation. The department’s prior work on the murder investigations left her uneasy about handing over a case of such great importance. It hadn’t prioritized solving the killings of drug-addicted girls. Charlotte had to catch the sick person who killed vulnerable women—including her sister—and had gotten away with it for too long. That meant she needed the help federal law enforcement offered, and she couldn’t allow her personal feelings to obstruct her work. Not like last time. Her former partnership with Special Agent Austin Walsh had been a distraction. Or should she say her emotional and physical attraction to the man had caused her to lose focus. A mistake that had contributed to the cases going cold. Her love for her late sister and drive to catch Ruby’s killer surpassed any dreams of romance. Nothing could stand in her way.
Don’t assume the FBI will send Austin again—even if his working knowledge of these cases makes him the most logical option.
“The feds deploy their resources rapidly. Detective, you know better than anyone that waiting to call in the feds could mean another murder.” Chief Gunther placed the folder into her hands. The phone on his desk rang, and he glanced over to check the caller ID. “I need to take this. The FBI agent has your contact information and will reach out when he arrives.”
She closed her eyes, willing the strength to see this case to the end. Please God, don’t let me falter.
“Charlotte.” The chief rested a hand on her shoulder. “If you can’t handle facing these murders again, speak up. I can assign...”
“I can handle it.” She didn’t let him finish. “I have to stop this madman and bring my sister’s killer to justice.” The note found on the ground near the latest victim left no doubt of his intentions.
“I’ve tried to be good but the urge to kill won’t leave me. Can you find me before I find you?”
When she’d arrived at the scene last night to find the note left with the victim, she knew the Presque Killer had returned. If he sought attention, he had it. He would find no safe harbor in the town of Presque. She would flush him out before he hurt another soul.
Special Agent Austin Walsh had taken an early morning flight from Reagan National to Baton Rouge then headed straight to Presque, about a forty-five-minute drive.
He turned onto the main road, in the direction of the police station. The charm of the small town remained since his last visit. He passed a white clapboard-sided church topped by a tall steeple and wide front doors. A stain remained about three feet up the exterior wall, indicating where the water had stopped rising after the last hurricane swept through. A few stately homes lined the street like old sentinels, dripping with Southern architecture and history. He found the downtown area quiet, and the remaining stores still in business showed off attractive window displays. A colorful banner for the town’s annual jazz festival draped high over the street. Unfortunately, a darkness stained the underbelly of the area. Five women had been brutally murdered, and their killer was still at large. Austin had failed last time to arrest the person responsible. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
Six years ago, he’d worked in Presque and the surrounding area for six months with no answers. Three women had been murdered in similar manners in the year prior to his assignment to the case. Charlotte’s sister had been the fourth, found murdered two months after he’d arrived in Presque. The trace DNA evidence collected on the first known victim’s shirt offered no match to anyone in the system. Other than the drop of DNA, the killer had been clean in conducting his crimes. With no solid leads in four months after Charlotte’s sister’s murder, he was called back to his home office and forced to admit failure to his mentor—someone who understood losing a loved one to the hands of a serial killer.
His recollection of those events brought Charlotte’s pretty face to mind. An attraction to the local detective had been one of those mistakes he planned to avoid during this visit.
He parked, then scanned the case briefing one more time. The truth was, he’d memorized the facts of the old cases. They never were far from his mind, despite the many other investigations he’d closed since. His background with this community and the victims was the reason he’d been brought back. But the prospect of going into the Presque Police Station and facing Detective Charlotte Reid after six years kept him glued to the seat of his rental.
You’re stalling. Austin gathered up his nerve and exited the vehicle. Lifting his chin, he strode to the station’s front door. He introduced himself to the man posted at the lobby window, then waited to be taken back to the police chief.
The door to the lobby opened and Chief Alan Gunther appeared. “Special Agent Walsh.” He held out a hand in greeting. “Welcome back.”
Austin was back, but for how long? Would he hit the same walls as before? He shook the offered hand and followed the chief down a brightly lit hallway and into his office. “Any leads?”
“None yet. Detective Reid is heading back to the scene to make sure nothing was overlooked.” Chief Gunther leaned on the front of his desk. His left foot tapped on the tile floor.
Austin remained standing as well. A supercharged energy flowed through him. He was eager to get started. “I’ll head over with her.” He paused, considering his words. “In your opinion, can Detective Reid handle this investigation? If the killer we’re chasing is the same person who murdered her sister, she could be too close to the case. Who else is available to take over if needed?”
He thought back to the last time he’d worked with Charlotte. She was the best local detective he’d ever teamed up with. A few years out of the FBI Academy, he’d been assigned to investigate a string of similar murders, starting with women disappearing in the Baton Rouge area then finally culminating in Presque. Detective Reid had led the latter investigation until her sister went missing. Then her sister had become a murder victim. They’d tried to convince Charlotte to step down but the woman dug in. She’d refused to give up the hunt. In the end, Austin had left town with an unfulfilled mission and a local law enforcement partner he’d let down.
He’d failed so many, including Charlotte. An outcome he wouldn’t repeat. The Presque cases were dark spots on his career with the FBI, which had been filled with mostly captured murderers and accolades. Though Special Agent Caleb Boyce had died three months ago, Austin vowed to continue Caleb’s important work of studying, hunting and catching serial killers. Austin wished to carry on the legacy of the man who’d been his instructor at the FBI Academy, an invaluable mentor and a trusted friend. Caleb had worked tirelessly to bring his daughter’s murderer to justice. Austin could help bring peace to the families of the Presque Killer’s victims.
Chief Gunther folded his arms and released a breath. “You know how I feel about our parish sheriff’s department getting involved any more than they have to. Remember how badly they bungled the investigation the last time they got involved? Here’s the thing.” He paused and looked Austin straight in the eye. “I’m not placing Detective Reid on the sidelines without cause. She is the most committed detective I have to solve these murders.”
That was what worried him. He’d witnessed fellow FBI agents grind themselves down to dust while working a case, including Caleb. Charlotte had been close to losing herself after her sister’s murder. If she remained on the case, he’d keep a close eye on her. “I trust your judgment,” he replied to the chief.
“Go see if you can catch Detective Reid before she leaves,” Chief Gunther said. “I expect a report on the progress of the investigation by the end of the day.”
He nodded, familiar with complying with orders from the local chief of police. Not that he was obligated to. He’d learned that to keep the peace, if the order didn’t go against the direction of his own work, he’d cooperate. If the local law enforcement got in his way, he issued a reminder of who he answered to.
Austin stepped out of the chief’s office and made his way to the section of the station where Charlotte’s desk was located. Or at least had been. When he caught sight of her at her desk, head down in concentration, he paused. Besides longer hair, she looked the same.
The charge of fascination he felt proved he hadn’t gotten over her. He’d have to—immediately. Their relationship was strictly professional. Austin had come to do a job: put a killer behind bars.
Charlotte sat at her desk, gathering the files she needed before leaving for the crime scene. At the sound of footsteps, she raised her gaze. Her chest squeezed at the sight of Austin Walsh striding toward her. She hadn’t wanted to see him again under these conditions.
Then again, under what other circumstances would their paths have crossed again? He was an FBI special agent who investigated serial homicides. She was a small-town detective. Working murder cases was not conducive to forming healthy relationships, even a friendship. And they hadn’t been friends the last time she’d been this close to him. When he declared he’d been taken off the case and recalled to his home office, she’d taken out her frustration on him. She’d yelled and attempted to bully him into staying, and in the end she couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye. Her shame at the way she’d conducted herself had recessed over time. But seeing him again brought all the feelings rushing back. Austin hadn’t fought to remain on the Presque cases, which had grown cold. The two of them had failed to complete their job, and that knowledge haunted her every day since he’d left.
“Hello.” She kept her greeting cool and professional. Standing, she offered a hand.
“Hi.” He shook her hand. “It’s been a while. How have you been?”
She quickly pulled her hand out of his grasp. “I’ll be better when a murderer isn’t walking the streets.”
“I second that.” He set the messenger bag he’d been carrying onto the empty office chair next to her desk. “I was told you’re leading the recent investigation and believe the Presque Killer is responsible.”
Austin’s black dress slacks and button-down shirt advertised he wasn’t local law enforcement. His styled hair, face perfectly made for a classic movie screen, and crisp attire suited his personality—all cool confidence and swagger. In her opinion, he deserved every ounce of ego he’d accumulated. Austin excelled at his job. He was precise and reserved. He’d brought down several high-profile serial killers and other criminals since they’d last worked together. According to the articles she’d read about some of his solved cases, Austin was a rising star—one of the top serial killer specialists in the Bureau. She’d seen him in action and been impressed by his sharp mind and accurate instincts.
She broke eye contact and returned to organizing the files of prior case notes. “Whoever murdered the woman we found last night is either the Presque Killer or a superior copycat. We’re still waiting on lab test results but my gut tells me it’s him.”
“Okay, then, let’s get to work.” He rubbed his hands together. “Chief mentioned you’re heading back to the crime scene for another look.”
“I was preparing to leave right before you arrived. You’re welcome to join me.” The invitation had caught in her throat but her training overrode her awkward need to get far away from him.
“Sure. We can ride together.”
“I have some other business to attend to afterward. We’ll ride separately.” A concocted excuse. She doubted she’d be able to avoid being in a car together forever.
“Understood. I’ll follow you.” He grabbed his bag.
“I’m parked out back. Watch for a silver sedan. I’ll swing around the building and drive past. The scene is approximately two miles west of the town limits.” She waited for him to leave her desk area before taking a deep breath. You can do this. No hard feelings. You’re working together toward a common goal. That’s all.
With the folder of investigative materials in her hand, she strode around a barricade wall and across a long stretch of pavement to her car, which the vehicle maintenance staff had neglected to lock after bringing it back from the maintenance shop. She got in, then turned on the vehicle to start the AC. In this heat, she only needed seconds before her shirt began sticking to her sweat-covered skin. Could she trade Louisiana humidity for snow? Cold weather was preferable for preserving a crime scene.
The body had been found at dusk in a swampy ditch on the side of the gravel road outside of town. Charlotte had walked the scene soon after the call came in but wanted a chance to reexamine it with fresh eyes in the daylight. Like the previous times, the killer had left his victim near the roadside, as if he wanted them to be found before wild animals destroyed his work. A group of high school boys out cruising the country roads had discovered the body. The preliminary report estimated she’d died approximately eighteen hours prior. The young woman hadn’t been identified yet. Photographs and her basic information were uploaded into the federal missing persons system. No match yet. Perhaps she hadn’t been missing long enough for someone to notice. Or perhaps she hadn’t had anyone in her life who missed her. Like the other victims, another vulnerable girl stolen off the streets. The assumption brought tears to her eyes.
Charlotte hadn’t reported Ruby missing until the day after she’d disappeared. She’d been wrapped up in work and when she learned her sister hadn’t come home, she assumed Ruby had broken her vow of sobriety and stayed out partying. Looking back, as a detective investigating a serial killer, she should have known better. After searching every hole she’d known her sister to frequent, she’d feared for Ruby more than any other time in her life. Two days later, a local farmer had found Ruby’s body. Her sister had been dumped like a bag of trash. A final indignity that Charlotte would never forgive. Ruby hadn’t been perfect. She’d endured the trauma of parental abandonment, along with Charlotte. While Charlotte had been able to break free and build a successful life, Ruby had found comfort in bad relationships, drugs and alcohol.
Charlotte had to focus on the case before her. Dwelling on her sorrow over losing Ruby wouldn’t help her catch the killer. She gripped the steering wheel, willing herself into the present, and took long, deep breaths. The Presque Killer would not slip away. Not again.
She took hold of the transmission lever to put the car into Reverse. The moment her finger touched the lever, she froze at the sensation of metal on the side of her neck. “Who’s there?”
A quiet laugh answered.
She shifted forward in her seat and glanced in the rearview window to try to glimpse the person behind her. “Answer me.”
The man’s breathing grew louder. “I hear you’re looking for me again. Will you stop me before I stop you?”
His voice sounded digital and strange. Charlotte’s world narrowed to the interior of her car. The serial killer she’d been chasing for years could be seated only feet away. “I never stopped looking for you.” With the end of her statement, a quick prick nipped her neck. Had he pierced her with a needle? Get out of the car, now. She pawed at the door handle but couldn’t coordinate her fingers to take hold and pull. Her wild gaze traveled her surroundings, searching for anyone nearby who could come to her aid. The parking lot appeared empty of people. Black dots floated in her vision. She’d been drugged. Dizziness struck next. I have to escape and find help.
“Rest now,” the voice whispered in her ear. “All I want is to talk, I promise.”
Talk? She struggled to make sense of his words inside her slushy brain. A serial killer had drugged her and all he wanted to do was talk? Images of her sister floated into her mind. Death at the hands of this man wasn’t an option. She flung herself toward the car door and desperately tried to get out. The space around her grew smaller and darker. Her battle was lost. At least for right now. If she awoke—no, when she awoke—she’d fight.
Detective Charlotte Reid would not become another victim of the Presque Killer.
