Branded by Lust: 4 (Night Seekers) by Desiree Holt Page A

and Rebecca are
meeting with the sheriff and one or two others this afternoon. Seems the
sheriff somehow had a come-to-Jesus moment. They requested everything we got in
so far on the DNA testing and any other pertinent reports from the lab. They’ll
call after they’re finished and catch us up.” He swiveled in his chair to look
at everyone. “Meanwhile, let’s pull up all the files on our terminals and go
over everything bit by bit again. Maybe we’re missing something.”
    Muttering to themselves, the rest of the team sat down at
their computers and soon keys were clicking as fingers flew over them.
    * * * * *
    Logan greeted the men at the door and waved them into the
house. He led them into the kitchen where Rebecca was waiting. Mugs were set
out on the counter next to the oversized coffee pot along with spoons, sugar
and creamer. When everyone had a full mug and seated themselves at the table,
Rance Danvers took a thick folder from the briefcase he’d carried in with him,
opened it and spread its contents out on the table. Then he cleared his throat.
    “Here’s everything from the ranger’s killing,” he said to
Logan and Rebecca, “along with those from Julie and Wade’s killings and their
neighbor. I included the lab reports this time too.” He rubbed his face. “I
don’t apologize easily, Logan, but that’s what I’m doing now. I just hope we
catch this…whatever it is before we lose anyone else.”
    “Not any more than we do,” Logan told him.
    Rebecca was already sifting through the photographs, sharing
them with Doug and Ford. Even thought Ford had filched copies to pass along to
Logan this was probably the first time he’d really studied them. Matt too.
Logan noticed a sick look on both faces.
    “There’s no way to soft-pedal this stuff,” Rebecca told them
in a soft voice. “The first bodies I saw were my little nephews and I don’t
think I’ll ever get that image out of my mind.”
    Matt lined up a selection of the crime scene photos, one
from each location, and frowned as he studied them.
    “Problem?” Logan asked.
    “Just trying to get a feel for the type of location where
the killings occur.” He pointed to one of the shots. “For example, this house
looks like it’s out in the middle of nowhere. And here.” He pointed again. “And
here and here.”
    Logan nodded. “You’re absolutely right. The beast never
comes into a crowded area. It’s almost as if, like everything else, it’s
programmed to hunt only where it can’t be easily seen. Homes surrounded by
acreage. Houses at the far end of a street at the end of town, far away from
any of the others. An isolated spot by a river or a lake.”
    Rebecca picked up the thread. “The cases we just worked in
Maine were like that. Aroostook County is much like this area here. Wide-open
spaces with farmhouses or fish camps and nothing around them. And in the winter
when snow covers the potato fields there’s practically no activity.”
    “Also,” Logan added, “unlike some of its previous kills, it now
only attacks solo individuals. If there are two or more people, even if they’re
out on snowmobiles or horseback, it seems to know to stay away.”
    “Because the other person might shoot it during the attack,”
Ford guessed.
    “Yes. Which is some pretty advanced thinking for a creature
like this.”
    “As Logan said, that wasn’t the case in earlier killings,”
Rebecca told them. “You know Logan’s brother and sister-in-law were killed
together and my twin nephews were killed at the same time. But we believe the
beast has reassessed since then and now looks for solo prey.”
    “How is that even possible?” Doug asked.
    “Here’s another question for you.” Rance Danvers leaned
forward on his elbows. “From what I read on the internet, this thing, whatever
it is, never used to attack humans. Lonely animals. How do you account for the
change?”
    “I’ll answer that. I’m a late addition to the team so I had
a