10

"So you really think that's her?"

Glen was leaning over the pictures that Ken had spread across the table. Ken had stopped in early that morning, and they were still sitting in Glen's kitchen, drinking coffee, looking at ten year old pictures of twins.

"I don't know, man. If it's not, it's an amazing coincidence." Ken heaved a sigh and shoved all the photos back into the folder. "Jen and Jamie both fell off the radar five years ago…it's like they just fell off the edge of the earth."

Glen nodded. "Whoever they were hiding from must have meant business. So what do you think?"

"I think we should go talk to my tattoo guy. See if he knows who gave her this tat." Ken pulled out a picture. This was a photo from Carolyn's office. The Japanese lettering was prominent on the body's white skin.

"Long shot in the dark." Glen muttered.

"Yeah. But what else can we do?"

"I could call around. I have a friend with the FBI. See if he can scrounge up anything."

"It's a start." Ken rose to his feet. "I'm all for keeping Bailey as much out of this as possible, but do you really think she's gonna sit back and let us work?"

Glen laughed. "Hell no."

"I didn't think so." Ken shook his head. "I'll call in a bit. Do me a favor…see if they had any family still in state."

"Take me about five minutes." Glen said.

"I'd like to know if they know where Jen and Jamie are." Ken finished. "You can talk to 'em. People like you."

"People are intimidated by me." Glen said with a smirk. "But it works. I'll start digging."

"Great." Ken tucked his folder under his arm and went outside to his truck. He was in for a very long day, probably a very long fruitless day. But that was all right. It was what he did for a living after all.

Bailey had been the only one in the office that day. Ken and Glen were tracking down someone for a case-they said they'd be back by late evening. Bailey didn't even ask what they'd found out. Ken would have just given her the runaround anyway.

Mark was not home. He had not been planning on going to work until noon and Caleb was supposed to go with him. Bailey got the feeling he wanted to show his son off, a notion that was pretty adorable in her opinion.

She checked the messages on the house answering machine, and shook her head when Mark's voice filled the room. "Hey…we decided to go visit a couple of friends. Probably be home around seven or so. You're cell's turned off…" He paused. She could hear the baby making noises in the background. "Well…I'll see you when I get home. Love you."

There were two more messages, one for Mark, one from Carolyn. Bailey got herself a bottle of water and picked up the phone to call the medical examiner back.

"ME."

"Hi, Carolyn. It's Bailey. Got your message. What's up?"

"Oh. Bailey." The older woman sighed heavily. Her tone became friendlier. "Sorry for bein' short, hon. Damn mayor's got two new ME's here, looking over my shoulder."

"Understandable." Bailey said, taking a seat at the table. "You said you wanted to ask me something?"

"Oh…yes…" There were rustling sounds from the other end of the line. "I was thinking of taking a drive out to the pond where our DB was found. Just to get a feel for the place. Maybe take a couple more water samples."

"They didn't get enough when they found her?" Bailey asked.

"Three samples, two contaminated." Carolyn said with a groan. "They'll learn to call me instead of the coroner one of these days. Anyway…we're going to have a re-enactment team out there by the end of the week. I need to get some pictures first. For my own files, not for the PD."

"Ah. Ok."

"Is that your subtle way of telling me to get to the point?" Carolyn asked with a laugh.

Bailey grinned. "I've had a long day myself. Dead cases. So…what is your point?"

"I have dead cases all day, every day, sugar." Carolyn sounded like she was smiling. "I was wondering if you might want to meet me out there. I'm not sure how much of a conflict of interest it might cause, since you all do have that adorable little one, but I know how you are Bailey. I only have one roll of film, and it won't be enough pictures for you."

Bailey snorted. "You got that right."

"You got a pen handy? I have one more meeting to get through, shouldn't take more than half an hour. I'll meet you out there, around seven thirty?" Carolyn rattled off directions, giving Bailey time to jot them down.

"Got it. I'll see you later on."

"See ya in a bit, hon." With that Carolyn was gone. Bailey sat there, tapping her fingers on the table for a few minutes, thinking. The pond where the body had been found was a forty minute drive. She'd have time to stop and eat some dinner on the way. She scribbled a short note to Mark, telling him she was meeting Carolyn to talk over the case, then snatched up her cell phone from the counter. It wasn't that it was not turned on, the battery was dead. Bailey grabbed her purse and keys, and headed to her Jeep. She plugged the phone into the charger and started the vehicle, trying to decide what she wanted to eat.

At seven, she was pulling onto a grown-over dirt road, as per Carolyn's directions. Bailey was too impatient to sit around and wait for the other woman to catch up. She wanted to get out there and see what there was to see. It did not help matters that it was dark out…it seemed like just yesterday she was complaining about the heat and the sun. Now she wished for a little of both as she cleared an overgrown patch of the 'road'. A field opened in front of her. Even this close to wintertime the area was overrun with wild growth. Weeds grew waist high as far as she could see in the darkness.

According the Carolyn's directions, the pond was two hundred yards to the right of the entrance to the field. Bailey pulled forward as far as she dared, then climbed out of the Jeep, leaving the engine running. The headlights were her only illumination. She reached under the driver's seat and pulled out a small flashlight. The batteries were working, barely. It was enough. The headlights on high beam reached far enough to reflect a bit off the water's surface that was still a hundred yards ahead.

She clicked the flashlight off, relying on the Jeep for now, and made her way across the field, keeping her eyes on the ground in front of her. That's all she needed…to trip and fall and break an ankle. The pond was right ahead. It was small, apparently shallow, the surface of the dark water smooth. It looked like a mirror lying on the ground, reflecting the stars. Bailey thought it was lovely, until she remembered why she was there. She had no clue where their DB had been found, and it had rained since that morning. Any grass that was trampled by the killer or the police who retrieved the body would have been destroyed.

With a sigh, Bailey walked the circumference of the pond, keeping her eyes to the ground. She turned her flashlight on but it barely helped. She would just have to wait for Carolyn. She would definitely bring some high-powered lighting.

There was a noise from the direction of the entrance. Through the trees, Bailey could see the flickering lights of an approaching car. Finally. She glanced at her watch, momentarily paused to look at her ring, and walked toward her parked Jeep. She'd meet Carolyn, help her carry whatever equipment she brought with her.

Bailey reached her Jeep just as Carolyn's car cleared the trees. She waved and opened the door to her vehicle, meaning to turn off the lights and get her keys. She was leaning over, tucking her flashlight back under the seat, when rough hands grabbed her and jerked her backward.

Bailey's first instinct was to jerk away. She fought it, instead going with her momentum and flinging herself backward. Whoever grabbed her wasn't expecting it. He whooshed out a breath of air as he stumbled backward, Bailey slamming against his chest.

She had time to think he was a huge freakin' guy before he regained his balance and tangled his hand into her hair. He pulled her backward again, this time dragging her by the hair toward the darkened field. Bailey struggled, trying to get her hair from his hand even if it meant ripping it out at the root. It was too dark out with the Jeep's headlights off to really get a look at him. From what she could discern in the darkness, the guy was even bigger than Mark, heavyset, seeming to have no trouble dragging a struggling woman along with him.

Near the pond the man suddenly released his hold. Bailey wasn't ready for it. Her head thumped to the ground, dazing her momentarily. The guy was doing something…she didn't know what. She heard water splashing. She struggled to get up, feeling as if she were moving in slow motion, her head swimming dizzily. She supposed that was what happened when hard head met hard ground. Shaking off the nonsensical thoughts, Bailey rose shakily to her feet, meaning to run.

She got all of two steps when she was grabbed again, this time by the neck. Large hands completely circled it, squeezing. Bailey wheezed for air, clawing at the hands with all her strength. The man cursed and dropped her, snatching his hand back as the ring Mark had given her tore a line across his skin. Bailey stumbled, fell to one knee, then rose back up to try to run again.

Sharp pain exploded from the side of her head. Bailey was not aware of falling…one minute she was upright, the next she was face down in the deep grass. Another pain tore across the back of her head, not as sharp, but still enough to make her cry out weakly. The world seemed to lose all of its reality as darkness overtook her vision. She felt a sharp tug at her leg, and had the sensation of her body sliding backward. She kicked, weakly, not nearly enough to break his hold on her leg.

The big man stopped and moved so he was straddling her prone body. Bailey could do nothing as he dropped down, his weight pressing her into the cold ground. Hot breath puffed across her ear as he spoke from an inch away.

"You're a nosy bitch. Stay out of it. This is your ONLY warning." At that, something hard slammed into the back of her head. Bailey jerked, then went limp, all thought gone as she lost consciousness on the cold ground.