Chapter 31

I found myself stood on the doorstep of an old town house the following morning, cautiously knocking on the door and standing back waiting for someone to answer it.

Ranger was sat in the car watching out for me as we'd decided that people would be more inclined to talk to me alone than have Ranger standing over them. I'd started out confident but as I waited, but I was getting more nervous thinking about the reception I might get. After a few minutes a woman opened the door and looked at me, some surprise on her face.

"Hi. My name is Senna Pardo and I wanted a few minutes of your time to talk to you about Katie"

"I'm not talking to reporters"

I could tell that she didn't want me there and as she started to close the door on me I used my hand to keep it open so that she could still see me.

"I'm not a reporter, I'm trying to find out why someone would want to hurt your daughter"

"They let me know that they caught the man"

"I don't think he was working on his own"

"It's over, finished. She's gone so no amount of talking will bring her back"

"I know, but I think other woman are in danger"

"You think I care?"

I could see that talking about this was upsetting her, but I just needed to ask her a few questions. I was sure that eventually she'd relent.

"I know you're hurting, but Katie would want you to help stop other women being hurt"

"That's a low blow Ms. Pardo"

"Please"

"Very well, come inside, I don't want to be seen stood on the doorstep"

I followed Mrs. Conrad down a short hallway and into a sunny room that looked over the front yard of the house. I sat down on a chair, knowing that she'd want this over with quickly. Ranger had managed to get more detailed reports from Daniel when he'd gone back to Trenton, so I knew what had been said back then. As Mrs. Conrad sat down opposite me I could see that she was getting upset and that was the last thing I wanted to happen.

"Mrs. Conrad, I know what was said when she first disappeared by you and your husband"

"So why are you here now then?"

"Because I think there are details that weren't mentioned that might help"

At last she actually looked straight at me, as though she was assessing me. I waited, wanting Mrs. Conrad to feel comfortable with me and was so relieved when her body language changed, as though she was accepting that maybe talking to me wasn't going to be too bad.

"Ask away then"

"Did you or husband ever receive any threats?"

"No, why ask that?"

"So you had no idea that Katie might be in danger?"

"No, none"

Okay so maybe Kendra hadn't been the next victim and maybe Jinski had gone off on his own with ideas on how to get hold of some money.

"Which university did she go to?"

"Washington. I wanted her to stay closer to home but she insisted it was the best university for her"

"Had she kept in touch with some of the people she went to university with?"

I saw as she reacted to that question, obviously that wasn't something that had been asked of her before.

"No, I don't think so. She started on the painting and drawing course but felt, whilst she enjoyed it, that it didn't really give her the skills she'd need for a career, so she moved across to Visual Communication Design"

"Was anything different before she disappeared, maybe when she came to visit or names she mentioned?"

"She'd visit here on a Sunday, though she was excited that she'd started painting again"

"Do you have any of her paintings?"

I watched as Mrs. Conrad stood up and went over to the alcove next to the fireplace. She lifted a framed picture from the wall and handed it to me. I looked at Mrs. Conrad and back to the painting amazed at the detail and accuracy I was seeing.

"Had Katie always been keen on doing portraits?"

"She used to do different types of work, portraits, landscapes but not really what you'd call modern art. She gave that to me for my birthday not long before she went missing"

I didn't know why but I found that snippet of information interesting, along with the fact that she'd changed courses at university.

"Mrs. Conrad I'm really sorry about what happened to Katie"

"My husband and I are coming to terms with it, but it's not right for a parent to bury their child. We barely coped when she was missing, the longer it went on for the less hope we had of seeing her again. Katie may only have seen us occasionally, but she always kept in touch"

"Thank you for agreeing to talk to me"

"Well if it stops another young girl dying and a parent going through what we've had to, then I hoped I helped"

I let Mrs. Conrad walk me from the room and back to the front door. As I walked back to where Ranger had parked the car, little things were working their way around in my head. I'd never had the chance to do any searches on the women who'd been murdered, all I had was the information from the files provided by the FBI. That spreadsheet needed expanding on because whilst I could see a vague pattern already that was related to art, I wasn't sure what it was that brought them to the killers attention. I was still thinking through what Mrs. Conrad had said to me as I got into the car.

"Babe?"

I turned in surprise looking at Ranger, not really knowing what he wanted.

"Are you going to tell me what you found out?"

"Of course, it's just that"

"You're working something out"

"Am I that obvious?"

"Yes. You start to mull things around in your head, and then you'll pull out certain pieces of information. Then out of the blue you'd disappear to seek out that one piece that would give you a definitive answer"

"Yeah, and usually that one piece would get me into trouble"

"Which is why I worry when you start thinking"

He started the car watching the traffic as he pulled out from where we'd been parked. The plan for today was to travel out to a hotel near Ashburnham State Forest and then the following morning use a quad and head out to where Katie had been found. Ranger still hadn't let me see the crime scene photos yet, but we'd compromised and agreed that once at the crime scene he'd show me some of them.

"Could we use the computer at the hotel?"

"Yes, there's Wi-Fi, what are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure"

"Babe, talk through with me what it is that's rattling around your head"

"I looked at what the women had in common to start with. They're all very beautiful women and were a similar age when they disappeared. They have natural looks and long hair, don't laugh at that"

"I'm not, go on"

"They're all single, okay two had long term partners, one was a lesbian, but they were career women. Katie worked for an advertising agency but studied graphic design. Jasmine worked as a PR at a museum and Emma was a psychotherapist. I have no idea about Alice and Jade worked as an interior designer"

"What are you saying Babe?"

"Art is the common link. I wanted to see where any of them went to after high school"

"They wouldn't have been at college or university at the same time"

"No, but maybe someone else was"

"Where?"

"Sorry?"

"Where do you think they went?"

"Washington. The thing is I can't see where Alice comes into this"

"You'll figure it out"
The more I thought about it the more convinced I was that each of the women had at some stage been in Washington. Alice was the odd one so maybe I'd been wrong about her being one of the victims.

This journey wasn't going to be as long as the drive up to Boston had been, but I had to admit I felt more comfortable this time. As we left the built up area of Boston I felt that Ranger seemed more at ease, in fact his hand was constantly on my thigh.

"Why did you do business studies at Douglass College?"

I looked at Ranger surprised by his question, but I suppose talking about the choices those women had made and the subject of university was what had inspired it. I had to think about how I would reply, because that period of my life hadn't been good.

"I originally wanted to do sociology, don't laugh at that. But the place I wanted to go to was a long way from home, Chicago. I wanted to, no needed to break free of Jersey. Move away from the confines of the Burg and everything that went with it. Long story but the short version was that my Mum hated the idea of me doing that. She did everything she could to make my life miserable, to turn me into a Burg woman. The result was that my grades went down and she sat me down and filled in an application to do Business Studies at Douglass. She had this notion that because it was a girls college it would somehow change me"

"Why Business Studies?"

"She saw it as way of getting me into working in an office, an acceptable job for a Burg woman"

"Why come back home afterwards?"

"My Grandad died, Val moved away so I caved in and came home"

"You would have been good at Sociology"

"Maybe. I hated being at Douglass. I struggled for money and ended up working in a bar more than on my studies"

"No financial support?"

"Minimum. Val's wedding and her moving took precedence"

"I'm sorry Babe, I didn't realize it wasn't your choice"

"I like to look on the positive side"

"Oh, what's that?"

I turned and looked at him, smiling as I told him.

"Fate, I wouldn't have worked at EE Martin, been made redundant, become a bounty hunter and met you"

"Fate? I think we would have met whatever you'd done"

I thought about that, not really sure if he was right, I'd like to think so though.

"Why didn't you go to university in Miami?"

"It was time to go home. Rutgers had a good reputation and being at home meant I could afford it. I decided to sign up though before I finished"

"Why?"

"My family was overpowering; I suppose there was some guilt for sending me away but to be honest I couldn't see where my life was going. I finished my degree, completed my officer training and then moved across to ranger training"

"How did you end up doing government contracts?"

"I enjoyed the challenge and the money was good. It gave me enough flexibility to start up Rangeman. I had the best of both worlds, a civilian life along with the missions"

"Is that why most of the Rangemen are ex military?"

"Yes. It can be hard to transition back to what's seen as a normal life. The work we do keeps an edge on their skills while allowing that normality"

"Within a structure that they're used to?"

"Something like that"

"Hector isn't military"

"No, but he has skills that suit us both"

I wasn't sure if I should mention to Ranger that Hector had told me his story and decided not to, the conversation we'd had was personal, probably to both of us and for now I would keep it that way. It might be too weird for Ranger to know just how much Hector had confided in me. As I continued to think about some of the men at Rangeman I could see how the work suited them and how a place like Rangeman gave them that sense of belonging and of being needed.

The conversation had me feeling a bit melancholy and made me think of how my mother had always tried to control me. The constant arguments I'd had with her as I'd grown up. If she thought it would have worked, she'd have got me to do a course like catering but in the end, I think even she saw that I would never have agreed to that. Maybe that's why I hated the whole idea of being domestic, my constant failure to live up to her expectations.

"I had a really weird conversation with my Mum before going to Washington. She seemed to have come around to the idea that I would never be a housewife. It was strange, as though it was the first time that she actually saw me for who I was"

"What changed her mind?"

"I think probably Owen's article and what the gossip was saying"

"It's a shame she couldn't recognize your strengths for herself"

"Her whole life has been dictated by what other people think and the expectations that come from living in a community like the Burg. She did her best to get me to conform. I just hope that now, she sees me and what I want"

"What do you want Babe?"

"I'm not sure, I suppose I'm at a crossroads. I know I want you with me"

"I'll always be with you"

It felt strange to talk to someone like this. I had never really done that before. Mary Lou and I would talk but I hadn't expressed the disappointment I'd felt because to her the Burg life was her way of life and I never wanted her to feel that I was in any way criticizing it.

We both fell into silence, I was lost in thought as I considered the path that I'd taken, a path that was constantly at odds to what other people thought or wanted for me. I had the opportunity now to look forward and hopefully be true to what I wanted, and I somehow knew that whatever decisions I made Ranger would be there by my side, supporting me as he always had done.

As Ranger drove, I became lost in the scenery around us, the roads enabled him to maintain a steady speed through the endless view of the trees that made up the area. In general, there were only small inclines as we travelled. Every so often there were tracks that led into the forest which made me wonder if I'd been right in assuming that someone wanted the women to be found quickly.

When Ranger turned onto a small road, I was eager to see where we were going and was surprised when I saw small cabins set into the trees. As he stopped the car in front of what looked like an office his hand held me in place.

"Stay here while I get the keys, the fewer people who see you the better"

I suppose he was right, though how seeing me out here would raise any suspicions to whoever was after me seemed slim. It didn't take long before he was back in the car and we were driving along a track. The place certainly provided a high degree of privacy from anyone around, but I did notice several trucks parked in front of some of the cabins that we passed.

The cabin we parked in front of seemed to be at the edge of the site, surrounded by small trees and shrubs. Once out of the car I stood and stretched my arms above my head, trying to ease my muscles from being sat for so long.

"Maybe we can take a walk while we still have the daylight"

"Yeah, I'd like that"

"Babe, don't expect too much from this place, it's very basic but was the closest to where we need to go to in the morning"

"Is there Wi-fi?"

"Surprising, yes there is"

That meant that tonight I could try to do some digging on the university web site.
As I stepped through the door to the cabin, I understood what Ranger meant. I suppose you could call it rustic with the wooden floors and walls. It was one large room with a small lounge area to the right and separated by a table and chairs was a kitchen area to the left. That made me think about food, as I hadn't eaten anything since the morning.

"What are we doing about food?"

"I have some supplies in the car"

"How?"

"I asked the hotel where we were last night to provide us with enough for a meal tonight and breakfast"

I should have known that Ranger would be organized like that, me I would have just driven here and then panicked at how isolated we were from amenities like shops and restaurants. As Ranger brought bags and a box from the car I looked further around the cabin. There was a bed to the back of the room that looked to have clean linens on and a door to the side led into a bathroom. On inspection there were clean towels hung next to the sink, and a shower enclosed over a tub.

The whole place smelt of lemons suggesting it had been cleaned recently. I placed our bags next to the bed and started to open the box as Ranger walked inside, two pairs of boots in his hands.

"Put those in the fridge and then we can take that walk"

There were two containers, a plastic box and some cartons of yoghurt. In the bottom of the box I was pleased to find some sachets that held coffee, sugar and creamer. Once done I turned to where Ranger was as he started to open one of the bags.

"Do you have your gun on you Babe?"

I nodded my head and lifted the jacket where I'd put everything, but as I started to put it on Ranger took it from my hands and held out a gilet for me instead.

"Use the pockets in this"

I ran my hands down the material of the gilet, surprised at how smooth it felt and the fact that it came down to the top of my thighs. Ranger was busy emptying my jacket pockets and handed me my gun, phone and id papers.

"What the hell is this jacket made from, it feels heavier?"

"A special Kevlar material"

I looked up surprised and noticed he was wearing one very similar to mine, but it wasn't as long as mine, his ended just on his hips, I suppose so that he had easy access to the gun that I was sure was tucked into the back of his jeans. As he finished fastening his up, he stood in front of me and pulled the zipper up and then pulled the back down, leaving his hands covering the top of my thighs.

"All the important parts are covered"

"My arse?"

"Definitely"

"What about the laptop and file?"

"They're safer being locked in the car trunk"

I could see why he'd said that when I thought about the cabin. The lock on the door was flimsy and only used an old fashioned key to lock it with. I bent over and slid the boots in front of me on and once laced up I was ready to go.

We followed simple tracks for our walk which made me more confident. I had to admit that I had no idea where we were, and one tree looked very much like another. It was only when we passed a small sign that had a green man on it that I realized we were following an actual organized walkway. It did have me thinking about what I'd assumed about where the bodies had been left though.

"Maybe I was wrong"

"What about?"

"There's so much forest out here a body could be left here and never be found"

"Wait until you see the site before you make any assumptions"

"Why, what aren't you telling me?"

"I had another look at the site after you mentioned about the killer wanting the body to be found. The way the tracks run through the forest there was likely to be more people passing it"

"You think maybe she was killed somewhere else and then brought here?"

"Yes"

"Didn't the FBI test the soil for blood, it didn't say anything about the site in the file you gave me"

"There was none"
"I remember it saying that her skin was cleaned postmortem, which makes it strange that she had Jinski's skin under her nails"

By now we'd somehow circled back to the front of the cabin, I watched as Ranger seemed to check the door over before inserting the key and opening it. As I went inside, he stayed outside and fetched another bag in from the trunk of the car. Once I'd removed my boots and jacket, my priority was food.

I felt sufficiently full as I sat on the couch and opened up the laptop. The meal provided by the hotel had been very good, honey and garlic grilled chicken served with yellow rice and salad and suited both of us. Now with a mug of coffee next to me and the Wi-fi connected I was ready to do some digging.

Had the women still been alive then their ages would have been between 33 and 39, so I was looking for the period of between 15 and 21 years ago. That was a hell of a long time ago but not insurmountable. I started by looking for the course that Katie had taken and found that the university had an art college within its structure, the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. From there I looked at faculty members for the years the women would have been there to see if there was anyone who could have known them all.

The problem I was having was whilst there were a few that might have been there over that time period none of them really fit, none of them seemed as though they would have master minded something like this. I was missing something, but I didn't know what it was. My mind went back to another mention of an artist, Jinski's mother. The problem was that she'd died in a car accident a year before the first victim had been reported missing.

I wasn't sure what Ranger was up to as I'd been on the laptop but when I looked around for him, I could see him at the kitchen counter. He turned and brought a mug over to me.

"How's it going?"

"Not good, I miss not being able to do searches"

"Santos sent a message through Hector. He wanted to know what happened to the file for your latest FTA"

That had me struggling to remember. I remember picking it up from Connie but then discovered I couldn't find it the morning after my long sleep. To be honest I hadn't given it a second thought.

"I hadn't even opened it to start looking, but it was weird because I couldn't find it. When I spoke to Connie and was told the news of what was going on I totally forgot about it"

"Did you know who it was?"

"Err, I think the name was Hancock, but I have no idea what he'd done. I remember Connie saying that I might be better to ask you for help rather than taking Lula with me"

Ranger came and sat next to me and handed me a mug of coffee, looking at the screen of the laptop.

"Maybe we need a way of . . ."

He stopped mid-sentence and looked toward the door, I wasn't sure whether I had heard anything or not but judging from the way Ranger tensed I thought maybe he had. As he stood his gun was in his hand, not in a position to fire but held down by his side. As he walked toward the door, I was afraid of what might be out there.

I slowly moved from the couch to the chair where my gilet was hanging and took my gun out from the pocket. Ranger turned and seeing me stood there nodded to the side of the cabin, behind the couch where there were no windows. I almost missed seeing him open the door a fraction but knew he would be surveying the area. Another sound came, definitely loud enough for me to hear, making me grip my gun tighter, that was followed by shouting.

It wasn't clear enough for me to hear what was being said but as the voices receded Ranger shut the door and ensured it was locked before coming up to me.

"Three young kids who I think have been drinking"

"Have they gone?"

"For now. Maybe this wasn't a good choice to stay at"

That was an understatement because it wasn't long before we heard the blare of music not far away. I was tense and Ranger was annoyed but there was little we could do about it. As long as they stayed away from our cabin then that would have to be enough.

I went through to the bathroom and just looked at the shower, thinking there was no way I was going to spend any time naked in it. In the end I washed and cleaned my teeth before returning to where our bags were by the bed and changed into joggers and a T-shirt. Ranger followed what I'd done and soon we were wrapped around each other in the bed.

I knew Ranger would have his gun close to him, but it didn't stop me from placing mine under the pillow. I know that sleep evaded me, maybe I dozed, but would come awake as the sounds close to us got louder. I was sure there was definitely more than three kids out there and wondered how it was that the owners of the place allowed it.

It was nearly dawn when things started to quieten down, the music was turned off and the voices went quiet. In the light I could see that Ranger was asleep, how I had no idea, but it gave me the opportunity to watch him, the slow rising of his chest under my head and the thump of his heartbeat. His face was relaxed as was his hand that was laid on my hip, his fingers bent slightly though I knew that the slightest threat would have him totally awake and on guard. With the image of his face in my mind I closed my eyes and fell into a deeper sleep.

It was the feel of something on my face that woke me, and my eyes opened immediately afraid that someone had come into the cabin. I sat up almost knocking Ranger over and felt his hands on my shoulders.

"Babe, it's okay, nothing's wrong"

I rubbed my hands over my face and took in that he was already dressed.

"We need to pack up and leave"

I just looked at him not knowing what the time was. I was sure I looked like shit because that was how I felt so pulling back the covers I headed for the bathroom. This time I definitely needed a shower and noticed that Ranger had already had one and had left the shower gel on the shelf. The water was warm and certainly gave me the incentive to be quick. Once dry and with a towel around me I returned to the bedroom area and found some clothes already there for me. I quickly dressed in the underwear, black cargos and a light blue sweater then as I walked to the kitchen area finger combed my wet hair back into a ponytail. Ranger was watching me as I approached and handed me a mug of coffee.

"Thanks"

"You didn't sleep very well, did you?"

"No, the noises were unsettling. How do you do it"

"Do what?"

"Sleep with so much noise around you?"

"Being in the army trains you to sleep anywhere, but a change in the sounds around me wake me instantly"

That just wasn't fair as I was someone who would wake at the slightest sound, though when Rex had been alive, I suppose I got used to the sound of his nightly exercise on the wheel. Having drunk the coffee I took all of the packages that were left in the fridge and placed them on the table. I wasn't surprised at the choice we had for breakfast and soon had two bowls filled with granola, yoghurt and fresh fruit.

Our bags were packed and stood by the door ready for us to leave. I could honestly say that this would not be a place I would regret leaving. I pulled on my gilet, checking my pockets and was about to open the door while Ranger finished tidying away in the bedroom area and checking that we hadn't left anything.

"Babe, wear this"

In his hand he was carrying one of his black sweatshirts, so I put that on over my gilet without questioning him.

"It may be cold this time in the morning, especially on the quad"

Once inside the car we drove to the front office where Ranger deposited the keys in a box on the outside. I wasn't too sure how far we'd be travelling to reach where the quads were being hired from and was pleasantly surprised when after only five minutes of travelling along the main route that we turned up another track. As he parked, I looked around pleased at seeing two quads parked outside of a small building and watched as a man came out and greeted us.

"Ranger, long time"

"It is, I might not have recognized you now"

The man was tall and broad with long brown hair sticking out from underneath his cap. His face carried a full beard that matched the length of his hair. He had a rugged appearance, but his eyes were his key feature. They were large and bright as he winked at me, showing the lines that maybe living here was responsible for.

"Mick this is Senna"

"She riding with us?"

"Yes. Is it far?"

"Maybe a couple of hours, but the terrain's rough due to the dry weather"

I watched Mick as he made his way to the quads and picked up a helmet. He passed that one to Ranger and then disappeared into the building.

"Senna, you need a helmet, so you'd best try some on for size"

Reluctantly I left Ranger by the quad and followed Mick into the building. I was greeted by rows of quad bikes all facing the front, as though they were ready to be taken out.

"Do you hire all of these out?"

"Sure do, though most folk aren't that keen on an early start"

"So business is good?"

"Has to be. Everywhere closes up over the winter so we need to make our money in the summer"

That had me working out when it was that the FBI had found Katie's body and how long she had been missing for.
Mick had me trying on helmets until we found one that was small enough that it was a snug fit and guided me back outside. Ranger was lent against one of the quads ready to go.

"Babe, you'll need to carry the rucksack"

He held it out for me and helped me to set the straps over my shoulder and fastened the helmet by the straps under my chin. A quick kiss to the end of my nose and he mounted the bike, so I climbed behind him holding onto the rack at the back. It wasn't long before we were following Mick along a dirt track and through the forest.

I was glad that I was wearing the sweatshirt that Ranger had given me because the rush of the morning air against me was cool. Travelling along the track seemed easy enough, the terrain was smooth, and the track was wide. Looking ahead I watched as Mick suddenly veered off the track and seemed to head into the more tightly growing trees.

It was then that I understood what Mick had meant by the terrain being rough. Rocks and stones could be seen and, in some cases, avoided but the roots from trees proved to be responsible for a lot of the bumps. The further we travelled the denser the trees seemed to get, often causing us to lean to the side or duck down to avoid the branches that came over the path we were taking.

It was as Mick swept past a large branch that trouble came my way. He seemed to take the branch with him, and it swung back toward us. Of course, Ranger saw it coming and ducked down, but I only saw it at the last minute and felt it whiplash across my chest. The result was me falling backward from the quad and landing on my back.

As I lay there trying to get my breath back, I was looking up into the canopy of leaves above me.

"Babe"

I looked to the side to find Ranger squatted down beside me, though I wasn't sure if he was worried or trying not to laugh. As I looked back to the branches above me trying to catch my breath, I felt Ranger's arm behind my back, carefully sitting me up.

"Take your time, you landed heavily"

"No shit Sherlock" came to my mind as I focused on getting air back into my lungs. After a few minutes I felt better and looked over to where Mick was waiting, sat on his quad.

"Sorry Senna, my fault, I totally forgot you were sat behind Ranger"

I made to get up and was thankful for Ranger helping me. Once stood up I knew I'd have to get back on the quad but decided maybe I needed a better way to stay on.

"You okay to carry on Senna?"

"Yeah"

Once back on the quad this time I wrapped my arms around Ranger's waist, not tightly because I knew he'd need to move his body as he steered to avoid obstacles. It seemed that Mick went slower this time, which was much better for me.
I was thankful that the trees seemed to be thinning out and the ground didn't feel as bumpy.

As we came out of the trees into a clearing, I could see glances of orange fluttering in the breeze. Mick slowed down as we crossed the clearing and headed toward where the trees began again, it was then I realized that what I was seeing was the remnant of crime scene tape.

Ranger stopped the quad next to where Mick was, and we all dismounted and stood looking down a slight slope to where the tape was. It was almost as though it were nestled in a small basin that was edged at one side by the trees. I looked carefully at the scene in front of me, the lay of the land, the position of the trees and looked down into the basin. I assumed that the ground would have been covered in rocks or even grass and was surprised when I saw old and dried leaves and branches.

I remembered reading in the files that her body had been found laid on the ground and that was what had attracted the attention of passing hikers. I walked down the slope and stood looking at the ground, turning around in a circle, then looked up above me. I don't know why, but I felt the large branch that overhung the area was significant.

"What are you thinking Babe?"

"They chose the site because it's slightly hidden and protected, but how did they get everything here?"

"The ground is fairly flat that way, with a 4x4 it could be done"

I'd completely forgotten about Mick being with us and seeing as he knew the area I decided to make use of his knowledge.

"So how far to get onto a major route?"

"Maybe 6 miles across to a track, then I suppose 15 miles to a major route"

As I remembered how long the FBI thought that she'd been dead for, 6 months, that meant it would be winter here.

"What's it like here in the winter?"

"Cold, snow and windy"

"This last winter, say six months ago?"

"Cold and windy, the snow came early last year but we had compacted frozen snow"

"They'd need snow chains then?"

Okay so maybe we knew that they'd travelled here and transported the body but why here? How had she looked when they left her?

"Could I see one of the crime scene photos, maybe showing the area as well?"

Ranger came up to me and turned me around, taking the rucksack from my shoulders. He brought out a file and looked through it before handing me an A4 photograph. Of course, it was in black and white and to be honest the detail was grainy. As I looked at the photo I focused on the body and how she was laid.

Her head was looking slightly to the right with her arms extended out to her sides. Her body was almost laid on her side with her knees bent. What must have been a dress looked sheer because I could just detect the marks on her skin underneath it.

As I looked back and forth between the photo and the hollow of where the body had been found I decided that she would have been looking in the direction of the overhanging tree branch. That's when it hit me, and I sat down heavily on the ground praying that I was wrong.

"Babe?"

"We have to talk to Les"

"Babe, what did you work out?"

"She was laid on the snow. The snow became part of the scene"

"Why do we need to talk to Les?"

"Because I think he has a photo of her"

"She alright Ranger?"

"Yes. Mick when do tourists start to come up here?"

"Spring time, though this year the snow started melting early and that brought in the tourists"

March, 6 months ago. But she'd been missing for 18 months. The time of death would have been difficult to determine because of the cold weather, though wouldn't they take the weather into account when making that judgement? The report had said that she'd been dead for 2 months so that meant that she could have been brought here just after the snow stopped, before it melted, and the tourists came.