Present Danger

in her district about possible looting at local sites, though she didn’t think the pottery she’d seen was local. She wouldn’t make that call. But she’d have to wait for a stronger cell signal. She would remain here until the evidence techs arrived so she could speak to them about the artifacts. They could collect evidence surrounding the pots, but she was taking the items.
She’d need assistance with that, especially the headdress.
“Bad enough he was murdered,” Jack said, “but to find out he was involved in something illegal is a shock.”
“At least we have a possible motive.” Terra soaked in everything she had always loved about the outdoors, at the same time loathing the horrors of the crimes that were committed against nature and man alike in remote places such as this.
Would the forest give up its secret? Who had killed Jim?
Jack peered at the ground, the bushes and trees, like any good tracker looking for signs. Then he caught her watching him. “We should set up surveillance cameras near the road to see who drives by to watch, as well as cameras near this cabin to see if someone attempts to come back.”
“Good idea.” All of it required funding, resources, and time. She hated that feeling in her gut that told her they were already too late.
Through the trees, county deputies arrived with evidence techs. Jack instructed the crew to carefully look for evidence, including from around the cabin. In particular, the murder weapon. He then told them, after processing the cabin, to assist Terra in retrieving the artifact evidence.
As the day wore on, Terra and Jack waited while techs finished dusting the cabin for prints and searched for other evidence, including blood.
“With my experience in cases involving archaeological crimes,” she said, “I have a few connections.” Unfortunately, Dr. Jeremy Brand was the first to come to mind. “Maybe I can use those to see if I can get a lead on who Jim was working with. Where he was getting the artifacts.”
“What else, Terra? What more is bugging you?”
“You can read me that well, can you?”
He shrugged. “My job description requires that I read people well. So what else is on your mind?”
“I was just thinking”—about how much she didn’t want to contact Dr. Brand—“that these crimes come with a fine and prison time. Most of the time it isn’t enough to deter the activities because there’s significant money to be made.”
He nodded. “Murder changes everything.”
“Right. Was Jim’s collection worth murder? Not what little I’ve seen. However, people have murdered for much less.”
Thunder rumbled. So far, the scattered storms had passed them by. But this time, lightning struck dangerously close. This part of the mountain was a tinderbox, and lightning could ignite a fire, even though fire season was coming to a close.
“Let’s go.” Jack touched her arm. “The bottom is about to fall out.”
“But I need to get the artifacts transferred. It’s not like I’ve never been caught in the rain.”
“I always miss the rain.” He sent her a wry grin. “No point in ruining my reputation.”
“There’s always a first time.”
“And that’s not today. Don’t worry. They’ll retrieve everything for you. I promise we’ll get the items transferred to the forest service since you insist.”
“All right,” she said. “We can arrange for transfer this evening or in the morning.”
Terra hiked down with him. “About the murder weapon, Jack. If someone went to the trouble to throw Jim off that cliff so he might not ever be found, they probably didn’t leave the murder weapon laying around.”
“Well, we’ve searched the area where his body was found, both the top and the bottom of the ridge, and still nothing. It can’t hurt to look.”
Dark clouds hung directly above them as the wind tossed the trees around. They picked up the pace, but Terra might just get to see Jack doused in a rainstorm despite his proclamation to the contrary. At the trailhead, county vehicles almost pinned their vehicles in.
“See you later.” She waved and ran to safety before she, too, was doused. After climbing inside and buckling, she spotted Jack on his cell as he climbed into his SUV.
He made her smile.
Then a big raindrop plopped on her windshield. And another, until rain pounded against her car. She couldn’t believe they’d made it before the rain started—maybe there was something to Jack’s claim. Regardless, she hoped the rain got the whole mountain and not just this patch. The thunderstorms weren’t called scattered for nothing.
Her cell chimed. ASAC Daniel Murphy.
“Connors here.”
“I want a rundown.”
She’d sent him an email yesterday and relayed the information regarding the cabin and artifacts. Dan blew out a low whistle.
“You’ve got the experience, Terra, so I trust you to work through this, though I’m happy to assist if needed.”
Relieved to hear he had confidence in her, she allowed a slow exhale. She was in this now and wanted to find Jim’s killer.
And work with Jack . . .
She ignored the errant thought.
“Got a report on a meth lab,” Dan said.
“Can’t the locals handle that?”
“Forest service officers have shut it down, but you need to look into it.”
She bit her lower lip. “I think this murder and the apparent stash of artifacts is complicated, Dan. I’d like to stay focused on this.” They were all spread far too thin.
“Because of the murder, the archaeological crime is a priority. I trust you know how to juggle your caseload. But let me know if that becomes an issue.” He ended the call.
Terra slammed the steering wheel. One moment he complimented her, the next he challenged her abilities. She suspected that Dan hadn’t liked that she’d gotten the job as a special agent. She’d heard that he had a friend he’d wanted for the position. She half-suspected that Gramps had put in a good word for her. If he had, she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
Her heart rate calmed, and she realized that Jack was still sitting in his vehicle. Was he waiting on her to leave? She steered away from