Skye Cree 03: The Bones Will Tell (5 page)

“
I don’t think this hand belongs to the bones that showed up this morning.”

Skye
rocked back on her heels, nodded in agreement. “I was afraid of that. But right now, we’re in a holding pattern until the medical examiner makes his determination, which if we’re lucky we’ll get to be a part of. But right this minute, we need to get back to our guests. I’m not letting this asshole ruin what’s left of our evening, especially the dinner I slaved over any more than he already has.”

“Then we’ll wait for Harry and
get back to them soon.”

But i
t took longer than they’d planned for Harry to drive across town and take possession of the box. By the time they got back upstairs the food was cold and it didn’t take long for the obvious questions to start. Was it from the killer? What was in the package? How did the person know where you lived?

Travis pressed
her for more details which Skye managed to sidestep during the rest of the meal. But with dinner over, Travis followed her into the kitchen where the talk turned to warnings and cautionary tactics.

“
This is tantamount to invading your personal space. You said this asshole would send another package which means his ramping up is just getting started. Now that he’s made contact, he’ll keep up the full court press until he shows up. Do you plan to live here or look for another house? I thought you guys wanted a nice place out of Seattle. Now might be the perfect time to move. This guy obviously knows where you live now.”

“
Settle down. Take a breath for God’s sake. The loft is easy enough to find. I’m not hiding or moving just because some nutcase decides to send me notes. We don’t even know yet if those bones are the real deal.”

But Travis wasn’t
that naïve. He didn’t buy her bravado or defiance. “What exactly was in that package downstairs?”

She could see the determination in his eyes
, so there was no point in evasion or trying to bluff. She let out a sigh. “A mummified hand, complete with pink nail polish.”

Travis ran a hand through his hair
about the time Josh came through the swinging door carrying more plates. “So we have a killer who dismembers?” He aimed his frustration at Josh. “What exactly do you intend to do about this?”

“Ah,
so you’ve heard about his latest offering,” Josh assessed. “I won’t let the bastard anywhere near Skye, if that’s what you mean.”

“
It wouldn’t hurt to take Skye house-hunting this weekend,” Travis suggested.

“
I hadn’t thought of that,” Josh said, sarcasm dripping from his tone. “Since we’ve been back a full day I’ll get right on that.” He slapped Travis on the back. “Seriously though, after what happened downstairs, finding a place in the country sounds ideal. The glut in the housing market right now might make it the best time to look.”

“You’re both overreacting,”
Skye stated, annoyed with both of them.

“
Don’t tell me you aren’t concerned about this guy, Skye,” Travis tossed back. “You certainly know better than to underestimate an adversary like this one.”

“I’d be an idiot to
take this guy lightly on many levels. So yes, I take him seriously. I’m on the receiving end of his depravity. His sending me remains in a box twice in one day—delivered to my home no less—creeps me out. It borders on a disturbed individual, perhaps even harboring some sort of deep psychosis. I know that.”

“
I rest my case,” Travis concluded. “Promise me you’ll think about getting out of the city, out of this loft and get a new place of residence, the sooner the better.”

“You forget the city is my hunting ground. Always has been.”

“But perverts don’t limit themselves to a specific area, Skye,” Josh reasoned. “This guy could very well have set up shop to work in the pristine countryside. For years.”

“T
hat’s my point,” Skye shot back, glaring at Travis. “That’s why I’m not running off to live life as a Martha Stewart clone in some remote part of the Northwest to sit around waiting for seeds to sprout. My life is here.” She wheeled around to Josh. “You know that’s true. My heart is here.”

Josh took her hand. “I’m beginning to see that. Let’s slow down a minute. We’ll take the path that works the best for both of us. It won’t hurt to look. When it comes to a new place, no one’s suggesting you give up the hunt.
Compromise is the key.”

After their guests
left, Skye changed clothes and noted the time on the clock. Turning to Josh, she said, “You look tired. Why don’t you sit this one out?”

Josh perused his wife up and down
. Dressed in black and leather, she looked like a fierce warrior prepared to do battle at a moment’s notice. All she needed to complete the image was a weapon, maybe a shiny, steel sword she could brandish in a fight. He supposed it was the gamer in him that saw her as a skilled combatant.

S
he carried no gun, but kept a nightstick hidden under her long coat along with a knife and another blade tucked inside her boot just in case.

There was no doubt in his mind she could take care of herself or handle a tough situation. She’d proved herself time and time again. But ever
y now and then a guy had to remind her they were a team. “We’ve been all through this before. I’m not letting you go out on the streets alone. Besides, you’re out of practice.”

She narrowed her eyes.
“I most certainly am not.”

“You haven’t walked Seattle’
s streets in over two weeks,” Josh pointed out in challenge. “Eighteen days to be exact. Last time you went out you had a wedding on your mind. You’re rusty.”

Skye rolled her eyes
, knowing exactly what he was doing. She shook her head. What was the point in arguing back and forth when she’d just end up giving in anyway? “Okay, okay, but if you’re going with me, move your ass. The clock’s ticking and neither one of us is getting any younger.”

He bumped her shoulder.
“That’s what I like to hear. Compromise. That’s what a good team does,” he said by way of a too familiar refrain.

“This team could use a little less jawing and a lot more moving.
You change clothes while I go make sandwiches.”

“Sandwiches?
No thanks, I’m still full from dinner.”

She cast him a long glance
, narrowed her gaze. Sometimes his naivety reared its ugly head and surprised her. Now was one of those times. “You want information from people living on the street, you offer something in exchange. It’s either money or something to fill their hungry bellies.”

“
Ah, sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“
It’s okay. It’s hard to imagine sleeping in a doorway when you’ve got a comfy bed each night. People tend to forget not everyone is as fortunate.”

Thirty minutes later,
after stuffing baloney and cheese sandwiches and all the apples they had on hand into a backpack, they headed out the door. As they walked toward Atlanta Street and Fulton Avenue, Josh turned to his new bride, noted her calm demeanor. “The wolf is ever patient and always on the hunt.”

“Poet and philosopher, I married a man who does both with equal ease
, I think.” Now was the perfect time to tell him about the missing teen, Shawna Langley. She hit the highs and lows, went back over the conversation with Karen Houston.

“
So we’re on a mission tonight?”

“We’re always on a mission.
Shawna’s the latest one. Her mother dropped by this afternoon after our phone conversation to give me Shawna’s most recent school picture and some leftover flyers she had printed up. Tonight we’re going to ask around about Shawna, hand out a little food, and hopefully get a few answers in the process.”

They drifted past a rundown motel
, long abandoned, its architecture unremarkable, its roof used by advertisers to hold their billboards. “You know, I was thinking. What if we took a piece of property like this and remodeled it to give some of these homeless families a chance at a new start?”

Skye stopped walking and turned to stare at Josh. “What? How would
building another homeless shelter help?”

“
It wouldn’t really be a shelter. Not as I see it anyway, but more like individual little studio apartments, complete with a small kitchen, a bed, a bathroom, enough to feel like they have something.”

“You’re kidding? Is that even doable?”
She asked, surveying the ancient building.

“I think
it is. Gear it to the homeless who are trying to better themselves, or the working poor. Rent’s expensive around here. Of course, they’d have to sign an agreement stating there would be no criminal activity in their unit. And to agree in writing that if they don’t have a job, they’ll look for one, or they’d be willing to enter some type of job skill program to change directions, attend classes, and actively keep their unit up.”

“How much would
a project like that cost? Renovating an old motel would mean spending some major bucks. Anyone else you know attempted such a thing?”

“
There’s one in Utah. The state offers a ‘no strings attached’ apartment program for people who remain habitually homeless. And there’s an artist in Oakland who makes tiny homes out of stuff he finds on the street.”

“Really?
That is…so cool. Could we actually do something like that right here with an old motel?”

Even in the dark
, Josh picked up on the sparkle in Skye’s eyes at the prospect of it becoming a reality. “Sure, why not? Stranger things have happened. After all, who would ever think someone like me could be part wolf, part spirit guide?”

“You know you
aren’t part wolf. Travis went over all that with you. And since you aren’t Nez Perce, you can’t be an official spirit guide either, more like honorary. Look, she’s leading the pack now because she’s on the hunt.”

“
You’re such a buzzkill. But I love you anyway. What does it hurt if I consider the possibilities?” At that, he turned his head to the sky and let out a yowling moan which had Kiya doing the same.

When
a few onlookers milling about on the other side of the street turned to look at the crazy man howling at the moon, Skye let out a huge sigh. “Stop that. It’s embarrassing. You’re a bad influence on Kiya.” But even as she said it, she burst out laughing. “Oh my God, I’m married to a total nutcase. You do realize this makes you a few fries short of a Happy Meal.”

About that time someone began yelling her name
from down the block. “Skye! Skye! Skye Cree! It’s me, Jade Rain.”

“Who’s that?”
Josh asked, staring at the scantily clad woman, dressed in a mini skirt and tank top who had to be at least forty-five. Teetering on rhinestone high heels that sparkled in the dim street light, he watched as the woman kept waving her arms.

“A hooker
, homegrown. They call her ‘mother’ behind her back ’cause she kinda looks out for all the young girls coming up. Jade’s been strolling the streets for as long as I’ve been doing this. Come on,” Skye urged as she darted across traffic toward Jade.

“
What you doin’ down here, girl? Last time I saw you, you was lookin’ for that missing redhead. Found her, too, as I recall,” Jade said, between puffs on a just-lit Camel.

“Always lookin’ for somebody, Jade.
You know that.”

“Don’t
I, though.” Jade looked Josh up and down, blew out a long trail of cigarette smoke through her nose. “Who’s this fine lookin’ man you got followin’ you?”

“This is the hubby.”

“No shit. Well, you picked a handsome one, I’ll say that. Just look at all that long, dark hair.”

Skye pulled out the photo of
Shawna. “Any chance you’ve seen her?”

Jade took the picture, studied
the girl with the long brown hair, then looked up again. “Cute little thing. You think she’s one of those girls somebody snatched to live out there in the sex trade?”

“Maybe.
I don’t know. She’s been gone now a little over a week. She’s only fifteen, Jade. Have you seen her?” Skye repeated.