Why had it taken two days for Logan to feel enough urgency to come to the site? Even his surrogate, Isabel Klein, seemed to have disappeared. Neither of them had been concerned about finding survivors—possible staff members caught inside the facility during the first major slide. No one had explained if the bodies they were searching for today were employees. Creed remembered Vance telling him that the rescue crews hadn’t been given any information on the facility at all.
So many secrets. Everything classified. He knew that was the way Logan liked it. Creed could understand that DARPA might have safety and national security reasons for keeping things quiet. He and his dogs were hired to do a job. He asked only the questions that would help them do it. His number-one priority was the safety of his dogs.
Whether they searched for drugs or cadavers he had learned it was better if he didn’t know the details. He couldn’t afford to be caught up in any emotional turmoil that may have already affected the law enforcement officers he was working with. A trainer knowing and expecting too much could lead his dog to too many false alerts. You started to look for telltale signs and anticipate what your dog should be looking for rather than letting the dog’s nose lead the way.
In his attempt to maintain his professional distance, it occurred to Creed as they tromped through the sludge that he didn’t even know what role Maggie was playing in all of this. All he knew was that her so-called boyfriend, Ben, knew Logan well enough that he had arranged for her to be there. He didn’t care how she had ended up there, he just knew it felt good to wake up and see her lying so close to him.
Maggie had worked with Ross yesterday and the two of them took turns filling in what they had found. Ross explained that his crew had worked through the night to create a barrier uphill to divert the flow of water. To Creed that seemed like a huge undertaking just for them to be able to recover a couple of bodies when there were still possible survivors from the landslide in other areas.
From this level those barriers couldn’t be seen. Nor could the equipment used to create and hold them. Creed listened for engines but there was only the faint smell of diesel. What was left behind concerned Creed.
Deep gashes in the earth veined out. On the bed of silt between those gashes were chunks of concrete—some as large as boulders—along with frayed cable lines knotted around branches, splintered two-by-fours, and scraps of metal with sharp, ragged edges.
Studying the area from the ledge he noticed thousands of pieces of glass embedded in the muck. He had sprayed Bolo’s pads with a protective coating that Dr. Avelyn had given him to help prevent the absorption of toxins, but Creed couldn’t put out of his mind the cuts on poor Grace’s paws. Putting any sort of boot or cover on a dog could do more harm than good, tripping him up. He needed to keep a close watch and not allow Bolo to be down in this sludge for long periods of time.
Ross left them and headed farther uphill after whispering with Logan. At one point Creed thought he heard Logan say something to Ross, reminding the young guardsman that he was still in charge. An odd thing, Creed thought, for the deputy director of DARPA to say.
Then Maggie took her turn with Logan. Creed could hear her questioning him, continuing on when she wasn’t satisfied with his answers. Creed tried to ignore them and prepare.
He set his GPS and slid a separate unit into the mesh pocket on Bolo’s vest. Already he could smell the big dog’s anticipation. Creed called it “sweaty head smell,” although dogs didn’t sweat like people. The cooler weather would be better for Bolo, but it wouldn’t necessarily help with scent. It would slow the decomposition rate.
And just because they had drained the field didn’t mean that they took all the smells with it. Even Creed could detect mildew mixed with something caustic. The mud and silt would have already absorbed and mixed in a brew that most likely included human decomposition.
Maggie left her discussion with Logan and was already on her cell phone. Logan made his way to Creed’s side. He noticed Creed glance in Maggie’s direction. He shrugged and said, “Women—they’re usually a pain in the ass.”
“Then why did you invite her here?”
“I didn’t. My boss wanted someone official with forensic experience, someone from the FBI that he probably thought would be on our side. I doubt that he expected Benjamin Platt to send some woman he’s screwing.”
Creed felt the heat rush to his head. The throbbing had never left. The anger would only make it worse.
“I’ve worked with her before, Logan.” He steadied his tone because Bolo’s eyes were on him, shooting nervous glances toward Logan. If the dog believed Logan was any kind of threat to Creed, he’d drop Logan in seconds without warning. “She has plenty of forensic experience.”
“Yeah? Well, I don’t need someone questioning me and making me look bad with my boss.”
“So what’s going on, Logan? Why are these bodies so important?”