Mason paused, half wished he had that coffee, and went on.
“Taking two in such a short amount of time indicates he’s found what he believes is a prime location. It’s a small town, but in a very open area. The people in the town and area have routines he can study quickly. In small towns with a low violent-crime rate people feel secure, don’t worry about walking home alone, crossing into a dark area of a parking lot after closing. I suspect many here don’t routinely lock doors and windows, lock their cars. I could walk around town, check visors, and probably find any number of keys.”
“You’re not wrong.”
“He knows places like this and has certainly spent time studying them. He’s killed before.”
Once again Sam angled forward. “Yes. Yeah, that’s what my gut told me. Not his first kill.”
“His method was too efficient for it to have been his first. He dumped the body in the manner he did because he wanted her found. He enjoys the fear, the upheaval. He left her bound and gagged as it maintains his dominance. You found no prints on the tape or body. He’s experienced enough to use gloves—and a condom. There’s control, there’s intelligence.
“He blends in,” Mason continued. “If he isn’t a local, he presents himself as a visitor, friendly but not too much.”
Sam nodded, nodded. “Nobody that causes a ruckus, argues with a shopkeeper, has too much to drink at a bar.”
“Exactly. Nothing about him sticks in anyone’s mind. He most certainly ate in that pizzeria. It’s likely his father was dominant, physically and emotionally, and his mother submissive. She took what was dished out. She did as she was told. This man has no respect for women, but can only dominate by force.
“The unfortunate reality is I will be able to tell you more if and when he dumps the next body.”
Sam blew out a breath. “So unless we get lucky and find him in a rental, nothing you have helps Donna.”
“If he sticks to the same schedule, he could kill her tonight, and leave her body somewhere in the open. I’m sorry.”
“How confident are you in this? Your boss says you’re good—good enough to be on the fast track for the BAU. I know what that is, I know what profiling is.”
Mason considered. “You’ve been married more than twenty years, and you still love your wife. You’ve got two kids who center your world. You played football in high school, and you enjoy the memory of those glory days. But they’re memories, and the now matters more. Your wife’s trying to get you on a healthier diet, and you’re going along with it. For now, anyway. You’ve got an organized and open mind, and this isn’t just your job. This is your town, your people, and protecting and serving aren’t just words. Your men like you. You run a tight ship, but not a constricting one.”
Mildly embarrassed, more than mildly impressed, Sam went back to his mug. “That’s accurate on short acquaintance. How do you get it?”
“You’re wearing a wedding ring, and there are pictures of your wife, your wife and kids, on the windowsill. Your kids are teenagers now, but you’ve got some of them still up from when they were younger. You’ve got a football trophy—MVP—but it’s not front and center. The softball and volleyball trophies—your kids’—are more prominently displayed. You’re drinking green tea, and you want coffee. There’s a yogurt bar in your inbox, and you don’t strike me as the health-bar type.”
“Who wouldn’t rather have a donut?”
“That goes without saying. Your deputy’s annoyed you’re meeting with me, but when you gave him the brushback, he didn’t sulk. He grinned. You agreed to meet with me because you’ll use any source that may help. You ran me and my sister, but you don’t consider us guilty by blood or association. Believe me, some would, some do.”
“Some are fuckheads.”
“Some are. You know the area, you know the people, and you don’t believe anyone from here killed Marla Roth or abducted Donna Lanier. I’m willing to weigh that opinion if you’re willing to weigh mine.”
“And I am. Why don’t you give me a few minutes? I’m going to work on getting those rentals checked outside the town limits, into the park. I’m going to make it twenty-five miles. Then I’ll take you to Donna’s, and the parking lot. We can walk around some. You get a better sense of a place walking it.”
“Good enough.” Mason rose. “Is that coffee still available?”
“Plenty of it in the break room.” Sam smiled. “Green tea, too.”
“I think I’ll hit you up for coffee.”
—
Back home, Naomi read Mason’s text.
“He says he’ll be a couple more hours. Are you sure you want me to go with you? I don’t want Loo to feel uncomfortable.”
“If it seems like she is, I’ll kick you out.”
“Tough, but fair.” She stepped back, looked at the scatter of pieces they’d carted up from the basement storage area. She hadn’t collected a great deal yet, and none of what she had belonged in this guest room.
But, for now, they made the space feel less empty.
“I can’t come up with a bed before tonight, but at least he’s got a chair—that needs to be reupholstered—a table, a lamp. And the walls look good. Bare, but clean and freshly painted.”
She turned to him, held out a hand. “Dog or no dog to Loo’s? Your call.”
“She’ll like the dog. She was nuts for Milo.”
“Good, because he has a comforting way. Just let me change and fix up a little, and we can go.”
“What for?” Since he had her hand he pulled her out of the room, headed for the steps. “We’re not going to a party.”
“I don’t have any makeup on.”
“You’re beautiful.”
He caught the wide-eyed, surprised blink, aimed her down the stairs. “What? You’ve got a mirror. You don’t need me telling you.”
“It’s nice to hear.”
“You don’t wear makeup most of the time anyway.”
“When I go out I try to make some minimal effort.”
Since the dog meant taking her car rather than his bike, he headed for that with Tag racing ahead of them in anticipation.
“I don’t even have my wallet.”
“I do. I’ll drive.” He opened the door for the dog, then got behind the wheel. “Huh, first time I remember getting in a seat after a woman and not having my knees hit my ears. You got legs, baby.” Still, he adjusted the seat back a couple of inches before he glanced over, saw her frowning at him. “What?”
“Have you ever in your life waited five minutes for a woman with shorter legs to get ready, grab her purse?”
“You hardly ever have a purse. I admire that.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve waited. Mostly I think women just like having guys wait. And the fact is, most of them could work a couple hours at it and not look like you. So why wait?”
She huffed, pulled on her seat belt. “That’s one hell of a compliment mixed in with amazing arrogance. I can’t decide whether to be seriously flattered or seriously annoyed on behalf of women everywhere.”
“Slim, you’re not like women everywhere.”
“I’m not sure what that means, but I think you consider it another compliment. In any case, give me a clear signal if I should leave you and Loo alone. Where does she live?”
“Over the bar. She has an apartment up there. Owns the building.”
“She owns the building?” Because she understood more pieces of him now, she took the leap. “The two of you own the building,” Naomi deduced.
“It’s an investment, and since she lives up there she doesn’t have a tenant—or we don’t—bitching about the noise from the bar. I don’t know what the hell to say to her.”
“You’ll know. You’ve got a way, too.”
“Yeah. Me and the dog.”
He parked, drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he studied the building. “She’s in the bar. Lights are on down there, and we don’t open until four on Sundays.”
When he got out, she took the spare leash she stowed in the center box. But Xander came around, let the dog out before she could use it. She started to object, but Tag stood beside Xander, wagging and waiting.