The Hunted Girls by Jenna Kernan (best book club books for discussion txt) 📕

“Animals don’t use arrows.”

Skogen glanced at her list. “‘Trapping animals. Abuse of animals. Pornography related to bondage and torture’?”

“Yes.”

“Sick puppy,” he muttered.

“The mind determines what is or is not arousing. But that doesn’t change. What will change is the willingness to move beyond fantasy and into reality. Once the killer makes that step, he won’t turn back.”

“Anything else?”

“Just what it says. We have an organized, stylistic killer who displays his victims publicly. Not acting on impulse but showing preplanning.”

“Working with someone else?” asked Skogen.

“Statistically unlikely. But I can’t rule it out.”

“I’ll get my team working on this. See what we turn up.”

“It would help me to have the victims identified.”

“Working on that now.”

Skogen’s desk phone buzzed. He took the call and then straightened, retrieving a pad of paper and pen. He began scribbling as he spoke ending with, “Okay. Get me all you can. I want to be there with the sheriff.”

He disconnected.

“We have a positive ID on victim one.”

Four

He secured his victim in a hog trap. The metal bars made a strong enclosure. If a hundred-and-fifty-pound wild sow couldn’t bash her way out, neither could this petite woman he’d taken around noon.

She spoke little English. Where was she from? Central America was his best guess. She was about to get a taste of a North American jungle. This view included deprivation, insects and exposure. He’d taken her clothing, left her stripped bare.

“Liberame,” she shouted, fingers through the cage, rattling her enclosure. “Let me out!”

They all did that. Began with demands and threats. Those soon turned to begging and tears. The power of it all rushed up within him, giving him an arousal like no other.

But it didn’t last.

Why would he want to have her when he was so close to having the most rare and valuable of her kind?

She was not worthy. Like the others. Just a bag of skin.

This specimen was a worm on a hook. A lure to capture her interest and the first one that she had met. Once she knew of him, he would signal that he understood her as no one else ever could. Finally, and most important of all, he had to prove himself worthy. The male alpha for her.

Yes, that was what he must do.

He took out his crossbow and notched an arrow. When he pointed the tip at her, she screamed, holding up her mud-streaked hands in defense.

Pathetic.

The arrow shot through her calf muscle, pinning her leg to the ground.

The scream she gave now was truly magnificent. The horror, shock and pain combining, turning her into the animal she had always been.

He wouldn’t let her pretend to be something more than this. She was prey. Entertainment for superior beings. A creature made for the chase, and poor even at that.

When her screams changed to whimpers, he left her.

Soon, they would have their hunt.

The name of the first victim was Nikki Darnell, the thirty-one-year-old married daughter of a wealthy developer. Skogen’s team had made the ID from a missing person’s report filed by Darnell’s husband. Dental records confirmed the match.

Agent Skogen wanted Nadine along for the notification of next of kin. Her request to allow Detective Demko to accompany her was approved and he’d agreed via text.

But first Skogen and Demko had to meet.

Since Demko did not have his ID card, she met him in the lobby, where she found him waiting, chatting with the security guard.

The weariness melted away with just the sight of him. Sweat stained his rumpled clothing and his face was sunburned. If she didn’t know better, she’d suspect he’d been fishing all day.

That was possible, but she felt certain that bass and trout were not what he’d been after.

Skogen’s warning that Demko’s role was only to consult with her rose in her memory. Clearly, he had already been out in the field.

Demko extended a hand and she took it, allowing him to reel her in for a kiss on the cheek.

“There’s my girl,” he said.

She never grew tired of hearing his terms of endearment and drew back to beam up at him. The stubble on his face made him look like a pirate. She pictured him with a gold earring and her smile broadened.

He turned to the guard. “Have you met Dr. Finch?”

The man shook his head. He was not the same guard who had checked her in. This man was black with close-cropped hair touched with silver at the crown and a head as round as a bowling ball. He was massive and reminded Nadine of a professional wrestler.

Demko cast her a reproachful look. “Which means you missed lunch.”

Actually, she’d missed breakfast.

“Brought it.”

“Tony, this is Nadine. Nadine, Tony has twenty years on the job in Jacksonville. His grandkids live in DeLand.” He turned to Tony. “Ranchers?”

“Citrus growers.”

“Nice.” He turned back to her. “Ready?”

Her brow knit for a minute. He made it seem as if he had been waiting for her instead of the other way around.

“Not quite. Skogen wants to meet you.”

“Later, Tony.”

“Stay safe out there,” said the guard, giving Demko a salute.

Demko offered his arm and escorted her back the way they had come, waiting until they were inside the office to give her a proper kiss. When she came up for air, she forgot what he was doing here. Only he did that to her, the befuddlement. Demko’s kisses were like a potent drug. And like any addict, she never got enough.

“I’ve got a king-sized bed,” he whispered in her ear.

“You know how to sweet-talk a gal.” She drew back as she recalled where they were and that the lead investigator was waiting.

She’d been expecting him earlier, but he was late.

“I thought you left this morning,” she said.

“Miss me?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“You have no idea.”

When were they going to have some time alone together?

“What have you been up to?”

“I checked in at the Ocala Police Department. Just common courtesy.”

“And found out all you could on the case?”

“Yes.”

“Then I did the same at Silver Springs. That’s a small outfit. And