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

“We also ran a check on the use of these apps and discovered that two of the victims used ones for navigation shortly before their abductions.”

Nadine sat up straight. Was the hunter using a lure to draw his victims into his chosen territory?

“Navigation to the trailheads?” she asked.

“No. Near them. Used GPS coordinates. They lead to nothing that I can see on Google Maps.”

“That’s odd. Isn’t it?”

“I think so. Very exact. Like they were hunting for something.”

“Which victims?”

“Darnell and Tolan.”

“Not Karnowski?”

“No.”

“Check her boyfriend’s phone or his vehicle nav program. He was driving.”

“We’re doing that now. He’s cooperating.”

She studied the map he supplied. They’d have to know this was the woods. Nothing there. Just… what?

Remote locations. Private. What did he use to lure them in?

“Do any of you have a theory as to why they went to these locations?” asked Nadine.

“Unsure,” said Wynns. “Still waiting for some of the details from their phones, but none of their families or coworkers know where these women were heading or why.”

“Texts and alerts?” she asked.

“Not yet,” said the agent. “Hopefully, sometime today.”

“Do you have their phones?” asked Nadine, surprised.

“No. Digital footprint is all. It’s good but not as complete as the actual phone.”

Nadine smiled at him. “Knowing the site of capture is a huge step. Thank you.”

The agent flushed. “I’ll get you whatever else we turn up.” He lifted a finger and then tapped at his phone. “One more thing. Coleman said we have a report on the bullet retrieved from Linda Tolan’s apartment. Blood on the round is a match for Tolan and is the same caliber as her missing weapon.”

“He used her own gun?” Nadine blinked in astonishment at the notion that this killer had stolen Tolan’s gun and then fired it off inside Linda’s apartment. Careless… unless… it wasn’t.

“No way to make a complete match without that weapon.”

He’d used her gun. She was positive. He likely had an arsenal of hunting gear, including guns, but he’d chosen to use hers and leave a bullet behind.

“Thank you. I’ll share all this with my team.” She lifted the pages he’d provided.

She stared at the data sheets and maps feeling the pressure of minutes. They had to find Linda Tolan.

Tina stepped into her office immediately after Agent Wynns stepped out.

“Dr. Finch, Special Agent Skogen is on the line. He wants to speak to you.”

“Okay.”

Nadine took the call.

“He wanted us to know he would take her again!”

She’d never heard Skogen sound so angry.

“How do you know that?”

“The Orlando Star received an anonymous letter this morning. In it the sender takes credit for the first two murders.”

“You sure it’s from him?”

“Whoever wrote it said he’d take Tolan again.”

This was going to terrify the public.

“Read it to me.”

“Business-sized envelope says: ‘FBI Agent Skogen.’ Single folded sheet of paper, message is handwritten. He writes, ‘Welcome to my hunting ground. So, you have collected my two little offerings. Wonderful to know you discovered my lures and have warned my quarry. It won’t matter. They’ll still come. I saw you at the press conference. But you left one of your pack behind. She’s the one who found my little bird, isn’t she? Well, I’ll capture Lovely Linda again. Come and find her if you can.’ That’s it.”

Nadine repressed the horror that clawed at her throat. She needed to think.

“I’m the member of the team left behind?”

“It seems that way.”

She was already aware that this monster knew of her. Still, the letter shook her. Nadine cleared her throat, trying to summon her voice.

“You have the letter?”

“Our team is collecting it now.”

“Where was it mailed?”

“Orlando.”

“Video of sender?” she asked.

“Sent from a private shipping business. No camera.”

“When?”

“FedEx delivery label says Thursday.”

The day Linda was released from the hospital.

“He mentioned the press conference in the letter. He’ll be following the media from here on out,” said Skogen. “We can use that.”

He was taunting the FBI. Reckless or overconfident? she wondered. The third possibility was that he was neither and his self-assurance was justified.

“Simon Kilpatrick was in custody most of Thursday,” said Nadine.

“He couldn’t have mailed the letter,” said Skogen. “Didn’t have time to get there before closing. So someone else mailed it for him, someone is just yanking our chain or—”

“Our killer mailed it,” said Nadine, interrupting. “It fits. He’s displayed his victims. Had direct contact with at least one member of your team. Mentioned the recapture of one of his victims before it happened and told you he’s watching this investigation.”

Skogen said nothing to this.

“Get me a copy of the letter.”

“Yes. Will do.”

Nadine ended the call, knowing two things. This killer was calling her out. And he wasn’t going to stop until she stopped him.

She held their video call in her office. Both Juliette and Demko appeared virtually. She filled them in on the digital data collected so far.

Demko was interested in the GPS data and the slug recovered from Tolan’s apartment. Juliette latched onto the common apps. All had grim demeanors, reflecting their worry over Tolan. Like her, Tina, Juliette and Demko felt the weight of hours and their continued failure to find her.

“How long do we have?” she asked.

Juliette confirmed Nadine’s fears. “Based on all my findings, the time of death is three to four days after capture.”

“So she’s still alive?” asked Tina, wide-eyed as a baby fawn.

Nadine hoped so, but she knew, at this point, if Linda Tolan was not dead, she was wishing she were.

“We might find her,” said Demko.

He’d been out with search and rescue since they’d learned of the abduction. The view of blue sky behind him told her that he still was.

“He might keep her until he has another,” said Juliette. “It’s what he did before.”

Tina continued scribbling notes. She was turning out to be invaluable. Nadine had hired her out of pity and a feeling that they had too much in common for Tina not to be included in this odd inner circle. She’d underestimated her.

“Anything on the hair sample from the headband?” she asked Juliette. Nadine had put her in charge of all the