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

to offer. It included all the men between twenty and forty-five who applied for a hunting license. There were several hundred names. Nadine stared at the screen share.

“But this eliminates anyone who has lived here long enough to renew their driver’s license,” he said, “and this”—he hit something from the sort function—“includes only Caucasians who have brown or black hair.”

“How many names?” she asked.

“Fifty-seven.”

“All right. Thank you. Did you compare it to the list of men who moved into the area within the last year?”

He hit a button and half the names disappeared.

“What about their previous addresses?”

“None from Delaware or Louisiana.”

“Any live or work in our target area?”

“Seven.”

She studied the list for any familiar names. “Okay. Thanks. Did you give this to Clint?”

“He’s got it.”

“Great.”

“Also, the brass is on their way. Supervisory Special Agent Gabriella Carter is arriving sometime today.”

“Okay.” Nadine didn’t know if that was good or bad but suspected the latter. “Anything else?”

“Skogen got the handwriting report. He asked me to forward it to you. It’s in your in-box.”

Wynns disconnected and Nadine navigated to her email in-box. Ignoring the other messages, she opened Skogen’s forwarded email.

The report concluded that the handwritten documents were original, not copies, and that the writing was placed there mechanically. The details were not terribly helpful. The expert believed the card and letter were both written by the same person and that this person’s “chain code–based features indicated a male affectation.” So it was likely a man.

She closed the email that shed nothing new on the investigation.

Tina went for more coffee and Nadine tried Demko again. Then she left him a voicemail.

She had just lifted the coffee to her lips when another video call came through from Agent Wynns. If this kept up, she was moving back to the room and silencing her phone.

Nadine cast Tina an impatient look, relaying her annoyance at this latest interruption. Tina’s smile was knowing, well aware of Nadine’s need for quiet to work.

“Yes, Kirk.”

“Just got a voicemail forwarded from the Orlando office. You need to hear this.”

Something in his voice sent her heart pounding in her throat. She rose to her feet, sensing disaster.

“What is it?” she said. Was Demko safe? Had the Huntsman captured Juliette?

She gripped the laptop, lifting it from the countertop, her eyes fixed to the screen.

“Ready?” he asked.

She wasn’t. “Yes.”

“Okay, listen.” A moment later, he started the recording, and she heard a high male voice.

“Nadine, I’ve got your partner. He’s going to die, slowly. But first I’ll torture him one day for each time he dared to touch you. You won’t see him again, but I look forward to our first meeting.”

Nadine’s heart struck in her throat like the clapper to a bell.

“He’s got Clint!”

Twenty-Four

For the next ten minutes, Nadine slowly lost her mind as she paced from the master bedroom to her office. Meanwhile, Tina, seated at her desk, tried and failed to alert the team.

“I can’t reach any of them,” said Tina.

Nadine’s mind was a confused tangle as the shock and relief interfered with reason. There was something she needed to… think. She pressed both hands to her temples trying to focus. The Huntsman said he had her partner.

Her decoy partner!

Nadine rocketed to her feet.

“Skogen! Did he mean Skogen?”

Tina stared at her, mouth gaping as Nadine’s mind cleared. The Huntsman had Skogen or he had Demko.

“Call highway patrol and the sheriff’s offices.”

Tina lifted her phone and went to work.

When Nadine’s phone rang a few minutes later, she nearly jumped out of her pumps. It was Juliette’s number. She sagged in relief and took the call.

“Nadine? What’s going on? I’ve got troopers in my autopsy observation area. Are you okay?”

“Did you get my message?” she asked. Her voice had risen an octave and sounded shrill.

“No. Phone was off. What happened?”

Nadine told her about the message from the Huntsman and that she needed to come in.

“Can I finish up here?”

“How long?”

“Twenty minutes.”

“Tell the troopers to wait. Have them escort you from the building and to the safe house.”

“Okay. Did you reach Demko?”

Nadine’s throat closed. “No,” she rasped.

“Oh, my God. I’m coming, Dee.” Juliette ended the call.

Nadine sank to her seat, cradling her forehead in her palm, letting the fear escape in the hot tears that rolled down her cheeks.

Tina hovered, uncertain what to do.

She didn’t want it to be Demko or Skogen. But her heart ached for Clint and the fear that blasted through her nervous system was all for him. The effort of controlling her sobs took everything she had. She would not let this monster harm him or steal their future. This was her fault for bringing him here.

Why did it take this to recognized that she wanted a life with Clint? She needed him back. She squeezed her eyes shut praying it was a bluff and knowing it was not. The Huntsman had one of them.

She brushed away the tears. Time for that when she saw him safe. Held him in her arms and…

What if he was already dead?

No, she was not falling into that pit of what ifs… it was a quagmire that would only keep her from doing her job.

Agent Wynns phoned again. Tina huddled close to listen as she put the call on speaker.

“I reached Coleman. Vea’s been shot.”

“What?” How could that be? “What’s his condition?” she asked.

“Stable. Layah said that they were checking a houseboat on the St. Johns. Looking for the Huntsman, and the occupants fired at them. They engaged and killed the shooter. Axel took a round in the neck.”

“The neck!” Nadine’s hand went to her abdomen and the place that held the scar from her own bullet wound.

“Did they find them?”

“It was a meth lab.”

She wrinkled her brow in confusion. “A what? So… unrelated?”

“Yes. Bad luck on both parts.”

She pressed one hand to her mouth as she exhaled, trying to hold it together.

“Clint?”

“Nothing. We’re looking,” said Coleman.

“Skogen? Do you know his whereabouts?”

“Unable to reach him. We’ll keep trying.”

Wynns disconnected and Nadine called Demko again, leaving another voicemail. She was just ending the call