Bone Secrets 03 - Buried

and she stepped closer to the sheriff. “Chris’s home has been ripped up inside, just like mine was, and it was probably by the same guy who did this. And you said cigarette burns? How do you think Chris got those scars on his neck and face? You’ve seen them, right?”
    The sheriff’s face clouded, but he nodded.
    “He was tortured as a kid by a sick pervert. And I think that pervert or someone close to him killed that old baker, trying to find Chris.”
    “But how did the killer know to go to the bakery?” asked Michael. “Someone had to have said something. Has anyone new around town been asking questions about Chris? I mean, anyone besides us?”
    “I don’t know yet,” Spencer replied. “I’ve got a lot of people to talk to and questions to ask.”
    “We’ll give you whatever support we can,” Sergeant Hove offered.
    “You need to talk with Detective Callahan in Major Crimes back in Portland,” Michael said, turning his attention to the OSP officer. “He’s looking for the man who ripped up Jamie’s place in conjunction with some older murders. I think Jamie’s hunch thatthis is the same guy is a good one. He is a cold-blooded killer. And has done the cigarette burns before.”
    Sheriff Spencer’s face flooded red. “Wait a minute. Yesterday you never said anything about a murder. All you said was that you were looking for her brother. What the hell have you been holding back?”
    Michael shook his head. “I had no idea this guy was on your side of the state. I assumed that he was still in the Portland area where he’d attacked Jamie—”
    “Wait a minute.” Spencer reached out and gently moved Jamie’s chin to the side so he could better see her bruised cheek. “Start from the beginning.”
    Michael did. He started twenty years back.
    Both police officers were rubbing the backs of their necks and shifting their feet by the time he’d finished.
    “Holy crap,” muttered Spencer. “We need to find Chris Jacobs before your tattoo man does.”
    “I wouldn’t mind finding Mr. Tattoo first. I wouldn’t mind that at all.” Michael forced back the anger that tightened his throat.
    “Do you think you were followed from the city? Obviously, someone found the house before you, but that’s only because I told you to wait till this morning so you had some light. Do you remember seeing anyone?” Sheriff Spencer asked.
    Michael shook his head and looked to Jamie. She looked ready to puke. He knew she was thinking they’d led a killer directly to her brother and his son.
    “I’ve tried to find Chris through all the usual and unusual online searches. He doesn’t exist on paper or in cyberspace. I don’t know how anyone else could have found him unless they were following us.”
    “Anyone else know you were headed over here? You tell anyone your plans?” Hove asked.
    Michael shook his head. “Callahan at OSP knew we were following a pretty good lead, but I didn’t give him any specifics, and he didn’t ask.” He smiled wryly. “Callahan knows I’d tell him if I had something concrete. And concrete means I’ve looked Chris in the eye and shook his hand to be certain he’s real. I don’t give out or print information unless I’ve checked and triple-checked it.”
    “Print?” Hove frowned.
    Michael looked the red-haired officer in the eye. “I’m a reporter for the
Oregonian
. I’m not looking for a story. I’m looking for personal answers; I’m looking for my own brother.”
    He felt Jamie take his hand and give a small squeeze.
    Hove’s expression relaxed. A bit.
    Michael was going to find Chris. And Chris would tell him what’d happened to Daniel.

    Jamie didn’t want to see the murdered old man. The description by the sheriff had been more than enough. She didn’t need an actual look. And she knew she was right about who’d done the murder. It had to be the same man who’d attacked her.
    It could have been my death that cops were standing around and discussing.
    Jamie’s chest quaked, and she concentrated on breathing evenly. She’d fought back against the tattooed man. She’d survived.
    But would he be back? And did he have Chris and Brian?
    She closed her eyes, tuned out the cop talk, and leaned into Michael, inhaling his scent. Male, strong, protective. She took afew deep breaths and felt his energy flow into her, calming her and giving her strength. He was a power source that she simply touched to recharge. Her phone beeped. She moved away from the