“He generally leaves three to four clues,” Mac said quietly.

“So we’re missing something.”

“Or he’s making it harder,” Rainie commented.

Mac shrugged. “I’d say the stack of false positives makes it hard enough.”

Quincy glanced at his watch. “You have five minutes. Sort through, then go. Oh, and Rainie, love, better turn off your cell phone.”

Mac had finished with the girl’s foot and was moving up the body. He tilted back the girl’s head, cracked open her mouth, then inserted a gloved finger into the abyss. “He’s twice hidden something in a victim’s throat,” he said by way of explanation. He twisted his hand left, then right, then sighed and shook his head.

“I got something.” Rainie looked up sharply. “Can I get some better light? I don’t know if this is just bad dandruff or what.”

Quincy adjusted his flashlight. Rainie parted the girl’s hair. There appeared to be a fine powder dusted over the strands. As Rainie shook the victim’s head, more residue fell onto the plastic bag she had laid beneath it.

Levine moved closer, catching some of the dust on her finger and sniffing experimentally. “I don’t know. Not dandruff. Too gritty. Almost… I don’t know.”

“Take a sample,” Quincy ordered tersely, his gaze returning to the path. There, he heard it again. Not far off anymore. The thump of descending footfalls.

“Rainie…” he murmured tightly.

She hastily scraped a small bit of the powder into a glass vial, corked it, and threw it in her fanny pack. Kathy added some of the rice; Mac had already claimed half of the fluid.

They were scrambling to their feet as Quincy moved toward Levine. “If they ask, you started working the scene under my orders. This is what you found, properly catalogued and waiting for them. As for me, last you knew, I was heading away from the scene. Trust me, you won’t be lying.”

The footsteps pounded closer. Quincy shook the botanist’s hand. “Thank you,” he told Kathy Levine.

“Good luck.”

Quincy headed down the hillside and Rainie and Mac quickly followed suit. Levine watched as the darkness opened up, and then there was no one there at all.

“For the last time, how did you know to come to the park? What led you and Special Agent McCormack straight to Big Meadows and another girl’s body?”

“You’d have to ask Special Agent McCormack about his reasoning. Personally, I was in the mood for a hike.”

“So you just magically discovered the body? Your second corpse in twenty-four hours?”

“I guess I have a gift.”

“Will you be asking for another hardship leave? Do you need more time to grieve, Ms. Quincy, in between finding all these dead bodies?”

Kimberly thinned her lips. They’d been at this for two hours now, she and Agent Tightass, who had introduced himself with a real name, though she’d long forgotten what it was. He’d thrust, she’d parry. He’d punch, she’d dodge. Neither one of them was having much fun, and in fact, given the late hour and lack of sleep, both of them were getting more than a little pissed.

“I want water,” she said now.

“In a minute.”

“I hiked five hours in nearly a hundred-degree heat. Give me water, or when I succumb to dehydration, I’ll sue your ass, end your career, and keep you from ever having that fat government pension to fund your golden years. Are we clear?”

“Your attitude doesn’t speak well for an aspiring agent,” Tightass said curtly.

“Yeah, they didn’t care for it much at the Academy either. Now I want my water.”

Tightass was still scowling, obviously debating whether he should give in, when the door opened and Kimberly’s father strode in. Funny, for the first time in years, she was genuinely happy to see him, and they’d only parted ways hours ago.

“The EMTs will see you now,” Quincy said.

Kimberly blinked her eyes a few times, and then she got it. “Oh, thank God. My aching… everything.”

“Wait a minute,” Tightass started.

“My daughter has had a very long day. Not only has she been instrumental in finding a lost woman, but as you can tell by looking at her arms and legs, it was at great personal cost to herself.”

Kimberly smiled at Tightass. It was true. She did look like hell. “I walked into a patch of stinging nettles,” she volunteered cheerfully. “And some poison ivy. And about a dozen trees. Not to mention what I did to my ankles. Oh yeah, I need some medical attention.”

“I have more questions,” Tightass said tersely.

“When she’s done being treated, I’m sure my daughter would be delighted to cooperate.”

“She’s not cooperating now!”

“Kimberly,” her father said in a chastising tone.

She shrugged. “I’m tired, I’m hot, and I’m in pain. How am I supposed to think clearly when I’ve been denied water and proper medical attention?”

“Of course.” Quincy was already crossing the room and helping her out of the metal folding chair. “Really, Agent, I know my daughter is a very strong young lady, but even you should know better than to question someone without first getting them proper treatment. I’m taking her straight to the EMTs. You can ask your questions again after that.”

“I don’t know-”

Quincy already had his right arm wrapped around Kimberly’s waist, and his left hand holding her arm around his shoulder, as if she was in desperate need of support. “Come to the medic station in thirty minutes. I’m sure she’ll be ready for you then.”

Then Quincy and Kimberly were out the door, Quincy half bearing her weight and Kimberly managing a truly impressive limp.

In case Tightass was watching, Quincy took her straight to the first-aid station. And as long as she was there, Kimberly had some water, grabbed four orange slices, and then saw an EMT-for approximately thirty seconds. He gave her salve for her legs and arms, then she and Quincy were striding rapidly away from the station and into a remote section of the parking lot.

Rainie was waiting. So was Mac. They each had a vehicle.

“Get in the car,” Quincy said. “We talk again on the road.”

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

3:16 A . M .

Temperature: 88 degrees

MAC FOLLOWED QUINCY’S TAILLIGHTS, leading them away from the buzzing chaos of Big Meadows, and into the inky black of a winding road lit only by the moon and stars.

Kimberly didn’t speak right away. Neither did Mac. She was tired again, but in a different sort of way now. This was the physical fatigue that came after a long, arduous journey and little sleep. She liked this kind of tired better. It was familiar to her. Almost comforting. She had always pushed her body hard and it had always recovered quickly. Her battered emotions, in contrast…

Mac reached over and took her hand. After another moment, she squeezed his fingers with her own.

“I could sure use some coffee,” he said. “About four gallons.”

“I could use a vacation. About four decades.”

“How about a nice cool shower?”

“How about air-conditioning?”

“Fresh clothes.”

“A soft bed.”

“A giant platter of buttermilk biscuits smothered in gravy.”

“A pitcher of ice water, topped with sliced lemon.”

She sighed. He followed suit.

“We’re not going to bed anytime soon, are we?” she asked quietly.

“Doesn’t look it.”

“What happened?”

“Not sure. Your father showed up, said an official FBI case team had arrived and that we were no longer invited to the party. Damn those Feds.”

“They pulled Dad and Rainie off the case?” Kimberly was incredulous.

“Not yet. The fact that they both turned off their cell phones and made a quick getaway probably helped. But it looks like the Feds are trying to reinvent the wheel again, and even your father knows better. We worked with Kathy Levine to identify which items might be clues on the victim’s body, then we took half the evidence. And now, just for the record, I believe we’re officially AWOL. Did you really want to be an FBI agent, Kimberly? ’Cause after this…”