Page 124 of Secrets in the Deep

Ward glanced up. “This is wild. The person set the phone up and filmed themselves committing a murder.”

“I need to see.” Ryan expected an argument. Some statement about this being police business.

Maybe Ward was in shock, because he handed over the cell. He should be wearing gloves, but hell, he’d already touched the thing.

Ryan watched it, paying close attention to the killer. The frame only allowed for a slight bit of the black cloak, and the hand holding the knife. It could have been a guy or a woman. They wore black gloves.

His eyes narrowed on the small piece of jewelry not fully covered by the cloak, on top of the right glove.

He paused it and zoomed in. “There.”

Ward frowned at the screen. “What is that?”

“A bracelet. There’s a pendant on the end.”

A deputy glanced over Ward’s shoulder. “Is that a leaf?”

“It’s a flame.” He looked up, eyes narrowing on Faye. He was moving before he could stop himself.

“Where are you going?”

Ignoring Ward’s call and the footsteps that followed, Ryan crossed the lot to Faye.

Her eyes widened and she straightened. “What?”

“Are you wearing a bracelet, Faye?”

“A bracelet?”

Ward stopped beside them, out of breath. “Ryan, stop trying to do my job.”

“Bracelet,” Ryan repeated.

She frowned. “I’m wearing the same bracelet I always wear.” She pulled up her sleeve, and there it was, the bracelet with the flame pendant. The same one the attacker wore while stabbing Preston.

A deputy swore under his breath, while Ward almost looked too shocked to move. He pulled himself out of it pretty quickly though.

“Faye Parker, you’re under arrest,” Ward said.

Faye gasped. “What?”

As Ward read Faye her rights, Ryan stepped back, glancing at Emily. She was standing now, face still pale. He headed toward her, even as he texted the team.

Ryan: Anyone still out there and have the energy to check a location? Preston was stabbed, possibly killed, and I know where.

Zac: In the forest?

Ryan: Yes, but not where we were looking. The twin trunk near the Outer Banks Trailhead.

Zac: Going now.

The twin trunk had been in the background of the video. That was where Preston was stabbed. It wasn’t surprising that Faye had lied about the location. She hadn’t wanted anyone to find him.

He reached Emily, who was watching Faye being cuffed.

“It was Faye?” she gasped.

“Her bracelet, the one she’s wearing, was poking out from the cloak in the video.”