Skye Cree 03: The Bones Will Tell by Vickie McKeehan Page A

we will. I’m having flyers printed up to put in the window. We’ll circulate Willa’s picture, maybe get the news media involved,” Travis said.
    “An excellent idea,” Josh said, nodding toward Skye. “And this is just the woman to do it, the perfect one to hold a press conference right here in front of the restaurant.”
    “If I have to appear on camera, then I want my stack of pancakes first,” Skye groaned. “I get nervous enough without my stomach rumbling in front of all Seattle’s reporters.”
    Soon after that, Velma complied by slapping down two plates filled with steaming flapjacks onto the Formica table.
    After he’d scooped up the last of the stack, Josh slid out of the booth, took out his cell phone. “Finish up while I set up the press conference.”
    “Where are you going?”
    “I need to take a look around outside first.”
    “Why?” But she already knew. She stood up, tossed some bills on the table from her pocket. “I’m going with you.”
    “ Velma said Willa left out the back door. Let’s head that way,” Josh prompted.
    The negative energy blasted him the minute he reached the parking lot. He sensed an evil so dark it had him doubling his focus. He surveyed the area across to the alley and back again. Because he could still see Willa’s Honda angled at the curb on the street, he headed that way. But when the images lessoned, he stopped in mid-stride. Sensing that Willa had never made it this far, he turned on his heels to backtrack. As soon as he reached the middle of the lot again, the series of flashes became stronger. This is where he decided to concentrate his efforts.
    “She didn’t get into the car on her own. He dragged her. He tried to do it without getting out, but of course, that didn’t work. He had to get out so that he could make room for her to get in. He’s not quite six feet tall, has brown hair. Not sure what color eyes, but he hasn’t shaved in several days.” Josh frowned, considered the rest.
    “A nd he smelled. He was sweaty from some type of physical labor. His olive green shirt had major stains under the armpit and around the neck.”
    “Why would she let someone like that get so close to her?” Skye marveled.
    “He asked for directions, got her talking then pulled her into his smallish SUV. No, that’s not quite right. The SUV was a Jeep. I don’t know the model but I’d recognize the front grille. He peeled out of the parking lot right about there.” Josh pointed to what would’ve been the darkest part of the area where the light from the alleyway didn’t reach the entire scope.
    “ Going which direction?”
    “South. He headed south on the I-5. I’m sure of it.”
    They exchanged looks . Skye picked up on the where, mainly because she had complete faith in his ability to read the situation. She didn’t have a problem following his lead. Both knew the info was sketchy but more than they had had since six a.m.
    “There are a lot of miles between here and Joint Base Lewis-McChord , Josh. Think about it. The fact the guy headed south means nothing.”
    “I know that,” Josh fired back.
    She might not possess the same skills Josh did, but she could pick up on his body language. Hands on hips, the stubborn set to his chin, told her he’d already made up his mind. “But you want to follow this through until it dead ends, right?”
    “I do. I know it’s a longshot but I think it’s worth a trip south anyway.”
    “Okay, then what are we waiting for? ”
    They were fine until they reached the outer edges of the military base. An outcrop of dated offices looked like products of a bygone era. They zeroed in on the derelict buildings, some with broken windows. They drove past an old service station, an abandoned hangar, a PX no longer in use.
    “This part looks like a ghost town. Y ou can feel the old souls here,” Skye commented as she stared out the passenger side window.
    “ Troubled souls wrestling with an evil so dark most people