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She glanced around. They’d crossed over to the west side of the road, but they weren’t far from it, maybe sixty yards. She was gaining more confidence in her roadside execution theory.
    Gage stood up and shrugged out of his backpack. “Nice work, Dr. Quinn.” He unzipped the pack and handed her a bottle of water. “Now, drink up. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
    She stood up and swigged, then passed back the bottle. He took a long gulp, and her stomach fluttered as she watched his throat move.
    “Thanks for helping,” she said. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”
    He screwed the cap back on. “Now you tell me.”
    She felt a pang of guilt. “You could knock off for the day. If you’re tired—”
    “Who says I’m tired?” The side of his mouth curled up.
    “You’re sweating.”
    “It’s hot.”
    “Yeah, well, I’d think you’d be more into water sports.”
    He gave her a quizzical look.
    “You’re a SEAL. We’re in the desert.”
    “Sea-Air-Land, SEAL.” He smiled fully now. “Didn’t your uncle teach you anything?”
    His eyes twinkled with amusement as he gazed down at her. It was the first time he’d smiled at her, and for a moment she couldn’t breathe.
    Don’t do it, Kelsey. Don’t you dare fall for this beautiful man who has to leave in a few days.
    She looked away—at the ground, the road, the cactus. Anything but Gage.
    And that’s when she spotted him.
    “Sattler’s guy showed,” Gage said.
    Kelsey set off toward him. “It’s about goddamned time.”

Five
     
    It was the perfect night. Clear. Breezy. The temperature had even dipped below ninety. It was an ideal time to be out with friends, sitting at one of the riverfront bars, laughing and drinking margaritas.
    Instead, Mia Voss was headed home to an empty apartment, and the computer bag slung over her shoulder was stuffed with unfinished reports.
    She reached for her keys just as her purse started to glow and sing. She checked the number on her phone. Darn it, she’d forgotten to call Kelsey.
    “I’m so sorry,” Mia said, juggling computer, purse, and phone as she slid behind the wheel of her Jeep. “Yes, I got your message. And yes, he brought the bone.”
    Silence on the other end.
    “Kelsey?”
    “ Who brought the bone?”
    “The sheriff’s guy.” Mia backed out of her space and nestled the phone in her lap so she could shift gears. “He had a ten-gallon hat and everything. Very Lonesome Dove. ”
    “You’re telling me Sheriff Sattler had someone personally deliver my package to the Delphi Center?”
    “You sound surprised,” Mia said.
    “I am. So far, he hasn’t had the slightest interest in this case. At least, I thought he hadn’t.”
    “Well, evidently someone’s interested, because this guy was under strict orders not to simply leave the package with the evidence clerk. He had me paged down to the lobby to make sure I knew that his item had arrived and it was top priority.”
    “I’m shocked,” Kelsey said. “Did you have the heart to tell him the true meaning of top priority around there? And why am I on speaker phone?”
    “I’m in the Jeep,” Mia said. “Stick shift and cell phones don’t mix.”
    “It’s after ten. Don’t tell me you’re just leaving work.”
    “Okay, I won’t. Actually, I’m glad you called. There’s a chance your case could get bumped to the front of my line. What’s your estimate of the postmortem interval on this thing?”
    Kelsey paused. “I’d say six months to a year.”
    “Hmm . . .”
    “That’s a loaded hmm. What’s going on?”
    The Delphi Center’s electronic gates parted. Mia waved at the guard and rolled through, then turned onto the two-lane highway that would take her into San Marcos.
    “It’s possible your case could be related to an ongoing federal investigation,” Mia said.
    “You’re kidding.”
    “It’s a missing person case. About three months ago I got a bone sample in from Del Rio, which isn’t far