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I kept compass in both hands—I’d cry ugly tears if I dropped this thing accidentally—and Lachlan managed doors for me, even keeping a hand under my elbow as he helped me climb into the front passenger seat of the Humvee.

I heard Donovan catch Borrowman up and the man was quick to get into his own car and follow us as Jon lit out of the neighborhood at full speed.

“Take a right,” I directed.

Jon gave a nod and did precisely that.

I felt Donovan shift behind me, coming in closer to ask, “Can you tell distance with that thing?”

“No, but it doesn’t work over long distances, either. I think the range is about twenty miles.”

“Ahh, well, it does make sense they wouldn’t have gotten too far out from the city.”

There was also that.

We kept going in relative silence for several minutes, with me giving directions here and there. It was a little hard, of course, not like we could go as the crow would fly, so sometimes I had to turn us right only to turn us left at the next street. Still, no one got upset or lost patience, clearly understanding this tracing was willy-nilly in a way.

We abruptly left city for a winding country road bracketed by trees on either side. A little hard to see as it was dark o’clock out here, and this back country road had no street lights. I mostly caught glimpses from the Humvee’s headlights and any passing cars. Huh, wild to me that there were spaces like this left. I’d thought Nashville was pure sardine can with how packed it was, but I’d apparently been wrong. It was very much a two lane road with no real shoulder, and the further we drove down it, the closer it felt to our goal. My needle gradually shifted toward the left, and every time the road curved, it felt like it shifted a little more.

“Jon, slow down a little, I think we’re getting close. It’s off to the left somewhere.”

Jon immediately slowed, glancing at the compass. “I’m somehow not surprised it’s off Old Hickory somewhere. Lots of space out here, larger yards, which is likely why they switched to a second location. They ran out of places to put bodies at the other house.”

“True,” Donovan muttered in disgust. “They likely saw this place as a better option.”

I pointed, “There, I’m pretty sure it’s there. Oh, look, it’s a rental. Of course it’s a rental.”

Well, not like Carrington could buy a house without his wife noticing. A rental made sense in that aspect.

Although god, the poor landowner. They were in for a really bad time.

Donovan leaned forward to ask, “You sure this is the place?”

“Yup, I’m sure.” In fact, I put the compass down, I was that confident. It did look half abandoned, I saw why he had to check, but at least the front porch light was on.

Donovan popped out and jogged toward Borrowman’s car, who had pulled up behind us. I sat back on a long exhale. God, would this day end already?

We sat there, idling for a while before Borrowman came up to Jon’s side. Jon promptly rolled down the window so he could speak with us.

“Hold tight a few more minutes. We’ve got permission to enter, and two squad cars and a forensics team enroute. Seiji, I can tell you’re right, this is the place. There’s a rank odor coming from the woods on the right side.”

I grimaced. “God, so they were already eating people here?”

“Looks that way. Or, I guess, smells that way.” His face wrinkled up in disgust. “Anyway, the second backup is here, we go in. Seiji, I hate to ask this, but considering how dangerous this is, can you be first through the door?”

Just to warn them of any hazards. “I can, yes. Rather, I would prefer so.”

Lachlan made a noise of protest in the back of his throat. Rolling my eyes, I said, “Yes, yes, come in with me.”

“Thought you were leaving me behind like a dog in the car,” he muttered. “Taking the piss?”

“Like you would have obediently stayed in the car.” I rolled my eyes again, harder this time because seriously?

While we waited, I thought to ask, “Jon, I have to ask, now that we’re friends, would you two be interested in coming to our wedding in the spring?”

“Would love to!” Jon replied brightly. Then paused. “Uh…location happening somewhere I can drive?”

“It is,” I promised on a laugh. “No planes for you, I’ve heard that story.”