The one holding the stretcher stepped carefully over the orange twine and crouched down beside the corpse. His partner unfurled a body bag.
Tara watched uneasily. They were taking away the body now, processing the scene, for better or for worse. Whatever chance Tara had had to involve the Bureau at this critical point in the investigation was gone. If that had been her boss’s purpose in sending her here, then she’d already failed.
But she sensed there was more to it.
A knot of tension formed in her chest as she cast her gaze around the scene. The fire pit had been surrounded by evidence markers, but here, near the body, there were precious few.
Tara glanced at the deputy watching her sullenly from against the tree. She forced her attention back to the victim. An ME assistant tucked the hands into paper bags, and Tara felt a twinge of relief watching his skilled movements.
Tara checked her watch. Almost two. She turned her gaze toward the dense thicket and shivered, suddenly cold to her bones.
This case was a disaster, and they’d barely started. The circumstances could hardly be worse.
A flash of light above the treetops, followed by a low grumble. Tara tipped her gaze up to the sky.
It started to rain.