Excerpt: Eye of the Beholder

Roach clicked onto the next slide, showing a murky photo of a large rusty shape underwater. She clicked again to the next slide. This was an underwater photo, showing a rusted pickup truck on the bottom of the lake. Most of the paint was gone and small fish were visible inside the cab. A diver's arm was visible in the frame, holding up a light for the photo. There were hints of other large shapes beyond the pick-up but they were hard to make out in the brown murky water. The next slide showed a tow-truck winching a Ford station-wagon out of the water and onto the grass. The license plate was just legible, showing an Alabama area code. The car looked almost new. Roach moved to another photo of a group of cars lined up on the grass, with varying degrees of rust and water damage.

"Fourteen," said Roach, turning to face Cal. "They found fourteen vehicles dumped at the bottom of the lake. Not a single one had a local plate."
"You think it's more than just illegal dumping, I take it?" said Cal.
"We think it's connected to seventeen missing, possibly murdered, people," said Roach, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she continued. "All were from out of town."