The Naturals, #2
Killer Instinct
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Contents
Chapter 21
Overview
Sterling reveals she was branded by Daniel Redding and orders Cassie to keep it from Dean. Briggs secures visitor logs and orders a search for the professor’s Catoctin writing cabin. Sterling exposes Cassie’s off-book digging about Emerson’s affair, prompting Briggs’s reprimand. Cassie names her student sources, and Dean reports Redding’s hint about remarkable letters from a student in Emerson’s class.
Summary
In the aftermath of the prison visit, Agent Sterling covers an R-shaped scar and clarifies she survived Daniel Redding’s captivity with Dean’s help. She shuts down further questions and instructs Cassie not to tell or ask Dean about the brand.
Briggs and Dean exit with visitor logs, revealing Redding had unauthorized visitors, including conjugal visits. Dean grows angry at his father’s manipulations, while Sterling warns him not to let Redding under his skin, trying to steady both Dean and Briggs.
Briggs calls in a search for a Catoctin writing cabin tied to the professor connected to Redding, acting on the lead Redding offered. Sterling then asks if Redding mentioned the professor’s relationship with Emerson Cole and exposes that Cassie has been digging off the books.
Briggs pulls over and reprimands Cassie for interfering in the investigation, pressing her for sources. Cassie refuses to name accomplices but identifies her information sources: Derek, Bryce, and Clark from Emerson’s group in Professor Fogle’s class.
As Briggs returns to the road, Dean relays Redding’s most specific clue: if they want a true copycat, they should focus not on the professor but on the remarkable letters Redding received from a student in Emerson’s class, refocusing suspicion onto someone within that group.
Who Appears
- CassieNarrator; learns Sterling survived Redding’s branding, gets exposed for off-book digging, and provides student sources Derek, Bryce, and Clark.
- Agent Veronica SterlingReveals Redding branded her; keeps composure, warns Cassie to stay silent, and pushes focus on Emerson’s affair and the investigation.
- Dean ReddingShaken and angry after seeing his father; resists manipulation and shares clue about remarkable letters from a student.
- Agent BriggsSecures visitor logs, orders search for the Catoctin cabin, and sternly reprimands Cassie for unauthorized digging.
- Daniel ReddingImprisoned serial killer; past torture of Sterling revealed; provides leads on a cabin and letters from a student.
- Emerson ColeMurder victim; her affair with a professor and ties to Fogle’s class shape motives and suspects.
- DerekStudent source from Emerson’s group; alerted Cassie to links with Fogle and class dynamics.
- BryceStudent from Emerson’s group; noted Emerson’s missed exam, part of Cassie’s source list.
- ClarkStudent from Emerson’s group; defended Emerson; included in Cassie’s source list.
- Professor FogleEmerson’s class instructor; his course connects the student group central to new suspicion.