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    Buried Prey

    by Sandford, John
    “Buried Prey” by John Sandford is a gripping crime thriller featuring detective Lucas Davenport. When the bodies of two missing girls are discovered decades after their disappearance, Davenport revisits a cold case that has haunted him since his early career. The novel alternates between the original investigation and the present-day pursuit of justice, exploring themes of persistence, guilt, and the passage of time. Sandford’s sharp prose and intricate plotting highlight the complexities of police work and the personal toll of unsolved crimes. A standout in the Prey series, this book delves into Davenport’s character while delivering a tense, satisfying mystery.
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    Buried Prey

    Chapter 17

    by Sandford, John

    Lucas Dav­en­port and his col­league Del Cap­slock head to Fairview South­dale Hos­pi­tal to meet Kel­ly Bark­er, a wit­ness to a vio­lent shoot­ing inci­dent. Bark­er recounts the chaot­ic attack by a beard­ed assailant, believed to be her stalk­er, which left a police offi­cer dead and oth­ers wound­ed. Lucas empha­sizes the impor­tance of iden­ti­fy­ing the shoot­er using a blood trail left at the scene. He arranges for an updat­ed com­pos­ite sketch of the sus­pect to be dis­trib­uted to media out­lets across the Mid­west, hop­ing to gen­er­ate leads. Bark­er, though vis­i­bly shak­en, agrees to assist with the sketch and media appear­ances.

    At the hos­pi­tal, Lucas and Del vis­it Buster Hill, the wound­ed offi­cer who man­aged to shoot the attack­er. Hill describes the shoot­er as inex­pe­ri­enced but dead­ly, wield­ing a Glock. He recalls fir­ing while injured, like­ly hit­ting the assailant in the arm or side. The detec­tives dis­cuss the thin blood trail, which could pro­vide DNA evi­dence. Hill express­es grief over the death of his col­league, Mar­cy, and vows revenge if giv­en the chance. Lucas and Del com­mend Hill for his brav­ery, acknowl­edg­ing his crit­i­cal role in stop­ping the shoot­er.

    Lat­er, in the car, Lucas reflects on the shooter’s inep­ti­tude despite the lethal out­come. Del warns Lucas about the poten­tial back­lash if he takes per­son­al revenge, giv­en his past rela­tion­ship with Mar­cy and his rep­u­ta­tion. Lucas dis­miss­es the con­cerns, hint­ing at his deter­mi­na­tion to find the killer before Min­neapo­lis police do. The con­ver­sa­tion reveals ten­sions with­in the depart­ment and Lucas’s unwa­ver­ing focus on jus­tice, even at per­son­al risk.

    The chap­ter under­scores the urgency of the man­hunt and the emo­tion­al toll on those involved. Lucas’s strate­gic use of media and foren­sic evi­dence high­lights his inves­tiga­tive prowess, while his per­son­al vendet­ta adds a lay­er of com­plex­i­ty. The inter­ac­tions with Bark­er and Hill pro­vide crit­i­cal details about the shoot­er, set­ting the stage for a high-stakes pur­suit. The nar­ra­tive bal­ances pro­ce­dur­al rig­or with raw emo­tion, cap­tur­ing the grav­i­ty of the sit­u­a­tion.

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    FAQs

    • 1. What key details about the shooter’s appearance and weapon did Kelly Barker and Buster Hill provide?

      Answer:
      Kelly Barker described the shooter as having a “heavy square-cut black beard like some Iranians” but recognized him as her stalker by his eyes. Buster Hill identified the weapon as a Glock with a “matte-gray look” and noted its plastic-like finish. Hill also observed the shooter’s poor marksmanship, describing how he “pumped with every shot” and lacked control. Both witnesses confirmed the shooter was wounded—Hill believed he hit him in the left arm or side, based on the blood trail and the shooter’s reaction (Chapter 17).

      2. How does Lucas plan to leverage the blood trail and Kelly Barker’s testimony to advance the investigation?

      Answer:
      Lucas intends to use the blood trail for DNA evidence to conclusively identify the shooter (whom he believes is John Fell). He arranges for John Retrief to work with Barker on updating a composite headshot, which will be distributed to media outlets across the Midwest. Lucas emphasizes tagging the alert as involving a “Midwestern serial killer of young girls” to broaden attention. This strategy aims to expedite identification while capitalizing on Barker’s TV appearances (Chapter 17).

      3. Analyze the significance of Buster Hill’s actions during the shooting. How do Lucas and Del characterize his response?

      Answer:
      Despite being wounded, Hill managed to return fire while upside down, hitting the shooter and likely preventing further casualties. Lucas and Del praise his composure, with Del stating, “You did pretty goddamn good,” and Lucas adding, “We’re proud of you.” Hill’s actions are framed as heroic, though he expresses regret over Marcy’s death. His account also provides critical tactical details (e.g., the Glock’s description and the shooter’s inexperience) that aid the investigation (Chapter 17).

      4. What conflicting emotions does Lucas display in his interactions with Kelly Barker, and why?

      Answer:
      Lucas exhibits restrained anger toward Barker, noting she doesn’t appear “distraught” despite her claims, which contrasts with his grief over Marcy’s death. However, he suppresses his emotions to focus on gathering information, pressing Barker for details about the shooter and coordinating media outreach. This tension underscores his professional discipline amid personal loss, as well as his suspicion of Barker’s theatricality (e.g., her mention of needing “heavy makeup” for TV) (Chapter 17).

      Answer:
      Del warns Lucas that killing Fell would spark backlash, especially given his past relationship with Marcy and existing detractors in Minneapolis. Lucas’s vague reply—”I’ll think of something”—and his earlier remark about having “all the proof we need” suggest he may prioritize vengeance over procedure. This tension sets up a conflict between justice and personal retribution, hinting at future moral or legal consequences if Lucas acts outside official channels (Chapter 17).

    Quotes

    • 1. “All we have to do now is identify him: we’ve got all the proof we need, if we can just lay our hands on him.”

      Lucas expresses determination to catch the shooter, emphasizing that the blood trail provides crucial evidence. This quote highlights the turning point in the investigation where forensic evidence becomes key.

      2. “If it wasn’t for Buster shooting that nut, we’d all be dead now.”

      Kelly Barker acknowledges the heroic actions of Officer Buster Hill during the attack. This moment underscores the life-or-death stakes of the confrontation and the shooter’s lethal intent.

      3. “Shoulda killed the sonofabitch. Maybe I will yet. I will if I get the chance.”

      Buster Hill’s raw anger and grief over Marcy’s death reveal the emotional toll on the officers involved. This quote captures the personal vendetta driving the manhunt.

      4. “Fell is not much of a shooter. Except he was the only one who killed anyone.”

      Lucas reflects on the grim irony that despite the shooter’s lack of skill, he succeeded in his deadly mission. This observation underscores the unpredictable danger of the suspect.

      5. “I’ll think of something. Forty days and forty nights, she used to say.”

      Lucas hints at his personal vendetta and the depth of his relationship with Marcy, foreshadowing his relentless pursuit of justice. The biblical reference adds weight to his resolve.

    Quotes

    1. “All we have to do now is identify him: we’ve got all the proof we need, if we can just lay our hands on him.”

    Lucas expresses determination to catch the shooter, emphasizing that the blood trail provides crucial evidence. This quote highlights the turning point in the investigation where forensic evidence becomes key.

    2. “If it wasn’t for Buster shooting that nut, we’d all be dead now.”

    Kelly Barker acknowledges the heroic actions of Officer Buster Hill during the attack. This moment underscores the life-or-death stakes of the confrontation and the shooter’s lethal intent.

    3. “Shoulda killed the sonofabitch. Maybe I will yet. I will if I get the chance.”

    Buster Hill’s raw anger and grief over Marcy’s death reveal the emotional toll on the officers involved. This quote captures the personal vendetta driving the manhunt.

    4. “Fell is not much of a shooter. Except he was the only one who killed anyone.”

    Lucas reflects on the grim irony that despite the shooter’s lack of skill, he succeeded in his deadly mission. This observation underscores the unpredictable danger of the suspect.

    5. “I’ll think of something. Forty days and forty nights, she used to say.”

    Lucas hints at his personal vendetta and the depth of his relationship with Marcy, foreshadowing his relentless pursuit of justice. The biblical reference adds weight to his resolve.

    FAQs

    1. What key details about the shooter’s appearance and weapon did Kelly Barker and Buster Hill provide?

    Answer:
    Kelly Barker described the shooter as having a “heavy square-cut black beard like some Iranians” but recognized him as her stalker by his eyes. Buster Hill identified the weapon as a Glock with a “matte-gray look” and noted its plastic-like finish. Hill also observed the shooter’s poor marksmanship, describing how he “pumped with every shot” and lacked control. Both witnesses confirmed the shooter was wounded—Hill believed he hit him in the left arm or side, based on the blood trail and the shooter’s reaction (Chapter 17).

    2. How does Lucas plan to leverage the blood trail and Kelly Barker’s testimony to advance the investigation?

    Answer:
    Lucas intends to use the blood trail for DNA evidence to conclusively identify the shooter (whom he believes is John Fell). He arranges for John Retrief to work with Barker on updating a composite headshot, which will be distributed to media outlets across the Midwest. Lucas emphasizes tagging the alert as involving a “Midwestern serial killer of young girls” to broaden attention. This strategy aims to expedite identification while capitalizing on Barker’s TV appearances (Chapter 17).

    3. Analyze the significance of Buster Hill’s actions during the shooting. How do Lucas and Del characterize his response?

    Answer:
    Despite being wounded, Hill managed to return fire while upside down, hitting the shooter and likely preventing further casualties. Lucas and Del praise his composure, with Del stating, “You did pretty goddamn good,” and Lucas adding, “We’re proud of you.” Hill’s actions are framed as heroic, though he expresses regret over Marcy’s death. His account also provides critical tactical details (e.g., the Glock’s description and the shooter’s inexperience) that aid the investigation (Chapter 17).

    4. What conflicting emotions does Lucas display in his interactions with Kelly Barker, and why?

    Answer:
    Lucas exhibits restrained anger toward Barker, noting she doesn’t appear “distraught” despite her claims, which contrasts with his grief over Marcy’s death. However, he suppresses his emotions to focus on gathering information, pressing Barker for details about the shooter and coordinating media outreach. This tension underscores his professional discipline amid personal loss, as well as his suspicion of Barker’s theatricality (e.g., her mention of needing “heavy makeup” for TV) (Chapter 17).

    Answer:
    Del warns Lucas that killing Fell would spark backlash, especially given his past relationship with Marcy and existing detractors in Minneapolis. Lucas’s vague reply—”I’ll think of something”—and his earlier remark about having “all the proof we need” suggest he may prioritize vengeance over procedure. This tension sets up a conflict between justice and personal retribution, hinting at future moral or legal consequences if Lucas acts outside official channels (Chapter 17).

    Note