The plot is
An anthropologist or sculpter losses her daughter and her body is never found years later she adopts teenage girl and has a boyfriend named joe who is a cop and an ex marine or military. The woman can speak to her daughter in her dreams
The killer returns and sends her clues about her daughters bodyand leaves a blood smear on her grave site

Sounds like Blind Alley
Bookreporter.com - BLIND ALLEY by Iris Johansen

The name of the book is body f lies but its by the same author andits a part of the series
So thank you so much

I'd have opted for "The Face of Deception", by iris Johannsen...