by D. K. Hood
“Lucky guy.” Cross stepped away but remained jovial. “If you ever change your mind.” He handed her his card. “My private number is on the back.”
Not in a million years. “Sure.” Jenna slid her card through the scanner and pulled open the door, and then watched as Cross sauntered out.
On the way back to her office, she stopped to speak with Rowley. “Are you good?”
“Yeah, everything is under control. The team are taking calls but nothing has come in we can use. A few people have seen Amanda at Aunt Betty’s but I called Susie Hartwig – she knows her and she hasn’t seen her today. She’ll call me direct if she does. The search is progressing with no leads whatsoever. It’s as if she’s vanished into thin air.”
Jenna nodded. “Okay, good work. If the media call, tell them we have no updates and to repeat this morning’s interview.” She noted the candy bar wrappers in his bin. “And eat some real food – it’s going to be a long shift. Order in for yourself and the team and put it on the department’s account. Tell the deputies at the Braxtons’ house to do the same.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She grabbed two coffees to go and emptied the box of chocolate chip cookies into a bag for Kane. She pulled on her Kevlar vest and shrugged into her coat, then took her weapon out of the desk drawer and slid it into the holster. Kane’s dog sauntered into the room and she smiled when he looked up at her with big sad eyes. “You coming with us or do you want to stay with Maggie?”
“I figure we take him with us.” Kane came into the room, carrying his vest and jacket. “He might pick up a scent on one of the suspects.”
“Sure.” She gave Kane a sideways look. “What, no comment on Miller?”
“Nah, but I figure he’s hiding something.” Kane slid his vest over his head. “We should keep a close eye on him.”
“Yeah, we will.” She handed him a cup and then the cookies. “Cross was unexpected.” She raised both eyebrows.
“Yeah, I’ve a feeling he’s going to be a thorn in our sides.” Kane frowned. “He’s smarter than he looks.” He studied her face. “Oh boy – he hit on you, didn’t he?”
Jenna smiled at him. “How did you guess?”
“Ah-huh.” Kane slipped one arm around her and pulled her against him. “Your cheeks are a little pink. Do I have to challenge him to a duel at daybreak?”
“No!” She looked up at him. “I told him I’m in a relationship.” She reluctantly moved away and frowned. “Forget him. Amanda is still missing and she’s our priority at the moment.”
“Breaking the stress for a few seconds doesn’t mean we don’t care.” Kane touched her cheek and gazed at her with compassion, then dropped his hand. “So who’s next on the list?”
“First we go speak to Lucy.”
Thirty-Two
They arrived at Glacial Heights at three. It was six hours since Amanda’s mother had reported her missing. On the way, Jenna called the Braxtons’ house to speak with the deputies and contacted Blackhawk. With no valid sightings of Amanda from anyone via the hotline or search and rescue, and nothing from Blackhawk’s team, the chances of finding Amanda alive were looking slim. As they turned into the driveway of the Mackintoshes’ ranch, she scanned the property. The same architect had designed all the ranch houses she’d visited of late, so, apart from the land surrounding the houses, they all had much the same footprint. They pulled up beside a Green Thumb pickup parked in the driveway. If she found Paul Kittredge working today, she’d speak to him as well.
She’d called ahead to make sure Lucy was at home, and contacted Peter English’s mother and arranged to speak with him. It helped that both sets of parents had cooperated. As they pulled up at the front of the house, a teenage girl appeared at the door. Jenna climbed out of Kane’s truck and made her way up the front steps. “Are you Lucy?”
“Yeah, that’s me.” Lucy turned around. “Mom, the cops are here.” She turned back and waved them inside. “First door on the left.”
Jenna stepped inside the warm house with its scent of woodsmoke and pine. She glanced around at the neat home and then walked through the door into a family room. On a sofa sat a rotund woman, knitting needles in hand and a basket of wool at her feet. “Mrs. Mackintosh?”
“Take a seat.” Mrs. Mackintosh eyed them both suspiciously. “Now what do you want with Lucy?”
Jenna introduced herself and Kane, then took out her notebook and pen. “I’m sure you’re aware that Amanda Braxton went missing this morning. We’re talking to her friends to gather any information that might help us find her.” She glanced at Lucy. “Do you mind if we ask Lucy a few questions?”
“Go right ahead.”
Jenna nodded. “When did you last see Amanda?”
“At Aunt Betty’s yesterday around lunchtime. I can’t believe she’s missing.” Lucy’s eyes filled with tears. “Do you think she’s dead, like Lindy?”
Jenna shook her head. “No, and we have hundreds of people out searching for her, so I hope we’ll find her soon. This is why we need as much information as possible.”
“I guess you’ll want to know what we talked about.” Lucy wiped her eyes on a tissue, and then bunched it in her hand. “Well, nightmares and boys mostly.”
Jenna nodded. “Did she mention anything about seeing a man in her room?”
“No, she sees her grandma.” Lucy pulled a face. “She likes seeing her grandma’s ghost.”
“Tell me about the other girls at school who’ve had nightmares.” Jenna kept her face neutral but Kane’s conclusions about mind control and hypnotism ran through her mind. “Are they in the same group of friends or classes at school? Can you think of anything special that connects them all?”
“Yeah, we’re all friends from school.” Lucy thought for a moment. “I made fun of Lindy and the others because the nightmares started after we joined the drama club. We’re doing Macbeth and I figured it spooked them.”
Jenna made a note to dig deeper. “Have you had any nightmares?”
“Nope, I sleep right through.” Lucy frowned. “Amanda is sensible and her mother watches her like a hawk. There’s no way she would’ve just walked out into the dark. I know her – she wouldn’t do something like that.”
Jenna needed answers. “What about the boy she planned to go to the dance with, Matt Miller. Would she have left the house to see him?”
“Matt? No… well, maybe. She did mention they talked about going fishing.” Lucy’s eyes widened. “Matt’s dad has a weekender in the forest, on the river. Luke told me they go fishing there sometimes.”
Jenna turned to look at Kane. “Pass that info on to Rowley. Tell him to get someone up there yesterday.”
“Sure.” Kane got up and headed for the door.
“What can you tell me about Peter English?” Jenna watched the girl’s expression. “Luke mentioned he had to speak to him about Amanda.”
“That creep.” Lucy wiped her nose savagely. “Amanda told me she heard someone in the bushes along her driveway. It was probably him stalking her.” She blinked a few times. “Lindy said that too.”
Jenna leaned forward in her chair. “Said what?”
“They both thought someone was watching them when they got off the school bus and walked home.” Lucy gave a little sob. “Amanda figured it was a bear.”
“Then why would she risk walking into the woods at night?” Jenna examined the girl’s expression. “Wouldn’t they have told their parents?”
“How do I know?” Lucy sniffed. “I can’t figure why either of them would leave the house at night.”
“Getting back to Peter English.” Jenna glanced at her notes. “Did he bother her at school?”
“He hung around.” Lucy grimaced. “He kept asking her out and she kept refusing. Luke told him to stay away or Matt would pay him a visit.”
Jenna frowned. “Luke threatened him?”
“Yeah, and he didn’t bother her again.”
“Was there any other boy eit
her girl was seeing or interested in?” Jenna made a few notes. “Anyone else at all?”
“They like Mason, the football player who takes care of the grounds at school.” Lucy blushed. “But he’s a grown man.”
“Just one more thing.” Jenna offered her a smile. “Who’s the teacher in charge of the drama club and what days do you go there?”
“Two, Miss Dryden and Mr. Ambrose. Tuesdays and Thursdays last class, then after school for an hour. We’re meeting at the school this afternoon as well. If you want to talk to the other girls, they’ll be there.”
“Okay.” Jenna folded her notebook and stood. “Thank you, Lucy.” She handed Mrs. Mackintosh one of her cards. “If Lucy remembers anything else important, please call me.”
“I’ll do that, Sheriff.” Mrs. Mackintosh took the card.
“Thanks.” Jenna headed for the door.
Outside, Kane was leaning against his truck, cellphone pressed to one ear, Duke at his feet. The Green Thumb Landscaping Service pickup was missing. She waited for him to disconnect. “Dammit, the gardening service has left.”
“They were leaving as I came out.” Kane pushed his phone into his top pocket.
Jenna stared down the empty driveway. “Did you get on to Rowley?”
“Yeah, he hunted down the location but there’s nowhere for a chopper to land in the area. Blackhawk and one of his friends are on horseback and they’re riding to the cabin now.” Kane opened the door to his truck and helped Duke into the back seat. “What did I miss?”
Jenna gave him a run-down of the interview. “Although both girls were infatuated with two of our persons of interest I’d like a chat with Peter English. Not that I figure he has the charm to lure teenage girls from their rooms at night.” She sighed. “If the girls are being hypnotized, how come Lucy isn’t affected and Amanda had a different dream?”
“Hmm, that’s because hypnotism doesn’t work on everyone.” Kane met her gaze. “Plus mass hypnotism is difficult – but not impossible.”
“We’ll need to speak to those girls. They’ve a meeting at the school this afternoon. I’ll call Maggie later and see if she’s gotten their parents’ permission. I want to find out if they’re having the same dream. If so, then someone could be hypnotizing them.” Jenna frowned. “How do you tell if someone’s affected?”
“You can’t.”
* * *
As Jenna had missed the opportunity to speak to Paul Kittredge again, she made a quick call to Green Thumb’s head office in town. The manager directed them to a house close to where Peter English lived. Kittredge would be working there for the rest of the week. They arrived at the Englishs’ home a short time later. The interview with Peter was interesting but Jenna didn’t consider him a suspect. He’d been home both nights of the abductions and posed no threat. The teenager admitted to pestering Amanda at school and following her home one time, but after his talk with Kane, Jenna was convinced Peter’s days of stalking girls were over.
With Peter struck off her list, they drove to a nearby home where Jenna spoke to the owner before they made their way to the back of the property. She spotted Paul Kittredge leaning against a tree smoking and led the way across a manicured lawn. “Mr. Kittredge, we’d like a word with you.”
“Sheriff, why you goin’ to all the trouble of comin’ to see me again?” Kittredge gave her a slow smile. “You don’t need no excuse. Just sashay down to the Triple Z any night of the week and I’ll buy you a drink.” He chuckled. “Wear something sexy.” He dropped his smoke and crushed it into the lawn with his boot.
Jenna could almost sense Kane moving closer and caught a flash of doubt in Kittredge’s eyes. She could deal with him and leaned closer. As the smell of stale sweat and cigarette smoke curled up her nostrils, she lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “Mr. Kittredge, you’re a person of interest in the murder of Lindy Rosen. Your alibi for the night she disappeared doesn’t hold water.” When he leaned down way too close to listen to her, she gave him her best official sheriff’s glare. “I suggest you answer my questions. I don’t need an excuse to haul you downtown and hold you for questioning for twenty-four hours. During that time, Deputy Kane is well within his rights to question you for eight hours straight.”
“I’m sure we’ll find plenty to talk about.” Kane’s eyes flashed with menace.
Jenna stepped back but kept her attention locked on Kittredge. “Do you know Amanda Braxton out of Glacial Heights?”
“Uh-huh.” Kittredge narrowed his gaze. “She went missing this morning. I heard it on the radio.”
“That’s her.” Jenna pulled out her notebook and scanned her notes. “You work at the Braxton ranch. Have you spoken to Amanda?”
“Yeah, a few times.” Kittredge pulled out a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out with his teeth then held it unlit between his fingers. “She was real cut up when her grandma died.”
“How often did you speak to her?”
“She’d hunt us down.” Kittredge gave her a lazy smile. “Some days she’d sit on the grass and watch me work. Nice kid.”
Nice enough to kidnap? This man hadn’t convinced Jenna of his innocence, but with no evidence against him, she’d have to let it slide. “Do you have anyone who can vouch for your whereabouts last night?”
“Same as before.” Kittredge settled his shoulders against the tree. “In the Triple Z as always. I eat and sleep there.” His mouth curved into a smile. “I bed my women there.”
Impatient to get to the other suspects, Jenna lifted her chin. “Give me the name of one person you spoke to last night.”
“The barman, and I met a biker chick. She had a tattoo of a snake on one thigh, dark hair. Her name might have been Deidra or something close.” Kittredge wet his lips. “She was in my room when I left this morning.”
Jenna made a note in her book. “What do you drive?”
“The Green Thumb pickup right now. My own vehicle needs a repair. It’s out back of the Triple Z. He shrugged. “It’s a red GMC truck.”
“What’s wrong with it?” Kane moved closer.
“I don’t have the spare cash to have it hauled down to Miller’s to find out.” Kittredge shrugged. “Don’t need it no how when I’ve the company’s vehicle to drive.”
Jenna closed her notebook. “Very well, thank you for your time.”
“I’ll leave the invitation open if you want that drink, Sheriff.” Kittredge chuckled. “I’ll be finishing up here soon and you know where to find me.”
Jenna ignored him and hustled to the truck. In your dreams.
Thirty-Three
Riled by Kittredge’s disrespect for Jenna, Kane left rubber on the driveway as he pointed his truck toward Stanton Road and headed for the high school. It had taken one heck of a lot of willpower not to grab Kittredge by the scruff of his neck and shake him. He’d admired the way Jenna handled the jerk but standing by and saying nothing stuck in his craw. It came down to two things: his upbringing and his time in the marines; both had instilled in him respect for and the need to protect women. Old-fashioned to some, but inside he was an old-fashioned guy and when men disrespected Jenna, it made his blood boil. He turned onto the highway and accelerated. His temper dissipated slightly as the roar of the powerful engine filled the cabin.
“Do you know you’ve a tell when you’re angry?” Jenna’s voice seemed to cut through his wall of mad.
Kane didn’t take his eyes off the road. He’d engaged lights and sirens because he needed to drive hard to clear his mind. Aware it was a juvenile outlet to his temper, he slowed down some. “And what is it?”
“The nerve in your cheek twitches.” Jenna cleared her throat. “But the driving like a man possessed is new.”
“I don’t enjoy men disrespecting women is all.” Kane flicked her a glance.
Jenna chuckled. “I felt your eyes boring into my back like laser beams, so I could only imagine the look you were giving him. I know you respect women and I like that but I’m glad you s
topped calling me ‘ma’am’; it made me feel like your grandma.”
Kane laughed and the anger slipped away like rain down a gutter. “Okay, talk to me about Lancaster. He’s the football player all the teenage girls are goo-goo-eyed over, right?”
“Yeah, and his alibi about being at his girlfriend’s until six in the morning of the day Lindy Rosen went missing is a lie. We need to ask him where he was in the missing hours and find out his whereabouts last night. Maybe with a little persuasion, he’ll let us take a look at his vehicle.”
“Yeah, it would be good to find some evidence to link one of our suspects to the crime. Everything we’ve gotten so far is circumstantial.” Kane turned onto the road leading to the school. It was strange seeing the place without the usual groups of people milling around. “It’s like a ghost town. When do the kids finish spring break?”
“They go back Monday.” Jenna was flipping through her notes. “It’s not always deserted. A few of the clubs hold meetings here during vacations and then there’s summer school. The drama club is here this afternoon and I know the prom committee has meetings here as well. They’ve teachers who volunteer to supervise and the janitor opens a room for them to use.”
Kane rubbed his chin. “I hope they have someone to fill in for McLeod.” He pulled into a staff parking lot beside a white pickup.
“I guess we’re going to find out soon enough.” Jenna’s mouth turned down as she slid from the seat. “I hope Lancaster isn’t going to be a jerk. I’ve had enough of his type for one day.”
“Yeah, me too.” Kane opened the door and Duke jumped down, wagging his tail.
They headed for the janitor’s office and found an athletic guy who looked in his thirties, tipped back in a chair. Thick arms, bronzed from long hours of working outside, crossed his chest. A battered Stetson covered his eyes and his dirty boots rested on the desk. From the snoring, he was sound asleep. Kane slammed his fist on the desk and watched with some amusement as the man woke with a start and gawked at him, wide-eyed. “Sorry to disturb your siesta but we need to speak to the janitor.”