by D. K. Hood
“Oh, I don’t know, something’s not right about him.” Jenna’s cellphone buzzed a message. She glanced down at the caller ID and panic shot through her at the sight of a private number.
Heart pounding, she stared at the house as the door opened and Anderson slipped inside. It couldn’t be him; too many pieces would have to fall into place. For instance, if he was the killer, how did he know she’d be at the Rosens’ at that precise moment to schedule a call? Then again, if he’d made sure to be in plain sight of Mrs. Rosen at the time the message went through, she’d make the perfect alibi for him. It all came down to reasonable doubt. Did he have access to a burner cellphone with call scheduling? If they couldn’t prove it and Mrs. Rosen didn’t witness him using a cellphone at that time, the DA wouldn’t issue an arrest warrant because the moment he went up against Cross in court, that simple fact would be used to cast reasonable doubt on his guilt. She had three dead girls, Julie was missing and their suspect list had shrunk away to nothing. She wanted to break down and cry but she bit back a sob and turned to look at Kane. “It’s another message from the Shadow Man.”
Unable to stop shaking, she opened the message. “It has an attachment.”
“Show me.” Kane leaned his head toward her. “Message first.”
Now you’ve made me mad and when I get mad, I get even.
You’ve broken the rules, so now there are no rules.
Maybe this one will count more. You have an attachment to her, don’t you?
We’ll meet real soon, Jenna. I’m so going to enjoy watching you die.
The oxygen lasts 3 hours.
Tick tock, tick tock.
Terror gripped Jenna as she opened the video file attachment. She couldn’t breathe. “Oh, my God, he’s buried Julie alive.”
Fifty-Eight
So cold. Icy tendrils seeped through Julie’s clothes and her teeth chattered. A strange damp smell surrounded her as she tried to drag herself awake. Her head throbbed and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Dazed and disorientated, she forced her heavy eyelids to open. Darkness surrounded her, in deep shadows. The memory of a strong arm around her and the smelly rag pressed to her face slammed into her. She tried to sit and struck her head. Where am I? With trembling fingers, she found rough boards surrounded her and panic tightened her chest making it hard to breathe. I’m inside a wooden box.
She lifted her legs and tried to kick at the lid. Dust spilled into her eyes but the lid didn’t move. Terrified, she searched the front of her shirt, found her teddy bear brooch and pressed it hard. Her dad would come and find her. Sobbing, she counted, knowing it would take a few minutes before the tracker alerted him. His voice seemed to drift inside her head. So many times, he’d repeated the instructions since her sister Emily had come close to being murdered.
“Stay calm, use the tracker. Count to two hundred then give me as many details as possible. If you know the person who has you, speak their name. If you know where you are, tell me. I can hear a whisper but if it’s too dangerous, say nothing. I’ll come find you.”
He’d want details. She stretched her arms out both ways, then above her, trying to estimate the size of the box. She found a thin plastic pipe and could feel air blowing through the end. Why had the man supplied her with air if he wanted her dead? She shuffled down and her feet touched the end of the box. Something hung down from the lid. When she touched it with her shoe, the glow from the screen of a cellphone filled the small interior. The small light stilled her sobbing. “D-Daddy, c-can you hear me? I’m locked inside a box.”
Fifty-Nine
Wolfe’s cellphone screamed out the emergency ringtone he’d assigned to his daughters’ trackers. He slammed on the brakes, sliding his SUV to a shuddering halt at the side of Stanton Road. Grabbing up the cellphone, he activated the app and heaved in a deep breath at the sign of a red beep coming from the other side of town. He placed the cellphone in the holder on the dash and slammed his foot on the gas, then turned to Webber. “Contact Kane, tell him Julie has activated her tracker, she’s out near Goldmine Road.” He pulled out his earbud. “I need to listen in case she contacts me.”
“Roger that.” Webber made the call then turned to him. “The Shadow Man just contacted the sheriff. He’s buried Julie alive. Says you have three hours before the oxygen runs out.”
Wolfe slid his medical examiner’s SUV around a sharp right turn and accelerated until the engine screamed in protest. “I’m heading for the search and rescue headquarters. It will be dark soon and we’ll need a chopper with a thermal imaging camera. Tell Kane and Jenna to meet me in Stanton Road. I’ll pick them up there. Then call search and rescue. Tell them to ready the chopper, police emergency.”
His heart thumped so hard he thought it might burst through his ribs at the sound of Julie’s sobs. He wanted to comfort her and tell her he would be there soon, but using a two-way com in the tracker would alert the Shadow Man to the tracker’s existence. “Talk to me, Julie, tell me everything you know.”
As if she’d heard him, her wavering voice, broken with sobs, came through the speaker.
“I figure I’m underground because if I push on the lid dust comes down. A man, I didn’t see him but he wasn’t as big as you. He was medium-sized. He grabbed me from behind and put something over my face. It smelled strange and made my face feel cold. I woke up just before. The box is not small like a coffin but square. I can stretch out. I found a cellphone at the end of the box. It lit up when I kicked it. I’ll try and reach it.” Julie was breathing heavily. “I’m trying to get my shoes off. I’ll try and snag it with my toes.”
Wolfe gripped the steering wheel and, with lights flashing and siren blaring, weaved his way through the traffic heading into town. He could hear Julie panting and wished she’d stop moving and conserve oxygen. He turned to Webber. “As soon as we get there, grab the rifles and spare ammo. We’re going in packing for bear. If the SOB is anywhere close by, I’m taking him down.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Daddy.” Julie sounded exhausted. “I have the cellphone, it was recording a video. I turned that off.” She let out a distressed sob. “I can’t remember your number.”
Wolfe turned into the parking lot of the Fire and Rescue. He grabbed up his cellphone, wishing she could hear him. “Dial 911. Come on, Julie. Dial 911.” He shot a desperate glance at Webber. “Call Rowley, tell him to patch the call through to Jenna if Julie calls.”
“Roger that.” Webber slid from the vehicle and made the call.
Wolfe fitted his earbud. “Jenna, Julie has found a cellphone. I figure the Shadow Man used it to send you the video. I’ll need to keep my cellphone for the tracker so if she calls 911, Rowley will patch her through to you. Tell her to lie still and try not to talk much unless she hears a chopper. She needs to conserve oxygen.” He climbed out the door and took the rifle Webber handed him.
“Roger that. We’re waiting on Stanton Road south of Glacial Heights. The road is wider here.”
As they jogged to the chopper, buffeted by the wind from the spinning blades, the pilot slipped from the seat and waved them forward. Wolfe gave him a nod and climbed inside, dropping his rifle on the back seat. Webber was just standing there staring at him. He wanted to grab him by his shirtfront and drag him inside. “What are you waiting for?”
“Do you have a license to fly that thing?” Webber’s face had drained of color.
Wolfe pulled on the headset and stared at him. “Yeah, I flew a MEDIVAC in the marines and I’m leaving in two seconds.”
“Okay.” Webber climbed into the back and stowed the rifles under the seat.
The chopper lifted into the air, drowning out anything Julie was saying, but it didn’t matter if Wolfe could hear her or not, her terrified sobs would remain in his head forever. He had to find her. Then he’d make it his business to get up and personal with the Shadow Man.
Sixty
Kane pulled his duffel out the back of his truck, assembled his rifle a
nd slung it over one shoulder, then walked to Jenna’s side. “He won’t have an exact lock on her signal and if she’s too deep we won’t pick up thermal imaging.” He sighed. “If he’s set any IEDs we’ll have difficulty spotting them in the dark. He’s thought this one through and made it as difficult as possible. I figure he’s had these murders planned for some time and all he needed was the girls to make it work.”
When Jenna’s cellphone buzzed, she gave a triumphant squeal. “It’s Rowley. He’s patching her through now.”
Kane pressed his mic. “Wolfe, Jenna is speaking to Julie now.”
“Thank God. I’m close. You should be able to hear me by now.”
The sound of chopper blades cutting through the air came in a whoosh of air swirling the tops of the pines in Stanton Forest. Moments later, Kane and Jenna ran toward the chopper and jumped inside. Kane strapped in beside Wolfe and fitted his headphones. “If she’s buried we may have trouble picking up a reading. More so if she’s cold.” He glanced at Wolfe’s chiseled expression. “We don’t know how long she’s been down there.”
“We’ve narrowed it down to two suspects: Kittredge and Anderson. So far neither of them have moved, so it has to be someone else. Someone has slipped under the radar. Think about it – we know a number of men worked on the security systems around Glacial Heights and if Anderson has come up clean it has to be one of them.” Wolfe lifted the chopper high above the trees and headed out to the mines. “I’ve figured out how he lured the girls from the house.” Wolfe’s eyes narrowed to slits. “He used a wireless projector.”
Unable to follow, Kane stared at him. “What do you mean, you know how he did it?”
“All this talk of girls having nightmares about a man in their room.” Wolfe shook his head. “I should have thought of it before.” He glanced at Kane. “He hid a projector in the floodlights outside the girls’ windows and projected an image into their bedrooms to make it look like a ghost.” He sighed. “I’ll dismantle the systems myself and check, but I know I’m right. The parents searched the girls’ rooms each time and found nothing. By the fifth or so time they wouldn’t search as diligently, I figure he was already in Lindy’s room.”
“Why alert the parents by scaring the girls in the first place?” Kane frowned. “Seems to me they’d be wide awake.”
“You obviously never had kids.” Wolfe gave him a condescending stare. “Trust me, after being woken five nights in a row, they’d sleep like the dead and would more than likely ignore their daughter.”
Kane let this process through his mind. “How’d he get past the security system?”
“Really?” Wolfe gave a bark of disbelief. “How would you bypass a security system? I’m sure you’ve done it a thousand times.”
“Yeah, but I have a device.” Kane swallowed hard. “He couldn’t have one, they’re only supplied to the military.”
“How do you figure a technician resets a system when a customer forgets their code?” Wolfe snorted in disgust. “I’ve been such an idiot. I figure he wouldn’t have the same device as yours but he’d have a way of remotely rebooting the system. Once inside, he’d use an override code. Any of the security guards would have access to all the homes in Glacial Heights, so why single out Anderson?”
“Anderson was the last person to work on the system but I have to admit, his record is spotless and he has an alibi for both nights. He was in custody when we found out about Sara. Any of the security guards working for the same company would have access to the homes in Glacial Heights protected by Silent Alarms.” Kane cleared his throat. “Who the hell did we miss?”
Wolfe glanced at the beep on his cellphone. “We’re close now. See anything? I’ll drop lower.”
Kane watched the screen on the thermal imaging camera. He could see animals bounding away, frightened by the chopper noise – then he picked up a small glow. “There, on Goldmine Road, two hundred yards straight ahead.” He zoomed in with the camera. “She’s in an old mine shaft.” He turned to look at Wolfe. “Use the spotlight to scan the area. We could be walking into a trap.”
As Wolfe flew the chopper back and forth in a grid pattern, Jenna and Webber stared out the windows, searching for any signs of disturbance. If the Shadow Man had rigged a trap in this desolate spot, it would have to be an IED. Kane pressed his com and spoke to everyone. “Listen up. This man is experienced in killing – watch your step, don’t wander off, and stay together. Don’t step on any disturbed ground. Don’t move anything and look for tripwires.”
When Wolfe landed the chopper, they all slid out, collected their weapons and moved slowly toward the mine entrance, using their flashlights to scan the ground. Kane could hear Wolfe speaking to his daughter, telling her they were close by and needed to be quiet for a few moments so they could search the area. In the twilight, the grasslands appeared gray and stark. Silence surrounded them and even the cold breeze rustling through the long grass seemed magnified to Kane’s heightened senses. With the time ticking by, Kane dropped into his zone. He needed to use every one of his talents to keep them safe. They moved like a line of ants, stepping in each other’s footprints toward the mine entrance. Kane held up his hand to stop and secured the entrance. A few feet inside the mine, he made out a large packing crate, covered with a thin layer of dirt and leaves. He waved Wolfe forward. “She’ll be in there.”
“I’m here, Julie.” Wolfe spoke into the cellphone, and then stared at Kane. “See any traps?”
“It looks okay but we don’t know what’s under the lid.” Kane took the cellphone from Wolfe. “Julie, use the light on the phone to look around. Can you see any wires or canisters inside the box?”
“N-no.” Julie’s voice was almost a whisper. “Just a tube with air coming out.”
“Yeah, I can see the oxygen cylinder. Hold tight, we’re getting you out now.” Kane handed the phone back to Wolfe and used his flashlight to search every inch of the surrounds. “We’re good to go.”
Kane dropped down into the hole with Wolfe close behind. A vibration under his feet was the only warning. He grabbed Wolfe’s arm and dragged him to one side as the world went to hell. A plume of dirt shot into the air as an explosion rocked the silence. As earth and rocks slid down the hillside above them, Kane raised his voice over the rumbling. “Flip the locks. We have to get her out before we’re buried alive.”
They heaved open the lid as soil, rocks and debris poured over them like a gravel waterfall. Kane used one shoulder to wedge open the crate as Wolfe reached inside. “Hurry, man, she’s barely conscious.”
“It’s okay.” Wolfe scooped Julie into his arms “I’ve got you.” He pulled her lolling head tight against his chest.
Kane ducked a shower of boulders, and then dropped the lid. “Go, go, go!” He shoved Wolfe hard in the back, pushing him up the side of the shaft.
He blinked through dust and saw Webber grab Wolfe and pull him to safety. More rumbling, then a ripping sound filled the tunnel. He scrambled up the rock face then strong hands grabbed his arms and wrenched him the rest of the way.
“Run.” Webber’s voice seemed a mile away.
Kane ran blindly, eyes filled with dust.
“Kane, it’s okay, we’re out of danger.” Jenna was beside him. She pulled on his arm. “Stop and I’ll get the dirt out your eyes.” She brushed at his head. “Sit down.”
Cold water splashed down his face and he blinked as Jenna’s face came into focus. “Thanks.” He took the bottle of water from her and took a long drink. “Is Julie okay?”
“She looks shattered but she’s wide awake now.” Jenna’s voice had lowered to just above a whisper then she raised it to speak to Wolfe. “Wolfe, is she okay?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Wolfe looked into Julie’s eyes. “Did he hurt you?” He dropped Julie to her feet, and then cupped her tear-stained face in one large hand.
“Apart from d-drugging me and b-burying me alive?” Julie gave him an incredulous look and coughed. “No, he didn’t r-r
ape me or anything. I’m fine, D-Dad, but I’m so c-cold and thirsty.”
“You’re a survivor and I’m proud of you for being so strong.” Wolfe ripped off his jacket, wrapped it around her, and then pulled her close again. He stared over her head at Kane, his eyes wild. “No one gets away with hurting my girls. Now we turn the tables on him. This time we’re going to lure him into a trap.”
“How so?” Jenna moved to his side and offered Julie a bottle of water.
“We don’t let anyone know we’ve found Julie. So far he’s covered his tracks and left no evidence.” Wolfe’s face was a mask of controlled rage. “Everything we have is circumstantial at best. We’ll need to make him reveal himself by using his own technology against him.” He turned to Kane and his lips curled in a sadistic smile. “This SOB didn’t figure on me joining the game.”
Sixty-One
He’d decided not to go home and be alone. Having no alibi was, after all, a trap for the inexperienced. He had all the creature comforts in Aunt Betty’s Café and he’d linger here for as long as it took to make sure they remembered him. He’d ordered a thick steak with all the trimmings and set himself down with a good view of the TV. It amused him to watch the local law enforcement running around chasing their tails, but he didn’t have to step onto the sidewalk to find out what was happening. The media were all over his murders and reported every move the sheriff made. The sexy newsreader called him the Shadow Man and it fitted him well. The darkness and shadowy places always made the killing so much better. The fear in his victims’ eyes when they realized he’d planned to kill them and the soft moans as they gasped their last breath regenerated him. It was as if their life force filled him with energy. It must be what happiness feels like.