by D. K. Hood
“Hmm.” Jenna leaned against the filing cabinet and folded her arms. “They have volunteer fire fighters in Louan. It must have been a housefire and they needed him to verify the cause for insurance. If it’s anything to do with us, I’m sure he’ll let us know.” She straightened. “I need a break and something to eat. We could stop by Aunt Betty’s Café. Are you hungry?”
Kane stood. His stomach had been complaining for an hour or so. “I thought you’d never ask.” He pushed his hat on his head. “I’m sure the town won’t be invaded with Hell Hounds while we’re out of the office.”
“There you go again, tempting fate.” Jenna took her weapon out of the desk drawer and holstered it.
“Oh, come on, Jenna.” Kane grinned at her. “I don’t want a psychopath murdering people any more than you do but you have to admit, a nice drug bust, cattle rustling, or a bank hold up would break the monotony.”
“I figure an invasion by aliens would be more interesting.” Jenna chuckled and headed for the door. “Can you imagine what Wolfe would do with alien technology?”
Kane whistled Duke and followed her. “Oh, yeah. He’d be reverse engineering everything.” He laughed. “But with our luck the aliens won’t be little green men, they’ll be ax wielding psychopaths.”
Two
Snakeskin Gully
FBI Special Agent and behavioral analyst Jo Wells picked up the phone in her office. “Agent Wells.”
“Agent Wells, this is Tom Crenshaw. I’m the sheriff out of Louan, we had ourselves an explosion last night. The fire department was first on scene and found a mess of bodies. I notified the ME out of Black Rock Falls, Shane Wolfe. He arrived with his team and has ruled the explosion as homicide. He mentioned you have an explosives expert and I should bring you in on the case. We need someone to search for secondary devices before we can enter the premises.”
Jo made a few notes. “Yes, we have an explosives expert on our team. Give me the coordinates and names of the victims.”
“I can give you the name of the person who owns the property but the ME hasn’t identified anyone. No one has been allowed to step foot inside the house.”
“Okay, that’s good. Give me the property owner’s name.” Jo took down the details and then ran a list of things to ask the man through her head. “Is there a place to set down a chopper close by?”
“Yes, ma’am. There’s grassland adjacent to the ranch house. I’ll lay down some flares close to your ETA.”
“That’s great, can you hold for one minute, Sheriff?” Jo muted the call and turned to ex-navy seal and one of the best crime scene investigators she’d ever known, Agent Ty Carter. “We have a case. Explosion, multiple victims, out of Louan. That’s north of Black Rock Falls, in a little place called Aspen Grove. What’s our ETA?”
“I refueled yesterday and she’s ready to go.” Ty ran his hand through his shaggy blond hair, dropped his cowboy boots to the floor, and smiled around a toothpick. “How long will it take for you to be ready? I’ll need time for a preflight check and packing our gear.” He gave her a slow smile and indicated to a Doberman with a coat like silk, ears pricked and waiting for orders. “The bomb squad is always ready.”
Exasperated by his casual approach to everything, Jo sighed and met his amused green gaze with as much tolerance as possible. “I have a bag packed. I can leave in ten minutes. I just need to call home and inform Clara I’ll be away for a couple of days. I’ll call Jaime after school.” She jotted down the info again and handed it to Bobby Kalo, the FBI’s computer whizz kid. “I want everything you can find on this man and if he lives at the property. If he rents it, I want to know the name of the tenant.”
“You got it.” Kalo went to work.
“Okay, we’re set.” Carter closed his computer. He stood and stretched his lean body before ambling over to a locker. “ETA eleven hundred hours.”
Jo unmuted the phone. “Thank you for holding, Sheriff.” She glanced at the clock. “We’ll be there by eleven.”
“Thank you kindly, ma’am. The ME wants to speak to you.” There was a rustling as the phone changed hands.
“Hi, Jo, it’s Shane.”
The image of Shane Wolfe, a six-three blond-haired man built like a Viking marauder, drifted into Jo’s mind. In his early forties, Shane worked as the ME for most of the local counties around Black Rock Falls, Montana. He was a good friend, who’d raised his three girls after nursing his late wife through her battle with cancer. Not only a great ME, Shane was also an IT specialist and spent most of his time assisting Sheriff Jenna Alton and Deputy Dave Kane with murder cases at his base in Black Rock Falls. “Hi Shane, what have we got?”
“I thought maybe a gas explosion but I’m not sure. It smells like C-4 and we need a bomb squad to clear the area before we remove the bodies. I don’t have time to wait for someone from Helena. I called out the fire chief from Black Rock Falls and he’s standing by to examine the area once it’s cleared for explosives.” Wolfe paused a beat. “It’s a homicide. I can see the remains of zip-ties on one of the victims. Can you handle the case?”
“That’s what we’re here for, our field office is available to all who need us.” Jo pushed to her feet and headed for her locker. “We’ll be there by eleven. Kalo is doing a background check on the property owner. We’re leaving now.”
“Okay, catch you later.” Wolfe disconnected.
After making a call to Clara, her daughter Jaime’s nanny, Jo picked up her duffle and headed out the door. She took the elevator to the roof and handed Carter her bag. He’d packed everything they needed in the chopper, including their crime scene kits, Kevlar vests, extra weapons, and a forty-pound bag of dog food. His dog, Zorro—their bomb squad—sat on a back seat in his harness. “Is that everything we need?”
“Yeah, I can refuel in Black Rock Falls.” Carter moved his toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other and pulled down the rim of his Stetson. “We’ll be able to go by and see Jenna and Kane, maybe grab a meal when we’re done?”
Jo smiled. “That would be nice. Let’s hope we get this case wrapped up fast. I have no idea what experience the Louan sheriff has in arson cases. We might end up completing the entire investigation alone.” She slid on her sunglasses. “At least we’re coming into summer. I’m over freezing my butt off in the mountains.”
Three
Although the sobering fact of visiting another crime scene was ever constant in Jo’s mind, as Carter lifted the bird high into the air and they headed on their journey, her heart leapt at the sight of Montana’s wild and magnificent west. The mountains, standing proud against a clear blue sky, shimmered in the sunshine like a fortress. The vast and lush forests, pristine waterfalls and lakes mixed with the endless color palate and subtle textures of the lowlands. As they flew high above the towns and ranches spreading out across glorious vistas, she wondered how man had dared to taint this beauty with murder.
She glanced at Carter. He was in full professional mode and handled the chopper with skill. His appearance and happy-go-lucky manner fooled many people and lured criminals into a false sense of security. One thing she could say about Carter is he’d never be called one of the boys. He preferred to be alone, just a man with his dog. He’d sure fooled her but underneath his facade, was a complicated man who hid his emotions. Trained as a deadly force with abilities too many to comprehend, he had a way of looking at things from every angle at the same time. He drove her crazy sometimes, but she had to admit, she admired him.
“You okay?” Carter frowned at her. “Worried about leaving Jaime?”
Jo shook her head. “I’m fine, just admiring the view and Jaime is used to me being away on cases. Now she’s settled in to life in Snakeskin Gully, she is a happy little girl. It’s a great place to raise kids.”
“There’s no substitute to small-town values and close friendships that last a lifetime.” He turned his concentration back to flying the chopper. “The community sure helped me when I went off the grid.
” He chuckled. “They acted like they were leaving me alone, but the mailman would sound his horn until he saw me heading to the gate to collect my mail. I’d find care packages from the local church, my prescription filled by the pharmacy, food for Zorro. I was being left alone to recover but I was really never alone.”
This was the first time Carter had discussed the PTSD he’d suffered after leading a mission resulting in the death of three children. He’d chosen two years of isolation, unable to cope with the flashbacks. Jo understood the condition well, the triggers that plunged a person back into a recurring nightmare would always be lurking in their subconscious. She kept her gaze ahead. Confiding in her about his condition was a breakthrough. He’d grown to trust her. “Do you figure your handler arranged to make sure you had supplies?”
“The meds and dog food would have come from him for sure but the local minister often came by to visit.” Carter cleared his throat. “I was rude and intimidating back then but he kept on coming back. The man is a saint. He never gave me the ‘it’s God’s will,’ crap. We spoke about baseball mainly and he helped me turn my cabin into a home. He ended the chaos with simple logic and friendship. I owe him bigtime.” He lifted his chin scanning ahead. “I see flares, we’re close to the coordinates. We made it ahead of time.”
They set down in a field of wheatgrass surrounded by trees, the wind from the chopper giving the impression they were landing in a turbulent green sea. When the door slid open the smell of fire filled the air in a choking stench. All fires had their own signature. A housefire carried the smell of burning wood and textiles, the sharp toxic aftertaste of molten plastic fumes and worst of all, the stench of burning hair and flesh. Jo reached into her pocket for a mask as a blast of ash-filled air hit her face, her senses picking up the awful devastation awaiting them. Moments later, a sheriff’s cruiser sped out to meet them. Jo climbed from the chopper and shook the man’s hand and introduced Carter. “Nice to meet you. Walk us through the crime scene.”
“I’ll leave that to the ME. He’s pulled rank on us, ma’am. Keeping us right away outside the tape. He said he doesn’t want anyone tripping a wire. I hope you clear the area soon. The smell is getting so bad my deputies are getting sick to their stomachs.”
“Maybe it’s time to get real men to take their place.” Carter peered at the sheriff over his sunglasses. “How did Wolfe determine it was homicide if he didn’t examine the victims?”
“The explosion blew out the front of the house. The townsfolk said they seen an orange mushroom. There’s no gas here, so the firefighters turned off the power and doused the flames. They kept their distance in case it blew again. There wasn’t too much they could do. It was well ablaze when they arrived.” The sheriff helped load equipment and their bags into the trunk of his cruiser. “The ME used binoculars to view the scene and then told me to call you. He’s been on scene since we called him. He’ll be glad to see you.”
“We’ll need a list of witnesses and names of the people who called it in.” Carter frowned. “Who was first responder?”
“That would be me.” The sheriff tipped back his hat to look up at Carter. “I called the fire department and the ME and we’ve been on scene since.”
“Were there any bystanders?” Carter scanned the area.
“A few and we moved them on.” The sheriff’s cheeks pinked. “I did think to take down their names but I didn’t record the vehicles that passed by.”
Jo rolled her eyes at Carter and climbed into the cruiser. “Have you gotten experience in arson before, or bombings at all, Sheriff?”
“Can’t say that I have.” The sheriff drove over the uneven ground and through the trees toward a still smoking ranch house. “We’ve had fires, car wrecks, and bar fights mostly. All the action happens in Black Rock Falls but that county is huge. Our population is ten thousand give or take, theirs is over a hundred thousand, maybe more with them off the grid in Stanton Forest. I guess that’s why the ME called in their fire chief.”
“So, the answer is ‘no’?” Carter stared at the man. “If we’re taking the lead in this case, we’ll need accommodation in town and transport. Will our chopper be secure?”
“It can’t be seen from the road, and I figure with FBI written all over it, most people would be too scared to go near it.” Crenshaw shrugged. “I’m not sure about your other needs, best you go into Black Rock Falls and bunk down there. They have an airport to stow your chopper and car rentals.”
“What do you say, Jo?” Carter looked over his shoulder at her.
Jo met his gaze. “I guess we speak to Shane and see what he needs from us first.” As they neared the building and parked between a fire department vehicle and the ME’s white van, Jo slid out of the seat and went to the trunk. She grabbed a crime scene kit and opened Carter’s duffle. “Here.” She handed him his explosives gear and mask. “I don’t want to sound like your mother but be careful.”
“I’m always careful, Jo, but thanks for caring.” Carter pulled on his protective gear and grinned at her. “Just keep everyone back. Flying body parts are deadly.”
“I sure will.” Jo made her way to Wolfe who was in deep conversation with a firefighter in his late forties. The men turned as she walked toward them with Carter close behind. “Nice to see you again, Shane.”
“Hey, Jo, Carter. Thanks for coming by so fast.” Wolfe indicated to the firefighter. “This is Chief Matt Thompson, the fire chief out of Black Rock Falls. Once you’ve cleared the area, he’ll do a structural safety assessment before we go inside. Matt, this is Agent Jo Wells, Agent Ty Carter, and Zorro.”
They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Jo looked past them to the two deputies, who both looked green, and turned to Carter. “Okay. What do you need, Carter?”
“Nothing unless Zorro finds an explosive device.” Carter unclipped Zorro’s harness and the dog quivered in anticipation. His big brown eyes fixed on Carter. “He’ll tell me if he finds anything and then, I’ll defuse it and we’ll do another sweep to clear the area.” He gave the dog a command by flicking his fingers.
The Doberman ran toward the smoldering house, sneezed once, and then slowed to a cautious hesitant walk, nose to the ground. Jo watched in awe as the dog moved meticulously from one area to the other. When he sat down and barked once, she noticed Carter tense beside her and then walk to Zorro. He pulled on gloves and bent down and examined a small piece of debris.
Jo’s heart pounded. “What is it?”
“Part of a secondary device. Stay back until I give the all-clear.” Carter repeated the signal to the dog and bagged the evidence. “He’s trained to recognize many types of explosives, which I’m told is unusual for a Doberman but he was top of his class and so was I. We’re a perfect match.” His eyes flashed in amusement and he headed toward his dog.
“Maybe you can teach him to cook and clean as well?” Jo ignored his snigger and turned her attention back to Zorro. She noticed the smile on Matt Thompson’s face and put distance between them. One arrogant man per day was enough to cope with, two, no way.
Taking on a case meant she had to make sure everything was considered, even the victim’s animals. She made her way to a corral. No livestock roamed anywhere and she found no signs of any close by.
“How are things working out?” Wolfe moved to her side.
Jo looked at him and shrugged. “Fine, I guess but we’ve only had one case of cattle rustling and another of a possible methamphetamine lab in six months, so we spend a great deal of time, working out and using the rifle range. I haven’t employed a receptionist yet as the phone isn’t exactly ringing off the hook.” She glanced at him. “The FBI should have given us a field office closer to Black Rock Falls. The cattle rustling, we handed over to the rangers and after investigating, found the meth lab was making hand sanitizer.”
“I meant with Ty.” Wolfe had dropped his voice. “All good?”
Jo pushed a hand through her hair and flicked her gaze back to Carter. He was
following close behind Zorro and then when the dog barked, he bent and fiddled with something on the ground. “He’s arrogant, annoying, and he drives me insane but I figure that’s a wall he’s built around himself to hide behind. I know he’s damaged goods but I can handle him.”
“Just don’t regard him as a case.” Wolfe narrowed his gray eyes and looked at her. “He’s an asset and needs to learn how to get close to people again.”
Jo nodded. “This I know.” She gave him a bright smile. “Tell me about the girls.”
“Emily is at the office preparing for the victims’ bodies to arrive. She passed all her exams and is top of her class. She’ll be through her degree in no time flat. My other intern, Colt Webber, came a close second and he is in the van organizing body bags and the gurney.” A softness came over Wolfe’s face. “Julie is doing well, she’s pursuing a career in pediatrics and she loves art, so has a diversion. My little Anna is the light of our lives, smart, funny… She is horse mad and spends so much time with Dave and Jenna riding, I’m seriously thinking of buying a ranch house with stables. All the girls love horses but then I wouldn’t be close to town where I’m needed most.”
“There’s more to life than work.” Jo leaned back on the corral fence, one boot resting on the bottom rail. “There must be places close to town with grazing land?” She had an idea. “Maybe stable Anna’s pony and hire rides for the others, if or when they want to ride.”
“That’s an idea.” Wolfe smiled at her. “Although when I’m busy, having Jenna to babysit for me is a Godsend. My girls have become very attached to their Aunty Jenna.”
“All clear.” Carter gave them a wave.
Jo turned to Wolfe. “Okay, it’s your crime scene, how do you want to play it?”
“If you don’t have full body suits, I have some in the van. You’ll need them in there and I don’t want anyone contaminating the scene. It’s better if Webber films the entire scene before we enter. Fire conceals evidence. We’ll take shots of the scene and then I’ll go in and examine the bodies. From what I could see, there are three bodies, one I figure is a child. They’re seated around a table and their hands are tied. It looks like it’s staged for a reason. I’d suggest allowing Thompson to do his assessment with Carter as they’re both experts in their fields.”