by D. K. Hood
An ice-cold chill sped down Jenna’s spine as Jo turned around the screen to display images of a wrecked car with a close-up shot of the body of a beautiful blonde-haired woman, her eyes open and staring in death. She lifted her gaze to Kane. His face had drained of color as his attention fixed on the screen. Panic gripped Jenna and her stomach threatened to empty. The image had to be of Annie; Kane had just been confronted with images of his dead wife. She grasped the laptop and turned it around to face her but Kane had turned to stone, his eyes locked on the space where the laptop had been.
“Okay enough of the gory details.” Jenna closed the lid. “You mean to tell me the FBI haven’t caught this guy in how many years?”
At that moment, Duke, who’d been sitting with his head on Kane’s lap, howled and bolted to the front door. Jenna stared at Kane. He didn’t meet her gaze and stood, scraping back his chair, and then headed for the door without a word. Smothering the need to run after him, she cleared her throat. “I think Duke needs to pee.”
“Ah, getting back to the case.” Jo glanced at Kane’s retreating back and then to Jenna. “We thought we’d caught the bomber, he claimed responsibility on his media pages and said he was with a terrorist cell.”
Jenna frowned. “So where is he now? Could he be training others to make similar devices?”
“No.” Jo reached for her coffee and sipped. “We pinned him down in a shopping mall and he went down in a hail of bullets after threatening to detonate the vest he was wearing.” She sighed. “Nothing has happened since and then this device shows up in a small town hundreds of miles from its origin.” She looked over the rim of her cup at Jenna. “This means we overlooked a possible accomplice and a serious threat is still out there.”
“We have the basic information but there has to be something that sets these victims apart. Something made the bomber hit them, on paper they’re as clean as freshly laundered sheets.” Carter tucked the device back inside the evidence box. “What if the vic was in witness protection? We have a ton of people out there, who need to stay dead. If there’s been a leak and this vigilante is hunting down key people or witnesses, we need to stop him.”
With her mind set on Kane’s carved in stone expression, Jenna gave herself a mental shake. Being in witness protection, herself, after bringing down a drug cartel, she could be on his list. She swallowed the bad taste in her throat. “And you expect the four of us to hunt this animal down, alone?” She stared from one to the other. “You’re crazy.”
“No, we’re not, Jenna.” Jo refilled Jenna’s cup and pushed it toward her. “We’ve given this a lot of thought. This person is very sure of himself and he is either covering up his acts of terror by trying to make us believe he is not who he seems, or doesn’t know we found his signature on the previous explosive devices and is enacting out a vendetta or worse still a fantasy.”
Jenna looked from one to the other. “You’re banking on him underestimating us as a team, right?” She glanced at the door and wondered what was going through Kane’s mind right now. Her heart ached for him. It must have been a terrible shock, to see the photographs. She stared at Carter. “As we’re talking about underestimating people… Jo is aware of Kane’s profiling skills but he has a box of tricks up his sleeve.”
“For instance?” Carter looked amused.
“Too many to count, Carter.” Jenna stared at him. “But if you need to take out a target, Kane never misses. He was a sniper and is an asset.”
“Then it will be true justice if he takes down this guy.” Carter reached for a chocolate chip cookie, broke it in half, and gave a piece of it to Zorro. “The agent he killed in the car bomb was one of the top snipers in the business.”
Nine
Blinded with ice-cold rage, Kane lifted Duke into his truck and climbed behind the wheel. Moments later he headed out the gate and accelerated toward town. He needed answers and with Jo and Carter close by, his only option was to speak to Wolfe and what he had to say couldn’t be said over the phone. He flicked on lights and sirens and the lowlands and hills flashed by in a sea of dark and light gray under the waning moon. The beautiful clear night did nothing to curb the nightmare of seeing Annie’s death mask. He’d tried long and hard to remove his last glimpse of her from his mind and replace it with a happy memory but without as much as a single photograph of her, the same lifeless staring image remained fixed in his head along with the metal plate. After slowing to drive through town, he turned off the lights and sirens and took a few deep breaths. He pulled up outside the ME’s office and moments later was flashing his card to gain access. With Duke at his heels, he headed for Wolfe’s office. As he opened the door and pushed the hound inside, he heard Emily, Wolfe’s daughter, calling his name. He straightened and looked at her. “I need to speak to your dad.”
“Did you want to watch the autopsy?” Emily frowned over the top of her mask. “I wasn’t aware this was your case.”
Kane shook his head. “No, I’ll wait until he’s finished.”
“We’re done with one victim and the others are on the list for tomorrow.” Emily’s gray eyes met his with concern. “Is something wrong? Is Jenna—”
“Jenna’s fine, everyone is fine.” Kane stared at the floor. “I just need to speak to Shane—alone.”
“Okay, I’ll go get him.” Emily pushed open the doors to the examination room and went inside.
Kane paced the spotless white tiled floor, ignoring the smell of antiseptic and burning flesh. It was cold and at least ten degrees lower than outside but Kane welcomed the chill on his boiling flesh. His mind was in turmoil. He’d been told the man responsible for Annie’s death had been killed but had that just been a ploy to keep him in Black Rock Falls? He recalled the shock on Jenna’s face. She had seen what haunted his every waking moment. Now he understood why he could find no peace. The man responsible still walked the earth. Had Annie been reaching out from beyond the grave to tell him so?
The door to the examination room opened in a whoosh. Kane stopped pacing as Wolfe appeared and peeled off his scrubs and tossed them into a bin. He walked slowly toward him. “You know why I’m here, don’t you?”
“Nope.” Wolfe stood hands balled on his hips and stared at him. “Is there a problem?”
Kane swallowed the grief blocking his throat. “It’s private.”
“Okay, we’ll speak in my office.” Wolfe led the way and once inside, went straight to the coffee machine and brewed two cups. “You’re wound up as tight as a drum, pace up and down or do whatever you need to do while you explain, but I’ve been working for eight hours without a break and I’m making coffee.”
The coffee machine hummed and hissed before spilling out two cups. Trying not to pick up the machine and toss it against the wall, Kane took a few deep breaths and dropped into his state of calm. There were two sides to this state. One, he could withstand an incredible amount of pain or suffering and the other, he could kill without conscience. He’d never used it to keep calm when his mind was screaming for revenge and not when dealing with a friend. He hadn’t fooled Wolfe and he noticed the change in his expression. Even Duke eyed him with suspicion. He sat down and waited.
“Drink the coffee.” Wolfe piled a cup with sugar and cream and slid it over to Kane. “You look like you’re going into shock. What the hell is happening to you? Is it flashbacks?”
Ignoring the coffee, Kane rolled his head from side to side, he’d been clamping his jaw so tight his neck ached. “Why didn’t you tell me Carter was the lead investigator on my case?”
“I didn’t want to drag up unpleasant memories for you.” Wolfe frowned. “It’s not as if you can thank him.”
“Thank him? I don’t think so.” Kane stared at Wolfe’s confused expression. “You informed me the FBI took care of the terrorist group that killed Annie. Was that true or just a way to keep me here?”
“It was the information I received from the top, why?” Wolfe pulled out a box of cookies and placed them on the t
able. “Eat something. You look like shit.”
Remaining in his calm state, Kane took out his phone and accessed the images of the car bombing and slid them across the table to Wolfe. “Carter has these and discovered the device used to murder Annie was made by the same person who made the bomb in the Louan case.”
“Oh Lord.” Wolfe’s face went sheet-white. “He didn’t mention anything to me about the device. He asked if I could trust you both to keep a state secret, so of course I said yes. He doesn’t know anything about you or Jenna.”
Kane gathered his thoughts before he attempted to speak. “I was led to believe the case files were sealed. I want to know how much Carter knows about me and why he is spreading the files around. Does he know I’m alive—or my name?”
“No, not a chance. Carter doesn’t have the clearance. He’s a specialist in his field and a darn good investigator. He risked his life to take out the bomber. This is why he has access to the files, and recognized the match in the devices.” Wolfe frowned. “You can trust him.”
“Can I? He killed the wrong man. A terrorist maybe but I’d bet my last dime, the guy wasn’t involved in my wife’s murder.” Kane slammed his fist on the table, making the coffee wash over the sides of the cups. “Now I know why Annie won’t allow me to get on with my life. The man who killed her is still out there and now he’s killing again. This time he’s turned up his game. You know as well as I do, Shane, if there’s a girl missing from the house, he has her. He’s a pyrotechnic psychopath hell bent on teaching someone a lesson but I have the upper hand this time. When I’m given a target, I never give up and he doesn’t know I’m alive.”
Ten
Thursday
After a restless night worrying about the missing girl and Kane’s sudden departure, Jenna woke at five to the sound of his voice outside her bedroom door. It wasn’t unusual for him to let himself in after he’d finished tending the horses but as he hadn’t returned the previous evening to discuss the case, she was anxious to know if he was doing okay. She’d fended off questions about Kane’s sudden departure with Duke, telling white lies about Kane being concerned about Duke’s health and perhaps he’d gone to visit the vet. Albeit at ten at night. With Kane missing and everyone exhausted, she’d opened the door to the cottage for Carter and after making sure Jo was settled in her spare room had lain awake for hours. She scrambled from the bed and went to the door. She noticed Carter lingering in the hallway and looked at Kane. “Did you want to speak to me?”
“Nah, just letting you know, we’re heading to the gym.” Kane gave her a look that gave no clue to his absence and waved Carter away. “Go ahead, I’ll be right behind you.” He turned back to her. “You planning on a quick workout? You’ll have two partners this morning.”
“Forget that. What happened to you last night?” Jenna looked up at him. “I had to make out Duke was sick and you’d gone to see the vet.”
“I knew you’d think of something.” Kane narrowed his gaze. “I needed to speak to Wolfe.”
Bolstering her courage, Jenna dropped her voice to a whisper. “That was Annie in the photos, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Kane stared at his boots as if unable to face her. “That’s all I remember before I passed out. It was the last time I saw her.” He looked back up and she could see the torment in his eyes. “She was my soulmate, Jenna. It tore out my heart when she died.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “Wolfe told me they’d taken the bomber down and now I discover he’s still breathing.”
Feeling his pain, Jenna squeezed his rock-hard arm. “He won’t get away this time with the four of us chasing his tail. I want to get into the office as early as possible. I’ll need to make arrangements for Rowley to take over the day-to-day running of the place if we’re going to be helping Jo.” She stared at him. “Maybe you should skip your workout this morning?”
“I need to hit something, Jenna, and Carter won’t hold back.” Kane leaned one hand on the doorframe and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I hope you don’t try and play the conflict of interest card and pull me off the investigation.”
The thought had plagued Jenna all night. She sucked in a breath. “It’s the right thing to do. We have two main problems as I see it. The fire bomber and a missing girl. Perhaps you can take the lead in the missing girl case? The idea it’s been left to Sheriff Crenshaw is eating me up inside.”
Jenna took a few steps back at the expression on Kane’s face. His eyes flashed with anger so intense it startled her. When he stepped inside her room and closed the door behind him, she swallowed hard. “So that’s a ‘no’?”
“Jenna, I respect you but do you honestly think I’d trust Carter to find the man who murdered my wife?” Kane clenched and unclenched his fists. “I’m sorry but if you insist, I’ll disappear, and go so deep no one will ever find me but I can guarantee Annie’s killer will end up dead.”
Shocked by his threat to leave, Jenna blinked. “So, it was Carter who investigated your case?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t figure out how he had access to the case files when they’re sealed. I went to see Wolfe and he confirmed it last night, but Carter doesn’t have names or know anything about me apart from the fact I was an agent. His main focus was on the DC bombings.” Kane paced up and down her room. “Obviously, from the new evidence, Carter took down an innocent man, although I’d have no problem killing a terrorist hell bent on blowing himself and others to kingdom come either.” He stopped pacing and took her by the shoulders. “This one is complicated. What was behind the first three attacks? Why the time lapse before starting again and why did he change his MO and take the girl? He has her for sure, she symbolizes something to him.”
Jenna looked into his eyes and nodded. “Yes, I’ve been worrying about her all night. There must be a connection between the cases apart from the detonator?”
“So, am I in?” Kane gave her a determined stare.
She sighed. “Okay, but we do this by the book.”
“Sure.” Kane’s expression hardened. “I’ll give him the same consideration he gave Annie.”
Jenna shook her head. He was like a timebomb waiting to explode. “You’ll have to curb that temper, if you’re planning on working with me, Dave. I understand your anger but you can’t allow it to overshadow your professionalism. You’re the ice-man and you need to fall back on your training or you’ll be no good to anyone, least of all me.” She lifted her chin. “One mistake in front of Jo or Carter and they’ll recognize an agent of your caliber. Think, Dave. If we catch him and it comes out you have a connection to Annie, it will never make it to court and he’ll walk.”
“I’m dead.” Kane dropped his hands from her shoulders. “Ghosts can’t investigate crimes, Jenna.” He turned and walked out the door.
After heading down to the gym and watching Kane and Carter fighting like two men trying to prove a point, Jenna decided against a morning workout and went to the kitchen to put on the coffee. The aroma of a brewing pot reached her from the hallway. She found Jo at the kitchen table, pouring over files. “Morning.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” Jo looked up from the laptop. “I contacted the Louan sheriff for an update. He wasn’t too happy being called at five but I needed answers. There’s no sign of the girl but they’ll be out searching again at first light. Nothing from the BOLO or the media release. It looks like she didn’t escape or she’d have shown up by now. I’m convinced the bomber has her. She is now our priority. Find her and I figure we find the bomber.”
“Maybe but why take her? What’s his motive?”
“I’ll need more information, Jenna. I’m guessing right now.” Jo scrolled through the statements on her screen. “The autopsy results will give me a better idea. I need to know what happened before he set the bomb. Its family orientated at first sight.”
Jenna peered over Jo’s shoulder at the open files the Louan sheriff had sent. “If you think its family orientated, we’ll need to look closer at family members.”
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She scanned the statements from witnesses to the explosion and from the three people who called it in. “We have more resources in my office and will be able to work better from there. I’ll start breakfast. If you can go and haul the guys from the gym, they’ll have time to shower.” She glanced at the clock. “I figure we’ll have some long days and nights ahead of us.”
“Sure.” Jo stood and stretched. “I’ll go and speak to the guys but you go and get dressed. I’ll start on breakfast and then we’ll all be ready to leave once we’ve eaten.” She met Jenna’s gaze. “Is everything okay with Kane?”
Jenna forced a laugh as she headed for her bedroom. “Yeah, nothing bothers him unless Duke is sick. He spoils him.”
Once they arrived at the office, Jenna delegated tasks to everyone. The large communications room they set up to view CCTV surveillance of the town was rearranged. Kane and Carter moved the screens to one wall and organized the long conference table to supply work areas for the four of them. Both of Jenna’s coffee makers were installed and by the time Rowley and Maggie arrived at eight, Jenna and Jo had entered every scrap of available information on the whiteboard and the team had a rough timeline.