by D. K. Hood
“Okay.” Although annoyed, Rowley kept his voice calm. “I’ll see that she gets the report.”
He needed to get Thompson out of the office before Jenna returned. She had enough to worry about without Thompson chewing her out. He opened his mouth to say something when Deputy Walters knocked on the open door. The old man’s face was grim. “What’s up?”
“A body has washed up, out on one of the lakes that’s fed by Black Rock Falls.” Walters let out a wheezing sigh. “The forest warden called it in. The corpse is caught in the rocks, you’ll need help to retrieve it.”
Rowley made a few notes. “Where exactly did he find the body?”
“He said some of the fishermen call the area ‘Dead Man’s Drop’.” Walters shrugged. “I’m not familiar with that part of the river but Atohi Blackhawk is in town, he came by before with something for Maggie. He’ll know where to find it for sure. Want me to call him?”
“Yeah, and he’ll know the quickest way to get there.” Rowley swallowed the acid crawling up his throat. “Did the warden say anything else, is it a male or female?”
“Didn’t say. He gave me the coordinates. You’ll be able to drive most of the way if you take the firebreaks. He’s staying there until you arrive. I’ll give you his number and you can talk to him yourself.” Walters rubbed the end of his nose. “Want me to call Jenna?”
Annoyed, Rowley stood. “No way. I’ll give Wolfe the heads up and we’ll go there as a team.” He reached for the phone.
“I’ll come with you.” Thompson cleared his throat. “I know my way around the forest too and have everything you need in my truck to pull a body out of the river.” He pushed to his feet. “I can call in the local squad if needs be?”
Rowley looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, come with us but I figure five of us will be enough, thanks.” He made the call to Wolfe.
Rowley drove through town. He planned to rendezvous with his team at the firebreak cut into the forest alongside Stanton Road. His fingers itched to call Jenna and apprise her of the situation but she’d given him the chance to prove he could run for sheriff one day. As a married man with plans to fill his home with kids, he needed to plan for his future. He’d show he could handle serious cases by following the procedure she’d drummed into him since he started working as a deputy, and by getting the job done. As he drove, he ran the mental list of things to do through his mind. He had everything covered and once they’d fished the body out of the lake, he could go to work hunting down missing people in the area. Often people didn’t report missing persons immediately but someone usually came forward before too long.
The drive along Stanton took him to the edge of the forest, a dense mass of pine trees that covered over a million acres and extended up to the black mountain range. The smell of fresh pine and mountain air filled the cabin of his truck. There was always something special about the beginning of summer and in the mountains, everything was bursting into color. Long walks in the forest with his wife, Sandy, had opened a whole new world to him. She reveled in the abundance of wildflowers in the forest and he found himself appreciating nature’s changes in Black Rock Falls each season. He pulled into the fire road and stopped beside a patch of mountain harebells, a splash of blue waving in a shaft of sunshine. Alongside the track, glacier lilies had created explosion of yellow and he wished he could be strolling hand in hand with Sandy along the forest trails instead of heading out to recover some poor soul’s decomposing body.
He sighed with relief as Atohi Blackhawk pulled his truck in behind him. His Native American friend was one of the best trackers around and knew the forest like the back of his hand. He valued his friend’s opinion and it was nice to have him along. Before he climbed out of his truck, he called the forest warden, Bob Chandler, to give him an update of their ETA. “Hey Bob, this is Deputy Rowley, we’ve arrived at the fire road on Stanton. I have the ME with me and the fire chief has offered to assist. What information can you give me on the body?”
“From what I can see, female. She’s naked and has long dark hair.” Bob sounded shaken. “It isn’t pretty. She was stuck between two rocks at first but the current washed her into a pool. Some of the people here assisted in damming up the edge of the pool. I haven’t attempted to haul her out the water, I was concerned about destroying evidence.”
Rowley slid from behind the wheel and after giving Blackhawk a wave, headed over to Wolfe’s ME’s van. “Okay that’s fine. We’re on our way.” He disconnected as Blackhawk jogged to his side.
“The fishing hole is not too far from here. Good fishing if you know where to find it. I can get you there in about ten minutes.” Blackhawk frowned at him. “The falls break up into many fingers, it is unusual for a body to have fallen into the water and end up there, unless she fell from the Whispering Caves. They come out halfway down Black Rock Falls. Water spills in from above and rushes out to join the falls. In time gone by, people who wandered inside the caves, thinking they’d found a way out, ended up in Dead Man’s Drop.”
Rowley slapped him on the back. “That’s good to know.”
The window buzzed down on Wolfe’s van and Rowley gave him an update.
“Have you called Jenna?” Wolfe raised one blond eyebrow. “They are chasing down a missing girl out of Louan.”
Rowley shook his head. “Nope, not yet. I figure we need eyes on the body first. I’ll get some images and send them to her.” He nodded to Colt Webber and Emily Wolfe inside the van.
“If it’s Sophie Wood I can do a visual ID based on photographs on file.” Wolfe frowned. “I’ll run a DNA profile when I get her back to the lab. I have her parents and sister on ice, they’re victims of the bombing Jenna and Kane are investigating with Jo and Carter.”
“Copy that.” Rowley indicated with his chin toward the fire chief’s truck. “He volunteered to help and Atohi will guide us to Dead Man’s Drop.”
“We’ll follow you.” Wolfe started his engine.
Rowley hurried back to his truck and turned to Blackhawk. “Do you want to lead the way or ride shotgun with me?
“You drive.” Blackhawk headed back to his truck, grabbed his rifle, and climbed into the cab beside Rowley. “Follow the fire road.”
After following a grid of firebreaks, they parked in a fire engine turnaround. The place was more popular than he’d been led to believe. At least six other trucks had parked alongside the track, their noses pushed into the forest. Rowley climbed out and scanned the area. Droplets of water formed from the damp air like tears on the snowberry bushes as the falls roared close by. Black Rock Falls had a spectacular beauty but a tragic past. He’d watched a close friend commit suicide by jumping into the falls and his stomach twisted at the memory. He grabbed a few essentials from his truck and stuffed them in his duffle and then waited for the others to collect their gear. Walking in pairs they followed Blackhawk along a well-used path through the forest. Behind him, Wolfe carried a stretcher with Colt Webber, and Emily, blonde hair tied up in a ponytail, wearing a plaid shirt, blue jeans, and rubber boots, walked beside Webber with a forensics kit. Matt Thompson strolled beside Wolfe chatting about the weather.
They found a crowd of people on the edge of the lake when they’d arrived. For an unknown fishing spot, it hadn’t taken long for the news to get out and people’s morbid curiosity had gotten the better of them. Amazed that the public had made it there before him and the forensics team, he glared at the curious faces. The forest warden had kept everyone back using his horse to block the line of vision. Rowley moved beside Wolfe as they all stared into the rockpool. His stomach lurched; the river hadn’t been kind to the young woman and her battered body bobbed on the water arms outstretched.
“We’ll get her out.” Wolfe turned to Webber. “Come with me.”
“I’ll help.” Matt Thompson stepped forward. “Between the three of us if we step over the boulders, we’ll be able to lift her clear and carry her back to shore.”
“Okay.” Wolfe gave him a c
urt nod. “I’ll meet you over there but just you and me.” He turned to Emily as Thompson walked toward the water. “Spread out the plastic on the shore over there and open a body bag. I want her on ice as soon as possible.” He turned to Colt and lowered his voice. “Get the images and then video the extraction. Make sure to zoom in on any ligature marks. If this girl is Sophie Wood, it’s likely she was restrained with zip-ties like the others.” He looked at Emily. “If this is the case get her covered up immediately, we don’t need that information getting out to the public.”
“Gotcha.” Webber nodded and extracted the camera out of a bag over his shoulder.
“Maybe get a few shots of the crowd as well.” Emily peered toward the bank. “Jenna will want to know who was watching.”
Rowley pulled out his phone. “I’ll do that, they’ll be so involved in what you’re doing they won’t notice me.” He turned to Blackhawk. “Could you help the forest warden keep the crowd back?” He pulled a roll of crime scene tape from his duffle and handed it to him. “I’ll head over to speak to him as soon as I’m through here.”
“Don’t fall in the rockpool.” Blackhawk’s mouth turned down as he scanned the dark water. “There are many disturbed souls in there and they want revenge. The lake is angry. Be careful.” He turned away and headed toward the man on horseback.
Unease rolled over Rowley and a cool breeze seeped through his shirt, raising goosebumps as he stared after him. Atohi Blackhawk had knowledge way beyond his years. He understood the forest and all that lay within. There was a calmness about him that Rowley appreciated. He was glad to call him his friend. He moved his attention to the water. The lakes all through Stanton Forest reflected the deep blue sky. The water was known for being crystal clear and pristine, running straight from the mountains but here, with the trees closed in around the rockpool and with the excessive turbulence, it looked dark and foreboding.
As the team went to work, Rowley shook off the gloomy feeling stalking him and decided to get his own shots of the area. He photographed the crowd from all angles before turning his camera to the scene. He moved in close to capture the retrieval. If this girl was remotely involved in Jenna’s case, she would want to get eyes on the images as soon as possible. His gaze moved over the body of a young woman. Her skin was so pale it was as if all the color had been washed away. Her eyes were closed and long eyelashes brushed a bruised cheek. Her full lips held a distinct blueish hue and she had a dimpled chin.
She’d been pretty and he tried without luck to pull on the mask of professionalism, something both Jenna and Kane had in spades. They’d all witnessed gruesome scenes but somehow managed to put themselves outside the now. He’d seen it in Kane. One minute he was normal, the next his eyes would change to granite as if he held not one ounce of compassion but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rowley bit down on his cheek to push the sadness away and clicked his camera phone as Wolfe and Thompson lifted her from the water with gloved hands. The girl’s head dropped forward, her soaked hair falling over her face. The cold water had likely delayed rigor mortis. When her feet broke the water every hair on his body stood to attention. Around one ankle was a zip-tie.
Twenty-Three
Exhilaration thrummed through him as the ME’s team wrapped Sophie’s body in a black body bag and zipped it up. He’d enjoyed every delicious second as they’d photographed and prepared her for her journey to the morgue. Avoiding the deputy’s camera had been easy enough, and by moving this way or that, he’d kept well out of any shots. A glow of satisfaction washed over him. He’d planned it just right to be there when her body was fished out of the lake. He’d known she’d end up here. The moment she fell into the swirling water in the Whispering Caves there could be no turning back for her. The crowd whispered suicide, but the truth was his alone to know. He’d enjoyed his time with Sophie, it had been rewarding. The thrill from a fire or bombing never lasted long enough and taking her had stretched out the experience.
He’d held his breath as she emerged from the water, her face untouched by her fall, and then he’d smothered a grin. It would have been inappropriate to smile at her battered remains with so many people looking on but being there and seeing her face again made his heart race. She was the opposite to her family, they’d burned to a crisp, becoming black and distorted—and she resembled an ice queen. Her skin so smooth as if carved in white marble but he could still make out the marks he’d inflicted to make her obey him. She’d soon learned to cooperate. Even the river couldn’t wash them away and she wore them like his signature. He’d owned her.
Twenty-Four
Duke had started to whine by the time Kane and Carter had finished filing their reports. They’d spent the last hour or so eating and working on their laptops in Aunt Betty’s Café. It was a soothing place to work, not too noisy but the constant flow of hot coffee and the delicious aromas of the daily special made it cozy. There was something about Aunt Betty’s Café that soothed even the roughest day, like sitting in your grandma’s kitchen and waiting for the cookies to come out the oven. Kane let out a contented sigh and caught Carter looking at him. “What?”
“This place, it’s special.” Carter rubbed his belly and sighed. “If I could bottle the smell and atmosphere, I’d make millions.” He glanced around the room. “I wish we had a place like it in Snakeskin Gully or Jo had set up shop here.”
“It reminds me of visits to my grandma, which were few and far between.” Kane smiled. “I’d eat all my meals here if I could and I figure by the flow of people through the door, many townsfolk feel the same way.” He sighed. “I’ll order some pies and have them delivered to the office, in case Jenna and Jo haven’t eaten yet.”
“Any excuse huh?” Carter chuckled. “I figure we go and walk the dogs; they’re getting restless.”
Kane finished his coffee and nodded. “Sure.”
Jenna hadn’t called to give them an update but Kane assumed she was insisting on a rape kit examination on Dawn and it would take time to organize a place for her to stay. He closed his laptop and looked at Carter. “There’s a dog friendly area in the park we can use and then we’ll head back to the office. I’m done waiting here for them. I’ll send her a message.”
“Good thinking. It will be crazy when Jo and Jenna arrive. They must be swamped. They haven’t added any reports to the files.” Carter collected his things and stood. Beside him Zorro snapped to attention, ears pricked and ready for action. “I guess it’s gonna be a long night.”
After ordering a takeout delivery, they stashed their laptops in his truck and Kane led the way across Main and into the park. One end of the park had an enclosure with swings and slides for young kids to enjoy but they headed in the opposite direction and let themselves into a fenced area reserved for dogs. Here the dogs could run unrestrained and had access to the perimeter of a wooded area through an open gate. The trees backed onto a line of houses set behind a high fence on Maple Drive. The local council had created a safe environment for dog lovers.
Kane closed the gate, grabbed a plastic bag from the dispenser, and pushed it into his pocket. He patted Duke on the head. “Off you go and have some fun.”
Beside him, Carter surveyed the area. “Is it safe? Zorro goes kinda ballistic when I give him the order to let loose.”
“Very.” Kane looked at Zorro. The dog’s entire body was trembling with excitement and his teeth clicked together making him look as if he was smiling. “I’ve never seen him so excited. Maybe he can encourage Duke to walk around some?”
“Playtime.” Carter flicked his fingers and Zorro bounced into the air.
Amused, Kane watched what could only be described as a doggy happy dance. The Doberman jumped and wiggled and then dropped down on his front legs before leaping away again. He rolled in the grass with his legs running in midair. The next moment he sped off like a greyhound out of the starting gates and flashed toward the woods. Within seconds, he came shooting back with a stick in his mouth. He dropped
it neatly at Carter’s feet and barked.
“Okay.” Carter picked up the stick and hurled it.
Zorro took off and skidded to a halt, throwing up dirt as he retrieved the stick and dashed back to Carter. Kane soaked up the sunshine and watched Carter play with his dog for some time. All the while Duke sat by his feet his head following the action. He rubbed Duke’s ears. “I guess you prefer to watch, huh?”
To his surprise, Duke wandered off toward the woods. He shrugged and turned to Carter. “I think I hurt his feelings.”
“Nah.” Carter threw the stick again. “He’s just doing his own thing. Bloodhounds are motivated by different things. They like to rest for the time they’ll need their energy but Zorro here has pent-up energy he must let out. Sitting around all day isn’t his style.” He indicated with his chin toward the open gate. “What’s Duke picked up?”
Kane jogged over to the gate and grinned at Duke. His dog was attempting to negotiate a two-yard-long tree branch through a yard-wide gate. After repeated attempts, Duke dropped the branch and barked at him. Trying not to laugh, Kane walked through the gate, picked up the branch and tossed it over the fence. “There you go. What are you planning on doing with it?”
Duke followed him, picked up the branch and carried it to where Carter was standing. Bemused, Kane followed. He raised an eyebrow at Carter. “Maybe he wants you to throw it, javelin style?”
“You don’t know much about your dog, do you?” Carter shook his head slowly. “I guess you haven’t raised him from a pup, huh?”
Kane frowned. “Nope, he was a rescue. I found out later, from Atohi, that his cousin trained him as a tracker out on the res.” He shrugged. “I’m getting to know what he doesn’t like but he’s never collected tree branches before.”
“Ah, that makes sense.” Carter bent and rubbed Duke’s head and sides. “He’s saying, Zorro might be fast but he only brought back a tiny stick and I found the whole branch.” He took the stick Zorro had found and it fit neatly against a missing part of the tree branch. “That is one smart dog. Don’t underestimate him.”