by C. M. Sutter
Jack furrowed his brow. “Not exactly. Take a look for yourself.”
Billings’s phone rang as Jack escorted Kyle and Dan to the spot.
“This is Billings. Yes. I have no idea how many dogs are loose. Three of them just ran back toward the park from the farm east of you. We need them contained as fast as possible. They’re destroying a crime scene.” Billings clicked off. “Animal control has six dogs caged in their van.”
I took in a deep breath. “It’s a start.”
Clayton came up behind us. “We cleared the buildings. He’s gone. Son of a bitch, it reeks down here.”
I elbowed him. “Have some respect.” I shielded my eyes and looked to my left thirty yards. I pointed at a mound of dirt breaking the smooth plane of the property. “Kate, isn’t that about where we saw Keith digging?”
She followed my finger with her eyes. “I’d say so, yeah. Let’s check it out.”
She and I walked to the spot. A plastic tarp lay spread out on the grass, and the dirt pile, which looked to be several wheelbarrows’ worth, sat on top of it.
I scratched my cheek. “What do you make of that?”
“I don’t know, but check that out.” Kate pointed at a steel plate on the lawn several feet beyond the dirt.
We approached it and stared.
“Is that some kind of a cover?” Kate walked toward it.
I shrugged. “Let’s flip it and see.”
We both stood on the same side of the four-by-four-foot sheet of metal. We bent to the ground, jammed our fingers under the plate, and on my nod, we flipped it over.
The odor that filled the air nearly made me vomit. Neither of us expected the sight below. A body wrapped in plastic lay at the bottom of that cinder block vault. The stench was so overwhelming we had to move away.
Kate yelled in Jack’s direction. “Hurry, guys. We found a body, and this one is intact.”
Chapter 59
The house was filled with law enforcement personnel. Every room had people talking in small groups, searching through paperwork, snapping pictures, or dusting for prints. Jack had called in every available unit, whether it was their shift to work or not. We needed to get a firm grip on the case and the whereabouts of Keith Hadley.
We turned to see who was coming in when the slider was pushed to the side. Silver led the conversation as he and Donnelly approached Jack. “Boss, we took the liberty of crossing the creek to the Shoal property. We checked for Hadley inside those buildings hidden in the woods. Of course, he wasn’t there, but there is strong evidence that the buildings are indeed used as venues for dog fighting.”
I shook my head in disgust. “That man is pure evil.”
Jack sighed. “Along with Keith Hadley.” He tipped his head toward the patio doors. “Take plenty of pictures for evidence and get an APB out for Bob Shoal and his wife. That place is getting shut down, and he’s going to face federal charges. Good work, guys. Reconvene with animal control and show them what you’ve found. All of the dogs will need to be rehomed.”
Silver nodded, and he and Donnelly returned to the backyard.
The five of us sat in the kitchen with pens in hand and notepads on the table.
Jack took the lead. “Okay, guys, we’re ninety-nine percent sure the body in the vault is Tyler Rauch. Seeing the truck keys lying next to the body kind of confirms that.” He gave each of us a stern look. “This information better not get out. We don’t have a positive identification of the body from the wife yet. From what we’ve located of the body parts scattered around by the creek, I’m assuming that’s Stan, but again, keep your lips sealed until we have DNA confirmation. Lena and Jason are on their way out here now. Keith Hadley is once again in the wind.”
“Boss, I have a theory. Actually it’s more than that, and I truly believe I’m on the right track.”
“Go ahead, Amber.”
“Page one hundred and seven of the court transcripts lists everyone who testified at Kevin’s trial.”
“Unfortunately, I had to push that aside when the call about the judge came in.”
“I understand, sir. Anyway, those transcripts named the people who testified for the state, and each person said they thought Kevin should be held accountable for the murders. Four people on that list have been killed or nearly killed. There were three more people who testified against Kevin.”
“So there’s a good chance they’ll be targeted next.”
“Yes, that’s what I wanted to explain to you earlier.” I squeezed my temples and took in a deep breath. “Boss, Jamison and Clark are on that list of names too.”
“Shit.” Jack took a quick glance at his watch. He seemed to be mentally calculating something. “Okay, as of now, why would Hadley think Clark or Jamison would be anywhere but at home? Wait—that’s even worse.” Jack grabbed his phone and dialed the Clark house. He tapped Speakerphone and set his cell on the table. He took in a deep breath. “Please answer, Liz.”
She picked up on the third ring. “Hello.”
Jack let out the breath he had been holding. “Liz, it’s Jack.”
“Hi, Jack. No, Chuck hasn’t bagged a deer yet.” She chuckled into the phone.
“Liz, I need you to listen to me carefully.”
“Oh, okay, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to alarm you, but this is important. Has a letter addressed to Chuck come in the mail this week without a return address?”
“I haven’t paid any attention. Why?”
“Do you open his mail?”
“If it’s addressed specifically to him, I leave it alone. Give me just a minute while I check what’s on the counter.”
We heard her mumbling through the phone line.
“Oh, here’s one. Yes, it’s addressed to Chuck, and there isn’t a return address. What do you want me to do with it?”
“Where is the postmark from?” Jack asked.
“Um, it’s from Chicago.”
Jack looked at us and nodded. “I want you to open it, Liz, and read it to me. Don’t let it throw you. I have someone en route to your house right now.” Jack waved Clayton to head out. “All right, go ahead and open it.”
Papers rustled, then she began to read the letter. I mouthed the words I had already saved to memory.
“Oh my God, Jack. Somebody is threatening to kill Chuck. What the hell should I do?”
“First, make sure every door in your house is locked. Do that right now. You’re going to be fine. Clayton should be there in five minutes, and he’ll bring you here for the time being. Liz, does anyone know the location of the cabin Chuck and Lee went to?”
“I have no idea. Chuck talks to everybody. He was really excited about this hunting trip and could have invited some buddies to come up and join them.”
“Did you mention it to anyone? The guy at the gas station, the newspaper deliveryman, anybody?”
“Only that Chuck was going hunting in Hudson. I wouldn’t have a reason to tell anyone the actual address.”
“But you have it, right?”
“I think so. Chuck left the brochure and the owner’s contact info for me. I guess cell reception is sketchy up there.”
“I’m aware. My brothers live in Stillwater and we have a family cabin on the St. Croix River. Do you have that address in front of you?”
“Yes, here it is.”
Jack grabbed his pen, jotted down the address, and scratched out a note. He turned the paper toward me. His instructions were to check how long it would take to reach that cabin using the farmhouse as the starting point. I tapped the addresses into Google Maps and waited. It came up as four hours and thirty-eight minutes away. I turned my phone toward Jack, and he gave me a nod.
“Okay, Liz, watch out the window for Clayton. We’ll talk more when you get here.”
“Thanks, Jack, and I see him pulling into the driveway as we speak. I have to go.”
Jack clicked off the call. “Okay, guys, we don’t know if Keith is heading to Hudson or
not, but we aren’t going to take any chances with Jamison’s or Clark’s lives. First thing we need to find out is the plate number, make, and model of Keith’s vehicle. Billings, get Todd on that right now.”
“On it, boss.”
“With that information, we can flag his car on I-94 as it passes the plate readers. At least we’ll know if he’s headed to Hudson. If he is, he has a good two-hour head start on us. Clark and Jamison need to leave the cabin until Keith is apprehended. They can wait this out in Stillwater at my brother’s house. I’ll let Brad know to expect them.”
I added my opinion. “We have no reason to believe Keith knows where Clark and Jamison are. He could be watching their houses as we speak.”
“We’ll check that out too, but before anything, we need his vehicle information.”
Billings picked up his vibrating phone. “It’s Todd.” He tapped the talk key and answered. “What have you got, Todd?”
“Keith Hadley owns a black 2016 Lexus LS 460L sedan. Wisconsin plate number is 931-KHT.”
“Got it. Now we need you to check plate readers along I-94, heading in the direction of Hudson, Wisconsin. How long will that take?”
“Only seconds as soon as I pull up the software and enter his vehicle’s information. I’ll get an alert if that vehicle passes any readers along the interstate, and I’ll be able to see exactly which one it passed. In essence, we can follow that car as long as it remains on I-94.”
“Perfect. Keep me on speed dial.” Billings clicked off the call and looked at Jack. “What’s our approach if his car is spotted?”
“We’ll have state patrol box him in and take him into custody. There’s no reason to wait until he reaches Hudson. His killing spree is about to end.” Jack stood when Lena and Jason entered the house.
“What have we got, Lieutenant?” Lena asked.
Jack groaned as he led the way outside. “Nothing good, that’s for damn sure.”
Chapter 60
He slunk down in the seat of the older Chevy wagon as he watched the black cruiser pull into Chuck Clark’s driveway. A man exited the car and followed the sidewalk to the front door. He pressed the bell and folded his hands in front of him. Keith adjusted the focus on the binoculars and continued to watch.
“Ah, there she is.”
Liz Clark, wife of the former Washburn County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant, opened the door and stepped out. She turned the key in the dead bolt, gave it a jiggle, and left the house with her escort. Keith looked down at his notes.
That has to be Clayton—dark-blond hair, mustache, and appears to be in his early forties. He can afford to lose a few extra pounds.
Keith smirked as he thought about the next few hours.
The shit ought to hit the fan before long. I just wish I was in the room to see their expressions when they get the news.
Keeping in touch with that old college buddy from years back had finally paid off. Keith knew John Krell had fallen on hard times, and his offer of two hundred dollars in cash was met with enthusiasm and no questions asked. With a designated halfway point set up earlier, Keith met John and swapped vehicles. All John had to do was take I-39 to Coloma, cut west on State Highway 21, and take that until he reached I-94. He’d stay on the interstate until he arrived in Hudson, turn around, and take the same route back. Keith was pretty sure John wouldn’t even complete the first leg of the trip without being pulled over.
He thought about that phone call he had made to the Clark household days earlier. When Liz answered the phone, Keith pitched a fake trip to the Caribbean at a deeply discounted price. The couple would have to leave the following weekend to get that special all-inclusive offer. The thought of how disappointed she’d sounded over the phone made Keith nearly laugh. She complained how her husband would never trade his bow-hunting trip to Hudson, Wisconsin, for a trip to the Caribbean. Keith remembered her words.
“I’d give anything to go to the Caribbean right now, but Chuck has had this hunting trip planned with his longtime buddy Lee for months. They’re already at the cabin, so there’s nothing I can do. Maybe next year will work.”
Keith remembered Lee Jamison well—he was another name on the kill list. Jamison also testified at Kevin’s trial and stated that the teenager seemed detached and without remorse over the murders.
By Sunday, everybody on Keith’s list would be dead, and he’d have fled the area for parts unknown. With ninety minutes till dark, Keith left to grab a bite to eat at a drive-through restaurant. He’d make his move later under the moonless sky.
Chapter 61
We circled the hole in the ground and watched as Jason lowered himself in and knotted the ropes around the wrapped body.
“Hand me an evidence bag,” Jason said.
Donnelly knelt and extended the open bag so Jason could drop the keys inside. He pushed off his knee and stood. “Here you go, boss.” He handed the bag to Jack, who peered through the plastic.
“Yep, the Toyota logo is on the key fob.” Jack shook his head. “Who in their right mind does barbaric stuff like this?”
“Maybe Keith isn’t in his right mind.” I let out a sigh and stood back as Jason threw the rope ends out, and three deputies pulled until the body cleared the opening.
The corpse was placed in the open body bag on the waiting gurney. Lena pulled open the plastic and revealed his face before zipping the bag. She allowed Jack a minute to take several pictures. We needed something to give the Rauch and Kingsley families.
Jack covered his nose with his hand and nodded. “His features look like Tyler’s. Go ahead and zip it up. There’s more you need to see back by the woods.” Jack looked over his shoulder at Billings. “Any plate reader hits yet from Todd?”
“Not yet, boss. I just got a text from Clayton. He’s at the office with Liz.”
“Amber, Kate, and Billings, head to town. I’ll wrap up here with Lena and Forensics, tell the deputies what to do next, and meet up with you in a half hour.”
“Good enough.” I headed to our cruiser with Kate and Billings. “Looks like you’re a car short, Adam.” I tossed the keys to him when we reached our car. “You can drive. I think much clearer when I’m not paying attention to the road.”
“So this entire killing spree is Keith trying to avenge his brother’s suicide by murdering the people he felt responsible for sending Kevin to Holman.”
I looked over my left shoulder to the backseat, where Kate sat. “I bet it has a lot more to do with Keith’s loss of income than his sadness about Kevin’s death. If Keith could have sued the prison system for negligence, he’d be set for life.”
Ten minutes later, Billings pulled into our lot and parked. We entered the building and walked into the bull pen. Clayton had made a pot of coffee, and Liz Clark sat across from him on his guest chair. They each had a steaming cup in front of them.
I looked to the back of the room and saw that the pot was still three quarters full. I filled my cup and took a seat at my desk.
Clayton raised his brows. “Any hits on Keith’s car?”
“Nothing yet,” Billings said.
Liz spoke up. “What exactly is going on? Jack had me scared half to death on that phone call. Is Chuck in imminent danger, and who on earth is Keith?”
Billings let out a long breath. “Jack will be here soon, Liz. I think he should be the one to explain everything to you.” Billings reached out. “Let me fill your cup.”
I stared out our west-facing window and watched as the sun slipped lower in the sky. The brilliant orange hues and sunrays reached upward, as if they didn’t want to let go of the daylight. They were breathtaking. An image that beautiful gave me a certain peace as we waited for word on Keith. I looked over my shoulder when the familiar beeps sounded from the other side of the door.
Jack entered the bull pen, and I immediately noticed the anxiety written across his face. I understood now why Clark had taken early retirement. The title Lieutenant had the ability to take a toll on the person be
hind that badge. The responsibility in times like this could be overwhelming.
Jack took a seat with the rest of us. “Liz, I hope sitting here with these goofs hasn’t been too much of an inconvenience for you.”
I noticed the brave face Jack wore as he did his best to sound lighthearted. I assumed he didn’t have any new information to share.
“Quit trying to soothe me, Jack, and tell me what’s going on. You felt the need to get me out of my house rather quickly, and I want to know why. Am I in danger, or is Chuck, and from whom?”
Jack blew out a breath. “It’s an eleven-year-old murder case that Chuck and Lee were called in on to testify as witnesses for the state. Just last week, on Halloween day, the tenth anniversary of the criminal’s incarceration, he committed suicide in his cell. The killer’s older brother, Keith, is now exacting his own sick revenge. We’re taking precautions. So far, in the last few days, three other people who testified on the case have been murdered.”
Liz’s eyes welled up. “I remember that case. The killer was mentally challenged, wasn’t he?”
Jack nodded. “And Keith was paid well to be Kevin’s legal guardian. According to the warden at the prison Kevin was at, the trust will be dissolved now that Kevin is dead, and Keith will no longer get a monthly paycheck. We believe that’s what actually triggered his rage, not the fact that his brother committed suicide.”
I handed the box of tissues to Liz and scooted my chair closer to her. I rubbed her shoulder. In a way, I was thankful Jamison was divorced.
“What kind of precautions have you taken on behalf of Chuck and Lee?” Liz asked.
“I couldn’t reach either of them on their cell phones, but I believe it’s because of the service and nothing else. I called my brother’s landline, gave him a brief explanation, and had him drive to the cabin and pick up the guys. They’re in good hands, Liz. We have a BOLO out for Keith’s car. It’ll trigger on the plate readers if he’s actually headed toward Hudson.”