Case File: Canyon Creek, Wyoming

by Paula Graves

  “I think we should call the Teton County Sheriff’s Department, too.” Riley reached for the phone.

  “So you believe me?” Hannah pressed.

  “Any reason I shouldn’t?” He started dialing a number.

  Hannah sank back against her pillows, reaction beginning to set in. She tried to hold back the shivers, but it was like fighting an avalanche. By the time Riley hung up the phone and turned around, her teeth were chattering wildly.

  He sat beside her on the bed and took her hands in his. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

  His eyes were the color of the midday sky, clear and brilliant blue. They were a startling spot of color in his lean, sun-bronzed face. He seemed hewn of stone, his short-cropped hair the rusty color of iron ore, his shoulders as broad and solid as a block of granite. His lean body could have been chiseled from the rocky outcroppings of the Wyoming mountains. He had cowboy written all over him.

  Aware she was staring, she looked down at his hands enveloping hers. They were large, strong and work-roughened. A slim gold band encircled his left ring finger.

  She tugged her hands away, acutely aware of her own bare ring finger. “I should have screamed. I let him get away.”

  “There are probably security cameras around. He took a big risk coming after you here.”

  “He was so calm.” She gripped the bed sheets to keep her traitorous fingers from reaching for his hands again, though she felt absurdly adrift without his reassuring touch. “His actions were furtive, but he didn’t seem nervous.”

  “Did you see anything about him?”

  “It was too dark. I saw his outline when he slipped out the door-definitely male.”

  “My size?”

  She let her gaze move a little too slowly over his hard, lean frame. Chiding herself mentally, she shook her head. “Heavier. More muscle-bound or something. Probably your height, maybe an inch or two taller.” She pressed her lips together to stop her chattering teeth. “I should have made noise, gotten the nurses in here-”

  “If you’re right about what you saw, the man came here to kill you. Making a noise only would have made it happen faster.” He briefly touched her hand where the cannula remained, unattached to the IV tube. “You got that tube out. You saved yourself, and nobody could expect anything more.”

  He was saying all the right things, but she heard disappointment in his voice. Clearly, finding the man who’d attacked her was more than just another case to him.

  She’d always been insanely curious-nosy, her brothers preferred to call it-but something kept her from asking any more questions of Riley Patterson. She sensed that pushing him for more information would make him back off. She couldn’t afford for him to back off.

  A man had tried to kill her twice in one day, and she had a feeling Riley Patterson might be the only person who could stop him if he tried it a third time.

  JOE GARRISON ARRIVED not long after the Teton County Sheriff’s Department detectives. Riley caught his boss’s eye as he entered Hannah Cooper’s room, motioning him over with a twitch of his head. Joe met him in the corner, his gaze wandering across the small room to where Hannah Cooper sat in a chair by her empty bed, her green-eyed gaze following the activity of the evidence techs who were processing the scene.

  “The Teton County Sheriff’s Department wants her in protective custody, but she’s refusing,” Riley said. “She said she’d rather go home early tomorrow and forget all about this.”

  “You don’t want her to leave.”

  Riley met his friend’s understanding gaze. “She saw the guy. Maybe she didn’t see his face, but she’s the only living witness, and she’s about to fly back home to Alabama.”

  “You can’t keep her here against her will.”

  Riley pressed his hands against his gritty eyes. “I can’t let her leave.”

  Joe’s answer was dry as a desert. “So kidnap her and hold her hostage.”

  Riley slanted a look at his boss. “Did you drive all the way here to give me a hard time or are you going to help me figure out how to keep her in Wyoming?”

  “Do you want me to arrest her or something?”

  “Could we?” Riley glanced at Hannah, only half-joking. She looked calm now, more curious than worried, her slim fingers playing absently with the hem of her hospital gown, tugging it down over her knees.

  “Maybe you should tell her why you’re so desperate to solve this case.”

  Riley looked back at Joe. “Tell her about Emily?”

  Joe nodded.

  Riley looked at Hannah again and found her returning his gaze. After a couple of seconds, she looked away.

  “Maybe if she knew how many victims we could be talking about, and the way they were killed…” Riley said softly.

  “You want to scare her into staying?”

  “Maybe she’ll want to help.”

  Joe arched one eyebrow. “At the risk of her own life?”

  Riley sighed. “You’re just a wellspring of optimism.”

  “You want a yes man, you called the wrong guy.” Joe thumped Riley on the arm. “But maybe you’re right. The Teton County Sheriff’s Department doesn’t know what we know about these murders. They’re not giving her the whole picture. I guess you could lay the truth on her and let her make an informed choice.” Joe’s gaze shifted as the hospital-room door opened and a tall, rangy lawman entered. “There’s Jim Tanner.”

  As Joe left Riley to greet the Teton County Sheriff, Riley crossed to the chair where Hannah sat. She looked up at him, a dozen questions swirling behind her eyes. He smiled slightly and crouched beside her. “Three-ring circus.”

  “I’ll be glad to be out of it,” she admitted. “I get the feeling the police aren’t taking me very seriously. I think they think I’m just paranoid.”

  “It shouldn’t take that long to find out what the guy put in your IV tube. I heard them say the lab is working on it right now.”

  “They just want to prove it was nothing so they can pat me on the head and tell me it was just a dream.”

  Riley had a feeling she was right. “I don’t think it was just a dream.”

  She shot him a look of pure gratitude. “I wasn’t asleep. I know what I saw. And all that’s supposed to be in that IV is saline, so there’s no reason for anyone to put anything else into it.”

  “You don’t have to convince me.”

  She lowered her voice, eyeing the technician standing nearby. “Nobody in the Teton County Sheriff’s Department said anything about multiple murders.”

  He couldn’t hold back a little smile. “Yeah, I know.”

  “But you disagree?”

  He lowered his voice, too. “I’ve been tracking a series of murders, one or two a year, for the last three years. All across Wyoming, east to west, north to south. Women driving alone, disappearing en route from one place to another. Their bodies are later found wrapped in plastic, dumped in a lake, river or other body of water. Three of the six showed traces of pepper spray around the mouth, nose and eyes. The other bodies had too much weather exposure to take a sample.”

  Hannah’s face went pale, but she didn’t look away. “If I hadn’t gotten away-”

  He didn’t finish the thought for her. He didn’t need to.

  The door to the room opened, and a woman in a white coat entered, carrying a file folder. She crossed to speak to Jim Tanner, whose brow furrowed deeply the longer she spoke. Joe looked across the room at Riley, his expression grim. Riley’s stomach twisted into a knot.

  Joe and Sheriff Tanner crossed to Hannah’s side. Riley stood to face them.

  “The lab report on the IV tube is back,” Tanner said.

  “And?” Hannah asked.

  His expression grew hard. “There was enough digoxin in that tube to kill you in a matter of minutes.”

  Chapter Three

  The buzz of urgent conversation surrounding her seemed to fade around Hannah as she took in Sheriff Tanner’s quiet announcement.


  Her attacker had tried to kill her. Again.

  It had to be the same guy, right? It wasn’t likely two different people would go after a nobody tourist like her. But why? She hadn’t even seen him, really. She could remember almost nothing about him. Why did he consider her a threat?

  She looked around for Riley Patterson, the closest thing to a familiar face in the room. His ice-blue eyes met hers, his expression grim but somehow comforting. He crouched beside her again, one hand resting on her forearm. “You okay?”

  She nodded quickly, forcing her chin up. “I just want to know how he could get to me so easily.”

  “So do we,” Sheriff Tanner assured her. “I’ve sent a man to check with hospital security. But I don’t have much hope. This is a small hospital, and Jackson Hole’s a pretty laid-back place. There’s not much security in place here.”

  “He thinks he’s invincible,” Riley said softly. “He’s gotten away with everything so far.”

  “Joe tells me you two think this attack is connected to other murders in the state,” Sheriff Tanner said.

  Riley glanced at Hannah. She could tell he didn’t want to talk about this in front of her. He hadn’t given her many details about the other cases he’d been investigating, though what he’d told her had been horrifying enough.

  “I’ve made file folders full of notes,” he told Sheriff Tanner. “I don’t mind sharing. The more people looking for this guy, the better.”

  The Teton County sheriff studied Riley, his eyes narrowed, then turned his gaze to the lanky, dark-haired man Riley had introduced as his boss, Joe Garrison. “You vouch for this, Garrison?”

  Joe nodded. “Riley’s right. This guy has struck before, and he’ll do it again if we don’t stop him.”

  Sheriff Tanner didn’t look happy to hear Joe’s affirmation. “Okay, send me copies of your notes, and I’ll put a detective on it. See if we can’t tie it to any open cases we’re working on.”

  “Cold cases, too. I’ve only been keeping notes since three years ago, but I think it could go back further,” Riley said.

  “Why three years ago?” Hannah asked.

  Joe and Sheriff Tanner both turned to look at Riley, but Riley kept his eyes on Hannah, his expression mask-like.

  When he didn’t answer, she rephrased the question. “You said you’ve been keeping notes for only three years. What happened to make you start?”

  Riley held her gaze a long moment, then looked down at his hands. He flexed his left hand, the ring on the third finger glinting as it caught the light. He spoke in a soft, raspy voice. “Three years ago, the son of a bitch murdered my wife.”

  Riley’s words felt like a punch to Hannah’s gut. No wonder he seemed personally involved in this case. “I’m sorry.”

  He acknowledged her condolences with a short nod, his mouth tightening. “I want this guy caught even more than you do,” he added softly, as if the words were meant for her ears alone.

  She swallowed hard, remembering how just a little while ago, she wanted nothing more than to catch the next plane home to Alabama. A part of her still did.

  She’d done a lot of running home over the last four years.

  But knowing what she now knew, could she really run away? She was possibly the only living witness who could identify a cold-blooded murderer.

  A murderer who’d killed Riley Patterson’s wife.

  “Excuse me?”

  Hannah turned at the sound of a new voice. The doctor who’d treated her in the Emergency Room when she arrived at the hospital stood nearby, his expression concerned.

  “I’d like to check on my patient,” he said firmly.

  Riley stepped between the doctor and Hannah. “Mind if I see your ID?”

  The look on the doctor’s face almost made Hannah laugh. “Mind if I see yours?”

  Riley had his badge out before the request was finished. The doctor’s mouth quirked. Once he’d studied Riley’s credentials, he held out his name tag for Riley’s inspection. “James Andretti,” he said aloud. “I’ve been working here for ten years. Ask anyone.”

  “He treated me in the E.R.” Hannah touched Riley’s arm. He retreated, though he didn’t look happy about it.

  “I’d like to check on my patient,” Dr. Andretti repeated, giving Riley a pointed look. “Can you clear the room?”

  “It’s a crime scene,” Riley said.

  “It’s also a hospital room.”

  Sheriff Tanner stepped in. “The techs have processed the areas around the bed. We’ll step out a few minutes and let the doctor do his business. When he’s done, I’ll be back in to talk to you, Ms. Cooper.”

  Hannah gave a nod, darting a look at Riley. She found his gaze on her, his expression impossible to read. But when the other police personnel left her room, he followed, leaving her alone with the doctor.

  Dr. Andretti pulled out his stethoscope and bent to listen to Hannah’s heart through her hospital gown. “Heart rate’s a little elevated, but I guess that’s to be expected. How’s your head feeling?”

  “Better, actually,” Hannah admitted. The headache that had plagued her earlier in the evening had faded to nothing.

  He had her follow his fingers as he moved them in front of her face. “No double vision, no more memory lapses?”

  “Nope.”

  “Good. Looks like we’ll spring you in the morning. But I think we should move you to another room so you can get some rest.”

  “Do I really need to be here at all?” she asked.

  “That’s how we usually handle a concussion.”

  “But I’m not symptomatic anymore, right? You only kept me for observation and you just said I’m doing fine.”

  The doctor shot her a questioning look.

  “Somebody’s already gotten to me here tonight. I’m not that comfortable hanging around to let them have another shot.”

  “I can have a security guard posted at your door.”

  “You don’t know one of your guards isn’t behind this. Or even another doctor or nurse,” she pointed out.

  Dr. Andretti bristled visibly. “That’s not likely.”

  Hannah sighed. “Maybe not. I just want to get out of here. I don’t have to have your permission to check out, do I?”

  “No-”

  “Then arrange it. Please.”

  “What are you going to do when you leave? It’s four in the morning. No motels worth staying in are going to let you check in at this hour. Assuming you can even find a room available.”

  “I just want out of here.” A tingle of panic was beginning to build in the center of her chest. The thought of staying in this room until the next day was unbearable.

  “Why don’t I go get the nice police officers to tell you why leaving right now would be a very big mistake?” Dr. Andretti suggested, making a final note in her chart and tucking it under his arm. “You stay put.”

  He left her alone in the hospital room, which now looked like a war zone, thanks to the handiwork of the evidence technicians. She tucked her knees up to her chin and closed her eyes, feeling as tired as she could ever remember. But she couldn’t afford to fall asleep.

  Not in this place, surrounded by people she didn’t know and couldn’t trust.

  “SIX MURDERS DON’T SEEM like much over three years,” Jim Tanner said, passing Riley a cup of lukewarm coffee from the half-empty carafe on the break-room hotplate. “I thought serial murderers tend to escalate, but this guy’s pretty steady at two a year.”

  “Well, Hannah would have been three this year.” Riley grimaced at the taste of the stale coffee.

  “So he’s escalating…slowly?” Tanner looked skeptical.

  “There may be others. These are the ones I’ve been able to glean from relatively public sources.”

  “You’d think the feds would be all over this.”

  “Some of the links are nebulous,” Joe said, refusing Tanner’s offer of coffee. “We’ve only linked three of the murders to pepper-spray a
ttacks. Two years ago there were two instances, and one last year. And what happened to Hannah.”

  “All six of the murder victims were wrapped in plastic sheeting and dumped in bodies of water,” Riley pointed out. “All six were killed by ligature strangulation.”

  “That’s not an unusual mode of murder. Same ligature used each time?”

  “No,” Riley admitted. “I think he uses weapons of opportunity.”

  “Victims of opportunity, weapons of opportunity-” Tanner shook his head. “Yeah, I could see the FBI needing more.”

  Riley glanced at Joe. Did his old friend secretly agree with Jim Tanner and the FBI about the scarcity of connections between the cases? Was he simply humoring Riley out of loyalty?

  Tanner put his cup down on the Formica counter. “You know what? You clearly believe the cases are linked, and I’m not one to blow off a fellow cop who’s having a hunch. I’ll put one of my guys on the cold cases in our jurisdiction, see if any of them match any of your criteria. Maybe it’ll help flesh out the body of evidence. You never know.”

  Riley gave the Teton County chief a grateful half smile. “I appreciate it.”

  “Sheriff Tanner?”

  Riley turned and saw Hannah’s doctor approaching, a frown creasing his forehead.

  “Can I help you?” Tanner asked.

  “Ms. Cooper is asking to leave the hospital early. Now, in fact. She feels uncomfortable remaining here.”

  Riley’s stomach tightened. “Did you leave her alone?”

  “I posted a guard outside, but-”

  Riley didn’t wait for the rest of his sentence, pushing past Joe and heading back to Hannah’s room. He didn’t see a guard outside her door, or any other door lining the corridor.

  His heart rate climbing, Riley pushed open the door to Hannah’s room and almost bumped into the guard standing just inside. He was a slim man in his early twenties, with crow-black hair and sun-bronzed skin. He was laughing as he turned to look at Riley.

  Riley pushed past him, putting himself firmly between the guard and Hannah. “Are you okay?” he asked her, keeping his eyes on the guard, whose brow furrowed at Riley’s question.

  “I’m fine. Charlie was just introducing himself, since he was going to be my babysitter.” Humor and annoyance tinted Hannah’s whiskey drawl. “I was just telling him I’m thinking of digging a tunnel out.”