“What’s wrong?” Mark asked the winded man.
“Deputies found another body.”
A cold pang hit Mark’s insides. “Where?”
“In the woods. A young man, probably early twenties.”
Though, he didn’t need to ask, he did so anyway. “A dog kill?”
Pierce nodded. “Yeah.”
“Damn.”
“We’re about to cordon off the entire area and examine the scene.”
Nodding, Mark put the pad into his shirt pocket. “All right. I’ll be there in a couple minutes.”
“I have to grab some things from my van, I’ll walk with you.”
“Fine.”
Pierce jogged to the white van parked on the other side of Jeremiah’s truck.
Mark stepped into the field. The sun had moved to the opposite side of the sky, veiling the field in much-needed shade. The woods would probably feel even cooler. It was late in the afternoon, though the temperature hadn’t changed from its hottest peak.
All this from a dog that was once scared by a damn cat.
Nothing seemed to scare the dog now.
He looked at Jeremiah’s truck and felt a pinch of remorse. The asshole had been right about the dog coming through here, but Mark was right that the animal control specialist had underestimated the severity of the dog’s rage and strength. Jeremiah hadn’t truly known what he was up against.
And now he’s dead. Counting the man in the woods, that makes five.
Five people killed by one dog—a very large dog that had been a domesticated pet just a few days ago. Mark didn’t understand how so much could have changed in such a short span of time, but he supposed that was irrelevant for now. The damage had happened, and Mark needed to stop it from continuing. He could worry about the causes later.
If only I would have come by sooner.
Mark had decided to swing over here and check on Jeremiah. After finding nothing all day, he’d wanted to see if the animal expert was having any luck.
And he’d stumbled upon a nightmare.
He saw the top of Pierce’s black hair through the truck’s windows. His bangs were bouncing above his eyebrows. He came around to the front of the truck, gripping a leather medical bag in his hand.
“Ready?” he asked.
Mark was not, but nodded. “Sure.”
Pierce took a deep breath, held it a moment, and let it out, puffing his cheeks. “Let’s get this over with.”
Switching the bag to his other hand, Pierce started to turn, but paused. He looked over Mark’s shoulder, eyes squinting as if doing so could make him see better. “Who’s that?”
“Huh?”
Pierce raised his chin to point behind Mark. “There.”
Mark turned to see what he was talking about. “Oh, shit,” he muttered.
“Know her?” asked Pierce.
“Damn. What’s she doing here?”
“Who is she?”
“Amy Snider. Damn dog’s owner.”
“Oh, shit.”
“Yeah.”
Amy looked rough as she stood on the shoulder of the road. She wore a baggy pair of gray lounge pants and a red tank top that clung to her front. The curves of her breasts and dots of her nipples were easily decipherable through the wispy garment. Her hair was pulled behind her head with golden sprigs hanging down the side of her face. Even from where he stood, he could tell she’d been recently crying. Her face was swollen and puffy, a little red as if she might have been drinking.
She spotted Mark and waved.
Turning to Pierce, he said, “Why don’t you run along and I’ll catch up in a few minutes? Going to see what she wants.”
“Uh...” Pierce blinked several times as if waking from a trance. “Yeah, sure.” He turned away and started walking, looking over his shoulder every few steps.
Mark watched him walk for a bit before turning back to Amy. She had stepped off the shoulder and was now at the taillight of Jeremiah’s truck. Sighing, Mark headed to her.
Before he’d reached her, Amy said, “Did you find him?”
“What are you doing here?” He stopped in front of her. “You shouldn’t be here. This is a crime scene.”
“Crime scene? Oh, God…”
“How did you hear about this?”
“Wha…?” She looked at him. Her eyes were pink and watery. “I didn’t hear about it. I was driving by. I’ve been out looking for Jagger all day…I’d given up and was on my way home when I saw…” By the end of her sentence, her voice had gone bubbly.
Mark thought he smelled beer on her breath.
“Okay,” said Mark. He put his hands on her shoulders. “You need to go home. I’ll be by in a little while, okay? I’ll tell you all about it…”
“What happened?”
“Not now. You should get home…”
“Tell me.” Though she didn’t shout, the tone of her voice suggested she would soon if Mark didn’t tell her something.
And he knew she’d been drinking. The smell seemed to radiate off her skin.
Sighing, he rubbed her shoulders gently. He shouldn’t be showing her this kind of affection in front of so many people from the department, but he hoped touching her might calm her some. “Two people are dead. One survived. We’re trying to sort out the details.”
“Was it…Jagger?” Her lip trembled and she bit down on it. A tear budded in the corner of her eye, quivering as it prepared to drip.
Closing his eyes, Mark took a deep breath. When he opened them, he nodded.
Amy’s shoulders bounced in his hands. Tears filled her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. “Oh…God…” Lowering her head, she acted as if she was about to lean against him, but suddenly jerked from his hold. She slapped his chest with both hands. “Don’t fucking touch me!”
Mark jumped back, nearly gasping. He looked over his shoulder and noticed officers had assembled by the van. A couple held rolls of yellow tape in their hands. They’d paused on their way back to the field.
And were now watching the show with interest.
Heat ran up the back of Mark’s neck. Turning to address Amy, he saw her swing at him a moment too late to avoid the punch.
It knocked his head to the side. He felt his jaw already swelling and trying to lock up as a dull throbbing sensation worked up to his ear.
“Bastard!” she shouted. “You took advantage of me! You were fucking me while Jagger was out here hurting people!” She swung her hands, slapping his chest over and over.
Mark tried to catch her wrists, but she was moving so fast. He couldn’t grab her quick enough. Reaching for her arm, she twirled away, dodging him. Then she started running into the field.
“Jagger!” she cried. “JAAAGERRRRR!”
With her arms stiff at her sides, she ran slightly bent forward, continuously screaming for her dog. Mark couldn’t believe what he was seeing and could only watch her in a sort of dumb silence. His jaw hurt, gums swelling inside his mouth. He was embarrassed and his feelings had been hurt by what Amy had said.
You were fucking me!
She’d made it sound just as he’d feared.
He’d taken advantage of a distressed woman.
And she’s losing her shit.
Mark didn’t chase after her.
She’d only run a few feet past Jeremiah’s truck before Deputy Squirewell had dropped his roll of tape. Being a large guy who’d played college football, it took no effort for him to wrap his arms around her waist from behind and lift her off the ground.
Swinging her fists and kicking her legs, Amy continued to scream. She clawed at Squirewell’s large hands clutched around her belly. Punched them. At one point, she tried to bite them. Her breasts shook loosely behind the thin shirt. Any moment they might fall out if she didn’t calm down. It’d really give the other deputies an eyeful.
Mark could only shake his throbbing head as he watched Amy.
She’s having a breakdown.
He saw Squirew
ell’s head peek above Amy’s shoulder. His eyes were just as wide as Mark’s probably were. Though he didn’t speak, he knew Squirewell wanted to know what to do with her.
“Just let her go,” said Mark.
“She assaulted a deputy,” said Squirewell.
“Two of them,” offered somebody. Sounded like Deputy Bartlett.
“Jagger!” Amy screamed. Making a sound that was part hyperventilating and part maniacal laughter, Amy looked around with eyes that might pop from her skull. “Where are you!?! Jaggerrrrrrr!”
“I’m not going to book her for hitting me,” said Mark. “I deserved it.”
Amy slammed her elbow into Squirewell’s ribs. He let out an Oomph and dropped her. She landed on her knees, started to get up, but Squirewell quickly pushed her back down. He wasn’t forceful, or even abusive, but he was very firm.
Amy was on her stomach, kicking and pounding the ground like a kid pitching a wild tantrum. Squirewell, on one knee with another leg stretched across her back, pulled her arms behind her back.
He dug out his cuffs. “You might not book her for it,” said Squirewell. “But I sure as hell am. Unlike you, I didn’t deserve to get hit by this crazy bitch. Plus, she smells like she took a bath in beer!”
Amy tried to roll over, but Squirewell’s burly leg wouldn’t allow it. “Get off me, you fuck!”
Mark said nothing. There was nothing he could do at this point. He started walking toward the field.
Seeing he was leaving, Amy lifted her head. “Where are you going!?! What’s this guy doing to me!?! Ow! Stop it, you fucking fuckhead!”
“You’re going to jail,” said Mark without looking back. “And I’m going to survey the damage your goddamn dog has caused.”
He left Amy shrieking behind him.
Walking through the field, he felt eyes behind him and in front of him. He chose not to acknowledge any of them and keep his head straight as he made his way to the woods.
His jaw was really starting to throb, but he kept his hand gripping his belt so he wouldn’t rub it. He didn’t want the other deputies seeing how badly her punch had hurt. It would probably bruise and he’d get teased about it later.
Once he was behind the trees, he leaned against one and allowed himself to breathe. He felt jittery and humiliated.
Half the damn department witnessed that!
He was going to be in trouble. Word would get back to the sheriff that he’d had relations with Jagger’s owner. He’d hear about her insane display on a crime scene. Sometime tomorrow Mark would be called into the sheriff’s office…
Damn.
Mark might even get suspended, or demoted. He did not want to go back to working nights, no matter how much he sometimes missed it.
But, he supposed, if he got fired, going back to school would become a reality instead of a mild fantasy he toyed with on occasion.
He’d have no other choice.
“Mark!”
Pierce.
Pierce’s voice had come from deeper in the woods.
“Yeah!” Mark fired back.
“Thought that was you. What was all that screaming about?”
Mark felt a burst of cold in his chest.
Whether he was reprimanded or not, he would never be able to live this down. He’d lost so much respect in a matter of minutes and soon would be the biggest joke in the department.
Finding Jagger was now a top priority, even more than it already had been. There would be hell to pay if the dog killed anyone else, so he needed to successfully bring the dog in to regain any kind of credit Amy had ruined for him.
Amy.
He felt bad for her. But he knew it wouldn’t last once he suffered the repercussions from how riotously she’d behaved.
Chapter Thirty
Amy was the last one left in the holding cells when the guard came to tell her she was going home.
Ellie got my message!
She’d left it on Ellie’s answering machine this morning with her one phone call. She’d begged her to come bail her out and promised to explain later and promised she’d pay her back. But the day had carried on, and she was beginning to think Ellie wasn’t coming.
Today wasn’t as bad as last night.
She’d had to share a cage with a Latino woman who had shoulder-length black hair on one side of her head, and the other side was shaved bald. Words in Spanish had been tattooed to the exposed skin.
Amy had feared the Latino woman would be a talker or force her to do things.
But the woman had been silent the whole night and Amy had found herself wishing the woman would say something. Anything. The quiet had somehow seemed worse than if she’d been blubbering uncontrollably. Amy couldn’t read her thoughts, so she never knew what was going on behind those cold dark eyes.
Thankfully the Latino mute was hauled out earlier this morning.
As Amy was being escorted down the hall by an officer who was probably somebody’s grandpa, she wondered what time it was. She’d eaten three meals in the cage, waiting on Ellie to come. It had to at least be late evening, some time.
It doesn’t matter now. I’m going home.
It took a few more minutes to get processed and her purse back, but she was finally allowed to leave.
Ellie was sitting on a bench in the side hall, reading from a Dean Koontz paperback when Amy was let out. She looked up and smiled when she saw Amy approaching.
She closed the book. “There you are,” Ellie said.
Amy sighed. She felt exhausted, as if the walk up to this point had sapped what energy she’d had left.
Frowning, Ellie put the book in her large purse and stood up. “Everything okay?”
Amy shook her head. “Not really. Nothing like a night in jail to make you realize how badly you screwed up to get put in there.”
Ellie put an arm around her shoulder. “I bet so. Let’s get out of here.”
In Ellie’s car, Amy stared out the window. It was dark outside, but the restaurants had lighted the street up in a gallery of neon beams. She saw the doughnut shop and her stomach grumbled. It was crowded for a weeknight, teenagers mostly, occupying the tables set up outside. She heard the clicking of a lighter and turned to find Ellie putting the flame to the tip of a cigarette.
“Don’t mind do you?” asked Ellie.
Amy shook her head. “It’s your car. Your rules.”
“Don’t worry,” said Ellie, cracking her window. “I’ll give you a ride to pick up yours from the impound lot in the morning.”
She’d hoped to get it tonight, but the lot had closed at six.
Amy smiled. “Thanks. You’ve done enough already. And don’t worry; I’ll pay you back tomorrow too.”
Ellie waved her hand. “Don’t worry about. How about you just give us a few months free on the lot rent and call it even?”
“How about a year’s worth?”
Ellie’s eyes rose above her cigarette. “Even better.”
Amy was apt to give her free lot rent for life for coming to her rescue tonight.
“I have to be honest,” said Ellie. “I was more than a little surprised when Jim and I got home this evening and heard your message.”
Amy squirmed in the seat. She felt the same as she used to whenever her mother had learned of something Amy had done wrong.
“I wasn’t happy to make that phone call,” said Amy.
“Care to tell me what happened?”
Amy didn’t want to talk about it. She knew it would seem even worse hearing her voice speaking about it.
“Can we talk about it later?” asked Amy. “I just don’t want to get into it right now. I’m so tired.”
“It’s fine,” said Ellie. “Did your deputy lover come visit you in the cage?
Mark.
Remembering how she’d punched him, the things she’d said to him, made her feel tight and sick inside.
“Oh, God…” she muttered.
In the corner of her eye, she saw Ellie give her a g
lance. Though she said nothing more about Mark, Amy figured Ellie wanted to.
After a few long moments of silence, Amy finally spoke. “Did Big Jim mind you paying my bail?”
Ellie dragged off her cigarette. “No. I think he was just upset I was going to be leaving tonight.”
“Aw,” said Amy. “That’s sweet.”
“Not really. Tonight’s our night to…you know…”
Ew. But they’re so much older…
Amy hid her disgust and said, “Ah. I see.”
“And I was glad to delay it!” Ellie laughed.
Amy laughed as well. It was mean to poke so much fun at Jim, but it felt good to laugh. Then she saw Jim leering at her from behind the trees and the laughter choked off.
I wonder if he thinks about me when they’re…
“So, he can wait a little while,” said Ellie.
Amy was thankful she’d spoken and stopped her mind from finishing that thought.
Ellie did most of the talking on their way back to Eagle’s Nest. Amy responded here and there, but for the most part was very quiet. She figured Ellie wanted to know more about what had led to her spending a hair over twenty-four hours in jail. But the sweet woman didn’t ask anything else about it.
Ellie also never mentioned Jagger.
Amy wondered if he’d been found yet.
I would’ve heard.
Maybe not. She’d been in jail, so there was no way to know for sure.
Mark would have told me.
He was the kind of person who’d keep her informed even after what she’d done to him.
I can’t believe I said those things to him!
She’d punched him. Screamed like a lunatic.
Thinking back to it made her sweat. She felt heat rising from the clothes she’d had on for almost two days.
Though she wanted to apologize to Mark for how she’d acted, she was too mortified to contact him. If he came to see her, or if she bumped into him anywhere, she would tell him, then.
I can’t call him.
Maybe tomorrow she’d send him an apologizing text.
Ellie drove them through Eagle’s Nest. The trailers were long pale blocks in the night. Some were lighted by the glow of floodlights, others stood in darkness. Some had on lights inside glowing through the windows, some porch lights were on as if they were expecting company and others looked abandoned.
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