by D. K. Hood
“We all know how much Aunt Betty’s Café contributes to the community.” Mayor Petersham smiled broadly. “Don’t we, folks?”
After the applause had died down, Jenna nodded toward the kiosk. “The kiosk is now open for refreshments. Thank you for coming. I’ll see some of you at first light.”
As Jenna stepped down to speak to Cory Hughes, a skinny woman with a cameraman right behind her burst into Jenna’s personal space and stuck a microphone in her face. Surprised, she took a step back and looked at her without saying a word.
“Deni Crawford, Blackwater News. Tell me, Sheriff Alton, how did you win another term as sheriff?” Crawford leaned in, spewing bad breath like rotting fish. “You don’t seem to be coping with the crime in Black Rock Falls, it’s like murder central over here.”
Wanting to cover her nose, Jenna moved back again but the woman followed her, relentless and rude. She straightened. “I’m not sure what you mean. We have a missing girl, not a murder. In fact, the last murder to occur in Black Rock Falls was almost a year ago. If I recall three murders occurred over summer in Blackwater, not here. That’s your town, not mine. My county covers many thousands of miles and yes, we do have criminals using our vast forests to hide off the grid but, my goodness, how would you cope in the big city? Just a minute.” She scrolled through her phone. “As an example, twenty-five people were shot and twelve killed in one day in Chicago this week. Hmm, it makes Black Rock Falls kind of tame don’t you think?” She held up her phone to show the news report.
“Ma’am.” Kane came to her side. “Ah, there’s someone you need to talk to.”
Jenna nodded, glad to get away. She looked at the woman. “I’ll be happy to give out media updates on the search for Laurie Turner but I don’t have time to discuss statistics with you.”
“Okay guys, cut.” Crawford looked at Kane. “How come you’re always there to rescue the sheriff? Don’t you believe she is capable of doing her job?” She gave him a smile, wafting her bad breath all over Jenna. “Or is there a little romance going on between you and you’re being overprotective? You live on the same ranch. How about a little inside story on what happens behind the scenes when you’re off-duty?” She touched his arm. “It would make a great weekend supplement, all glossy color pages.”
“The woman in yellow over there, Sheriff.” Kane ignored Crawford completely and pointed to the back of the hall. “I’ll get back to the others.” He turned his back and walked away.
Jenna nodded. “I’ll be right there as soon as I’ve spoken to a witness.” She moved her attention reluctantly back to Crawford. “You said you wanted a scoop? I have one for you.”
“Great, go ahead.” Crawford pulled out her notebook.
Jenna wrinkled her nose. “There’s a special on mouthwash at the general store.” She walked away, heading in the direction of Cory Hughes.
“Hey.” Kane caught up with her. “What was that all about?”
“I have no idea.” Jenna shrugged. “Someone with delusions of grandeur, I guess. She’s right off the mark if she believes our private life is a hot topic of conversation. Townsfolk have better things to do with their time.”
“I’m not sure I liked her inferring you can’t do your job without me.” Kane frowned. “For a reporter, she is very uninformed.”
Jenna stared at him. “Trust me, I don’t care what she thinks. We have enough egocentric people to deal with, forget about it and keep your mind on the case.”
“Sure.” Kane’s mouth twitched into a smile. “Just give me a wave if you need protecting.” He walked away.
Taking Cory Hughes into a quiet corner, Jenna pulled out her notebook and pen. He was tall and lean, about twenty, with collar-length hair that hung over one eye. “Thank you for coming forward. Can you tell me about seeing Laurie in here after the practice session?”
“Sure.” Hughes leaned against the wall. “I was sweeping up and she came running in the door in a real panic. She’d dropped her phone. It was in pieces, the screen smashed and the battery missing. She asked me to fix it.”
Jenna nodded. “Did you?”
“Nah, it was too far gone and I told her.” Hughes scratched his cheek. “She was close to tears, said her pa would be angry. I told her I’d go see if any unclaimed phones had turned up in lost and found. Maybe she could use her SIM card in one of them.”
Hopeful he still had the remains of the phone, she continued making notes. “And where is the phone now?”
“In my office, well, if you could call the closet where I keep my stuff an office.” He gave her a slow smile. “I haven’t had time to check the lost and found as yet.”
“Great!” Jenna smiled. “Can you get it for me? I have someone who can repair it if necessary and I found the battery.”
“Sure.” Hughes straightened. “I’ll go get it.”
“Before you go…” Jenna moved in front of him. “Then what happened?” She regarded him closely, waiting for any change in body language.
“Nothing, I put the bits of phone into a plastic bag and stuck it on a shelf in my office.” He shrugged. “I locked the front door behind her and went home.”
“Did you see her truck in the parking lot?” Jenna folded her notebook and placed it into her pocket and then pulled out a card and handed it to him.
“Nope.” He stared at the card, turning it over in his hand. “I turn out the lights before I leave and my truck is out back. I drove straight past and onto the road. I didn’t look to see if anyone was hanging around, all I wanted to do was to get out of there.”
Jenna chewed on her pen. “So, she would’ve had to walk back to her truck in the dark?”
“It’s not that far and she had time to get there before I closed up.” Hughes shrugged. “It was getting late, and when I turn out the lights it makes the kids hurry on home. I’m not their nursemaid and they’re not babies.”
Slightly uneasy, Jenna frowned. “Did you see another vehicle on the road?”
“Yeah, I passed an eighteen-wheeler heading out of town but nothing else until I drove down Main.” He shook his head. “I don’t really take much notice of the vehicles I drive past unless they do something stupid.”
“Do you live with anyone?” Jenna lifted her chin. “Anyone who can verify what time you arrived home?”
“I live with my ma and my sister. My pa walked out on us recently.” He frowned. “But by ten Ma was in bed and Verna didn’t come home until later. You’ll just have to take my word for it, Sheriff.”
Jenna nodded. “Okay thanks, go grab the phone and if you think of anything else or hear anyone mentioning Laurie, please call me.”
“Sure.” Hughes walked into the crowd.
“Ah-hem.” The sound came from behind Jenna.
She turned to see an elderly woman in a yellow dress peering at her over her spectacles. “Ah, sorry to keep you waiting. You saw Laurie last night?”
“Yes, I did indeed.” The woman fiddled with her purse. “She was wearing her cheerleader outfit and carrying a backpack. Imagine a young woman walking out in the middle of the night dressed like that? Then I see a vehicle slow down beside her, just like you see the men chasing after streetwalkers on TV shows. She jumped straight in and the car drove away in the other direction toward Stanton. Now I know Laurie lives out of Ravens Way, I can’t figure why she’d climb into a car when she was so close to home.”
Heart pounding, Jenna took out her notebook again. “Your name, ma’am, and address?”
“Mrs. York.” She rattled off her details.
A breakthrough and so early in the case would be incredible. Jenna needed all the details. She waved Kane over, as he seemed to be able to identify every vehicle on the planet. “What time was this, do you recall?”
“Close to nine-thirty.” Mrs. York nodded as if to herself. “There was a storm coming, so I gave my dog a run in the yard and was heading back inside when she came running out of the alleyway.”
Holding up a hand,
Jenna stared at her. “Running? Was someone chasing her?”
“Not that I could see. I was looking through tree branches but I know it was Laurie.” Mrs. York turned her attention to Kane and then moved it back to Jenna. “She moved under the streetlight, looked behind her, and then hurried along the sidewalk. Next minute, headlights came round the corner and the vehicle stopped, she jumped in. They drove off and I went back inside. It was none of my business what she was doing.”
Jenna pushed on. “Did you see who was driving or notice anyone else in the vehicle?”
“No, I’m afraid not.” Mrs. York screwed up her eyes. “No, just a dark shape is all I remember. You see, Laurie was bending over looking in the window. She obscured my view.”
“This is Deputy Kane.” Jenna indicated to Kane. “Can you describe the vehicle to him for me please?”
“I can. It wasn’t one of those trucks the young people usually drive, it was a Chrysler sedan, maybe green or gray.” Mrs. York smiled up at Kane. “I know it was a Chrysler because we have one and it was similar.”
“I’ll find some images.” Kane pulled out his phone. “We’ll see if one of them looks familiar.”
Jenna returned to the lectern. “Could I have your attention, please?” She waited for the buzz of conversation to die down. “Does anyone here know anyone who drives a Chrysler sedan, green or gray?”
The silence was deafening. “Okay, there is a stack of my cards on the table beside the entrance. Please take one, and if you see anyone driving a similar vehicle, take down the plate number and call the hotline on my card. Thank you.”
Jenna scanned the hall. Hughes was heading her way carrying a plastic bag. She stepped down from the lectern and went to Kane’s side. “Excuse me, Dave. Did you get the statements from the people who spoke to Laurie in the parking lot?”
“Wolfe took over, so I could rescue you from the reporters.” Kane gave her a lopsided smile. “He’s almost through by the look of things.”
“Okay.” Jenna handed Mrs. York her card. “I’ll leave you with Deputy Kane. If you think of anything else, call me. Anything at all.” She glanced at Kane. “Finish up here. I’ll talk to Hughes again and do the rounds of the hall. We’ll drop by the command center and then we’ll head home. We have an early start in the morning.”
Nine
Monday
Mist still curled through the lowlands when Jenna and Kane arrived at the control center at daybreak. The fall morning had a crispness in the air with the distinct tangy, earthy smell that came from dead leaves. In the distance the snowcapped mountains dominated the landscape. It had been a cold night and if Laurie was out there alone and injured, her chances of survival would be minimal. The search parties had insisted on going long into the night before it became too dangerous to be moving around the forest. As they rounded the building Jenna stared at the crowd. People had gathered at the back of the sheriff’s department and spilled onto the sidewalk. She recognized some of the deputies from Louan and Blackwater but not the man standing beside Rowley. She eased her way through the crowd toward him. It seemed Rowley had completed the organization at some ungodly hour and groups were leaving with forest wardens and deputies all carrying maps.
“Morning.” Rowley nodded in her direction and handed a deputy a pile of maps. “No sightings of Laurie at all overnight but we’re doing a grid search of the forest two miles alongside Stanton. Atohi will be back by noon. He worked until late into the night with his team, checking all the trails wide enough to drive a vehicle. I’ll move the command center to the front desk now everyone is organized.”
“So, you have everything under control?” Jenna smiled at him.
“Yes, ma’am.” Rowley collected his things. “Maggie will be in at nine and same with Walters to give me a break so I can go have breakfast.”
“I can watch the desk.” Emily Wolfe was leaning against her silver Colorado and straightened to come toward them. “I don’t have classes today. You go eat.”
“Thanks.” Rowley looked tired. “I won’t take long.”
Jenna frowned. “Take your time, you look exhausted. We’ll manage just fine.”
She took in the young man beside him. Dressed in a Black Rock Falls deputy uniform, he could only be Zac Rio. Tall, slim, and muscular, with dark curly hair and standing around six-three, he had a friendly intelligent expression. She offered him her hand. “You must be Zac Rio? I’m Jenna Alton and this is Dave Kane.” His handshake was firm but brief.
“Welcome to crime central.” Kane shook his hand.
“Oh, I don’t think so.” Rio shook his head. “What’s happened here in the last few years is a weekend’s work elsewhere. This is a massive county. I’m not surprised people come here to disappear.”
Jenna liked him already. “Come inside, we’ll show you around.”
“Thank you.” Rio looked around. “I arrived just in time by the look of things. How do you manage with only two full-time deputies?”
“We call in help from the other counties.” Jenna took the steps. “We currently have a teenage girl missing. I’ll bring you up to speed.”
“No need.” Rio flicked her a glance. “Wolfe walked me through the case last night.” He gave Duke’s head a scratch. “I know all about Duke as well and Wolfe gave me the run down on every new forensics technique he’s used over the last month or so.”
“Yeah he tends to do that but loses me halfway through.” Jenna grimaced. “Although, Wolfe never ceases to amaze me. He puts in the hours and is amazing at his profession.” She led the way to the front of the building and walked inside. “He and his girls helped out at the school gym last night. We’d have been there until way past midnight without their help.”
They moved inside the office and she sank into her chair behind the desk. Kane sat down and Rio stood. Jenna smiled at him. “Take a seat. You’ll be working in the main office with Kane and Rowley. If necessary, we have a communications room we can use. My office will be getting upgraded in the next few weeks. As you can see by the work going on outside, we’ve had substantial additions made to the building.” She thought for a beat. “Then there’s the house. It’s fully furnished and has room for a housekeeper. It’s owned by this office so no rent to pay. I’ve replaced all the mattresses and linen. It’s good to go. You can move in when you’re ready.”
“Yes, Wolfe mentioned that as well.” Rio smiled. “I’m paid up until the end of next week, so we’ll make the move then. I’ll need time to pack.”
“Good.” Jenna leaned on the desk, and clasped her hands. “I’d like to know about your experience with missing persons and murder cases.”
“I’ve handled many of both and solved all but one.” Rio removed his Stetson and placed it on her desk. “I’m very interested in criminal behavior and because I was gifted or cursed with an incredible memory, I retain everything I read or see. My problem is, I’m not a behavioral analyst. I appreciate Deputy Kane is a profiler and Wolfe informed me you have the ear of Jo Wells, the FBI’s top behavioral analyst. I can provide you with case studies on the fly as comparisons, which would be of some help.” He clasped his hands together. “I’m studying Montana law, as between states the differences are considerable as I’m sure you both know. You’re not from around these parts, are you?” He shrugged. “That’s another annoying feature, I seem to be able to pinpoint accents with accuracy, although Kane here has me baffled.”
“Do I?” Kane gave Jenna a knowing look. “I figured I’d started to blend in fine.”
“You’re a mixture, so I’d say you moved around as a kid.” Rio snapped his fingers. “Army brat?”
“Yeah, we moved around some.” Kane smiled. “Have you lived in California all your life?”
“Yeah, but this is our home now.” Rio frowned. “I lost my folks in a plane crash a year ago. I left my brother and sister with my step-grandma and they didn’t settle. It was a nightmare. They ran away and it took me weeks to find them.” He pushed a hand th
rough his hair. “Having fifteen-year-olds living with me in a one-bedroom apartment wasn’t going to work, so we moved here. I took any job I could find and got the kids into school. They’ve settled down well but I missed law enforcement. When Wolfe hunted me down and told me about the available position here, I had to apply.”
Jenna nodded. “It’s not the same as having a detective’s shield, we all work together according to our strengths.”
“Yeah, Wolfe explained.” Rio glanced at Kane. “A good leader plays to their strengths and from what I see nobody is complaining.”
“Your application mentioned an interest in media.” Kane stood and went to the counter and filled Jenna’s coffee pot with water from the sink. “Does this mean you’ll be able to handle the dreaded press releases?”
“Sure.” Rio smiled. “I can capture crime scenes and take any images you require as well. I have a trunk load of equipment at your disposal.”
Jenna grinned. “Sweet. I figure we’re all going to get along just fine.” She stood, picked up her notebook, and grabbed the pen for the whiteboard. “Now, I’ll get down some notes on what we know about Laurie Turner’s disappearance.”
“If you’ll allow me to make things easier for you, Sheriff?” Rio smiled. “I could handle the whiteboard. I don’t need notes, it’s all in here.” He tapped his head.
“Well, that would save me a ton of time.” She handed him the whiteboard marker. “Go right ahead.”
“If and when necessary I can distinguish behavioral patterns as well, so can give you an idea of where a killer might strike next.” Rio cleared his throat. “Well, in a place this size an approximation at least.”
“Yeah.” Kane collected cups and added the fixings to Jenna’s desk. “We discussed ‘comfort zones’ with Jo during our last case. It’s good to know you can recognize a pattern at the get-go, it will save time.”
Jenna leaned back in her chair and stared at them. “Right now, we have a missing girl. So, get your heads around the evidence to date. The vehicle is significant and the woman who noticed Laurie, said she was carrying a backpack.”