by D. K. Hood
“This is the reason I wanted to speak to both of you.” Jo sounded her usual calm self. “I discussed this possibility with Jenna earlier. I feel the only way possible to discover a link between these homicides and James Stone is to go to the source. In my experience, serial killers like to relive their crimes, and he admitted to everything, didn’t he, so he has nothing to hide. I figure by talking to him we might discover if he’s found a way to kill through his followers.”
“I agree. Have you been able to set it up?” Jenna straightened in her chair.
“Yeah, we have an interview with James Stone tomorrow at ten.” Jo cleared her throat. “He’ll only speak to Jenna and me. He made it very clear he doesn’t want Kane anywhere near him.”
Kane snorted. “Really?”
After receiving a gunshot wound to the head from Stone resulting in a near-fatal fall into a ravine, a busted knee, and memory loss, he’d wanted to confront the man who’d tried to kill him. In fact, something deep inside him had hoped Stone might attack him so he’d have the chance to even the score, but there was also something satisfying knowing the murdering SOB would be locked up for the rest of his life. He chuckled. “It amuses me to think that I intimidate him, but when you’re interviewing him make sure you let him know I’m right outside.”
“We’ll be landing at your ranch around 0800 hours.” Carter was all business. “We’ll have time for a chat before we head out to the county prison. They have a helipad, so we’ll take the bird.”
Kane nodded. “Sure. I’ll have a pot of coffee waiting.”
“Thanks for your help, guys, we’ll see you in the morning.” Jenna disconnected.
Trying to keep all the information straight in his mind, Kane stretched. They had other commitments for the morning. “We’ll miss one of the autopsies. Wolfe mentioned ten and two.”
“I’ll send Rio.” Jenna leaned back in her chair. “Rowley can handle the office.” She chewed on her bottom lip, staring into space. “Now we have to come up with a plan to keep Long here for a spell.” She turned her attention back to him. “Write up what we have on Long and run it past the DA.” She stood and pressed the button that made the whiteboard slide from its recess in the ceiling. “I’m going to enter all the information we have on the whiteboard. It will help us piece this together.”
Kane stood. “Sure, I’m on it.”
After getting the statement from Rowley, Kane picked up the phone and called the DA’s office. Surprisingly, the secretary put him straight through. “Some information has come up you need to be aware of in the Adams case.”
After going through the statement Long provided, Kane waited for the DA to process the information. “The sheriff would like to detain Long pending the autopsies. We’ve considered a collaboration between Adams and Long or maybe they’re part of a cult imitating James Stone’s murder spree. They both display psychopathic tendencies and we’re wary about allowing Long back out on the streets.”
“Stone will have him out in a second. Let him out before he figures out you suspect him.” The DA swore under his breath. “It also means the circumstantial evidence we have on Adams is shot to hell. I’ll have to drop the charges until you have more evidence. If we take him to trial now and he walks on reasonable doubt, which he will once Long’s statement is presented, we’ll be faced with double jeopardy if you establish, he did indeed kill Payton Harris.”
Kane grimaced. It wasn’t the news he wanted. “I’m sure Adams killed Harris and probably his wife too.”
“Then bring me the evidence. Until then, I suggest you keep both men under surveillance. I’ll speak to the judge and explain why we’re dropping the charges. I’ll see if he’ll agrees to allow your department to track both men via vehicles or phones. As they’re both ex-cons, we may be lucky. I’ll let you know.” He disconnected.
Shaking his head, Kane climbed the stairs up to Jenna’s office. He stared at the notes on the whiteboard and then headed back down the steps and hustled to the interview room. He flashed his card and walked inside. Long had his chair tipped back against the wall, boots on the table, and cowboy hat pulled down over his eyes. He cleared his throat. “Good news, we don’t have to trek up the mountain. The Howards have been found.”
He waited for a reaction and when Long jerked up, spilling his hat to the floor, it was all Kane needed. The surprise on the man’s face was evident.
“You sure it’s them?” Long bent to retrieve his hat.
Kane rested one hip on the table and looked at him. “Yeah, they’re on their way back as we speak. Thanks for coming in.” He paused a beat. “Something I forgot to ask you: You did time in county jail, didn’t you? What’s the scuttlebutt on James Stone?”
“Men talk, you know.” Long shrugged but his eyes shifted from side to side. “I seen him one time but he didn’t look like a serial killer. No one hassles him, that’s for sure. The guards treat him like royalty.”
Kane narrowed his gaze. “Really? I’d have thought the opposite, as he was a defense attorney.”
“Nah.” Long gave him a slow smile. “I figure it’s because he could kill them all and they know it.”
Thirty-Six
Somber didn’t adequately describe Jenna’s mood; morose, depressed came close. After receiving the news from Wolfe that the ear found pinned to her porch was indeed from June Harris, she had to concede the chances of finding her alive were now remote. There had been no sign, not as much as a strand of hair from June Harris, to assist them since the few drops of blood Rio had discovered. Search and rescue, along with cadaver dogs and the usual volunteers, had combed the forest, including the riverbeds and lakes. With hunters, wardens, and hikers constantly roaming the forest, someone should have found her or smelled her remains, but the woodlands were vast and Jenna had no option but to bring in the search parties. The poor woman had more than likely been murdered along with her husband and her body hidden. There was little or no likelihood of finding her remains after all this time.
After Kane had spoken to the DA, the two suspects she’d considered for the current murders had walked free. The only good news was that the judge had granted them permission to track Adams and Long. She’d contacted Bobby Kalo and he’d promised to set up an alarm system to notify her if either of them left town. When he’d called Kane with the details, she’d been on a call listening to Sam Cross crow in her ear about Adams’ release.
Jenna had never been a person to give up and believed the Wild Outdoors store and Aunt Betty’s Café could be possible hunting grounds for couples the men planned to kill. On the way home she’d stopped by both stores and showed the photographs of Adams and Long and had asked to be notified if the men happened to drop by. Both the café and the hunting goods store had CCTV cameras, and the proprietors were more than happy to call her and keep any footage if the men visited. The latter had placated her some, but a murderer still walked the streets. Until she had a suspect in custody, nothing would remove the terrible feeling of responsibility cramping her gut. Every minute that passed, another couple could be butchered in her town.
Without any other possible suspects to investigate, Jenna sat on Kane’s sofa and watched the news. The media release she’d worked on with Rio gave few details about the bodies they’d found in the forest and requested information about anyone in the area acting suspicious in the vicinity of Bear Peak at the times of the murders. She leaned into Kane and sighed. “I hope someone comes forward. I feel like I’m stuck in quicksand. I’m convinced we had our killers and now all we can do is wait until one of them tries to kill again and hope we get there in time.”
“We’ll get there.” Kane pulled her under one arm. “You’ve trained a fast-response team. Everyone knows their jobs and we can rely on them one hundred percent. The suspects aren’t going anywhere without us knowing.”
“How so?”
“Kalo has many tricks up his sleeve, and face recognition software is one of them.” Kane smiled. “He is utilizing the fee
d of every CCTV camera in town. Trust me, if those guys as much as jaywalk, we’ll know about it and in real time.” He gave her a squeeze. “You and Jo will be able to make Stone give up information. If those two men are involved, he’ll be crowing about it. For him it will be a triumph. He won’t be able to help himself. Knowing someone is killing for him will make him careless.”
Jenna sighed. “Oh, I hope so. The idea of facing him again makes my skin crawl, but it’s necessary, and I don’t like being beaten by a killer or killers.” She turned to look at him. “No, dammit, I refuse to be. Those guys are heading back to jail. We’ll find the evidence and June Harris. I’m never giving up.”
“That’s my girl.” Kane grinned.
Thirty-Seven
Opting to wear civvies rather than stir up hatred at the prison, Jenna stood on the stoop of Kane’s cottage and glanced at the men crawling over her ranch house like ants. She hoped they’d be through soon, although the awful feeling of not being safe in her own home hadn’t gone away. A cold wind with the bite of frost blew from the mountains, and she wrapped her coat around her and turned to watch Carter go through his preflight check. It never ceased to amaze her how he turned from a laid-back, easy-going guy to a professional in the blink of an eye. He had his FBI hat on this morning and had been very vocal over coffee about visiting James Stone.
After inhaling the clean pine air, Jenna turned as Jo moved beside her. “Ty seems different this morning. Is he always like that?”
“Not usually, no.” Jo pushed her hair inside her hood and shivered. “He’s read everything there is about Stone and doesn’t believe we should be interviewing him. He watched the interview you taped after his arrest and has the court transcripts. Ty has it in his head Stone can manipulate people to his will, and maybe he can, but he won’t be able to manipulate me, that’s for sure.”
“Who is trying to manipulate you?” Kane walked out behind them and pulled the door closed.
“Ty thinks that Stone will walk all over us.” Jo snorted. “As if.”
“Really?” Kane smoothed his hair and pushed on his black Stetson. “What do you think?”
“Ha.” Jo grinned at him. “You are too nice, Dave. That’s a classic reply from someone who hates to be involved in disagreements.”
“You don’t know me at all, Jo.” Kane chuckled. “All this geniality is a front. I’m hiding a dark and dangerous past.” He winked at Jenna.
“Sure, you are.” Jo tucked her bag under one arm and pulled on gloves. “Ah, it looks like Carter is ready to leave.” She headed for the chopper.
Jenna stared at him. “You’re pushing your luck. One of these days she’ll see right through you.”
“Carter has hinted at knowing my past.” Kane shrugged nonchalantly and buttoned his overcoat. “He doesn’t have details, but he’s not stupid. He recognizes a brother in arms, just like I picked you as an agent the moment we met. He just knows not to discuss it. To be honest, if Carter did discover our past lives, I don’t think it would go any further. He’s solid and I trust him. Wolfe believes he is a loose cannon, but I’ve never seen that side of him.”
Jenna headed for the chopper. “Me neither; now he has his filter back in place, I find him professional and an asset. I like his dog too.”
“It’s just as well Zorro gets on so well with Duke; they’ll keep each other company while we’re away.” Kane strolled beside her. “Although, I figure Ty wanted to take his dog into the prison with him. He sure loves that dog.”
The flight to county would be swift, and Jenna took the time to take in the scenery and absorb the peace the Big Sky Country gave her. Flying over Stanton Forest and the mountains gave her a special sense of wonder. The mountain had been there since the beginning of time and held the secrets of the ages. The peaks stood like sentries protecting Black Rock Falls with an impenetrable boundary, strong and resilient, like the people who lived in its shadows. She sighed as she searched the forest looking for the herds of elk and deer. It was as if she could reach out and touch the snowcapped granite and brush her fingers through the tips of the pines. She loved watching the eagles soar and, being so high, she had their perspective on life. High above the earth, the beauty of her county… her county, her people, her responsibility, thundered home. The townsfolk expected her to keep them safe. She had to solve the crime for them and bring the person or persons responsible for the murders to justice.
How different the scenery became as they approached the county jail. Set in the lowlands, surrounded by nothing but wilderness, the massive red brick building did justice to the word depressing. High walls, triple lines of fencing, and razor wire was the theme. No greenery, no gardens. Guard towers overlooked the building and armed men looked out as they flew over. Jenna peered into the exercise yards. Separated into sections, they were little more than pens with reinforced wire fences surrounding a dusty dirt rectangle. The chopper dropped, and through her headphones she could hear Carter advising of their arrival.
Guards and a man in civilian clothing waited near the helipad on top of the county jail, all keeping close to the wall as they landed. The wind buffeted the chopper and it swayed back and forth unnervingly before Carter finally set it down. As the engine whined to a halt, Jenna removed her headset and turned to Kane. “You haven’t offered me any advice about talking to Stone. Do you have any pearls of wisdom for me before I go and speak to him?”
“Nah, you’ll do just fine, but if I was in with Jo, I’d allow her to take the lead. I’ve seen her work and she’s very good. She has a way of manipulating psychopaths without them knowing, and that in itself is a gift.” Kane smiled at her. “She was amazing at the conference; her insights have really helped me up my game.”
Jenna laughed. “You sound starstruck. It’s just Jo, our friend, or is there something you’re not telling me?”
“I’ve always been a great admirer of her work, but I’ve yet to be starstruck by anyone. I do have respect for people’s talent, but to me everyone is equal no matter their rank or position in life. I’ve never been intimidated or in awe of anyone, not even POTUS—he’s just a man.” Kane shrugged. “I figure we’re lucky to be able to call Jo our friend.”
Jenna nodded. “Absolutely.” She gathered her things and followed Kane out of the chopper.
The warden greeted them and they went through the usual procedure of removing their weapons before being allowed inside the prison. Inside, the mood was gloomy and the place had the smell of unwashed men and boiled cabbage. Jenna followed the warden through many electronic doors and along walkways that took them through areas filled with inmates. The men glared at them and some whistled, sniffed, or made kissing noises. A knot of uncertainty crawled into her belly. It was like walking into hell. She recalled movies about people trying to escape a never-ending passageway with locked doors on each side, and this place was the same. It was a nightmare. No windows and a lingering presence of despair. The urge to turn around and run back outside was overwhelming; each step into the continuous gray interior suffocated her.
Fluorescent strip lights flickered, threatening to plunge them into darkness. Ahead, an inmate cleaned what looked like blood from the floor with a smelly mop and licked his lips as she walked past. She could feel Kane beside her and valued his solid presence. Behind her, Jo walked with Carter, but as they passed more inmates, they had to dodge spittle even with the guards issuing warnings to stay back as they passed through different areas. She wanted to speak to Kane but kept her thoughts to herself and her eyes on the men’s backs before her. She sighed with relief as they entered a small room with a window on one side. From here she could see into an interview room. It was bare apart from a table with two chairs on either side. All the furniture had been secured to the floor and the table had a loop for securing the prisoner. The room was brightly lit and two cameras sat high on the wall.
“We’ll have the cameras switched off. This is a confidential session.” Jo turned to the warden. We’ll make our o
wn recording. I find the subjects are more cooperative if they know they’re not being watched by anyone.” She nodded to Carter, who waved a camera at him.
“Your safety is our priority, Ms. Wells.” The warden looked taken aback. “This man is a mass murderer and psychopathic killer. You can’t possibly want to be alone with him.”
“But we do.” Jo smiled at him. “Agent Carter and Deputy Kane are highly skilled. They are the only protection we require. Thank you, Warden. We’ll give you a call when we’re ready to leave.”
“I’ll be posting guards outside the room.” The warden rubbed his chin, obviously concerned. “I’m afraid that is a condition of allowing you to interview Stone.”
“Very well.” Jo pulled open the door to the interview room and waved Jenna forward. “Bring in the prisoner.”
Thirty-Eight
Heart thundering in her chest and with a sick feeling in her stomach, Jenna stood at the table staring at the door as it opened slowly. It had been some time since she’d laid eyes on James Stone. The couple of dates they’d been on had been a disaster. As an attractive man and a wealthy lawyer, he’d been quite a catch, but the connection hadn’t been there. He hadn’t been good company. In fact, he’d become a problem, almost stalking her and not taking her refusal for more dates as final. It had taken Kane’s man-to-man chat with him to make him back off. From all accounts her refusal to see him again triggered a killing spree. Well organized, Stone ran a service through the dark web for hunting humans. Jenna hadn’t discovered who was behind the murders until she’d come close to being his next victim, but she’d brought him to justice with the help of her team. The last time they’d met, Stone’s hatred for her had been palpable and he’d threatened to get even. The man entering the room had committed unspeakable crimes and he was dangerous with a capital D.