by D. K. Hood
Laughing, Jenna stood. “I’ve always liked Duke. I mean who wouldn’t love those sad brown eyes? I’ve just never been in a position to have pets. It’s a responsibility I couldn’t risk taking, like marriage and kids. Life is different now. Yeah, we still face dangers but we have reliable people around us who care. I’d never had that before. For me friendship and loyalty came at a price.”
“Yeah, well that’s all behind us now.” Kane smiled at her. “All I have to worry about is murdering psychopaths.”
Jenna dropped a pile of bills on the table and headed to the door. “Look, the football team float is pulling up at the end of the park. Let’s have a little chat with Wyatt Cooper. If we can make it through the crowds, we’ll be able to catch him before he heads off.”
Although the crowds had eased a little, the football team had scattered leaving only a few of the players in small groups chatting. Jenna spotted Dale Collins with a small group of friends and headed in his direction. She noticed his smile vanish as she approached. “Sorry to bother you again. Does anyone know where we can locate Wyatt Cooper?”
“He took off.” Collins shrugged. “He said he had something to do later. He sure don’t seem too upset about Laurie.” He frowned. “At least, the rest of the team will be at her funeral, to pay our respects.”
“What do you mean by that remark?” Kane’s eyes narrowed. “There’s no plans for a funeral at this stage. Did he say something?”
“Yeah, he told us he wouldn’t be going to her funeral.” Collins straightened. “He didn’t give a reason. Why don’t you ask him yourself?”
“I’ll be sure to.” Kane’s gaze moved over the others watching the interaction. “We have a team of deputies from other counties here for the festival, so don’t try to buy liquor at the showgrounds again this year. We don’t want to find any of you boys locked up in the cells come morning.”
“We’ll be sure to remember that, Deputy.” Collins turned his back and walked toward another group of players.
Annoyed by Collins’ arrogance, Jenna stared after him. “That went well.”
“I figure we have someone flying under the radar.” Kane rubbed the back of his neck. “The problem is none of the people we’ve spoken to have raised any red flags, with the exception of Williams.” He waved a hand at the marching band following the cheerleaders into the park. “Someone here knows something. One of these kids knocked Laurie’s phone out of her hand and I’m convinced whoever did it, is involved with her murder.”
Seeing the way the students gathered together in groups gave Jenna pause to consider what Kane had said. She shrugged and followed him from the park. “Maybe not.” She thought back to her time at school and turned to him. “Say one of them disliked Laurie and was part of a prank to have her walk home? There may have been a small group of them involved, one of the guys disables her truck and one of the girls bumps into her. Look around you, everyone is chatting in groups. I remember this happening when I was at school, in the parking lot, on the way home, waiting for the bus, we’d chat for ages.”
“Yeah, I remember.” Kane removed his hat and scratched his head before replacing it. “Why?”
“If I recall, when we spoke to Hughes, he knew just about straight away that Laurie’s phone was toast and he just placed it in a plastic bag and he locked up and went home.”
“Yeah, that’s what I remember.” Kane stopped walking and turned to look at her. “Where’s this leading, Jenna?”
Like a jigsaw puzzle slipping into place, Jenna smiled at him. “Well, he said he didn’t see anyone in the parking lot. He said it was empty and dark when he drove by. Where was everyone? Why weren’t there some kids still hanging around when Laurie couldn’t start her truck and decided to walk home?”
“Maybe because Laurie was inside longer than he remembered.” Kane shook his head slowly. “There’s no way a group of kids could commit a murder like that. Do you think they’re all involved? No way. One of them would flip out with the stress.”
Unconvinced, Jenna stared at him. “Look back in history. Cult figures influenced people to do terrible things, even commit suicide. Right now, I’m open to any suggestions. We have a young girl brutally murdered in the morgue and practically no evidence and what we do have was probably planted.”
When they arrived at the office, Jenna found Rowley at the front counter and Rio updating files on the computer. As Kane headed into her office to call Carter about visiting Williams later, she checked her watch and then leaned on the counter. “Bring me up to date and then go home and take a break before your next shift.”
“Sure.” Rowley turned his iPad around to show her. “These are the seven green or gray Chrysler sedans of around the same model in town. We know about the one that Mrs. Hughes owns and tracked down five. Three of these are in use and two are in barns and haven’t been driven for years. The last one is in the used car yard here in town, it’s been there for about three months.” He pointed to the three names on his list. “We visited all three of the owners and all have an alibi for Saturday night. They were all at home with family members and all three owners are in their late sixties. No one else drives their vehicles.”
Jenna nodded. “Good work.” She lifted her chin and sighed. “So that really leaves the Hughes’ vehicle.” She slapped the table. “You’d better get along home but I’ll be in town for a while tonight so you don’t have to be back until six-thirty. I’ll be at The Cattleman’s Hotel while Kane talks to a suspect with Carter.”
“Thanks.” Rowley smiled. “I’ll have time to drop Sandy at the old house before I come back.”
“That’s good.” Jenna sighed. “Now, I’ll try and figure out a way I can get a search warrant to seize the Hughes’ vehicle to see if Wolfe can find any of Laurie Turner’s DNA inside.”
“I might have that sorted.” Rio walked to her side. “Verna has admitted to driving the vehicle on Saturday night, she didn’t like Laurie, and her brother was one of the last people to see her alive. Add to this, we believe the killer had an accomplice who knocked the phone from Laurie’s hand and Cory had plenty of time to disable her truck during the practice. I figure we have probable cause.”
Impressed, Jenna smiled at him. “Write it up and see if you can catch a judge to issue a warrant. I’ll be in town tonight, so you can get on home too, once you get back.”
“Jenna.” Kane walked out her office and went to her side. “Carter had Kalo run Stan Williams through the sex offenders’ database and his name came up in a sealed FBI juvie document. We can’t use it against him but it was a heads up. Seems that as a fifteen-year-old, Williams was caught molesting five-year-old girls at a birthday party.”
Twenty-Six
Sandy Rowley gave Jake a kiss goodbye as he left their old home in town. “Go, I’ll be fine. I have my Thermos and cookies if I get hungry. When I’m done here, I’ll watch the fireworks from the front window.”
“Stay inside and call me, if you need me.” Rowley touched her cheek. “I’ll be at the office.”
She gave him a little shove. “Go, Jenna will be waiting for you. I’ll see you soon.”
“Close the door behind me.” Rowley moved down the stairs, turning to watch her before he hurried to his SUV.
He’d insisted on checking all the rooms before he left. Since she’d found out she was carrying their child, he’d been super overprotective but she didn’t mind. Having such a kind, loving husband was a wonderful gift she valued greatly. She glanced around the house. It was as neat as a pin but the delivery guys had left papers and footprints everywhere. The house belonged to the sheriff’s department, willed to them by a deputy killed on duty some years ago. To make the inside nice, Jenna had replaced the three mattresses, bed linen, and drapes. Jake had painted the interior during a six-month slow period after the melt and now it was ready for the new occupants to arrive. Zac Rio and his twin siblings would be moving in the following weekend.
She moved from room to room, making
sure everything was spick and span. The hectic day, watching the parade, and visiting her mother had exhausted her. The house had an empty, cold feel about it since they’d removed all their possessions. A radio would have been nice to break the silence as hearing the creeks and whines of the old house was putting her nerves on edge. She finished her chores, stowed away the cleaning utensils, and leaned against the kitchen counter deciding what to do to pass the time. She checked her watch willing the time to go by faster. Jake wouldn’t be by to collect her until at least eleven, he said his shift finished at ten-thirty but he’d spend time chatting with whoever took over the next shift and by the time he arrived home, he was usually about an hour later than expected. She poured a cup of hot chocolate from her Thermos and went upstairs to the back bedroom. Her favorite stuffed leather chair was set in front of the window, she could watch the comings and goings in town. She curled up, finished her hot chocolate, and must have dozed off to sleep. Something woke her and disoriented in the darkness, she glanced around for some moments to get her bearings before staring at her watch. The digital readout told her it was a little before nine. The lights in the hallway had been on when she came into the room but she’d sat in darkness to best observe the view outside the window.
Perhaps a bulb was out. She stood to turn on the light. She flicked the switch off and on. Nothing. A wave of panic surged through her at an unusual sound from downstairs. She’d lived in this house for over six months before moving to the ranch and she could identify just about every noise in the old house. Heart pounding, she slid back into the room and pressed her back against the wall. The creak came again and a slight jingle like the sound of keys. If it had been Jake or even Jenna dropping by, they’d have called out and turned on lights, not crept around. Someone was in the house.
The sound of footsteps came again, like boots on the polished floor. In blind panic, Sandy searched her pockets for her phone. She could see it in her mind’s eye inside her purse on the counter beside the Thermos. How had someone gotten inside? Jake had insisted she take the key to the front door with her rather than return it to its place above the door. She placed one hand on her swollen belly. If the intruder moved into a room, she could slip down the stairs and go for help. Footsteps moved through the kitchen. Cabinet doors opened and closed. Terrified, Sandy’s breathing came so fast, she feared someone would hear her.
The noise came again and then a familiar sound, a snap like someone pulling on surgical gloves. Cold shivers ran down her spine as the footsteps came closer. Each step precise, and taking the stairs in a controlled pace with no rush. They know I’m here and they’re coming to hurt me.
Without a weapon, Sandy had nothing to use to defend herself. She moved deeper into the shadows and held her breath. She recognized the squeaky hinge of the door to the first bedroom at the top of the stairs and the sound of someone sliding open the closet door. Now was her chance. She slipped out the room and with her pulse thundering in her ears, crept along the hallway. Just as she reached the open door to the first bedroom, the old grandfather clock in the hallway downstairs struck nine. Terror had her by the throat and sweat beaded on her brow as she dashed toward the stairs. Footsteps thundered behind her and out of the darkness, someone grabbed her hair tearing her scalp. The next instant, pain shot through her face as her head slammed into the doorframe. Blood ran into her eye and she staggered back the way she’d come, feeling along the wall, trying to get away. A loud clang broke the silence and rang through her head in a wave of suffering. She fell to her knees, and rolled into a ball and played dead to protect her unborn child.
Only heavy breathing came and then someone took her by the feet and dragged her inside a room. A boot scraped past her and she squeezed her eyes shut tight. She could sense someone leaning over her and held her breath. Lungs bursting, she waited for them to leave the room. The door slammed shut as they ran back down the hallway. Sandy swiped at her eyes, nauseous and dizzy. Alone in the dark, the sky outside the window lit up in a streak of green. The firework display danced across her vision before everything went black.
Twenty-Seven
Nervous excitement thrummed through Becky Powell as she stepped inside the library to meet her date. She spotted him at once, leaning casually against a bookcase, flicking through pages of a book. He raised both eyebrows at her and walked out into the hallway. She followed him down the back stairs and he waited for her at the fire door. She smiled at him. “Has she followed you again?”
“Yeah, but she didn’t see me leave.” He pulled her close to him. “I’ve found a place we can go. It’s nice and private. Did you bring your pompoms?”
Becky grinned. “Yeah, they’re in my backpack. I’m guessing you want me to do a routine for you… a real private routine?”
“Something like that.” He cupped her chin and kissed her. “We’d better slip away before she notices I’m missing. Leave your ride here, I have a truck out back. Keep to the shadows and when you get inside, duck down so she can’t see you if she happens to look out the window when I drive by.”
When his hand closed around her fingers she nodded in silent agreement.
“Nice and quiet.” He pushed open the fire door and led her outside.
Heart thumping with anticipation, Becky followed him into the cool night. She hadn’t had too much luck dating anyone of late and stealing him from under the nose of one of his admirers made it all the sweeter. She couldn’t stop grinning as she hurried around the edge of the building and climbed into his truck. As she hunkered down, he took off slowly and she could see the streetlights on Main blink past above her. “Where are we going?”
“Not far but we’ll have to sneak into this place.” He glanced down at her. “It’s an empty house, but they’ve left all the furniture. It will be real comfortable for us to get to know each other.”
Becky giggled. “Oh, I can’t wait. I’ve never been on a date like this before. Are you sure no one is going to come by?”
“Certain.” He slowed the truck and pulled in under a tree. “Remember, not a sound and we stick to the shadows. I don’t want the neighbors to see us or they’ll call the cops. I came by earlier and unlocked the backdoor, so we’re gonna sneak in there.” He handed her a small lantern from the back seat. “Once we’re inside, I’ll use my flashlight to get upstairs but when I close the drapes, we can turn on the lantern. It will be real cozy.”
Becky’s heart raced as she followed him through the long shadows up a driveway and down a small pathway to a door. They moved inside and she smothered a giggle. The house smelled of furniture polish, and clean air as if it had been well aired. Following the flashlight beam they headed upstairs and as they climbed higher, the hand holding hers became damp. She liked that he was nervous being with her and sneaking into an empty house with him in secret made it so special.
At the top of the stairs, he turned into a bedroom and quickly closed the thick drapes. The flashlight blinded her for a few seconds as he aimed it at her. “Hey, drop the light and I’ll turn on the lantern.”
“Give it to me.” He took the lantern from her and set it on the nightstand but didn’t take the light from her eyes. “Show me your pompoms.”
Blinking, Becky slipped her backpack from her shoulder and unzipped it. She pulled out her pompoms and setting her backpack at her feet, waved them at him. “Now will you lower the light?”
“Nah, you promised me a special routine.” He indicated to the bed. “I wouldn’t want your clothes to get all messed up. Your folks will know we’ve been making out. Why don’t you slip out of them for me?”
Becky’s face grew hot. “You first.”
“I’d love to—” he chuckled “—but then I’d have to put down the flashlight. “We’ll take turns. Come on now, wriggle out of the skirt and top before I lose interest and take you home.” He tilted his head and looked her up and down. “I went to a ton of trouble to organize this just for you, Becky. I figured we wanted the same thing? I thought you wer
e special.”
“You think I’m special?” Becky dropped her pompoms and removed her top and skirt. “Better?”
“Much.” He trained the flashlight on her. “Kneel on the floor and fold up your clothes, I don’t want them getting messed up. When you’re done you can watch me.”
Confused, Becky stared at him. “You’re starting to creep me out.”
“Did you think I’d just jump your bones? I don’t treat my girls like that, Becky.” He shook his head. “I like things slow and easy. I’d like to be your last boyfriend so let’s make our first date one to remember.”
He seemed so sincere. Could he be asking her to go steady on their first date? She couldn’t believe her luck. She fell to her knees and quickly folded her clothes. A swishing sound came from behind her. Like a whisper of a breeze but she ignored it, engrossed in looking at him. “I worry about the girl in the library causing trouble. Are you sure she didn’t follow us?”
“I’m sure, I’m only interested in you right now.” He shrugged. “If she bothers us, I’ll deal with her.”
Becky smiled up at him. “What will you say to her?”
“I’ll tell her I love her more than life.”
The flashlight blinded her. Surprised by his reply, she squinted at him through the glare. “What did you say?”
The floorboards creaked behind her and something dropped over her face to settle on her neck and tightened. Slammed down with a knee in her back, and her face pressed hard against the wooden floor, she fought for air. “Help me.”
As she opened her mouth gasping, he stepped forward and bound her hands with tape. Bewildered, she gaped at him. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because I like you.” He grabbed her chin. “And it makes my girl angry.”
Cloth hit her tongue. She gagged, shaking her head to dislodge his grip but he wound tape around her head covering her mouth and then stood back, aiming the flashlight into her eyes. She gaped in disbelief as he leaned casually against the nightstand as if enjoying the show. Using her last ounce of strength, she rolled, trying to unseat the person behind her. The cord slackened and she flipped to her feet. She’d done the move a hundred times as a cheerleader. She sprinted for the door and ran down the stairs, tripping over and rolling to the bottom. Battered and heart pounding with fear, she staggered to her feet and bolted for the backdoor. Light spilled through the kitchen windows like a beacon to show her the way.