by BJ Bourg
CHAPTER 31
I was awake and out the door before six o’clock the next morning, and I thought I’d wake up Tracy Dinger. The only problem was that she was already up and working.
“I hope you slept well.” Her voice sounded tired but cheerful. “Me, I’ve been up all night finishing my work so that I could start on your casings first thing this morning.”
“I didn’t mean for you to work through the night.” I suddenly felt bad for having gotten some rest, but the feeling didn’t last long. I knew I needed to be sharp if I were to encounter the killer. I didn’t know when that might be or if it would even be me, but whoever it was, they needed to be ready. I had spread the word to our officers and to Mallory Tuttle last night to make sure everyone took turns sleeping. They all agreed we had to be at our best, and that meant we had to stay hydrated, fed, and rested. My hope was that our suspect was lying in a ditch somewhere unable to sleep because he was being eaten by ants and mosquitoes. Although it was November, our unofficial state birds were out in full force.
“It’s not the first time I’ve spent all night at the lab and it won’t be the last,” Tracy said with a laugh, breaking through my thoughts. “I just put your first casing under the microscope. I’ll know something soon. Amy said you wanted to make sure the shooting at the campground was connected to Deputy Billiot’s murder, right?”
“Yeah, and there’s something else.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
I told her about my conversation with Abel Adams and I gave her the contact information for the firearms examiner who serviced Buckheed County.
“We need to know if these two murders are connected,” I explained, turning onto Washington Avenue as I talked. “The M.O. seems to fit, but I want to know for sure what we’re dealing with. Abel said all of his casings were fired from the same rifle. They ran a casing through IBIS, but didn’t get a hit back.”
“Do they have a suspect?” she asked eagerly.
“No. They have less than we do.”
“Shit.” I could almost hear her lungs deflate.
“Yeah,” I said before ending the call. “Shit.”
After our old police department building had burned to the ground about five years ago, the town council had acquired a spacious piece of property along Washington Avenue in the downtown district. This was where they built the new station. Not only was the building designed to withstand even the most powerful of storms, but it was also made to be flood-proof. While it was only a one-story building, that one story was resting twelve feet above the ground on powerful concrete pillars. The underside of the building served as a parking area and storage garage. It was also where we kept the department’s rescue boats.
The entire area under the police department and along the front of the building was occupied when I drove up, so I was forced to park across the street. I entered a surprisingly crowded lobby—filled mostly with news reporters—and I had to push my way through the warm bodies.
“Detective Wolf, where do you stand on the investigation?” hollered a reporter from across the room. “Are you able to name a suspect yet? Was this a targeted attack?”
The other reporters immediately turned on me. Like a pack of rabid dogs, they began bombarding me with questions. I waved them off and continued toward the door to the dispatcher’s station. I was almost there when I saw a familiar face quietly watching from the opposite side of the room. It was Laura.
I made my way to her and took her by the arm. “Come with me,” I said, pushing other reporters back when they tried to close the gap behind me.
As the other boisterous reporters voiced their disappointment, I ushered Laura into the dispatcher’s room, which was crowded with officers, most of whom looked ragged and worn.
“Are you guys going to be okay?” Laura asked, her eyes saddened by the sight of the officers in the room. “Do you need anything from me?”
I frowned and searched the faces of the officers. Most of them were deputies from the sheriff’s office who had all known Jenny. In their eyes, I recognized the pain and anger that accompanied such a cowardly act against one of our own.
“It’ll be a long, hard road, but we’ll be fine,” I finally said. “We have no choice.”
“Well, the offer remains standing. If you need anything at all, just say the word.”
I thanked her for the offer and for her coverage of Jenny’s murder.
“Your reporting might’ve offered a link to a case in Buckheed County, Georgia,” I continued. “Once we know for sure, I’ll let you know, but I’ll ask that you not share the information until we’re ready, and I trust that you won’t.”
“Absolutely not.”
I nodded and indicated the break room. “You can wait in there if you like. If anything breaks, you’ll be the very first to know.”
It was her turn to thank me, but I waved her off.
CHAPTER 32
I shook hands with the officers in the dispatcher’s station as I made my way to Amy’s office. I found her inside with Melvin and Mallory, who were about to head home to get some rest.
“Some fresh SWAT officers replaced the officers who are gathered in the radio room,” Mallory explained, handing me a roll-call sheet. “These are the names of the officers who’re on duty right now.”
“Where are they?” I asked.
“They’ve already saddled up and are patrolling Mechant Loup and Southern Chateau,” she said. “But they’ve got orders from Sheriff Turner to go where you tell them to go and to do what you tell them to do.”
I nodded my thanks and pocketed the list. I indicated Melvin. “Nothing new, eh?”
“Not a thing.” He frowned. “I didn’t like being in a holding pattern last night. I wanted to go check the campgrounds myself.”
I nodded my understanding. I had passed the information on to him and Mallory last night, but had asked them to avoid the campgrounds. They had both put up a bit of an argument, but had finally agreed with me that it was best not to force a potential confrontation in the dark on unfamiliar territory.
“How are you feeling?” I asked Melvin, fixing him with a probing stare.
“I’m good.” He shot a thumb over his shoulder. “I took a nap in my office earlier, so I’m set for a few more hours.”
I hesitated. I wanted him with me when I checked the campgrounds, but I also wanted him to be well-rested in case he was needed later.
“There’re four campgrounds up and down Chateau Parish,” I explained, walking to the map on Amy’s wall and pointing them out. “I want to hit them one at a time, beginning here and working our way north. I want to go in with an overwhelming show of force. If our killer is at one of the campgrounds, I want him to think twice about confronting us.”
“What if he doesn’t care about the show of force?” Amy asked. “What if he attacks us anyway?”
“I think he’s a coward who doesn’t want to die,” I said slowly, measuring my words. “It showed in the way he got the drop on Chad, Jenny and—if it’s connected—Deputy Daryl Winston. He ambushed them in a manner that suggests he didn’t want to risk a shootout. He wanted to murder them quickly and get away clean. Thus, if we show up with enough firepower to answer back immediately and decisively, I think he’ll either give up or hide.”
“I’m definitely in,” Melvin said. “If we don’t find him this morning, then I’ll go home and get some rest for tonight.”
“Me, too,” Mallory said. “I wouldn’t miss a crack at this bastard for anything. I’ll call the SWAT officers in from the field so we can devise a plan.”
“Well then, it’s a party,” I said, pulling out my cell phone and calling Susan. As it rang, I left Amy’s office and entered my own. When Susan answered, I told her about my plan to search the four campgrounds.
“I’m leaving the house now,” she said. “I’ll be there in a few minutes. Don’t leave without me.”
I hesitated.
“What is it?” she asked.
“President and vice president,” I said simply, and she knew I was referring to the United States of America’s common practice of not having the president and vice president travel together. It was necessary to keep them apart in order to maintain a continuity of government in the event of an incident. Likewise, Susan knew I didn’t like going into battle with her, because I felt that one of us had to be left behind to care for Grace if something happened to the other.
“Sorry,” she said, “but I’m coming along on this one.”
Based on the tone of her voice, I knew there would be no stopping her, so I didn’t even try. “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.”
By the time Susan arrived, all of the SWAT officers had made it back to the office and we all squeezed into the break room, where I began mapping out a plan. The first campground we would search was just north of town and it was called Otter’s Tail. One of the officers said he took his kids there often, and he was able to draw us a map of the individual camp sites and RV hookups.
“There are three trails leading away from the RV area and the tent pads are located along those trails,” he said. “All of the trails begin and end at the same place and there are five tent pads along each trail. It wouldn’t take long for three teams to simultaneously check the three trails while another team checks the RV area. It’s a school day, so I wouldn’t expect much traffic out there until the Thanksgiving break.”
“How many routes in and out?” I asked.
“Only one,” he said.
I was thoughtful. “Can we send someone in through the back in case they try to escape through the swamps?”
“There’s no going in through the back or the side,” he explained. “The place is surrounded by impenetrable underbrush and swamplands. We’ll have to go in through the front door and we’ll have to go in fast. If they’re there, we’ll run into them. To escape, they’d have to run right through us.”
I nodded and we continued discussing our options. Once we were done devising a plan for the first raid, I pulled up satellite images of the next three campgrounds and began handing out assignments for each of those.
“With any luck, we’ll get the drop on the suspect and put an end to this,” I said. “And let’s hope the campgrounds are empty if lead starts flying.”
Once we were done planning, everyone began filing out of the break room. Susan pointed everyone toward the back door, where we were able to avoid the mob of reporters still waiting in the lobby. I put a hand on her arm when we were outside. She was going to lead a team down one of the trails while I searched the RV area with my team.
“Be careful,” I said. “I need you in my life.”
“I need me in my life, too,” she said with a crooked smile.
I laughed and shook my head as I made my way to my Tahoe.
Baylor Rice had been in the break room during the meeting and I’d assigned him to my team. Now, he jumped in the back seat of my Tahoe, directly behind the driver’s seat. Amy, who usually took the front seat with me, waved for Melvin to ride shotgun. Melvin started to object, but I think he noticed something in Amy’s eyes, because he clamped his mouth shut and slid in beside me.
I stole a glance in the rearview mirror, but Amy wouldn’t make eye contact with me. I did notice her face was a little flushed, and I found she wasn’t as talkative as usual. I wasn’t sure if it was because of her proximity to Baylor or because we were driving into almost certain danger, but I didn’t have time to devote any mental energy to the subject. I needed to be on top of my game if we were going to survive the morning.
Leading the procession, I headed out of town and we made our way to Otter’s Tail Campground. It took about fifteen minutes for us to reach the entrance to the campground. When I turned onto the gravel road, I pulled my AR-10 across my lap, unsnapped my seatbelt, and snatched up my radio.
“Keep your heads on a swivel,” I called out as the other vehicles blew past me and headed for the tent trails. “And be ready for anything.”
I sped down the long wooded road toward the RV hookups. There was only one motorhome in the park and I headed straight for it. It was about twenty feet long and was clearly a rental. The name of the rental company was displayed in large green letters across the side and there was a mural of a Utah desert scene wrapped around the back. There were two doors to the unit—one on the side and one along the back—and I quickly announced that Melvin and I would take the side door.
Before I had properly applied the brakes, Melvin, Amy, and Baylor were out the door, each of them with a rifle or shotgun in their hands. Amy fanned to the left and Baylor to the right as they headed for the back of the RV. Melvin rushed toward the right of the side door and took up a low position near the front corner of the motorhome. He took a quick glance into the driver’s compartment and indicated all was clear there.
Not far behind Melvin, I took up a position near a tree directly across from the side door. I was about to announce our presence when the door suddenly opened. My trigger finger tensed and my front sight rested on the head of the person that appeared. I froze in place and blinked, not believing what I was seeing.
CHAPTER 33
A topless young woman wearing nothing but panties and white sneakers strode casually down the grated steps. She carried a toothbrush in one hand and a folded up tube of toothpaste in the other. It was obvious she hadn’t heard our approach, as she was humming a song and glancing down at her fingernails. There was a relaxed smile on her face and she acted as though she were all alone in the campground.
All of that changed when she noticed me standing near the tree with my AR-10 in my hands aimed directly at her. Her right foot hadn’t yet hit the last step when she let out a blood-curdling scream and threw the toothpaste and brush into the air. She didn’t even try to cover up her breasts. Instead, she stood there screaming with her hands extended straight above her head, her eyes closed, and begging me not to kill her.
I jerked the muzzle of my rifle downward, cursing myself inwardly. “It’s okay, ma’am, I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I’m with the police department—”
“What in the hell is going on, Regina?” called a young man in a smooth voice who appeared behind the woman in the doorway. “Is that damn raccoon back—oh, shit!”
The young man joined Regina with his hands in the air and his eyes wide. “Whoa, please don’t shoot!”
“It’s okay,” I said again, trying to quiet their fears. “Put your hands down. There’s been a mistake. We’re looking for someone else.”
The young man removed his shirt and draped it over the girl’s shoulders. She took it gratefully and folded her arms in front of her breasts.
“What’s going on?” asked the young man when he saw Amy and Baylor appear from behind the motorhome, heavily armed. “Did we do something wrong?”
“Damn it, Nicky, I told you to pay the camping fee,” Regina said heatedly. “You never listen to me and now look what’s happened!”
“It’s not about the camping fee,” I said, allowing my AR-10 to hang in my sling. “We’re looking for a man who might be roaming the area. He would be carrying a rifle”—I tapped the butt of my AR-10—“similar to this one. Have you seen anyone like that?”
“Um, a man came into the campground Sunday night and he made a lot of noise,” Nicky said, “but we didn’t actually see him until yesterday.”
“Noise?” I asked. “What kind of noise?”
“He was yelling something. It sounded like he was arguing with someone, but no one was talking back.”
“Yeah, it was pretty scary,” Regina said. “I wanted to pack up and leave, but Nicky said we would be okay in the RV because it locks.”
“You said you didn’t see him until yesterday,” I said to Nicky. “Tell me about that.”
“It was later last night, around dark. He showed up from one of the trails and said he was hungry. I gave him a hamburger and some baked beans. He ate it at the picnic table there and he talked
a little bit while he ate, but not much.” Nicky shrugged. “That was it. He showed up, ate the hamburger, and then left.”
“What did this man look like?” I asked.
“Um, he was about my height, a little thinner than me, and he had a beard.” Nicky scowled. “It was hard to tell in the dark, but he did seem a little off, like he might be crazy or something. He had a wild look in his eyes. I think he was homeless.”
I was thoughtful. “What time did he first show up in the park on Sunday night?”
Nicky looked at Regina. “Um, about midnight, I guess. We were already asleep.”
I was suddenly very curious. Our suspect would’ve had the time to get here after killing Jenny and he would’ve definitely been hungry. I glanced at Amy, who had been talking softly on the radio, no doubt letting the others know there might be someone else in the park. She was now on her cell phone. Melvin was checking the grounds around the campsite and Baylor was keeping his eyes on the trees that surrounded us.
Regina moved closer to Nicky and shuddered. Looking at me, she asked, “Is…is this man dangerous or something?”
I wanted to say something reassuring, but I couldn’t. “Yes, the person we’re chasing is extremely dangerous.”
Regina gasped. “Oh, dear, we need to leave. Come on, Nicky, let’s pack up and get out of here.”
Nicky hesitated. “But we’re here until the end of the week.”
“You heard what he said,” Regina insisted, pointing at me. “He said that man’s dangerous.”
My radio scratched to life and I backed away from the young couple. Putting it to my ear, I listened as Susan radioed that they had located a man in the park and everything was secure. A few seconds later, my cell phone rang. It was Susan.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“It’s Ty Richardson,” she said. “He’s rambling about the Second Coming and seeing lights in the sky. I can’t leave him like this.”