by C. M. Sutter
When I heard the crunch of gravel under tires, I looked over my shoulder. A truck had just pulled up behind us, and the sheriff was walking toward it.
Renz pulled the door handle on his side. “I bet that’s our drone operator.”
We exited the car and walked to the truck. Sheriff Burke made the introductions, and we told his friend, Andy Kline, what we needed. As a group, we walked to the spot where the dead man was found. I pointed at the rocky ledge above us and told Andy that we needed to see the top surface of that area. It took a few minutes for him to explain the device and how to operate it, but once Sheriff Burke took over, Renz and I watched the monitor as the drone took to the sky. I crossed my fingers that we would get more clues once it rose above the ridge.
Burke zeroed in on the flat surface at the top and brought the drone in closer. Using the joysticks, he made the drone circle the area. We saw a mix of trees and rock surfaces.
“There!” I pointed at a spot about five feet from the drop-off. Several large boulders stood to the right of what looked like blood smears on the rock surface of the mountaintop. “That has to be where an attack took place. Either the mountain lion leapt from the boulders to the man, or that’s where the cat was shot. No matter what, it tells us they both absolutely went over the edge.” I pointed again as Burke positioned the drone even lower. “The ground is scuffed up near the ledge, and there’s more blood there.”
Renz rubbed his forehead.
“What are you thinking?” I asked.
“I’m thinking about the fact that the cat was shot, which means another person up there with Malcolm had a gun.” Renz called out to Andy, “How close to the ground can this thing hover?”
“Close enough to see anything on the surface.”
“Okay.” Renz nodded at Burke. “Take it lower and cover a thirty-foot area. Go slow. I’m hoping to see shell casings, and if we do, there should be fingerprints on them.”
Chapter 36
“So what’s going on with the investigation? Have you been tracking them?”
“Yes, Boss. I watched when they left the sheriff’s office and followed them from a distance. The sheriff was in his cruiser, and an unknown man and woman climbed into a different car and followed him. They met up with a couple of deputies at the intersection of Highway 12 and Spring Creek Road.”
Bart slammed his fist on the table. “That’s near the spot where you found Cassie.”
Donny stared at the ground and kept silent.
“Is there more to that story?”
“Yes, sir. The woman who saw me yesterday was there, too, with a man who I presume was her husband. They drove up Spring Creek Road for fifteen minutes or so then pulled to the shoulder.”
“Let me guess. It was right where you found Cassie.”
“In that general area, yes. The trailhead where those hikers went in wasn’t far from there either. I’m sure law enforcement is trying to see how close Malcolm’s body was to where that bitch saw me and Cassie. Like you said last night, they’ll pin all of it on me if they figure out who I am.”
“So how do you intend to fix this problem, Donny?”
“With a couple of bullets.”
“That was the right answer, and while you’re at it, find out who that man and woman are too.” Bart tipped his head toward the door. “Take Clarence with you. If I get wind that someone is nosing around here, the next bullet is going to have your name on it. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. You weren’t in the black pickup, were you?”
Donny looked hurt. Bart never gave him credit for having an ounce of common sense. “No, sir, I took the van.”
“Well, take it again. I want that couple followed, but this time, shoot them on the freeway and keep going. Nobody will put two and two together. They’ll see a car that went off the road, think the driver fell asleep behind the wheel, and by then, you’ll be long gone. No matter what, make sure the woman dies, even if you don’t get the husband. Then find out who those other people are. If you have to kill them, too, do it. I don’t want anyone left alive who can identify you or connect the dots to us. Capisce?”
Donny nodded. “I won’t let you down.”
“Damn right you won’t unless you want to be next.”
Once he got outside, Donny turned left. He walked to the bunkhouse and called out to Clarence. “Come on. The boss wants you to go with me. Grab a couple of Glocks and plenty of ammo.”
“Where to?”
Donny shook his head. “I’m not sure yet. The boss wants us to surveil that woman and her husband who saw me with Cassie. They’re over the ridge on Spring Creek Road right now with a handful of deputies, the sheriff, and two unknowns. When they part ways, we’re supposed to follow the couple from yesterday and take them out.”
Clarence shrugged. “Sounds easy enough. I’ll meet you at the truck in five.”
“Nope. Bart said to take the van. We’ll wait at the intersection of Highway 12 and Park Hill Road. We can see Spring Creek Road from there, and we’ll know when they leave.”
“Good enough. I’ll get the guns.”
Chapter 37
“I see something glistening in the sun. Position that drone about ten feet to the left of where it is right now. Drop it lower, too, if you can,” Renz said.
Sheriff Burke made the adjustments while Renz and I squinted at the screen.
When he was at the right spot, I raised my hand. “Stop there.” I looked at Renz. “What do you think? Those are shell casings, aren’t they?”
“Damn right they are. Three of them as a matter of fact. I’m sure whoever did the shooting never thought anyone would come across that brass.” Renz turned to Burke. “We’re going to need somebody up there to retrieve those casings before the wind or an animal rolls them down the hill. Maybe whoever goes up there can give the area a thorough search for the wallet too. We need good photographs of the site, especially the blood, and some samples if possible.”
Burke rubbed his chin. “Donaldson is good in the back country. He and Deputy Connor can make the hike, but you won’t have the items until this time tomorrow. If we try a chopper, the wind from the blade will make all that evidence disappear.”
“Can four-wheelers get up there?” I asked.
“Depends on where they go in. I’ll talk to Donaldson and see what he thinks.” Burke called Andy over. “Can you save video from this device?”
“Sure can. I’ll send everything you looked at to your email address.”
“Thanks, pal. I owe you one.”
Renz suggested going to the hospital in White Sulphur Springs next. We needed to see the girl, ask about her condition, then go to the coroner’s office, where John Doe, or possibly Malcolm, was lying in the morgue.
Tara spoke up. “We were going to the hospital ourselves before we head back to Bozeman. We’d like to see how Jane is doing.”
“Sure thing.” I handed each of them one of my cards. “Here you go. I don’t want to forget to give you these in case you think of anything else that can help the investigation.”
Tara thanked us, then we told Sheriff Burke that we would speak to him later and left. The hospital in White Sulphur Springs was twenty miles west of us.
It was midday by the time we arrived at Mountainview Medical Center, a small but crucial facility in the rural town. We waited for Byron and Tara as they parked and headed toward us.
“We went in through the emergency wing yesterday and spoke with Dr. Barnes,” Tara said. “He’s the one who gave us the information about Jane.”
“Okay, then let’s ask for him.”
We walked in through the emergency entrance and approached the counter.
Renz took the lead and discreetly showed the receptionist his ID. “We need to speak with Dr. Barnes or whoever can give us the latest condition of the Jane Doe who was admitted yesterday.”
“Yes, sir, and Dr. Barnes is here today. Go ahead and have seats in the lobby, and I’
ll page him.”
Renz tapped the counter. “Sure thing. Thanks.”
“I’m going to step outside and update Taft. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” I said as I headed to the exit.
“Tell her we need them to check into anyone in this area whose name is Malcolm. It isn’t the most common name. Also, tell her we’re sticking around White Sulphur Springs through tomorrow and you’ll send over the list of names from Jeff Andrews. They should have time to look for reappearing names at the different auction houses.”
“Got it.” I walked outside, sat on a bench in a covered alcove, and made the call. I told Taft where we were in the investigation and what we needed from the team. “There’s a chance to get fingerprints off the shell casings we saw on that mountaintop. They looked like they could be .223 casings, and I know people do hunt in this neck of the woods, but according to our only witness, Tara Philips, the man who cracked Jane Doe in the head was carrying a rifle. We had hoped to get the mountain lion’s carcass to see if there were slugs left in its body, but without other slugs to compare them to, I doubt that it would do us any good.”
“We’ll focus on the names from Jeff’s list and see what we can come up with for a Malcolm in the area. We’ll be in touch.”
I thanked Maureen and hung up. Just as I returned to the waiting area, a doctor walked through the swinging double doors. A look of recognition crossed his face as he saw Tara and Byron. I assumed he was Dr. Barnes, and when he approached them with an outstretched hand, I knew I was right.
When I reached them, Renz stood and introduced us. We exchanged handshakes with the doctor, who asked us to join him on the other side of those double doors so we could talk privately.
We gathered in an empty exam room and listened as Dr. Barnes explained that Jane was improving. Her brain hematoma had gone down in size, and as long as her vitals were strong, they could try to wake her up the next day. A smile crossed Tara’s face, and she looked relieved.
We had to know what to expect when Jane woke up. Would she be alert? Would she be confused, or would she remember anything at all? The doctor didn’t have those answers for us. It would be a wait-and-see situation, but for us and potentially more innocent victims, waiting was dangerous. If coherent, Jane could break the case wide-open, and the actors involved could be behind bars in just days. Patience wasn’t my best virtue, but we didn’t have any other options. We had to stay in the area for at least another day, and we planned to check on Jane’s progress tomorrow too.
“Can we see her?” I asked.
“She’s in ICU, so only one person at a time can go in. Five minutes each. You need to be gloved, gowned, and masked,” the doctor said.
Renz gave me a nod. “Go ahead and do what you need to do.”
I knew he was speaking in code. We couldn’t reveal the fact that all the victims had brands, yet he wanted me to confirm that hers matched the others. I promised to take care of it and walked down the hall with Dr. Barnes.
We passed the guard and entered Jane’s private room in the ICU wing. The lights were off, and the patient beneath the blankets looked small. I could barely see her because of all the equipment and lines hooked up to her arms and head.
The doctor turned on the light next to the door but set the dimmer to low.
“May I see her brand? I need to make sure it’s the same as all the others.”
Dr. Barnes smiled. “I’m sure Jane won’t object.”
He lifted the blanket, moved aside her hospital gown, and showed me the all-too-familiar brand on her hip. It was a perfect match to the others.
I shook my head. What had all those victims gone through? I could only imagine, yet I didn’t have any facts to base my assumptions on.
“What do you think the odds are of her being able to tell us who did this to her?”
Dr. Barnes scratched his cheek. “Initially, fifty-fifty at best. Maybe better as time goes on.”
That answer wouldn’t do since time wasn’t on the side of anyone who remained in the crosshairs of that monster. He’d already killed five teenagers that we knew of and nearly ended Jane’s life too.
Chapter 38
I gave Renz a discreet nod as I returned to the room where the others waited. He knew what I meant—Jane Doe’s brand matched the rest of them. We were getting close, and I was sure the man and the ranch we sought were somewhere in that general area.
Renz took his turn in Jane’s room, then Tara and Byron did too. We said our goodbyes after that, promised to notify them if we found the man who’d harmed Jane, and thanked them for doing what they could to help her. We needed to continue on and had an appointment with Lester Clark, the medical examiner, who had the man possibly named Malcolm on his autopsy room table.
The medical examiner’s office was located at the back of the hospital and had its own entrance off the street. Renz drove around the building and parked, and we entered. After we told the receptionist who we were, she led us to Dr. Clark’s office, where she announced us then walked away.
Dr. Clark was a happy-looking man, considering his occupation. I wouldn’t have wanted his job, but that was just me. He appeared to be around fifty and had a recorder for dictation dangling from a lanyard around his neck. We spoke in his office for a few minutes before he led us to the chilly autopsy room.
He’d told us that John Doe was brought in on Tuesday by the hospital’s EMTs and several sheriff’s deputies. The body had likely been out in the elements for a solid day, considering the amount of damage it had sustained from wild animals. The fall itself had broken all of the man’s limbs, and his neck had been torn open by claws and teeth.
“I’d say the cat got to him first, then the fall occurred, and finally, the local wildlife took its toll on both John Doe and the dead cougar.” The doctor shook his head. “I can’t imagine a worse way to go. Just a heads-up, the body is in horrible shape.”
We’d seen bodies in horrible condition more times than I cared to admit, and we needed to look at him. With Dr. Clark leading the way, Renz and I passed through the swinging stainless steel doors.
From where we entered, I could already see the man—what was left of him—lying on the table. His head was so mangled that even if I’d taken a picture of him, nobody would recognize him. I wouldn’t feel comfortable showing the picture to anyone anyway. His arms had been chewed nearly to the bone, and the doctor explained that the broken-bone areas were the first spots to be gnawed on. Animals could smell blood from a great distance, he said, and since the bones had penetrated the muscle and skin during the fall, the wildlife took advantage of those torn-up bloody areas.
As we got closer, I grimaced. That man might have been somebody’s father or brother. He was definitely somebody’s son, yet at that point, he was an unrecognizable unknown. Even if his name was Malcolm, we didn’t have a last name to go with that. We needed to see the brand and be on our way. I wanted to hear what if anything Taft and the team had learned about the list from the auction houses and whether the name Malcolm was on that list—or known anywhere in Meagher County.
Dr. Clark raised the sheet on the man’s left side, exposing what was left of his leg, which wasn’t much. His hip was still intact, which gave us the opportunity to see the brand clearly. It matched the others.
Renz spoke up. “Did the man have any personal effects with him other than what was left of his clothes?”
The doctor pointed at a wall of cabinets across the room. “I put everything in a plastic bag in there just in case somebody came to claim him.”
“We’ll need to take a look at those items.”
“Certainly, Agent DeLeon.” He tipped his head at the box of gloves on the countertop. “Help yourself to the gloves.”
I gave him a thank-you nod, and we gloved up as the doctor retrieved the bag and set it on the table. Renz pulled out what was left of the clothing, mostly shredded pieces of cloth covered in dried blood. An oversized metal buckle was still attached to the belt in the pants
belt loops. The image on the front was of mountains similar to those native to the area. I gave the buckle a long look, but it didn’t hold any clues. I flipped it over, and the back was stamped Made in China. Then I pulled out a small bag that was still inside the large one.
“Check this out, Renz.” I opened the bag and dropped a gold ring into my palm. It had the same pattern as the brand on it. “What the heck?” I looked at the inner part of the ring, which had an inscription—For twenty years of dedication, B.O.
My eyes widened, but I didn’t want to say too much in front of the doctor. White Sulphur Springs was a small town, and I was sure word traveled fast.
“We’ll need to take these items back to the FBI headquarters with us, Dr. Clark. Do you have a sign-out sheet where we can document what we’ve taken?” I asked.
“Absolutely, and we’ll take care of that in my office.”
After we finished up at the medical examiner’s office, we thanked the doctor and left. Renz’s phone rang as we crossed the lot to our car.
When he pulled the phone from his pocket, he raised a brow. “It’s Taft.”
“Good. I hope they found something we can use.”
I waited quietly while Renz spoke to our boss. From what I could gather from his side of the conversation, our team had found nine customers from Montana who had been to every auction site. That in itself wasn’t unusual, but those names could be helpful when we contacted livestock auction houses in other states where bodies were found. We would see if those same names were on their customer lists too. By narrowing down the names to only a few who had gone to every state, we could see who was from Montana and pay them a visit.
Renz mentioned the initials B.O. and asked about the name Malcolm. Then he said okay and ended the call. “They don’t have anything on Malcolm yet, either as a first or last name, and they’ll check into those initials. She said they’re making progress on the auction houses. Sounds like Taft is going to reach out to the head personnel for the departments of livestock in Utah, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska and get the customer names to their auction houses too. It could take a few days unless she issues warrants for the immediate release of that information.”
