by Hood, D. K.
Intrigued, Jenna turned to Jo. “How come you didn’t catch the killer?”
“In the end, I came to the conclusion we were either dealing with a master of disguise or a killer with multiple personalities.” Jo tapped the file. “I agree with Carter. This could be the same man. He might not be aware he’s dressing differently or using his left or right hand because he sees himself as whatever personality emerges. He might work for a cartel as a hitman, hence the clean kills, but then crazy Brad breaks out and goes on a killing spree as Kane described. If so, this personality is unpredictable and he can’t control it. We had boots on the ground, a huge taskforce, and we couldn’t catch him. If this is Brad Kelly and he’s exhibiting yet a different personality, this latest one is far more dangerous than all the others put together.”
Forty-One
The wind had picked up again, piling multicolored leaves in the gutters and bringing the promise of snow. Kane stared down the street and had the strange feeling he’d stepped onto the set of a supernatural movie. The Halloween bunting on Main danced around and made strange howling noises. The plastic skeletons hanging from the streetlights appeared to be waving and grinning at the constant flow of traffic. Witches with long white hair sitting around a cauldron outside the general store seemed to come to life as their clothes flapped. Strings of plastic jack-o’-lanterns swung back and forth above the storefronts, making a clattering sound. Kane tossed his Stetson on the back seat, dug in his jacket pocket for his black woolen hat, and pulled it down over his ears. He wondered what Duke was doing all alone at home and slid behind the wheel. “Duke would’ve enjoyed a trip to the res.”
“Maybe we won’t have to go to the res.” Jenna pulled out her phone. “I’ll call Atohi. He might be in town.”
Kane smiled at her. “Good thinking.”
“Atohi, it’s Jenna. We need a chat, where are you?”
“I’m close to town. Do you want me to come into the office?”
“No, how about meeting us at Aunt Betty’s?”
“Sure.”
“Is Brad with you?” Jenna flicked a glance at Kane.
“Nope, he’s parked outside the mortician’s as far as I know. I’ve been with the team searching the forest for Scott’s remains.”
“Okay, we’ll see you soon.” She disconnected and looked at Kane. “Do we have time to do a drive-by and see if he’s there?”
Kane started the engine and backed out. “Sure. Are you planning on speaking to him?” He headed down Main toward the funeral parlor.
“No, right now all we have is suspicion. We’ll need more evidence. Maybe after we’ve spoken to Atohi. If he can verify Brad’s whereabouts and they check out, we’re going to have to look elsewhere for a suspect.”
The idea of seeing the funeral parlor decked out for Halloween amused Kane, and he chuckled under his breath. “I hope the mortician didn’t go all out for Halloween.”
“Oh…” Jenna snorted and covered her mouth but the giggle still escaped. “That would be in terribly bad taste.” She gathered herself and looked at Kane. “I couldn’t help picturing it… sorry. I don’t know where these thoughts come from. You are such a bad influence on me, Dave.”
Kane turned the corner and they slowed to drive past an old truck parked on the side of the road. Inside they could plainly see Kelly in the driver’s seat, looking at his phone. “Hmm, well at least he’s where he said he would be.” He turned into the mortician’s driveway. “Wait here, I’ll go ask how long he’s been out there.”
He slid out the truck. Inside, it was as cold as the morgue and had the smell of embalming fluid mixed with the scent of flowers that always seemed to hang around funeral parlors. He rang the bell on the front counter and waited. A man walked through a door and closed it behind him; he looked familiar but wasn’t Max Weems.
“I’m looking for Mr. Weems.”
“I’m Weems, unless you want my pa, Max Weems.” The young man met his gaze. “He’s busy right now. How can I help you?”
Kane recalled Max Weems had a son and smiled. “Have you noticed the truck parked outside?”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it. It belongs to a guy by the name of Brad Kelly. He figures his mom’s remains are here and he needs to be close by. My pa reckons we just let him be.”
“Yeah, it would be best.” Kane nodded in agreement. “How long has he been there this time?”
“I have no idea. He comes and goes.” Weems shrugged. “I’m far too busy to watch his movements.”
“I understand.” Kane pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to him. “If he causes a problem, give me a call.”
“I will.” Weems glanced at the card. “Thanks, Deputy Kane.”
Kane hustled back to his truck and they sped off toward Aunt Betty’s Café. “We lucked out. Weems’ son knows Kelly’s name, but he hasn’t been keeping tabs on him.”
“Uh-huh.” Jenna was looking at her phone. “I just ran his plates. He only purchased that truck ten days ago.” She looked at him. “So, he came here by air or bus.”
“Atohi will know.” Kane slid his truck into a parking space outside Aunt Betty’s and turned to look at her. “How do you want to play this, Jenna?”
“You talk to him, he likes you.” Jenna bit her bottom lip. “It won’t seem so formal either. I’ve always trusted him. I hope he doesn’t prove me wrong.”
Concerned, Kane frowned. “I like him too, he’s a good guy. I’m rarely wrong about people.”
Inside the café, they ordered a meal at the counter and went to their table at the back. It was cozy inside Aunt Betty’s, and Kane removed his hat, gloves, and jacket before sitting down. He inhaled the delicious aroma of freshly baked pie and grinned at Jenna. “Can you smell that? Hmm, Saturday’s special, peach pie.”
“So I gathered when you ordered two for now and six to go.” Jenna shook her head slowly. “You planning on hibernating over winter?”
Kane leaned back in his chair and flicked his gaze over her. “It wouldn’t hurt you to eat more. We burn so many more calories in the cold and you’re getting skinny.”
“I am not!” Jenna’s cheeks pinked. “I gave Jo my jeans because I’ve put on so much weight since I arrived here.”
Kane shook his head. “Then you must have been skin and bones… Not surprising after what you went through. I’ve known you for a couple of years now and you’ve created an entirely different body shape since we started working out.” He smiled up at Susie Hartwig as she arrived with their coffee. “Trust me, with our workload, not eating will make you ill.”
“Ah… you wanted to see me?” Atohi Blackhawk looked from one to the other.
Astonished by his silent entrance, Kane looked up at him. No one ever managed to sneak up on him, and he’d let his guard down with a serial killer in town. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, pull up a chair. Can I get you something to eat?”
“I have a slice of peach pie coming.” Atohi smiled. “Best pie in town.”
“Don’t start him on pie again.” Jenna laughed. “All he thinks about is his next meal.”
“I’m much the same.” Atohi frowned. “How can I help you?”
Kane took a sip of his coffee and noticed Susie coming back with a cup and a tray. He waited for her to pass the plates around and pour Atohi’s coffee before looking at him. “We’ve had a number of murders this week, eight so far—”
“What?” Atohi’s horrified expression met his. “You’re joking, right?”
Kane shook his head slowly. “Nope, and nobody knows any details, but we trust you and need some information. Can you tell me the significance of feathers in your culture?”
“Okay.” Atohi’s large hands slid around his coffee cup and he raised his gaze to look at Jenna. “You believe the killer is one of my people?”
“The two suspects we have are both Caucasian but the feather seems significant. One has been left at the crime scene.”
“Then it is not one of my people. A feather isn’t
something you stuff your pillows with; to us they symbolize honor, power, and wisdom, to name a few things. If a chief gives one, it means the person is very special; it is like a medal of honor. Finding an eagle feather is an amazing gift as they have a special connection to the heavens.”
Kane nodded. “So, what significance would it mean to leave one at a crime scene?”
“Let me ask you.” Atohi raised one eyebrow. “If you found something precious, would you taint it with blood?”
“No, I wouldn’t, but whoever is doing this is leaving a message.” Kane leaned back in his chair. “The crow feathers mean something to him.”
“Crow?” Atohi sipped his coffee, his pie forgotten. “Young warriors used turkey feathers in their hair; boys, not men worthy of wearing an eagle’s feather. Such feathers are earned for bravery not given out like candy.” He thought for a long moment. “Crows mean wisdom. They speak the truth, and some say they lead the hunter. Perhaps this killer is on a mission to find the truth, but throwing a feather on the ground is disrespectful. Feathers are displayed not hidden away.” He looked at Kane with a deeply troubled expression. “This killer, if he is one of my people, is lost in his own mind.”
Kane looked him straight in the eye. He hated asking the next question but he had no choice. “I have to ask you something and I don’t want you to take offense because I’m asking as a deputy.”
“You want to know about Brad?” Atohi sighed. “He isn’t the same person as the cousin I grew up with; he’s changed. He was silent for so many years, we never really understood what had happened to him. When he returned, he had so much rage inside, he blamed himself for not returning to the forest.” He lifted his chin. “Honestly, I don’t know him anymore, but since they took his mother’s remains to the funeral home, he’s calmed some.”
The remorse from Atohi washed over Kane and he swallowed hard. “Could the crow feathers be significant to him?”
“Yeah, the Crow raised his mother; her father was Crow. She came back to us with her mother when he died. It is possible Brad is aware of his heritage.”
Kane refilled his coffee cup from the pot on the table and then added cream and sugar. “When did Brad get to the res, and was he driving the truck then?”
“He arrived maybe a couple of weeks ago. I was away working when he showed up, and as far as I know he came in his truck.” Atohi shrugged. “He’s not a freeloader; he brought plenty of supplies with him and gave them to my mother, cash as well. He was grateful for all the years she cared for him.”
“Okay.” Kane moved to the next step. “Do you remember speaking to a waitress in here by the name of Ruby Evans?”
“Yeah, Brad asked her out for a coffee last night but she was a no-show.” Atohi looked from one to the other. “How do you know about her?”
“Ruby mentioned the date to Susie Hartwig. The problem is, someone murdered her on Thursday night.” Kane watched his shocked reaction. “Out at the Old Mitcham Ranch.”
“What!” Atohi shook his head. “I can’t believe it. She was so nice, Brad didn’t think he had a chance. He was shocked when she agreed to go out with him.”
Kane took a sip of his coffee. “Did Brad mention ever going out to the Old Mitcham Ranch?”
“Nope.” Atohi pulled his plate close and lifted his fork. “I can only account for his whereabouts when I was with him. Outside that, I don’t know where he went. Same as since we found the bones. I left him to camp in the forest on Thursday night and took food out to him on Friday around nine. We talked about his date, and he was looking forward to it.” He met Kane’s gaze. “He didn’t sound like a person who’d just murdered her. As far as I know, he’s camped out there since we found the remains and only moved when the forensic team took the remains to the funeral parlor. I can’t imagine him leaving his mom alone to go off and murder people. Yeah, he’s acting a little crazy right now, but everything in his past has just come crashing down on him. But killing people? I don’t think so.”
Forty-Two
Mind in turmoil, Jenna stared blankly out the window of Kane’s truck for several minutes after taking a call from Wolfe. The trace evidence found under Ruby’s fingernails was a viable sample and likely from her killer. Now all she needed was DNA from her suspects for comparison, but her chances of getting samples from lawyered-up Kyler Hall and Cliff Young would be impossible. Although, getting a visual would be better than nothing, and if either of them had scratches on their faces, she’d give their attorney, Sam Cross, the option of them giving a voluntary sample or her getting a court order. She looked over at Kane, who was watching her with interest. “I know Brad Kelly has a scratch on his chin, so we go see him first, and then we pay Kyler Hall and Cliff Young another visit.”
“Whatever Hall and Young say, it won’t be admissible; they’ve already requested a lawyer.” Kane started the engine. “You’ll have to go through Cross.”
Jenna rolled her eyes. “That man drives me crazy.” She fastened her seatbelt. “I just want to look at them and see if they have any injuries. I won’t say a word.”
“Okay.” Kane turned onto Main Street. “I guess you want to speak to Kelly first? I have plenty of DNA collection kits in the back.”
Interested to discover how Brad Kelly would react to her questions, Jenna nodded. “Yeah, let’s see what he has to say. I’ll question him and we’ll watch his reaction. My gut tells me to haul him in for questioning, but everything we have against him is hearsay at best.”
“If he is suffering from dissociative identity disorder, it may depend on which personality he is using today.” Kane glanced at her and then back at the road. “He mentioned not remembering the actual murder when he arrived at the res. It all came back some years later when the cops told him his father had died.”
This puzzled Jenna and it didn’t explain how a person could suddenly have a split personality. “You and Jo believe he has multiple personalities, right?”
“We came to the conclusion the killer may have, that’s why he hasn’t been caught.” Kane pulled over and turned to her. “Brad Kelly isn’t necessarily the killer, but a lot of what happened to him could push a person into multiple personality disorder.”
“How so?”
“When terrible things happen to kids, it’s possible they take on safe personalities.” A nerve twitched in Kane’s cheek. “If a child suffers prolonged abuse, some create a different person in their mind, so the abuse isn’t happening to them. When this happens, it can have a cumulative effect. So every stress that they face growing up is covered by a different personality— a front man, if you like—who can cope with the pressure. For instance, the guy who shows up for the interview may be confident, but the child who remains inside as a personality is withdrawn and can’t speak.” He waved a hand toward the truck parked outside the funeral parlor. “Atohi said Brad was different from when he left, angry, so get-even Brad might be out at the moment. He might be hiding savage-psychopath Brad.”
Amazed by his knowledge, Jenna sucked in a breath. “So how could he be the Chameleon Killer? How do we know if this is the same man?”
“Dissociative identity disorder is categorized by a person displaying two or more distinct personalities. It’s as if they carry different characters inside them and pull out the one best suited to handle the problem. Each personality often has a different name and age because they manifest at different times, so they have the age from when they emerged. They often have different characteristics, like accents and walking styles, they smoke, don’t smoke, drink coffee or only drink tea. Being left- or right-handed is another possibility.” He sighed. “The biggest problem is you never know who you’re speaking to at any given time. Some have a dominant personality but it usually depends on the situation they’re facing.”
“So how many are aware of what the others are doing?” Jenna swallowed hard. “Do they know?”
“Some do and some have missing time, blackouts.” Kane scratched his cheek. “Those who
don’t know, it’s a shock because that personality is often a normal person. This isn’t like a psychopath, Jenna. Most of these people are harmless and can be helped.” He sighed. “On the other end of the scale, if the dominant personality is a psychopath, he’ll know what everyone is doing. He controls the team and sometimes refuses to allow the normal ones to emerge.”
Jenna pushed a hand through her hair, considering the implications. “So if Brad Kelly is the killer, we could trigger another episode?”
“Maybe, maybe not.” Kane shrugged. “If we don’t make him defensive, he’d have no reason. Hang on a minute. You’re assuming he’s guilty. If I remember, the other suspects became a little upset when we spoke to them.”
“Okay.” Jenna turned her attention to the truck parked about a hundred yards away. “Let’s do this.”
When Kane pulled in behind Brad Kelly’s truck, Jenna noticed Brad look at them in his mirror. To her surprise, he turned, gave them a wave, and climbed out.
She walked up to him. “Afternoon.”
“Sheriff Alton and Deputy Kane.” Brad looked from one to the other, his strange eyes examining them closely. “Has the undertaker complained about me sitting here all day?”
Jenna shook her head. “No, we haven’t had a complaint. I’m sorry but we have some bad news.” She straightened. “The girl you met in Aunt Betty’s Café, Ruby Evans, she’s dead.”
“Dead?” Brad’s eyebrows crinkled into a deep frown. “When? She was supposed to meet me for a coffee last night and didn’t show.” He stared at Jenna. “What happened to her? Did she have an accident?”
He appeared genuinely shocked and Jenna had a pang of regret for being so blunt with him. “I’m afraid somebody murdered her.”
“Who would murder her?” Brad scrubbed his hands down his face. “This town is cursed. I’m cursed. If she hadn’t agreed to go out with me, she’d be okay.”
“What do you mean by that?” Jenna watched him closely. “Did you have anything to do with her death?”
