by Hood, D. K.
Dropping into combat mode, she searched the room, running her hands over the few objects on the nightstand. When her fingers closed over her tracker ring, she almost whooped with joy. She depressed the stone and pushed it on her finger. It would take a few seconds for Kane to look at his phone. She dragged sweaters and jeans out her drawers. She tossed clothes to Jo, and as they dressed, she bent close to the ring. “Intruder, we are unarmed, no phones, no power. Someone is in the house.” She repeated the message three times and hoped Kane could hear her. “I need you here now.”
She slipped on a pair of shoes, all the better to kick with, and turned to Jo. “It will take some time for Kane and Carter to get here. We’ll have to take him down alone.”
“Okay, as sure as hell, I’m not sitting here waiting for him to get the drop on us.” Jo moved to her side. “He’s inside and we’re both trained for situations like this, although strategy isn’t my strength.”
Jenna nodded and took control. “We have two choices. Discover his location. One of us makes a diversion and the other attacks from behind.” Jenna lifted the dumbbell. “If you’re not up to that, we hightail it out the window and risk running across the yard to the safe room in the barn.”
“And get gunned down if he’s out there waiting for us.” Jo shook her head. “No, let’s take him down.”
“Okay.” Jenna eased open the door and listened. “He’s in the kitchen.” She went to the window and slid it open. A blast of freezing air slammed into her as she dropped the dumbbell to the ground. “Once I’m out, count to fifty and then distract him so I can get the drop on him. Then take cover. I’ll be coming through the front door.”
“Okay.” Jo picked up the dumbbell. “Go.”
Aware that she was leaving Jo, a mother with a young child at home, in danger, Jenna hustled out the window and hung from her fingertips before dropping to the ground. Ducking to avoid detection through the windows, she bolted around the house. The dogs barking and howling had reached ballistic but the noise covered her footfalls as she ran up the steps to the porch. The front door stood wide open and she turkey-peeked around the side window to look inside. A flashlight moved from side to side, heading toward the hallway. The intruder had his back to her. Heart near bursting through her rib cage, and with her adrenalin so high her teeth chattered, she gripped the dumbbell in her right hand, slipped through the front door and hid behind the sofa.
Aware that in a flashlight beam, her breaths of steam would shine out like a beacon, she pulled the neck of her shirt over her mouth. Floorboards creaked and the footsteps came closer. Her gut tightened. He’d turned around and was heading her way. In this position, she would be an easy target, and no amount of combat training would help her against a handgun. As if he could sense her close by, he stopped walking and stood in the middle of the room. The stream of light moved from side to side, so close it passed the edge of the sofa. As he directed his flashlight away, she crawled across the small gap to the next chair. From here she could see down the passageway.
A sound as if Jo had dropped a shoe came from her bedroom. The intruder moved into the hallway. Jenna could see his outline, tall and dressed in dark colors, and wearing a balaclava. When he headed to her bedroom door, she hoped Jo had taken cover. The next second the cat shot out of the room, its feet skidding on the polished floor. It headed straight out the front door and vanished into the night.
“Damn cat.” He made his way toward the door, floorboards creaking with every step.
Tense and ready to fight, Jenna got her feet under her and waited. Her heart pounded when the man shone his light into her room.
“Come out where I can see you.” His voice was loud in the quiet. “Move it or die where you stand.”
“Okay.” Jo appeared at the door. Her voice sounded calm and in control. “What do you want?”
“I ask the questions.” He motioned with the flashlight. “Get out here.”
Pushing down the urgent need to charge at the intruder, Jenna duck-walked to a better position. When Jo stepped into the hallway, bathed in the intruder’s flashlight, Jenna understood her motive. Jo wanted to keep him facing her to give Jenna the chance to attack from behind, but she’d put herself in danger. She might have an instant to either attack or distract the man.
Jenna pressed her ring again. The connection would be open to Kane’s phone and he’d be able to hear everything. Recording the conversation would happen automatically.
“Agent Blake, so we meet at last. Just the person I’m looking for.” He held the gun in his left hand and had it pointed at her head. “Where’s the sheriff?”
“At the Cattleman’s Hotel with Kane and Carter. It’s just you and me. Do I know you?” Jo lifted her chin and blinked into the light. “Drop that light out of my eyes if you want me to talk to you.”
“Oh, the demanding type. Hmm, I gathered as much.” He dropped the light a fraction. “We haven’t met but you’ve seen my work. Did you enjoy my Halloween murders?” He laughed. “Oh, I can see you’re already trying to psychoanalyze me. Don’t bother—better people than you have tried. I’m in the too-hard basket and you won’t be living long enough to write a paper on me.”
“Who am I speaking to?” Jo’s confident voice didn’t quiver as she stared down the muzzle of the gun. “I’m sure you hide behind many faces. Can I speak to the one who isn’t a mass murderer?”
“Mass murderer?” He shook his head slowly. “I don’t do mass murder. You see, blaming me for everything was your first mistake.”
“So, why did you come to Black Rock Falls?” Jo hadn’t moved an inch. “To kill Lucas Robinson? That was a very professional hit, much like the ones in Baltimore.”
“Yeah, I did him.” The man waved a hand as if encompassing the town. “I admit, coming back to Black Rock Falls unleashed the beast in me. The memories I have of living here eat me up inside. When I received a message from Robinson’s wife, I asked the reason she wanted him dead. She told me he has affairs and beats her. That’s two darn good reasons to kill him, I figure. When she wanted his girlfriend taken care of as well, I obliged—for a price. The bonus was killing him in her house. She had no idea I planned to blow his brains out right beside her. I stood outside the front door and watched her—man, she went crazy. It took all of my willpower not to pop her as well.” He chuckled but it carried no humor. “Being paid to get rid of problems is how I survive.”
“And the two men in Stanton Forest?” Jo hadn’t moved an inch. “Who paid you to kill them?”
“Those smartass guys wanted to kill me. They tried to run me off the road.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “They made me pissed so I killed them. Need any more info? Want to know how I felt killing them?”
“I wouldn’t waste my time psychoanalyzing you. You’re not interesting at all.” Jo sounded bored and folded her arms over her chest. She was trying to make him shift personalities. “Let me speak to the man who enjoys his work. I want to know why he is killing everyone and leaving a black feather. If you’re not the one in charge, who is?”
Jenna crept to within a few yards of the man. She could see him quite clearly in a shaft of moonlight. His finger was not on the trigger but resting above, and she had to make a split-second decision when to jump him before he shot Jo. She’d launch herself at him the moment she had the chance. Then a sound came from him that made her hair stand up on end. It was the voice of a child.
“Don’t call him out, lady.” The gun had dropped to his side. “He does terrible things and says it’s payback for our mom. He won’t listen to us. I’ve told him she wouldn’t want him to be like Pa.” He let out a little sob. “The feather is Mom. It’s her name. He kills them for her.”
The killer had shown a weakness, and without hesitation, Jenna launched herself at him, dumbbell raised. She brought it down on his head and they crashed to the floor in a pile of limbs. She looked up to see Jo dash into the cover of the bedroom, and the gun and flashlight spun away over the polished woo
den floor and into her bedroom. “The gun, grab the gun.”
“I can’t find it.” Jo scrambled around the floor. “We need him alive, Jenna.”
Jenna stared after her. “Yeah, I have some questions. Why the hell is he here, for one?”
She rolled away to sit on the floor, convinced he was down for the count. To her astonishment, the man’s eyes popped open and he moaned. He surged up, and turned toward her. With a roar, Jenna swung the heavy weight, striking him across his kneecaps. The man howled, spun away, and dropped heavily to his chest.
“Bitch! I’ll deal with you next.” He dragged himself toward the bedroom door.
Would nothing stop him? Jenna went up on her knees and took aim for the back of his head, but as if gauging her moves, he reared up and the blow grazed his shoulder.
“You’re making me angry, Sheriff. I didn’t come here to fight you.” He pushed up from the floor and turned to look at her with a bloodstained smile.
Jenna heaved a sigh of relief as Jo appeared at the door and aimed the pistol at him. “Give it up, it’s over.”
“It’s over when I say it’s over.” His confident grin sent a shiver of uncertainty through Jenna. “I came here for her.” He shot a glance at Jo as if completely oblivious to the gun she held on him. “I don’t like the lies you’ve been telling about me and it’s not good for my reputation.” He shook his head, sending blood spots flying, and started to crawl toward Jo again. “I need to teach you a lesson.” One large hand reached for Jo’s ankle.
“Touch me and I’ll splatter your brains all over the wall.” Jo aimed at his head.
“Go ahead. I’m the one you can’t kill.” He spat blood and glared at her through the skull-like sockets in his balaclava, his blood-covered lips appearing black in the moonlight.
When he suddenly laughed, Jenna reassessed the situation. Was his weapon loaded? He seemed overconfident and in control. This was one dangerous and very strong man. She shoved him hard in the back. “Stay down.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” He rolled to one side and grasped the front of Jenna’s shirt.
Jenna jabbed him in the face with the dumbbell and sprang away. Shocked as the intruder reared up, she jumped to her feet and faced him. She had to take him down but keep him alive. As Jo took a step forward, Jenna could see the muzzle of the Glock in the moonlight. “Hold your fire.”
Without hesitation, Jenna kicked out his legs and he fell hard, bouncing on the wooden floor. “Stay down.”
“You’re both going to die.” His head whipped around to look at her. “I’m going to make you pay for this.”
Jenna jumped on his back, straddling him and forcing his face into the floor. Under her, he bucked, pawing at her legs and trying to dislodge her. He had amazing strength, and the persona coming out was as mad as hell. As he pushed up, she swung the dumbbell at the back of his head, and he hit the floor hard, rattling the picture on the wall.
Sure he was out, she looked up at Jo. “Grab the flashlight. I have spare flexicuffs in my nightstand. Top drawer on the right.” She dragged his arms behind him, and seconds later, Jo was thrusting the flexicuffs in her hand.
They hog-tied him, and by the time they’d finished, he was fully conscious and another personality had emerged. This one was threatening to disembowel them. Jenna sat on the floor, her back to the wall, breathing heavily.
“You should’ve killed me when you had the chance.” The man blinked into the flashlight. “You’ll never be safe again, Sheriff.” He looked at Jo. “And you’re already dead, lady.”
“Shut up.” Jenna glared at him, pushed to her feet, and went to Jo’s side.
“This guy knows too many details; he has to be involved in the Chameleon Killings.” Jo looked at her but the weapon remained trained on him. “Kelly must have been his accomplice.”
“It’s sure looking that way. DNA doesn’t lie. Kelly had to be involved in at least Ruby’s murder.” Jenna sighed. “Is that gun loaded?”
Keeping well away from the intruder, she clung to the dumbbell as Jo checked the clip.
“Yeah. It’s loaded.” Jo aimed at the man’s head.
Jenna spoke into her tracker ring. “Kane, the intruder is secured, we’re okay.” She pressed the ring again, stopping the transmission, and stared at the man. “Who the hell are you?” She cautiously leaned forward and ripped off his balaclava, and as Jo lit up his face, Jenna stared at him in disbelief. “How is this possible?” She gaped in astonishment at the wild tiger eyes of Brad Kelly.
Fifty-One
The moment Jenna’s message came through, Kane headed to his truck. His gut wrenched as he listened to the voice of a psychopath and Jenna and Jo fighting for their lives.
“What’s happening?” Carter jogged to his side, pulling on his jacket.
Kane pressed his phone to his ear, not wanting to miss anything. “Someone’s broken into the ranch.”
“Jo and Jenna are more than capable of taking care of an intruder.” Carter laughed. “I doubt anyone could get the drop on them.”
Kane took long strides toward his truck. “Some crazy psychopath took out the power and has their weapons.”
“What?” Carter stared at him. “Let’s go, man. How come you’re not barking advice?”
Kane frowned. “He got their phones as well. The audio is coming through Jenna’s tracker—we all have them, they’re one-way communication devices that trigger a recording on my phone.”
As Jenna gave the all clear, Kane climbed behind the wheel and tossed the phone to Carter. The Cattleman’s Hotel sat on the outskirts of town and they were twenty minutes away from Jenna’s ranch. If the intruder broke free, he might find both women slaughtered on his arrival. He left rubber on the road as they screamed out of the parking lot.
“Who could it be?” Carter tightened his seatbelt. “Any enemies?”
Kane accelerated, pushing the pedal to the floor as they flashed alongside Stanton Forest, his headlights barely cutting through the thick swirling mist. “Too many to count. There’s a bigger problem. If he cut the power, the backup generator should have kicked in in seconds. It’s very reliable and I check it every Sunday like clockwork.”
“With your setup, no one could get onto the ranch to cut the power.” Carter looked at him. “If it were me, I’d shoot out the transformer at the end of the road. Jenna is the only occupied house along that road. She mentioned the snowplow guy had left recently for Florida. No one would be home to report the problem.”
Kane flicked on the wig-wag lights and headed down the center of town. Apart from the Halloween ghosts and ghouls in a sea of white fog, not a soul loitered on Main Street, and it was just as well as he blew through town doing ninety and hit the road to Jenna’s ranch in record time. They slowed and Kane hung out the window and aimed his Maglite at the ruined transformer before taking off again at speed. “You got that right, but it doesn’t account for the generator.”
“What about the old guy you had working there the day we arrived? Tom?” Carter hung on as the truck slid around a corner. “He could’ve disabled it. You said he was short of money. Maybe he decided to break in.”
It seemed inconceivable to Kane that a man Jenna had helped would try to kill her at the first opportunity. He shrugged and aimed the truck along the dark highway. “He didn’t act like a psychopath and has no ax to grind with Jenna. He needed work and Jenna was feeding him jobs.” He glanced at Carter. “Unless he was after Jo.”
“How would he know Jo? It’s her first time in town.” Carter rubbed his chin. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” His phone rang. “It’s Jo.”
“Are you okay?” Carter placed his phone on speaker.
“Yeah. Close call but all those early-morning training sessions came through for Jenna.” Jo sounded bemused. “How the hell did Sam Cross get Kelly out of custody?”
“He what?” Carter frowned. “Beats me. Nobody informed us. As far as I know a chopper picked him up and transported h
im to county.”
“Yeah, that’s what Rowley said.” It was Jenna’s voice on the line. “So how come he’s hog-tied in my hallway?”
* * *
Kane pulled up beside Jenna’s cruiser and dashed inside the house. The lights were blazing. Jenna had started the generator. He stared at the prisoner in disbelief and then back at Jenna. “Carter confirmed the county jail has eyes on Brad Kelly. If he’s there, who the hell is that?”
“He’s not saying but from the uncanny resemblance, he has to be Brad’s missing brother, Scott. Obviously, Scott Kelly didn’t die in the forest after all. It would make sense as the search team haven’t found a trace of his remains.” Jenna looked at him. “I’ve read him his rights. We’ll have to haul him into the office and lock him up for the night. I’ve arranged for deputies from Blackwater to watch him. We’ll haul him downtown as soon as they’re on their way. I can’t send him to county without an arrest warrant, and that’s going to be a problem as he refuses to give his name.”
“What’s your name?” Carter crouched down and looked at the prisoner.
“Take your pick.” The prisoner narrowed his gaze and his voice changed to a slow drawl. “This morning I was Tom Dickson, out of Saddle Creek. Sorry about the generator, Sheriff, but I only flipped the switch to off.”
“You’re not Tom.” Jenna stared down at him. “Tom is at least thirty years your senior and has brown eyes, gray hair, and wrinkles.”
“Oh yeah, poor old Tom.” He chuckled. “He never has any cash. Maybe he uses that disguise to get close to his victims. Have you never heard of contact lenses and wigs, Sheriff? The wrinkles spray on and just peel off.” He smiled at her. “When I added the limp and the old coat I found in a dumpster, I had you all feeling sorry for me, huh?”
