Elusive Identities: Cowboy Justice Association (Serials and Stalkers Book 1)

by Olivia Jaymes

  "We have the drawing to help now. I can try matching it to missing person reports."

  Knox looked up from the file, his brows raised. "Reed and Logan must have it out for you. This is pathetic. What did you do to piss them off? Aren't they best friends with your old man? You'd think they would have given you an easy one. Everyone knows that you're a shoo-in for this elite team."

  Stiffening at the mention of his dad, Chris's jaw tightened with anger. That little voice inside of him was saying to shut up but he'd never liked that inner voice. He was a real pain in the ass.

  "Fuck you, Knox. Every one of us have the exact same chances. I'm not getting any special treatment."

  This time. Throughout most of Chris's life though, he'd been treated differently than others because of who his father was. People had wanted to curry favor with the local lawman through his son. Sometimes it was overt but more often than not it was subtle, like when the principal would overlook some high school hijinks Chris had pulled.

  "You're certainly not by the looks of this case," Knox jeered, handing the file back. "They must think you’re Superman to be able to solve this. Your only clue is a drawing that may or may not be correct. It's only as good as the person who made it."

  "Maybe they gave it to me because they knew you couldn't handle it."

  Knox just laughed and shook his head. "You keep telling yourself that, Chris. In the meantime, I'll be solving my cold case and making this team."

  Chris nodded toward the shoulder of the highway where Knox had parked his truck. "You're welcome to leave. I don't need you here."

  "We're supposed to work together."

  "I'm not the one being an asshole. I told Logan this wasn't a problem but I'd forgotten what a prick you can be."

  Knox shook a finger under Chris's nose. "And you're an impetuous brat. You think you know better because your daddy's a legendary lawman. You don't know shit, little boy. You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for Sheriff Tanner Marks. You'd still be a junior deputy in some chicken shit little town in the middle of nowhere. Just admit it."

  The whole time that Knox had been speaking Chris had felt the red tide of anger rise inside of him, making the back of his neck hot. His fists clenched at his sides and he desperately wanted to take a swing at the man standing in front of him.

  He wasn't going to do that.

  Because if he did, he wouldn't get the job that he wanted so much. He also wouldn't be proving anything other than that he couldn't control himself, which was what Knox was hoping.

  Chris had learned quite a bit since getting sober and one of the most important things was how to fucking keep himself out of trouble. He'd found it far too often when he was younger and hell of a lot more stupid.

  The silence had stretched on between them and eventually Chris turned on his heel and walked halfway up the hill to scan the highway.

  "He would be seen from here," Chris said, keeping his voice even. He was going to act as if Knox hadn't said anything. "So why pick this place to dump Jane Doe? Does it have any significance? Was it just convenience?"

  At first, Chris didn't think Knox was going to acknowledge that he'd spoken but then the other man walked closer, pointing a finger at the overpass. "You should check and see how much of this was here thirty years ago. I think a lot of this construction is new. Did you check out the businesses and houses on the way? They all look like they'd been built in the last fifteen years or less. This may have been a hell of lot more secluded in 1989."

  Chris looked back at where Jane would have been left. "It's still a risky business. Those trees would have been smaller and less cover for him. So why here?"

  "It was on his way home. Or on the way to work. But it was familiar. He knew when there wouldn't be people watching, probably in the middle of the night or early morning."

  Chris nodded in agreement; they were slowly building their profile. "So he felt comfortable here. Maybe he lived in the area or in the surrounding areas, not more than twenty miles each way I'd guess. He knew this route well."

  "Because he drove it all the time."

  Chris studied the landscape and then opened the file folder to the few photos that were taken the day Jane was found. "She was discovered because a driver pulled over with a flat tire and then walked behind those bushes to take a leak. So he didn't necessarily want her found."

  "He wanted her found," Knox contradicted. "But not right away. He wanted to drive by all the time knowing that she was there. He liked having the secret. He got off on it. Smug bastard."

  Chris walked back down the embankment closer to where the drawing said that Jane was wrapped in a black tarp and partially covered with dirt and leaves. "Guys like that need the adrenaline rush, the thrill."

  "That's a good point. How much did he plan and how much was improvised?" Knox asked, his eyes squinting against the weak sunlight peeking through the clouds. It was beginning to rain again, a metaphor for this case if Chris had ever seen one. "Was your Jane a victim of opportunity or did he choose and stalk her?"

  "I have a better question. Did he know her? Was he someone she trusted?" Chris rubbed at his aching temples. He had the headache from hell after dealing with Stacey, Knox, and this case. "Sometimes it scares the shit out of me...having a daughter. I look at Annie and want to tell her that she shouldn't trust anyone but then I think that's a shitty way to live."

  Chris didn't know why he'd said that out loud, to Knox especially, but the other man didn't crack one of his usual jokes. His own expression was somber as well.

  "You do what you need to do to protect that little girl, Chris. If people saw what we've seen, fuck, they'd never leave their house." Knox pulled a camera out of a small leather bag that he'd had slung over his shoulder. Chris hadn't even noticed it until now, he'd been too distracted. "You want me to take some pictures? I brought this just in case. Camera phones just don't do the job."

  Knox was almost being nice. This wouldn't last. Chris assumed that he'd been given orders from Reed that they had to learn to work together.

  "That would be good. Thanks."

  See? I can be nice, too.

  Knox snapped several pictures and then tucked the camera away. "I'll email them to you. So what are the next steps?"

  "The obvious ones. Re-interview the guy that found her, use the new forensic rendering to look through missing person cases. I was also thinking of looking for similar crimes. My gut is telling me that this is not an isolated incident. I'm not feeling the whole crime of passion thing here with Jane, but it’s really too early to know."

  Chris didn't mention the woman he'd seen on the television last night. Her resemblance was probably just his imagination. He'd been thinking about this case too much and it had spilled over into his visual entertainment.

  Knox's lips twisted. "Looks like I'll be staring at file folders for the foreseeable future."

  "You don't have to help if you don't want to."

  It came out sounding more aggressive than Chris had planned but Knox had a way of pissing him off without really trying all that hard.

  "Hey, relax. You're really wound up today." Knox's phone chirped, interrupting their conversation. Or argument, depending on how one looked at it. He thumbed the screen and grinned, tapping out a reply. "Brew and Ryan are at the office but are getting ready to go for a beer. They want to know if we want to join them. I told them yes."

  Chris didn't drink beer anymore.

  "I'll take a raincheck–"

  "The hell you will," Knox said, slapping Chris on the back and pushing him toward their vehicles. "We're supposed to bond as a fucking team and that's what we're going to do. No one cares if you drink a soda. Let me repeat that. No one cares and if anyone gives you shit just deck 'em. You don't have to take anybody's shit about not drinking."

  That was one thing that was cool about Knox. When they'd worked together, he'd been a supporter of Chris's sobriety.

  "Jesus, Knox. You kiss your mama with that mouth?"

&
nbsp; "I've never had any complaints from the ladies about my mouth."

  "TMI, man. Keep that shit to yourself," Chris complained, unlocking his SUV as the cars whizzed by on the freeway. "No one wants to hear that."

  Knox gave him a mock salute. "See you back at the office. Last one there buys the first round."

  This might not be so bad. He and Knox could tolerate each other. In small doses. He'd spend some time with the other guys, too... Then he could size up the competition.

  Chris was determined to solve this case, get the job, and make a good life for himself and Annie. He was going to show everyone that he wasn't just Tanner Marks' son.

  Knox Owens could go fuck himself.

  5

  Chris didn't hang out in bars anymore and honestly, he didn't miss it much. If there was anything that he regretted leaving behind it was the camaraderie that he felt with a bunch of guy friends, playing pool or darts, or watching a game while eating greasy food that would eventually kill him in thirty years or so.

  The alcohol-fueled evenings? The fights? No, he didn't miss that at all.

  Even the sour smell of beer turned his stomach these days and luckily this bar didn't reek of it. Mostly he smelled pizza and nachos, his stomach growling in appreciation and letting him know that it had been hours since he'd last ate.

  The place was crowded and loud, but it had a casual sports bar sort of vibe. There were several women in the place as well, which usually meant that it wouldn't be too rowdy. At least until later tonight.

  Logan was at the head of the table drinking a beer and munching on an order of cheese fries. When he looked up and saw Chris and Knox approaching he waved them over, pushing out a chair with his boot.

  "Chris, Knox, I don't think you've been introduced to the team." Logan nodded toward the man on his right. Tall and muscular, he looked like a walking wall. He was fucking huge, dwarfing the chair he was sitting in. "This is Luke Brewster."

  Brew swallowed the bite of hamburger he was chewing and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. Call me Brew. Everyone does."

  Logan clapped a hand on the shoulder of the man to his left. "And this is Ryan Beck."

  Ryan wasn't quite as massive as Brew but he wasn't tiny, either. Dressed in faded denims, black leather jacket and boots, along with a silver hoop in one ear he looked more like a biker than a lawman. He'd been dressed more conservatively yesterday. He stood and reached over the table to shake their hands.

  "Nice to meet you. Have a seat. I'll get the waitress to get your order."

  The table was round so the way the chairs were situated meant that Chris was sandwiched between Brew and Knox. Brew and Ryan were having a friendly debate about a local sports team and every now and then Logan would chime in when his mouth wasn't full. The waitress took their orders and headed back to the kitchen after bringing their drinks.

  No one said anything about Chris's soft drink.

  Logan stuffed a few fries into his mouth and turned his attention to Chris and Knox. "So what are you guys up to today? Any progress?"

  Since Knox didn't speak up, Chris replied. "We went to see the dump site for my Jane Doe."

  Brew and Ryan immediately stopped speaking, their entire focus on Chris.

  Shifting his large frame in the small chair, Brew leaned forward so he could be heard over the din.

  "So what did you think?"

  "We need to learn more about how the surroundings looked back in 1989," Chris replied, taking a sip of his soda. "But we do think that the guy was familiar with the place. We think that he may have worked or lived nearby, maybe even drove by the site every day."

  Brew nodded, rubbing his chin. "It's also interesting that he made sure to dump the body out of the city and county where a smaller police force with less resources would have jurisdiction. It might mean that he planned it all carefully or that this wasn't his first go."

  Confused, Chris frowned, staring at Brew. "Are you familiar with the case?"

  Brew's cheeks reddened. "I may have looked through all the files. I was the first one into the office yesterday."

  Logan just laughed, elbowing his new recruit. "Brew has a masters degree in psychology so if any of you are having trouble with your profile, he's your guy."

  "That's great," Chris said to Brew. "Seriously, I'd love to hear any ideas that you may have."

  "That's what I love to hear," Logan said, pushing away his empty plate and rising to his feet. "Working together. That's how we're going to succeed. Now enjoy yourselves. I'm heading home to my family. See you all on Monday morning. We'll have a status meeting at nine."

  Everyone nodded and bid him goodbye. They all respected the hell out of Logan Wright. He'd brought in serial killer Wade Bryson not just once but twice. Of course, he simply said that the team did it. He was modest like that.

  "So what are your next steps?" Ryan asked as more food was placed on the table. "Review statements and forensics?"

  Brew laughed and shook his head. "He's got nothing, dude. Nada. No witnesses. No statements. No forensics. Thirty-year-old murder and they don't even know the name of the victim."

  Ryan's brows shot up and he blew out a slow breath. "And I thought they gave me a tough one. Shit, that's a challenge."

  Chris opened his mouth to say that he relished a challenge but Knox beat him to it. "He can handle it. His old man is Sheriff Tanner Marks from Springwood, Montana. He helped Logan and Reed bring in Wade Bryson."

  They'd all heard the stories. That's what made them want to work for Jason Anderson and his partners.

  Chris had put his anger with Knox away earlier but it came back fast and with force, his neck growing hot. "Fuck off, Knox. My dad doesn't have anything to do with this."

  Holding up his hand, Ryan gave Knox a dirty look. "I don't think our parental units should come into play here. We're either up to the job or we aren't. End of story."

  Knox shrugged. "That's what I think, too. I was just saying–"

  "Too damned much," Chris broke in. "It might be better to keep your mouth shut for once."

  Clearing his throat, Knox stood. "On that friendly note, I'm going to take a leak. Order me another beer if the waitress comes by."

  Pushing back his chair, the legs scraped the tile floor loudly. He strode away without a backward glance, leaving Chris with Brew and Ryan.

  "I kind of get the feeling you and Knox have some history. Am I right?" Brew asked, taking a long draw from his beer.

  "We do," Chris confirmed. "It's not a good one, to be honest."

  Ryan grinned and shook his head. "That's why Logan and Reed paired you to together. To see how you'd handle it. They're such assholes sometimes, but geniuses, too."

  Chris had already figured that out for himself. "We'll be fine. I won't kill him even if he deserves it."

  "He's just trying to get a rise out of you," Ryan said. "Just busting your balls. The less you react the less fun for him it will be."

  That sounded like advice Chris's dad had given him in grade school.

  "He wants this job," Ryan went on. "He's trying to get an advantage by knocking you off your game."

  "He's not."

  "That's good," Brew said. "Seriously, how is it going?"

  "That's a hell of a good question. I'm starting to build my profile after seeing the dump site today but I have long way to go. Now that we have a picture of Jane I'm going to look through the missing persons from that time, talk to the guy that found her, and also look for similar crimes." Chris hesitated but then went ahead. "I actually thought I saw a woman on the news last night that looked just like my Jane. Couldn't be, of course. She probably wasn't over thirty. I think I'd just stared at the drawing too long."

  Ryan pulled out his phone and thumbed the screen. "What was the channel you were watching? She could be a relative. It's a long shot but you never know."

  It was a long shot. A remote chance at best.

  "I was really tired but I think it was channel thirty-six. I'm honestly not s
ure."

  Holding his phone screen where Chris could see it, Ryan scrolled through some photos. "Any of these look familiar?"

  At first no, but then one caught Chris's eye. "That one. That's her."

  Brew leaned across the table and whistled softly. "Nice-looking woman."

  "Gabriella Scott," Ryan read off the screen. "Can't hurt to talk to her. Maybe your Jane is a long lost relative or something."

  Chris had to follow every path no matter how faint. On Monday morning, he'd go talk to Ms. Scott. He couldn't afford to overlook any potential clue.

  6

  The receptionist stuck her head around the wall of the cubicle. "Ella, there's someone here to see you."

  Ella didn't turn around, her focus on the document she was currently creating for Galen. It was a story proposal regarding a soon to be built luxury condominium community and the environmental impacts of the construction. He was going to hate it.

  "Can you tell them I'm busy?"

  "This will only take a second, ma'am."

  A deep voice. Definitely not Ellen's.

  Hitting the save button, Ella swiveled in her office chair only to find herself looking up. Way up. This man was tall. Maybe six-two or six-three. Handsome, too.

  "How can I help you?"

  He held out a hand for her to shake. His grip was warm and firm, not limp like so many people’s.

  "My name is Chris Marks and I work for a law enforcement consulting firm. I'm looking into a murder that occurred in this area thirty years ago. A Jane Doe that was never identified and her killer never found."

  Ella didn't have a clue as to what murder that was but she was already intrigued. He'd come to see her about it? Not the crime reporter three cubicles down?

  This better be worth my time.

  Quickly standing, Ella grabbed a chair from another cubicle and waved her guest into it. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Marks. What can I do for you?"

  The man sat down, an accordion file on his lap. "Please call me Chris. As I said I'm looking into this cold case from thirty years ago. The victim is a Jane Doe that has never been identified. With up-to-date forensic technology, a drawing of the woman has been created and I hope to be able to find out who she is."