Cold Case Manhunt

by Jenna Night

  “Right.” She nodded. And then winced because her neck hurt. “I know that.”

  Cassie heard some kind of commotion behind her. It was outside Bergman’s office, in the open bullpen area of the police station.

  Bergman looked past her shoulder toward the noise. As usual, the expression on his face was unreadable. “Have you two been following the local news this afternoon?” he asked.

  “I haven’t,” Cassie said, glancing at Leon.

  “Neither have I.” Leon looked at the sergeant. “Why?”

  Cassie tried to turn to see what was happening behind her, but her hips and legs had grown even more stiff and sore while she’d been sitting in Bergman’s office, which made her movements painful and slow. She decided it wasn’t worth the effort.

  “The attacks on you have made the news, understandably, and drawn a little extra attention from Mayor Al Downing and several of his closest associates on the city council.”

  “How so?” Cassie asked.

  “In covering the story, both local news stations mentioned Jake and the fact that his murder remains unsolved. That got quite a reaction from viewers, with lots of comments on social media. So the reporters have given the cold case some fresh exposure and the mayor has weighed in with comments that he can’t believe it’s been five years and still no suspects have been brought to justice.”

  “Is his concern sincere or is this meant to help his next reelection campaign?” Leon asked.

  Bergman ignored his question.

  “You know what?” Cassie said. “I don’t even care. It doesn’t matter. If we can find Seth Tatum and develop any leads from the information he has to offer, and the mayor backs a reinvigorated investigation into those leads, including extra funding if necessary, then that’s enough for me. If Downing gets some kind of personal, political credit for it—especially if the case is finally solved—I don’t care. That’s fine.”

  She’d barely finished her sentence when the sounds behind her became louder and turned from a vague rumble of noise into distinct words.

  “I think a quick chat with the lead investigator on the case to get caught up on the details would be warranted,” a voice said, and then a familiar-looking man in a navy blue suit stepped into the office. Two other men in suits, who had apparently accompanied him, stayed outside the open door.

  “Bergman.” The man addressed the detective, who nodded in return.

  Mayor Al Downing then turned to Cassie and Leon.

  Cassie knew who he was. She’d seen him on TV and around town a few times, but she’d never spoken to him before. He’d been running for his first term when Jake had been murdered, so his election and early days in office were a blur to her.

  The mayor introduced himself to Cassie and Leon, shaking hands with each of them, before pulling up a chair and placing it so he could sit by Cassie. “I won’t take much of your time,” he said. “I just want you to know that everything that’s happened to you last night and today has reminded all of us how grateful we are for your late husband’s service to our community and the State of Idaho.”

  “Thank you,” Cassie said.

  “The city council and I are in unanimous agreement that putting renewed vigor into solving your husband’s case and capturing the killer has to be a top priority.” He glanced at Bergman. “We’ll find a way to free up extra funding to pay for investigators’ overtime if need be. This case has remained unsolved for far too long.”

  Five years, Cassie thought. Five very long years.

  “I appreciate this,” she said.

  Maybe the attacks on her, despite how horrible they were, could be turned to good. Maybe this would be what it took to light a fire and get multiple people focused on finding her husband’s killer. Sergeant Gabe Bergman was an excellent detective, but he was only one man. And while he had just pointed out that he had other investigators working with him, the fact was the police department still had to budget time and money for investigating current crimes.

  Downing had made a decent career for himself arranging funding for businesses in town and especially for property development. That, in turn, had brought in more people, more investors, and more money that had revitalized the former logging town and made it a better place for everyone to live. There were a few naysayers who pointed out that he and his friends had made money off the improvements, too. But at the end of the day, everyone had benefitted. And since he was a man who got things done, maybe Cassie had reason to hope, after all. Despite the fact that they had no solid leads on the attacks on her or on Jake’s murder as of the moment.

  “You take care of yourself and be careful,” the mayor said as he got to his feet. “And if there’s anything I can do for you, call my office anytime.” He returned his chair, offered a quick goodbye to everyone in the office, and then stepped back out into the bullpen area to rejoin his colleagues. Cassie could hear their voices fading as they walked away.

  “Well, that’s encouraging,” she said, slowly getting to her feet. “And right now I could really use the encouragement.”

  Leon and Bergman also stood.

  “We’ll be doing everything we can,” Bergman said.

  “Our first priority will be to remain vigilant,” Leon said, looking meaningfully at Cassie. “This renewed focus on Jake’s case is a good thing. But it’s also stirring up some serious trouble.”

  He was right. But there was no way Cassie would back down from pursuing justice for her late husband.

  * * *

  Dinner at North Star Ranch that night was subdued with just the ranch residents plus Leon at the table. Leon was fairly certain that Harry and Martin and their wives had been asked to stay away, probably by Adam, so that Cassie could get some rest. Otherwise, they’d be here. Because it was circle-the-wagons time.

  Leon was a little surprised that Adam hadn’t reacted more strongly to the attack on Cassie earlier in the day when he’d rushed to the urgent care medical facility to see for himself what kind of shape she was in. But Adam did have decades of experience in keeping himself and other people calm in harrowing situations. If it weren’t for the rheumatoid arthritis issues he’d developed, he would probably still be running the daily operation of Rock Solid Bail Bonds himself instead of handing it over to his daughter. From what Leon could see, the medicines and therapies Adam took helped much of the time. But some days were obviously rough for him.

  Leon sat at the dining room table beside Cassie, having already quickly cleaned his plate. He hadn’t realized how long he’d gone without eating until he and Cassie had walked through the door and the mouthwatering scent of meat loaf glazed with barbecue sauce had practically assaulted him. Sherry and Jay had hugged Cassie and asked her how she was holding up. They hadn’t gone overboard with their concern, which Cassie appeared to appreciate.

  “I might need you to hang out at the downtown office for the next few days,” Cassie said to her dad after setting her utensils on her empty plate when she was finished eating and sitting back in her chair.

  Leon was glad to see she had a healthy appetite even after all she’d been through.

  “So, you’re going to stay home and rest for a few days,” Adam said. “That’s a good idea.”

  “Actually, Dad, I need you to take care of business while I focus on Jake’s case.”

  “What exactly do you plan to do?” Leon interjected himself into the father-daughter conversation. He’d already guessed that she was going to turn her full attention on finding Jake’s killer. And wherever Cassie was going, Leon was going, too.

  She glanced over at him, eyebrows raised, a defensive look on her face. But then her expression began to soften. “How long has it been since you’ve gotten some sleep?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” Leon said dismissively. About thirty-four hours. He ran his hand over his jaw.

  “Why don’t you go ho
me? Get some rest.”

  “I am going home in a few minutes. To grab some clothes and then come right back. I’m here for the duration.”

  Cassie’s eyes got shiny. She sniffed and looked away.

  “You really ought to stay here at the house and rest a few days,” Adam muttered looking at Cassie. “But I understand how badly you want to find the lowlife who murdered Jake. And this does feel like the time to move on whatever lead you’ve got before it vanishes.”

  Spoken like a true bounty hunter.

  Cassie turned to her dad. “Thank you.”

  “But I also think pushing this investigation could get you killed.” Adam turned a steely gaze to Leon. “You’re welcome to stay here while all of this is going on. In fact, I want you to. These thugs may end up coming to the ranch to try to get to Cassie. I want you to make sure you’ve got her back all the time.”

  Leon nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  Cassie stood, moving slowly, and then picked up her plate.

  From across the table, Sherry waved at her to put the plate down. “Don’t worry about that. Jay and I can clear the table. You go on to your room and get some rest.”

  “I will eventually,” Cassie said. “Right now I’ve got some things to research.”

  She started walking stiffly toward the office and Leon got up and followed her. “Can’t this wait until morning?” he asked when she sat in front of her laptop. “Your brain will be fresher and sharper.”

  She exhaled deeply. “I know. I just want to do a little research on Seth Tatum.”

  Leon pulled up a chair to sit beside her and watched as the search results didn’t bring up much information about Seth.

  “No social media accounts,” she muttered. “A couple of general information listings establishing that he resides in Saddleback, Montana. Or at least he has until recently.” She tried an image search, but didn’t find anything. Even the booking photo Bergman showed her hadn’t been publicly posted yet.

  “Well, if we have to track down a guy with almost no information to begin with, it won’t be the first time,” Leon said.

  Cassie nodded, leaning away from the computer screen and then slowly standing. “I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you,” she said softly. “And I wouldn’t be able to do this investigation without you.”

  For what seemed like the millionth time, Leon felt the tug to reach out and wrap his arms around her. But if he did, he would pull her too tightly to his chest and hold her for too long.

  “Go to sleep,” he said, refusing to give in to the tempting tenderness of the moment. “I’m going to run home, then I’ll come back here and catch some sleep, too.”

  He needed to get out, get some fresh air, put some distance between them.

  He had to stay sharp. Because while Cassie focused on finding whoever killed her husband, Leon needed to be on the lookout for whoever was intent on killing Cassie.

  SIX

  At noon the next day—a Saturday with good weather at the start of tourist season—there were plenty of people milling around on Main Street in Stone River. They filled up the sidewalk tables outside the small restaurants and coffee shops, and the crowded conditions made it easier for Cassie and Leon to thread their way through downtown to find the people they wanted to talk to without drawing too much attention to themselves.

  In particular, they were looking to talk to former clients. A few of the people in need of the services provided by Rock Solid Bail Bonds were criminals by choice. Some were people who’d had a bad day. Many were people struggling in their battle with addiction, and due to a moment in time when their addiction had had the upper hand, they’d needed a bail bondswoman.

  Some were actually innocent of the criminal charges they were facing.

  At the end of the day, a fair number were ultimately decent people who didn’t want to see the world break down into chaos. So they’d been willing to supply Cassie with information when she needed it.

  “Have you overheard anyone talking about the attacks on me?” Cassie asked Krystal, a former client who was working the bar at the lakeside Bellport Inn.

  The French doors facing Lake Bell in the café section of the inn were open, providing a wide view of the deep mountain lake on the other side of the narrow street, the jagged mountains in the distance and the bright blue sky above.

  The bar was relatively quiet, the lunch crowd mostly opting for nonalcoholic drinks. At night, especially on the weekends, the bar would be packed. The café had a relaxed atmosphere and it was located near the downtown hub of fun, drawing in locals despite the tourist crowds in the summer months. It wasn’t unusual for Krystal to see a bail jumper Cassie was looking for or to occasionally overhear a bit of useful information.

  Krystal was in her early twenties with wide blue eyes, a blond ponytail and multiple glittering stud earrings in each ear. “Cassie, when I heard about the attack on you over by the Shackleford Inlet I was so worried. And then I heard about you getting kidnapped.” She shook her head sympathetically. “I’m so glad to see that you’re okay.” Krystal leaned a little closer and dropped her voice. “And the bruises on your face aren’t really all that noticeable. The makeup covers them pretty well.”

  Yeah, well, even if they didn’t look bad, they felt bad. Nearly every part of her body hurt. Maybe it would have been wise for Cassie to stay home and recuperate for a few days. But the reality was that something was going on related to Jake’s murder. She felt certain of it even if she didn’t have the facts to prove it yet. Staying home and letting time pass could end with the trail growing cold. She’d waited for this break too long to let it slip away.

  Plus, if she hunkered down and hid, that might only make the attackers bolder. Yes, the police were on the job investigating and looking for the bad guys. And she was grateful. But the bad guys were after her personally, and the best thing she could do was push back however she could and throw them off balance.

  Cassie nodded. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine.”

  “I haven’t heard anything useful. I’m sorry,” Krystal said after refilling a couple of glasses with ice and cola for a busy waitress.

  “What exactly have you heard?” Cassie asked. Krystal’s assessment of what was useful could be mistaken. Cassie’s job was all about following up on small, seemingly inconsequential details.

  “I’ve overheard people last night and the night before talking about the attacks since the local news had reported it. Just general chatter. How awful it was. What’s the world come to? That kind of thing.”

  “Did you hear the name Jake Hollister mentioned?” Leon asked from behind Cassie. He’d made himself a kind of human backstop everywhere the two of them had gone in town. Whether he thought Cassie might topple over at any minute and he needed to be there to catch her, or he intended to place himself as a barrier between her and anyone who might attack her, she wasn’t sure.

  Krystal glanced at Leon, and Cassie could see the expression in the young woman’s blue eyes appear to shutter. It could mean she was about to give an answer that wasn’t entirely forthcoming. But it could also mean that she was intimidated by having Leon speak directly to her. He was a large guy who looked like bad news. That sometimes came in handy. But not always.

  “I don’t remember hearing that name mentioned specifically by a patron.” Krystal shifted her gaze back to Cassie. “The mayor was on the TV over the bar, talking about what happened to you. And to your husband. How the person who killed him still needs to be found. I heard a few people talk about that.” She shrugged.

  “Well, that’s good,” Cassie said, thinking out loud and responding to Krystal at the same time. “People are paying attention. Maybe making it more than a news story that’s here today and forgotten tomorrow.” She glanced over her shoulder at Leon. “It means an added layer of pressure on the bad guys.” She cocked an eyebrow. “M
aybe they’ll get impatient and sloppy.”

  He nodded.

  “Thanks,” Cassie said to Krystal.

  They walked outside, weaving between the strolling tourists on the sidewalk, eventually turning a corner that took them away from the area near the lakefront park and back toward the center of town.

  “You realize this ‘added pressure’ on the bad guys means more danger for you, right?” Leon said once they were clear of the foot traffic and could walk side by side.

  Cassie laughed and shook her head, thinking of the expression on his face while she’d talked to Krystal. “You were just dying to say something to me, weren’t you?”

  “This is taking on the feel of something much bigger than our usual bounty hunts.” His voice sounded weighted with concern. “I know we’ve faced dangerous people before. But at least then we had arrest and bail bond records. Police records or information from other bond agencies asking for your help. Something. We knew for the most part who and what we were looking for. But with these attacks...” He shook his head. “We’ve got no clue.”

  “But we’ll have a clue, soon, after either Bergman tracks down Seth Tatum or we do, and we find out why he was passing through Stone River and what he knows about Jake’s murder.” Cassie offered her best reassuring smile to Leon because she knew what it was like to worry for someone else’s safety. Night before last, in the forest, she’d also been very worried for Leon. But at the moment, her thoughts were focused on finding Jake’s killer. And she was confident she was doing everything she could to keep Leon and herself safe.

  “You sound certain this Seth guy will be found alive,” Leon said.

  “Well, I try to be optimistic.” She’d considered the possibility that even the cops couldn’t find Seth Tatum because he was dead. But dwelling on that wouldn’t get her anywhere. So she’d decided to assume he was alive until she knew otherwise. And she’d decided not to ask Krystal or any of her other informants if they recognized Seth’s name. Cassie didn’t want Seth to know she was looking for him. And she didn’t want to unintentionally send bad guys after him. Until she better understood what she was dealing with when it came to Seth, she needed to be very careful.