by D. K. Hood
Now here I stand, waiting for the calm to come again. The dark room wraps around me like a sanctuary. No one will find me here. My heart slows. I’m in control. To prove it, I press Julie’s scarf to my nose and inhale her annoying perfume. Her smell fills my head and my fingers itch again with the urge to kill. All thoughts of murder vanish when a low rumbling growl comes from behind me. I’d forgotten the sheriff’s dog. At once, I become a nonthreatening statue, turning just my head to see the beast. In the glow of the fire, a dog rises and draws its fleshy lips back to expose sharp teeth. The growl is low and menacing. If he barks, the deputy will find me. I must try and reason with the animal and lower my voice to a whisper. “Good boy.”
Frantic, I search my pockets for the cookies they’d served with supper and toss them to him. To my dismay the beast doesn’t move to accept my gift but increases its growling and makes hesitant steps toward me. Desperate to get away from the slobbering menace, I peer through the peephole in the door. Thankfully the hallway is empty. Cracking open the door, I stick my head outside, searching both ways, but all is still. Without delay, I rush for the fire escape. I chance a glance back along the hallway and the ugly image of Julie drifts back into my mind. Soon.
Twenty-Eight
The warmth of the visitors’ lounge, the happy faces, and the smell that only comes with the joy of birth was a stark contrast to the cold and spartan surrounding of the morgue examination room. Trying to hold on to the good feeling from delivering a pair of healthy twins, Wolfe unzipped the body bag, and stood back as water spilled from the still soaking body. He flicked a gaze to Emily. “Did I mention about wrapping the body in sheets?”
“Yeah, Dad, you did, but as Kane had a body bag in his kit, I made a judgement call and dropped it into the bag.” Emily peered at the body. “I did bag the hands but you won’t find anything.”
Wolfe turned to look at her. “Why?”
“No sign of a struggle.” Emily shrugged.
“I sent the images to your files.” Kane hovered in the doorway. “No water on the floor. The cord to the hairdryer was attached to the plug above the vanity. If she’d left it on the side and reached out even to dry her hands on the towel before she grabbed it, there’d have been droplets of water on the floor. No one in their right mind picks up an electrical device with wet hands.”
Wolfe put the file up on the screen and flicked through the images of the scene. The edge of the vanity, where he assumed the hairdryer might have been, was too far from the tub to have just fallen in and who would be stupid enough to leave a hairdryer running on the side of the sink? He turned and picked up the right and then left hand of the victim to remove the bags and examined each hand closely. He lifted his attention to Kane. “She wasn’t holding the hairdryer when she died.” He ran his gaze down the body and then rolled it on its side and checked the back. “When the apparent cause of electrocution is suspected, we look for the points of entry and exit of the current.”
“Wouldn’t the burn mark wash off in the water?” Kane leaned closer.
Wolfe moved his gaze over the victim. She looked peaceful, almost serene. “Good question, but not in this case as the body wasn’t submerged for a long time, although even electrocution victims found floating in the ocean still display a burn, a collapsed blister with a brown center fading out to a pale ring. The hands are the most common entry point for electrocution, but I’m not seeing this here.”
“So, you don’t believe she was electrocuted?” Kane looked incredulous. “The entire complex was without power and we tracked down the cause to her suite.”
Wolfe stood to one side to allow Emily to examine the body. He shook his head. “I can’t make that judgement until autopsy. It’s obvious from what you witnessed that electricity might be the instrument of her death, but she could have suffocated or drowned. Look at it this way. If someone dies from a knife attack, they don’t die from a knife, do they? They die from the resulting injury. Electricity is just a tool of death, not a cause.”
“Okay.” Kane rubbed the back of his neck. “Go on.”
Wolfe smiled at him. “In my report, I’ll be making the cause of death clear. For example, electrocution resulting in suffocation or whatever.” He took in Kane’s weary expression. “In some cases, the shock will paralyze the diaphragm, causing the person to suffocate. As she was in the tub at the time, the shock could have incapacitated her and she slid under the water and drowned. To determine the correct cause of death, I’ll need to see if there’s any water in her lungs. That’s why I asked you to collect a sample of the tub water for comparison.”
“That makes sense.” Kane blinked a few times. “Any progress on the other victims?”
Wolfe nodded. “Yeah, I finished up about ten. I had just gotten to bed when Rowley called. It’s been a long day.” He zipped up the bag and loaded the body into a refrigerated drawer. “The autopsy can wait for the morning. I’ll write up my reports and walk you through all of them over the phone. Are you staying at my place tonight or heading back up the mountain?”
“Driving back.” Kane yawned explosively. “I’ll grab a couple of cups of coffee and we’ll be good to go. With a killer running loose, we don’t want to be stuck here in town.” He stared at the door. “Are Sandy and the twins okay?”
Wolfe smiled and the tiredness seemed to lift. “Yeah, she came through real well. It was an uncomplicated birth, everything textbook. The babies are strong and healthy. Rowley is a mess, but he’ll be good once he stops shaking.”
“Can we go and see them now?” Emily washed her hands and arms at the sink. “Do we need scrubs?”
Wolfe chuckled. “No, you go ahead. I’ll clean up and make some coffee. I have cookies as well in my office. You go and see Sandy and then come and help me with the coffee.”
“Okay.” She ran out the door.
“I’ll wash my hands too.” Kane frowned. “I’ve not had too much experience with newborns.”
Wolfe patted him on the back. “They’re tougher than you think. Maybe you’ll find out one day.” He headed for the door.
Twenty-Nine
Kane pushed open the door to the visitors’ waiting room slowly and peered inside, not wanting to be obtrusive. His gaze went to Jenna, her face flushed and staring at a tiny baby. Her lips were set in a permanent smile as she rocked back and forth as if mesmerized. When she lifted her eyes to him, his heart skipped a beat. There was deep longing in her expression. He smiled and nodded at Rowley, standing at the side of the gurney holding Sandy’s hand, his face a picture of rapture. He peered at the babies Jenna and Emily were cuddling. “Congratulations! Wow they have dark curls just like you, Jake. So much hair, and those eyes. They’ll have you both wrapped around their little fingers before you know it.”
“I welcome it.” Rowley grinned. “But that was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced.” He sucked in a breath. “Meet Cooper David Shane and Vannah Jenna. We’d be honored if you’d be their godfather. Jenna has already agreed to be godmother.”
“Here.” Smiling, Emily held out a bundle to him. “This is Cooper. I’ll go and help Dad.”
Kane could have held the tiny baby in one hand. The blue eyes looked right at him and little fists waved. A lump in his throat threatened to stop him replying to Rowley. He’d come so close to holding his own son, only to have him and Annie snatched away in an instant of madness. He pushed the thought aside and looked at the tiny Jake Rowley clone. “Hi, Cooper. I’m your godfather. Welcome to the family.”
He heard Rowley snort with laughter and looked straight at Jenna. Her eyes were misty with tears. “Let me see Vannah.” He walked to her side. “Oh, she has dimples just like Sandy.” He looked down at the babies. “So, you decided to arrive during a blizzard, huh, and like true members of the Black Rock Falls Sheriff’s Office family, in the middle of a murder investigation.” He chuckled and looked at Sandy and Rowley. “We’ll babysit anytime. You’ll just have to show me how to change a diaper.”
He walked to Rowley and with reluctance handed over the baby. “Sorry, we can’t stay for long. We must get back up the mountain before the road becomes impassable. We’ve left Julie alone.”
“Well Zac is there.” Jenna frowned. “He’ll take good care of her.” She pressed a kiss on the baby’s head and with obvious unwillingness handed her over to Sandy. “I could hold them all night. They’re so beautiful. Are you staying here overnight?”
“Yeah.” Rowley placed his son in one of the baby capsules they’d had in the truck and covered him with a blanket. “I’m sleeping on the sofa and we’ll drive back home in the morning unless Wolfe thinks Sandy should spend some time in the hospital.”
“I’m not going to the hospital. I’m fine, just tired is all.” Sandy looked indignant. “My folks have already offered to stay with us for a few days. Dad will do the chores to take the strain off you, and Mom can help me get the twins settled into a routine.”
“Call in Walters in the morning to handle the office for a couple of days.” Jenna smiled at Rowley. “Get some rest. No one is going to cause too much mayhem in the middle of a blizzard.”
The door opened and Emily came in with coffee and cookies for Rowley and Sandy. She looked at Kane and smiled. “Dad says we need to leave these folks alone to get some rest. He’s waiting for you in his office.” She hurried out the door.
Kane nodded and turned to the couple. “We’ll see you in a few days. If you need anything, just call me.” He headed out the door with Jenna close behind.
In the hallway, he took Jenna’s hand and pulled her close. “Happy family.”
“Yeah, I just love the smell of babies.” Jenna leaned into him and sighed. “It’s going to be fun watching them grow.’
Biting back the need for a family of his own, Kane dropped her hand and shrugged. “It’s a lifetime commitment. Kids need their parents and our job isn’t exactly nine-to-five. Could you give up being sheriff to raise a family?”
“I wouldn’t give up being sheriff, Dave.” She smiled at him. “I’d take my baby to the office with me. I’d change the new back room into a nursery and I’ll hire a nanny to watch over her while we’re out.”
Kane only heard one word. “Her? You don’t get a choice you know.”
“Yeah.” Jenna giggled. “Just checking you’re awake.”
Thirty
The drive back up the mountain terrified Jenna. She sat as quiet as a mouse as Kane urged the Beast through the fallen snow, although Emily seemed unconcerned and had curled up on the back seat and fallen asleep as soon as they’d left town. Condensation built up on the windows and, even with the heater pushed to full capacity, cold seemed to seep through every crack. Ice piled up on the hood and slowed the wipers. If they stopped, they’d die for sure. Before they’d left, Wolfe had insisted on refilling Kane’s gas tank. He had fuel on site for his vehicles and an aviation tank to refuel a helicopter should the need arise in an emergency.
Shivering, Jenna pulled the blanket more firmly over her knees and licked dry lips. Being out in freezing weather caused her lips to crack if she wasn’t careful. She glanced at Kane. The trip was taking a long time. The snowplow attachment barely pushing enough snow aside to allow them to pass. She refilled Kane’s to-go cup from the Thermos and placed it within reach. “Hot coffee. I’m sure glad we brought the Thermos flasks with us. Do you know where we are?”
“Not exactly but we just passed a sign to beware of fallen rocks, so I figure we’re past halfway.” Kane reached for the coffee but didn’t take his eyes from the road. “Why don’t you try and get some sleep? It will take a while yet.”
Astonished, Jenna gaped at him. “Sleep? I have enough adrenalin pumping through my veins to run up to the ski lodge without losing my breath.” She gripped the seat as the back wheels fishtailed for the hundredth time. “Anyway, you’ll need me to keep you awake. You look all in.”
“Nah. I’m wide awake.” Kane flicked her a glance. “It’s been one hell of a night. We’ll be lucky to get a couple of hours sleep before we start investigating people’s movements again.” He sighed. “Oh, that reminds me, Wolfe will send through the autopsy reports in the morning sometime. He said he’ll call and walk us through them.”
Already making mental notes in her head on what to do the following morning, Jenna nodded. “Did he do a preliminary examination on Kitty Pandora?”
She listened as Kane brought her up to date. “Wolfe must be exhausted—the autopsies and then delivering twins. Don’t forget he has a little one at home too and he manages just fine.”
“Anna is hardly a baby now.” Kane frowned. “And I know for a fact Wolfe is always at home when she finishes school and puts her to bed. He arranges his workload around her and usually works at night when she’s asleep. His housekeeper is like a grandma to his daughters. He was lucky to find her.”
Jenna smiled at him. “That was Maggie. We have a great receptionist; she can fix just about everyone’s problems.”
“Maybe we should put her on this case.” Kane gripped the wheel and pushed the Beast around a corner. “Right now, nothing is making much sense. I hope Bobby Kalo hunts down something to link them apart from all being involved with publishing, because so far, I’ve found diddly squat. Having limited resources up here is annoying.”
Jenna sighed at the sight of the lights up ahead. “We at least have suspects and nobody is going anywhere. The killer is right under our noses. We just have to catch them.”
Suddenly feeling tired, she rubbed at the pain in her temples. Coming down from an adrenalin high was like suffering a hangover minus the alcohol. As they slid into the parking space outside the lodge, Jenna nudged Emily awake. “We made it. It’s going to be cold out there.”
“I’m good.” Emily wrapped a scarf around her head and pulled up her hoodie. “Let’s go. I’m so tired I can hardly walk.”
Jenna dashed through the doors with the others close behind. It was warm inside and the smell of woodsmoke filled the foyer. She stripped off her gloves and hat and stuffed them in her pockets as she headed for the elevator. She’d pulled down the zipper of her jacket by the time they’d reached their floor and noticed Kane had done the same. The heat inside the elevator seemed stifling and the smell of dampness enclosed her. They headed up the hallway, walked past Zac Rio’s single room, and paused at Emily’s suite for her to unlock her door.
“Darn, Julie’s locked the door.” Emily hammered on the door. “Julie, open up, it’s me.”
“Not so loud. You’ll wake everyone.” Kane moved to her side.
The door opened and a sleepy-eyed Zac Rio peered at them. The next second, Kane had him by the front of his T-shirt and hauled him out and against the wall. Jenna moved toward him. “Hey, put him down.”
“I will as soon as he explains what the hell he was doing in Julie’s room.” Kane glared at him. “I trusted you.”
“You still can.” Julie appeared at the door wrapped in a robe. “Put him down, Uncle Dave. He was here protecting me is all.”
“You done?” Rio’s gaze was as cold as ice as he brushed Kane’s hands away. “What do you take me for? Do you figure I’m some kind of pervert? Someone broke into her room. I slept on the sofa in case he had a mind to come back.”
“Okay then, I’m sorry. I overreacted.” Kane offered his hand. “She’s like a daughter to me.”
“I feel the same way about my sister.” Rio relaxed. “I’m a little overprotective since my parents died too.” He shook Kane’s hand.
“When you two have finished male bonding, I want some answers.” Jenna waved everyone inside. “Get inside, we’ll talk there.”
After Julie told her story and Rio chimed in with his version, Jenna leaned back in the chair stunned. She gathered her thoughts. “You couldn’t tell for sure if it was a man or a woman? Not any clue at all? Any scent for instance?”
“No.” Julie’s eyes looked so big in her pale face. “It was a shadow at best. It was hard to see. The only
glimpse I had was of someone in black, covered from head to foot. They could have been anything from five-seven to five-ten. They were kinda stooped over because they fell over my boots as they ran out the door.” She thought for a beat. “I could hear them breathing. It was real spooky.”
“How long until you arrived on scene?” Kane looked at Rio.
“A minute, I’d say.” Rio shrugged. “I heard a scream and ran out into the hallway. I didn’t see anyone and Julie’s door was open. She was screaming loud enough to wake the dead. The guests were out in the hallway looking at us when she followed me to my room.”
Blinking back weariness, Jenna stared at him. “Why did you go to your room and neglect to search the hallway?”
“I could see both ways when I came out my room. The hallway was empty.” Rio sighed. “I came back here to get dressed and grab some blankets is all. Julie came with me—she didn’t want to be left alone.”
“Whoever did this and murdered Kitty Pandora has a passkey. To move that fast, they didn’t leave by the elevator unless they wedged the door to keep it open.” Kane scrubbed his hands down his face. “Or they ducked into a room close by. Whatever, it couldn’t have been occupied or you’d have heard more screaming.”
Jenna nodded. “I don’t think anyone on the front counter is a suspect, so who else would know which rooms were empty?”
