Bring Me Flowers_A gripping serial-killer thriller with a shocking twist

by D. K. Hood

  “Thank you for your concern but I’m not sure that would work, ma’am.” Wolfe raised one blond eyebrow. “She would lose face in front of her friends if her daddy treated her like a two-year-old. I have a fail-safe in play with my kids and they understand the meaning of stranger danger. I’m obviously telling you this in the strictest confidence. Each of my daughters carries a number of tracker tags, much like the ones I gather Kane made for you, but mine are lightyears ahead of the simple device he used in your earrings.”

  “I’d like to know what new technology you have developed.” Kane stretched out his long legs and folded his arms. “I agree what I gave Jenna was a simple tracker much like the ones available for luggage and the like, but it worked.”

  “Not good enough though, was it? These days, people are more aware of technology and criminals will be looking for anything suspicious. Jenna couldn’t contact you because the men who kidnapped her knew about the device.” Wolfe’s pale gaze moved over her face. “My girls have something similar but installed in their earrings and necklaces, and if all else fails one that looks like a teddy bear pin. I made them waterproof as well, so they never have to remove them. The difference with my invention and the one Kane placed inside your earrings is the devices have a mic, and once activated, not only am I alerted but I can hear what they are saying. I decided not to include a speaker because if any of my girls are in danger any communication might be detected.”

  Astounded by Wolfe’s abilities, she smiled at him. “Absolutely brilliant. I think if I had kids I would have a permanent tracker installed under their skin.”

  “Ah, I think that is going a bit too far. I had a subdural one to allow HQ to track me and it felt like a huge invasion of privacy.” Kane’s long fingers clenched and unclenched. “But I would recommend allowing Wolfe to make something similar to his kids’ devices for all of us. He can make the tracker so only the wearer can activate it, so at other times privacy is assured.”

  Needing to be in control, she straightened. “I gather the earbuds and power packs have arrived? We will implement them during any suspicious callouts but if you believe a tracker alert button or whatever you call the damn thing is advisable, then I’ll agree, but I want mine placed in a ring this time. I have a tight one at home and it’s very difficult to remove. Will that suffice?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Wolfe’s lips lifted at the corners. “But it will have to be opaque, like a cameo or similar?”

  “Fine.” She sat in her chair, placed her elbows on the table, and rubbed her temples. “Emily is a very intelligent girl and not the clique-type, I assume?”

  “She is very independent and thinks for herself.” Wolfe gave her a worried look. “Good Lord, you’re not asking her to go undercover and report on her friends, are you? Absolutely not, she’ll have a hard enough time finishing her final year here without ratting out her friends.”

  Jenna lifted the phone and asked Maggie to ask Emily to join them. When she stepped into the room, head high and confident, Jenna could certainly see her father in her. “Take a seat. I would like to ask you a few questions. I gather your father has informed you in confidence about the murders this week?”

  “Yes, and I haven’t told anyone.” Emily shot a gray gaze at her father. “I do understand the meaning of confidential.”

  Jenna folded her hands on the table and smiled at her. “I’m sure you do. If your father agrees, I wondered if during your time with your new friends, you would take note of any interaction you have with any of the men listed on the board over there.” She pointed to the whiteboard and the photographs of the suspects lined up under their names. “Lionel Provine is the man who owns the computer store, Derick Smith was Felicity Parker’s boyfriend, and Steve Rogers is the teacher at the high school. Lucky Briggs and Storm Crawley are local cowboys currently in town for the rodeo.” She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want you to get involved other than making a note of the time and name of the person you notice hanging around or speaking to the girls, then report to your dad.”

  “I can do that, no problem at all.” Emily’s attention moved to Wolfe. “If it’s okay with you, Dad?”

  “Absolutely no interaction. Any one of those men could be the killer.” Wolfe narrowed his pale eyes. “Understand?”

  “Yes.” Emily’s hair fell over one shoulder as she nodded in agreement. She took out her cellphone and snapped a picture of the suspects. “Don’t worry. I’ll crop the image so the other information is not visible, just in case I lose my cellphone.” She smiled and patted Wolfe on the arm. “I’ll message you if we go to Aunt Betty’s Café and when we leave and return to the computer store. As far as I know the girls are restricted to those areas the same as I am.” She frowned. “Since Kate’s murder they are scared but no one knows what happened to them. They are sticking together but no one seems to know anything about Joanne Blunt.”

  Jenna leaned back in her chair. “Joanne was a visitor to town and we believe she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She has no connection to the other victims or any of our suspects, which makes our killer all the more dangerous. Take care this afternoon and I will look forward to your report.”

  She waited for Emily to leave the room and turned to Kane. “I want to keep a close eye on her. Is the new CCTV camera system installed near the computer store?”

  “Yeah, it gives a clear view of the computer store and Aunt Betty’s Café and there are six others along the street. The interview room I converted into a command center also gives the ability to move the cameras, zoom in, et cetera.”

  She tapped her pen on the table. “How long do the discs run? Do we have to change them or do they re-write every twelve hours or so?” She heard Wolfe make a strange sound halfway between a snort and a chuckle. She glared at him. “Okay, what’s so funny?”

  “Everything is digital now, ma’am. We have terabytes of storage and keep them for six months, then if no crimes have been committed, we overwrite them.” Wolfe’s mouth twitched into a half smile. “The hard drives have approximately ten years’ life before we need to replace them but well before that no doubt they will be able to hold enough data for a year or more.” He raised one blond brow. “I can add an app to our cellphones to allow us to view the footage in real time. It might come in handy.”

  She nodded. “Do it as soon as possible. I’ll get Rowley on phone interviews with our suspects but I gather we’ll have to chase up Lucky Briggs and Storm Crawley. It’s unlikely they will have their cellphones on hand if they are competing. The events at the rodeo did start today, I believe?”

  “I can take a ride over there if you like?” Kane leaned nonchalantly back in his chair, his large hands resting on the arms. “I’ve organized four deputies from Blackwater to patrol the fairgrounds from Thursday through Sunday as we’ll be there undercover, so to speak. The new mayor is paying them so we don’t owe them our time.”

  Annoyed he had taken charge again, she narrowed her gaze at him then a memory dropped into place. She had asked him to speak to the mayor about spending money on the town’s safety. He had informed her about funding for the CCTV cameras but not the extra help. The anger she had for him melted like last winter’s snow. “Yes, I remember asking you to speak to him. Thank you.”

  “We can hire another full-time deputy as well, but a rookie. The mayor said the budget won’t stretch to another ex-marine.” Kane’s blue eyes searched her face. “Would you like me to place an advertisement once we have caught the killer or go ahead and start looking for someone now?”

  She shook her head. “No, you have enough to do at the moment and a rookie to watch as well will be more trouble than he is worth. In any case, we have Maggie to do the grunt work. I can’t expect you to do her duties as well.”

  Last night, he had let down his guard by showing her his gentler side. Rather than push him away she should encourage him to relax with her in their downtime. Their evening together had been natural as if they fit together, and the fact he c
ared enough to cuddle her all night meant a lot to her. She smiled and caught his relieved expression. “Thanks for handling the mayor, I find him a bit condescending. Then most of the old-school types in town think being a sheriff is a man’s job.”

  “Trust me,” Kane smiled at her in a slash of white, “everyone knows who is in charge.”

  Thirty-Four

  Kane noticed the color rise in Jenna’s cheeks and stood ready to leave. “If it’s alright with you, ma’am, I’ll head out to the fairgrounds and speak to the cowboys.”

  “Just a minute, Kane. I need a word with you before you leave.” Jenna tucked a strand of raven hair behind one ear then turned her attention to Wolfe. “If you need a quiet area to search through the laptops, use the control center, and you can keep an eye on Emily at the same time via the CCTV cameras.”

  “Yes, that would be a good idea.” Wolfe rubbed the blond stubble on his chin and looked at Jenna. “I’ll need Chad’s IP address as well, and Kate’s other friends. It will give me a better idea of who was interacting and when. If I see someone we can’t identify, we will know it’s our bogey. Do you mind if I call the parents for the information?”

  “No, go ahead and do what’s necessary.”

  Unsure of Jenna’s mood or motive for keeping him behind, Kane dropped back into the chair and rested one boot on the knee of his other leg. After Wolfe left the room, closing the door behind him, instead of going back to her seat, Jenna stood between him and the desk and stared down at him with a confused expression. He gave her his brightest smile. “What can I do for you, ma’am?”

  “Last night—okay. I know I checked out for a while.” Jenna rubbed both small hands over her face then peered at him through her fingers. “Before you ask, the flashbacks are a bitch but I’m coping, and swearing at you this morning was unforgiveable. I shouldn’t have had a drink or bothered you with my problems. It wasn’t a fair thing to do in the circumstances and I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”

  Kane leaned back in the chair and looked up at her. The memory of her snuggled against him came back in a rush. He frowned. “What circumstances?”

  “You’ve recently lost your wife and ending up in your bed was unforgivable.”

  “Her name was Annie and I lost her eighteen months ago.” He regarded the sorrow in her eyes and frowned. “You’re my friend and last night we both needed a little comfort. Trust me, sleeping alone after having Annie beside me for five years is hell. Just knowing she would be waiting for me to come home after a mission kept me alive. It’s been a long time since anyone needed me or cuddled me.” He reached for her hand and rubbed his thumb over her smooth skin. “Sometimes you’ll need a shoulder to cry on and I’ll need a cuddle or we’ll stop being human.”

  Her dark blue eyes moved over his face and she gave the tiniest of nods. “I agree. I value the friendship we have outside the office. I think not allowing personal life to get in the way of the job is part of being a professional.”

  He looked at her for a long moment. His dream of a wife, a white picket fence, and a bunch of kids had died with Annie but he had found a kindred spirit in Jenna. “I enjoy your company too and with all that’s happened lately, it’s not healthy to be alone every night to dwell on murder. Come over for a steak tonight and we can finish watching the movie.”

  “Sure, let me know how you get on with the cowboys.”

  He dropped her hand and touched the brim of his hat before heading for the door. “Yes, ma’am.”

  * * *

  Pedestrians dressed in their best fringes and sparkles filled the sidewalk. With the first day of the rodeo underway, the local businesses in Black Rock Falls were doing a roaring trade. Most of the stores had stalls out front carrying local souvenirs, preserves, pottery, and other interesting items. The boldly colored bunting draped on every available surface gave the main road a carnival atmosphere. Speakers set high on the lampposts vibrated with country and western music, the latest tunes interrupted by the local radio station with the results of events at the fairgrounds. The noise in the “quiet” town had increased to a constant babble of voices.

  As Kane walked to his SUV, he returned the smiles on the faces of the people and friendly greetings but the memories of the mutilated bodies remained at the front of his mind. He slid behind the wheel ever vigilant, his gaze moving over the people, taking a mental note of men close by or speaking to young women. Somewhere in the happy crowd lurked a monster waiting to pluck another victim from existence.

  His attention moved to a couple of girls heading into Aunt Betty’s Café, chatting animatedly with the computer science teacher Steve Rogers. When he noticed one of the girls was Aimee Fox, his worry meter hit the bell. He pulled to the curb and observed the trio for a few minutes, noting how different Steve Rogers acted with the girls. All charm and smiles, not the henpecked husband he had tried to convey to him during the interview. The man could easily fit the profile of a killer. Kane had seen more than two faces of evil displayed in a man who took pleasure in murder. He had an inbuilt dislike for Steve Rogers, and his gut instinct told him he was not what he seemed.

  Needing to take a closer look, he climbed out of the vehicle and headed inside the café. He went to the counter and ordered a coffee to go then wandered over to the table where the two girls sat with Rogers. The trio had their heads together looking at one of the girls’ cellphones and making excited comments. He wanted to make it quite clear he had seen the teacher in the company of the girls. “How are you today, Mr. Rogers?”

  “Enjoying a coffee with two of my pupils in plain sight.” Rogers gave him a condescending stare. “Am I breaking the law?”

  “Nope.” Kane leaned down to look at the cellphone. “I noticed Aimee’s attention was fixed on something on her cellphone and was wondering what is so interesting. I’ve seen quite a few young people running around as if their lives depended on it.”

  “It’s the new game app. See, it interacts with the camera.” Aimee held up the screen. “The idea is to collect the characters or whatever to go up a level. The final level apparently unlocks a bonus game.”

  Kane glanced at the screen and saw the interior of the café, and right in the middle was a green character waving at him. He looked at the room then back at the screen. “That is incredible, digital interaction via the camera and the navigation system on the cellphone.” He glanced at Rogers. “You’d know all about this type of game, wouldn’t you?”

  “My skills are not quite up to this standard or I wouldn’t be teaching, I’d be a billionaire.” Rogers gave a sarcastic laugh. “But I do have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

  “I bet you do.” Kane smiled at Aimee. “Remember what your mom told you about going straight home.”

  “You don’t have to worry, Julia’s mom is in town and Mr. Rogers will make sure I get back to my car, he is parked right behind me.” Aimee smiled sweetly. “We had to use the parking lot at the library, everywhere else is packed today.”

  Deciding to make Rogers aware someone would be watching his every move, Kane nodded. “That’s a good place to park. The library has a CCTV camera in the parking lot and a security guard keeping a close watch on everything over the next few days. You should be safe but stay alert just in case someone is lurking about.”

  “I thought it was your job to keep the townsfolk safe, Deputy.” Rogers’ mouth turned up in the corners into almost a smirk.

  Kane rolled his shoulders and noticed Susie Hartwig waving at him to collect his coffee. “Yes, but I’m sure these young ladies know not to go out at night alone during the rodeo especially as three young women have been found dead in the area.” He plucked cards out of his shirt pocket and gave them to the girls. “If you need help anytime day or night, that’s my cellphone number.” He smiled. “Stay safe.”

  “Don’t I get a card?” Steve Rogers glared at him. “Or don’t you think all Black Rock Falls citizens are in danger during the influx of the rough types?”

  “You
don’t look like a teenage girl to me, Mr. Rogers.” Kane bit back a smile and bent down so only Rogers could hear him. “Trust me, I’m the last person you should call. I’ve met men like you before and I see who is lurking behind the mask.” Satisfied by seeing the color drain from Rogers’ face, he strolled toward the counter. You’re up to something, you smug son of a bitch.

  Thirty-Five

  Back at the car, Kane pulled out his cellphone and contacted Jenna to explain his observations. “We need eyes on Steve Rogers. He stinks on ice right now.”

  “I agree he should know better than to hang around with his students.”

  “He tried to make me look like an incompetent idiot.” Kane sipped his beverage and sighed. “He makes my skin crawl, he is up to something. My gut is never wrong.”

  “Okay, I’ll give the info to Wolfe and he’ll keep an eye on our Mr. Rogers. I think we need to do a bit of surveillance on him too. I’ll ask Rowley if he will take the afternoon off and spend a few hours this evening keeping an eye on Rogers’ movements. I’ll call Rogers’ house and see if his wife is back from her sister’s yet. She might tell me when he went out last night. She was very cooperative the last time I spoke to her.”

  “Good idea.” Kane started the engine. “We’ll talk later, ma’am. I’m heading for the fairgrounds now.” He disconnected and turned his SUV toward the fairgrounds.

  As he approached the Black Rock Falls Motel, he noticed a cowboy dressed in fringed chaps leaning against the wall outside one of the rooms, smoking. Kane pulled into the driveway and slid out of the car. He approached the man with a friendly wave and a smile. “Morning. Is Lucky around?”

  “Nope, he has a steer-roping event about now.” The cowboy dropped the stub of his cigarette and extinguished it with a twist of one well-worn boot. He tipped back his hat and his brown eyes narrowed. “You can’t be a friend of his, Lucky don’t like cops.”