by C. M. Sutter
“You know we’re going to get caught, don’t you, Mama? I’m not helping you two because I want to.”
“You’re helping because you’re family and that’s what family does, Mandy. Daddy betrayed all of us, not just me.”
“Then why kill the others?”
“Because they’re men. Now quit dillydallying and get back to work.” Alice scratched her forearm.
Mariah returned to the workshop ten minutes later. She wiped her muddy hands on a shop rag then slapped them together. “All done, Mama.”
“Good girl. As soon as Mandy is finished in here, we’ll dump the cars. Go ahead and get cleaned up, pumpkin.”
Mariah kissed Alice’s cheek and headed to the house.
Alice stood, pulled at the legs of her shorts to readjust them, and walked back to the storage room. Nine pieces of art Dean had made were still hanging on the walls, ready to be sold. She looked at each one with admiration. Price tags attached with thin white strings hung from each piece. She smiled as she counted the dollars in her head.
“Your daddy was sure talented,” Alice said as she returned and reclaimed her seat. She watched as Mandy scrubbed the floor without responding.
“I’m finished.” Mandy stood five minutes later, pulled off the gloves, and rubbed her red knees.
Alice pointed with a bony white finger. “There’s some brain matter hanging from the workbench. Clean that off, then you can go inside and shower.”
Back in the house, Alice watched the local news while Mandy cleaned up. Mariah took a seat on the floor in front of her mother and handed her the wide-tooth comb.
“Will you comb out my wet hair, Mama? It’s easier to comb now that it’s shorter.”
Alice absentmindedly took the comb and began, her eyes never veering off the television.
Breaking news interrupted the sports segment twenty minutes in.
“What’s this?” Alice stopped, the comb suspended from her hand in midair.
The cameras left the sportscaster and panned back to the television anchorman.
“New developments have local law enforcement on the verge of making an arrest in these recent grisly crimes. We’ve just gotten word that the sheriff’s department is waiting for confirmation on new leads that may give them the actual names of the North Bend Carvers. They’re hoping to apprehend these criminals as early as tomorrow. Arrests are imminent. Keep your channel set on ABC as your local stations report breaking news.”
Mandy trudged down the stairs and sat on the couch. The springs squeaked.
“Change of plans, girls. We’re going to use Larry’s car from now on, but we’re putting our plates on it. John’s SUV is getting dumped right now—it’s too noticeable anyway, and the truck is going in the garage. I’ll drive the SUV, and you girls follow me in Larry’s car. Mandy, swap out the plates, then we’re heading farther out—I’m thinking Dodge County. There’s a lot more farmland and tractor paths just over the county line.”
Chapter 45
I sat at my desk with my fingers entwined around the hot coffee cup. I took a much-anticipated sip. I definitely needed a pick-me-up before I went home.
Clark mentioned how he’d called the news stations and given them a teaser update to put on the air. He was hoping the killer would watch it and be scared out of the hole where they were hunkered down. Maybe they’d make a move and a concerned citizen would recognize the girl or the description of the truck and call it in.
Todd entered the bull pen and plopped down in a vacant chair. “I wanted to update you guys before we head home for the night. I assumed the names took priority over the Smiths’ computer history search. Anyway, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s nobody listed with the last name of Blakely in Washburn County.”
“Damn it. How is that possible? Not even somebody with a different first name?” I rolled my neck and listened to it pop as I waited with everyone else for his answer.
Todd shook his head. “Sorry, Jade, but maybe that isn’t a common last name.”
Jack spoke up. “So what that’s telling us is they’re renting a place and the utilities are included in the rent. All that leaves is the cell phones, and anybody can get burners.”
“But no credit cards?” Clayton asked. “That’s almost unheard of in this day and age.”
I wagged my finger at him. “Not as unheard of as you might think. There are religious sects that stay off the grid and certain people that just don’t want to conform or be found. Some people live off the land, and others are transient and don’t settle down in any one place.”
“Yeah, I guess so. I can’t imagine living that way, though.”
“Ask your grandma. It wasn’t so long ago that people had party lines and getting a long-distance phone call was as exciting as Christmas morning.”
Clayton laughed. “You’re weird, Monroe.”
“What’s weird, Chad, is that we haven’t gotten any calls about somebody recognizing the blond girl’s face.”
Clayton grinned at me. “You never call me Chad.”
I shook my head. “Now who’s the weird one?”
Billings piped in, “It is true about the calls not coming in. I was hoping the phones would be ringing off the hook. These people must never come out of their hole if nobody recognizes the girl’s face.”
“Boss, what about the warrant for the post office? I’m not sure they’ll give us anything without one.”
“Be patient and see what you can get from the postmaster tomorrow. The warrant will give us access to their video footage. Cameras are always located inside the lobby, at the counter, and outside facing the street. Whoever dropped off that insured parcel is in their video archives from earlier in the week. It’s either our perps or it’s David Smith. There isn’t anybody else it could be unless Whitney drives his car now and then.”
“Which is doubtful. So when will we get the warrant?” I asked.
“We should have it by day after tomorrow. Judge Binder was in court when I called, now he’s gone for the day. Meanwhile, everyone go home and get a decent night’s sleep. Tomorrow will be busy. Jade, you’ll go to Germantown and talk to the postmaster at ten. See if you can get anything out of him.” Clark slapped my desk. “Okay, pack it up and go home. Hopefully it will be quiet between now and tomorrow morning. Good night, guys.”
We said good night to Clark and filed out of the building. Jack and I walked to our cars together. The evening air was heavy, still, and sticky.
“What are your plans for the night?” he asked.
“I have a date with a frozen dinner and a hot bath in an air-conditioned condo. How about you?”
“The same, except a shower instead of the tub. I think I’ll pick up something on my way home. With any luck, I’ll be asleep before the ten o’clock news.”
I smiled. “That sounds nice. See you in the morning, partner.” I climbed into my Mustang and sped off.
Chapter 46
Alice paced the living room while waiting for Mandy to return from the garage. The squeak of the front door opening caught her attention, and she turned toward the sound. “All done?”
Mandy closed the door at her back and crossed the room. She placed the flashlight and the screwdriver on the kitchen table. “Yes, it’s done. The truck plates are on Larry’s car, and his are in the trash.
“Then it’s time to leave. Mariah, here are Larry’s keys. Make sure you stay behind me and don’t speed. Don’t do anything that will draw attention to his car, understand?”
Mariah nodded. “Yes, Mama, I won’t make any mistakes.”
“All right, let’s go.”
They filed out of the house, and Alice locked the door behind her. She climbed into John’s SUV, and Mariah and Mandy got into the red Ford Focus. Alice wasn’t sure where she’d leave the 4Runner, but she knew the location of several long-forgotten tractor paths in the next county. The drive would take at least thirty minutes, especially in the dark. Mariah clicked on the headlights and
followed Alice down the long driveway that connected with the dead-end road.
Traveling on the far west edge of town gave Alice a certain amount of relief. They weren’t heading into traffic or a populated area. The only thing ahead of them, as long as she skirted the edge of every small town, was darkness and farmland. Keeping the truck in the garage from now on would help too. She’d keep their errands to a minimum and wander out only under the cover of darkness. She’d wait for another sign before the killing spree resumed.
Twenty minutes later, out on the country roads, Alice had passed only a few cars. She’d assumed most people had finished dinner by now and were settled in on their sofas, watching television.
She turned right on Mayfield Road because the name sounded familiar. Another few miles in a northern direction took her to the intersection of Mayfield and Pleasant Valley. She smiled and turned left. The rearview mirror showed headlights glowing a few car lengths behind her.
Alice picked up her phone and called Mandy. “Tell Mariah we’re almost there. I think there’s a tractor path just beyond the next intersection if my memory serves me right. Follow me slowly when I turn in so you don’t hit any potholes or rocks.”
“I’ll tell her.” Mandy hung up and relayed the message to Mariah.
They passed the stop sign at the four-way intersection, and Alice turned right. Ahead of them lay a narrow dirt lane, and a heavy row of trees lined each side. Three times Alice had to stop to pull limbs off the path, but at least that told her the trail was unused. She continued on until the lane ended—about a half mile in. She stopped the SUV, killed the engine, and got out. She took the keys with her and locked the doors just to make things more difficult for whoever found the vehicle. As with David Smith’s car, John’s wallet was placed under the seat.
Mariah put the car in park and turned off the engine. Both girls exited Larry’s car and joined Alice in the search for a good place to turn around. The lane was too long to back out the entire way. Mandy slapped at the pesky mosquitoes biting her neck and face as she walked the densely wooded area.
“Over here.” Alice shined the flashlight she found in John’s glove box at a small spot void of trees where Mariah could turn the car around. “Looks flat enough and there’s nothing you can hit. Go ahead. Mandy and I will guide you. Just make sure you follow our hand signals.”
Mariah got back into the car and backed up twenty feet.
“Okay, turn the steering wheel to the right and go slow,” Alice yelled.
Mariah looked out the side mirrors at her mother’s reflection behind the car. Alice waved her back. Mandy called out that everything looked good from her side.
Alice held up her hand, giving Mariah the signal to stop. “Okay, that’s far enough. Now turn the wheel to your left and go forward. We should be good.”
Alice climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door behind her. “Easy peasy, let’s go.”
Mandy got into the backseat and let out a sigh.
Total blackness engulfed them as Mariah cautiously drove with only the fog lamps guiding her out. She turned on the headlights after reaching the blacktop.
Alice rolled down her window and sucked in the heavy evening air. Crickets chirped in the tall grasses, and frogs croaked in the nearby creek just beyond the tree line. “Guess nobody is going to need these anymore.” She launched John’s keys out the window. “Let’s go home.”
Chapter 47
Alice woke the next morning to the sound of birds chirping in the nearby ash tree. She slipped on the robe that hung from the hook on the back of her bedroom door then walked barefoot out to the hallway. The smell of coffee wafted up the staircase as she descended. A peek around the corner told her who had risen even earlier than she had.
“What are you doing up so early?”
Mandy sat alone at the table, holding a steaming cup of coffee between her hands. The kitchen curtains were parted, and she stared out past the driveway, toward the workshop. She didn’t turn toward Alice. Her eyes remained fixed on the view outside.
“I couldn’t sleep anymore.” Those few words were her only response.
Alice opened the cabinet and pulled out a large ceramic mug. She poured coffee and creamer into it and joined Mandy at the table.
“See anything interesting?”
“Not anymore.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Alice was growing weary of Mandy’s lack of solidarity. She wanted her to participate enthusiastically in the cause, just as Mariah did.
“Looking out at the workshop used to be interesting when Daddy made his art. He’d wave me over from the window and show me each completed piece. He was proud of his work.”
“And I still am. Your daddy was a good craftsman. That reminds me, I want you and Mariah to package up two more pieces I sold online yesterday. You girls can take them to the post office later and drop them off. It will give you something to do instead of moping around the house. In a few days, we can get back to the business at hand.”
“You mean killing men?”
“Call it what you want, young lady. I consider it reducing the filth in our county. Now go upstairs and wake your sister. You have work to do.”
“Didn’t your disability check come yet, Mama? You’re out of money? Is that why you’re anxious to get rid of Daddy’s art?”
“It needs to be done. I’ll bring in the pieces that sold and make labels. After breakfast, you girls can get them wrapped. Meanwhile, I’ll check the cheaters’ site and find more men for you girls to meet.”
Chapter 48
“You sure you don’t need my help?” I sat at the breakfast bar, sipping coffee and enjoying a piece of raisin toast with peanut butter on it. For some reason, peanut butter always made coffee taste better.
“Nah—I can handle Spaz myself. Don’t forget I have the kitty carrier.”
“Humph—I did forget. No early classes?”
“Not until ten thirty, and the vet’s office opens early. It’s all good.” Amber gave me a ‘Sorry I put you through the ordeal with Spaz yesterday’ look.
“That’s right, the vet opens at seven o’clock. I hope Spaz is feeling okay. I was thinking about installing a kitty door and a fenced enclosure at the end of the deck. Spaz can go outside whenever he pleases, he just can’t get away. He can lie in the sun and get fresh air if he wants to.” I took another bite of my toast.
“You’d go to that trouble for Spaz?”
“Honey, Spaz is family, of course I would. I checked online, and a completely enclosed pen that’s six feet long and three feet wide is only a few hundred dollars. A kitty door can’t cost much, and maybe Jack will install it for us. The door between the kitchen and garage closes properly, so that means he got out because of human error. We just have to be more mindful of his whereabouts every time we leave the house.”
Amber came around the breakfast bar and hugged me then planted a big kiss on my cheek. “I love you, Jade.”
“Back at ya.”
“Oh, by the way, I don’t have to work tonight, and Mom invited us to dinner.”
“Humph, I didn’t get that memo.”
“I guess she figured I’d tell you. She’s making lasagna.”
“Homemade?”
Amber grinned. “Is there any other?”
“Okay, I’m in. What time?”
“I’ll wait for you, and we can ride together. That way if anything comes up and you have to leave, I can go too. Dinner is at six.”
“You’re wicked, little sister.” I glanced at my watch and gulped the rest of my coffee. “Gotta go. Call me later and let me know how Spaz is doing.”
Amber handed me my travel mug as I headed for the garage.
I laughed. “What would I do without you?”
“Don’t know, but you’ll never have to find out.”
I backed out of the driveway and barreled down the street, still wearing a smile. Life was good lately, at least on a personal level. Work, on the other hand,
was a constant challenge. I hoped we’d have some answers soon.
I turned left onto Schmidt Road and gunned it between a small opening in a slew of oncoming cars. Jack was walking toward the building and turned around when I entered the parking lot. Evidently, he was more than familiar with the deep throttling sound my car made. He waited for me at the front door.
“Ready for a busy day?” he asked as I caught up to him.
“If you’re asking if I’m ready to arrest these lunatics, the answer is heck yeah. We barely had time to catch our breath, then bam—two more murders. The brutality is escalating too.”
A concerned expression furrowed Jack’s forehead. “Yeah, I know.”
We walked into the sheriff’s department and greeted Jan as we passed by the dispatch counter and entered the bull pen.
I took a seat at my desk since Billings had already arrived and started the coffee. I still had half a cup in my travel mug, anyway. I pulled a yellow legal pad out of my side desk drawer and began writing.
Jack looked up from the busywork that was occupying him. “What are you doing?”
“Updating my to-do list for the day. We need to touch base with Lena and Jason about the DNA match. If our church vics are the missing husbands, then somebody has to tell the wives. I have a ten o’clock appointment with the Washburn County postmaster, and who knows how that will go. I want to see if Todd and Billy found anything sketchy on David Smith’s computers and tablet. That should keep me busy until lunchtime. After that, I guess we’ll see what shakes out.”
“Yeah, I’ll check to see if we got any hits on the BOLO we put out for Larry Taylor and John Leiter’s vehicles and follow up with the PD about their knock and talk around the church perimeter.”
Billy entered the bull pen and grabbed an available chair. “You guys are going to love this.”
I immediately perked up. “Well, don’t leave us in suspense, for Pete’s sake—spill it.”
“We found something on David Smith’s computer that his wife most likely didn’t know about. Didn’t she tell you guys their marriage was going well considering they were in their tenth year?”
