Blood Trail

by C. M. Sutter

  I tapped my pen against my notepad as I thought. “Give us an idea of the topography. Is the area heavily wooded?”

  “Not at all. More like open plains with stands of pine trees scattered about, and the interstate runs parallel to the park.”

  “How close?” Renz asked.

  “Probably a half mile away, but campsites are farther in so you don’t hear the constant hum of cars and semis.”

  “Okay, and what about the campground where Tracy Bast went missing?”

  Ben fielded that question. “That’s more in my own backyard and just a few miles west of Sturgis. If the abduction had happened along the interstate in August during the bike rally, I’d be inclined to say somebody who was up to no good had a hand in it, but the timing is off. Most folks at the bike rally are there for the experience and a great cross-country ride, but I can’t say that’s everyone’s intentions. Regardless, if the same thing is happening as far away as Casper, Wyoming, it wouldn’t likely be bikers committing the crimes.”

  I had to agree. “Are plenty of people still tent camping around Sturgis in September?”

  Ben nodded. “Yep, a lot of diehards who like the great outdoors. They’ll camp beyond the first frost and even into early winter. The campground Tracy went missing from has a bit more tree cover than the Blackhawk RV park but still has plenty of open space where one would see or hear an abduction taking place. Somehow those girls were snatched up without a single person noticing.”

  I sighed. “That’s what worries me. The abductors have a method that works for them, nobody notices, and the interstate is usually less than a mile away.”

  “What did the family say the situation was in Tracy’s case?” Renz asked.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary. She went out to walk the dog and never returned. The dog found its way back to the campsite about an hour later, dragging the leash behind it, but no Tracy in sight.”

  “Where is the family from?”

  “Bear Butte, less than ten miles east of Sturgis. South Dakota has a lot of open land, and the majority of the towns are along highways and interstates. Most everywhere else is wilderness.”

  “Got it. So both girls disappeared without a trace, and nobody saw or heard anything?”

  “It appears that way, Agent Monroe,” Ben said.

  “Okay, as long as we’re in Rapid City right now, I’d like to call on Jillian’s family and get their account. Sometimes people’s recollections change after a few days, and we’d like to make sure what they remember today is the same as what they gave as their statement last week.”

  “Sure thing. I can arrange that as soon as you like,” Tony said.

  I thanked him. “Now would be good.”

  Chapter 5

  So far, the plan was going without a hitch. Both men were on busses—Gary on the one from Casper to Denver and Leon on the bus from Cheyenne to Denver. Gary had made the call to Leon earlier to make sure he was actually on the bus and it was en route. Now it was up to the girls to arrive at the bus station on time to pick them up and to have the merchandise ready for delivery later that day.

  Hope and Claire had one box truck, and the other sat at a storage facility in Schaeferville. It would be used once the four of them set out again for the next delivery. The sides of both trucks would be covered with magnetic advertising decals, which would get swapped out with a different decal for every use. It was Hope and Claire’s responsibility to have their truck already set up with the magnetic ads on the sides.

  Gary dozed off during the ride but woke to the hiss of the air brakes as the bus pulled into Denver’s bus terminal and parked. He gathered his backpack from the bin above his head and stood in line to exit the bus. After entering the terminal, Gary found a spot to sit with a view of the incoming busses, where he would see Leon arrive from Cheyenne. He checked the time on the oversized digital wall clock. Leon’s bus should be there in six minutes. Gary glanced across the terminal to the sandwich kiosk then back at the clock—he had just enough time to grab something to eat. He crossed the marble floor and snatched a prepackaged turkey sub and a bag of chips, then went to the cashier to pay.

  “I’ll take a medium soda too.” He pulled out his wallet. A tap on his shoulder startled him. Gary spun to see Leon standing at his back.

  “Chill, dude. Jesus, you nervous about something?”

  “No, and keep your voice down. I wasn’t expecting you for another five minutes, that’s all. Grab something to eat. We got two hours before we’re supposed to meet up with Charlie.”

  With their bags slung over their shoulders and their food in hand, the men walked out to the parking lot.

  Gary set his food and bag on the brick retaining wall and shielded his eyes as he scanned the lot from left to right. “Where the hell are they? I told Claire she better not be late, damn her.”

  “Traffic maybe?”

  “My guess would be more like uncooperative passengers.”

  Leon frowned. “I thought they were supposed to keep them sedated.”

  “They are, but Claire and Hope are both twenty-one, cell phone addicts, and can’t remember instructions from one minute to the next. I swear they’re going to be sold, too, if they don’t get their shit together.”

  “Calm down, man. We have plenty of time before we’re supposed to meet Charlie.” Leon set his meal on the brick wall, too, then leaned against it.

  “Right, but I was hoping to pick up another passenger on our way. Don’t forget, anyone under seventeen is worth a hell of a lot more than the ones over that age. If they’re minors, somebody is likely looking for them, which means more risk to us but more money to us as well.”

  Leon rubbed his hands together. “Lately, all I dream about is money. Fancy cars, jewelry, flashing cash around, and going on trips.”

  Gary smirked. “Don’t forget what my buddy Willis told me.”

  “Yeah, yeah, ‘Don’t get ahead of yourself, and don’t get greedy. You’ll either end up in prison or dead.’”

  “Exactly, and we’ve already been to prison.” Gary took the last bite of his sandwich and pointed his chin toward the parking lot entrance. “That’s got to be them turning in.”

  A large white box truck with the words “Guido’s Gourmet Pizza—Our Own Slice of Italy” with a fake phone number and address written across the sides in magnetic letters pulled into the parking lot, stopped, and idled.

  “Come on. That’s them. Claire knows better than to get close to any buildings with outdoor cameras. You circle left and climb into the passenger seat, and I’ll go right. I’m driving.”

  They stayed out at what Gary felt was a safe enough distance from the cameras and approached the box truck. Hope waved out the window.

  Gary cursed under his breath and stepped up his pace.

  I swear I’m going to jack her up. I told them a hundred times to stay low-key. He reached the driver’s door and jerked it open. “Climb into the back, both of you.”

  “You could at least say hi,” Claire said.

  “Hi, now get your asses in the back.”

  Leon climbed in on the passenger side seconds later. “What was the holdup?”

  Hope poked her head into the walk-through opening between the seats. “One of the little bitches back here was giving us trouble.”

  “What kind of trouble?” Gary asked.

  “I don’t know. She was shaking really hard.”

  Leon spun in his seat. “What the hell does that mean? Was she having a seizure?”

  Hope shrugged.

  Gary pulled out onto North Broadway and continued south to West Colfax, which ran parallel to I-70 west. Already pissed off, he yelled at Leon, “Climb into the back, and see what’s going on with that girl!”

  Leon entered the enclosed box area of the truck.

  From the driver’s seat, Gary listened to the conversation between Leon and Hope.

  “Which girl was shaking?”

  “The one with the long black hair.”
<
br />   Gary called out, “What’s going on back there?”

  “Son of a bitch, Gary, she doesn’t have a pulse.”

  Leon and the girls slammed against the sides of the truck as Gary made an abrupt turn into a strip mall’s parking lot.

  “What the hell do you mean she doesn’t have a pulse?” Gary killed the engine and climbed into the back. “Get out of the way!” He knelt at the girl’s side, pulled the tape from her mouth, and saw that she’d choked on her own vomit. She was dead.

  “I thought I told you two to take care of these girls until we handed them off to Charlie. Why did she puke?”

  Claire tried to backpedal. “You told us to keep them drugged so they’d stay quiet. Maybe she had an allergic reaction or something. It’s Hope’s fault. She was supposed to keep her eye on them.”

  “She’s dead for God’s sake! Maybe you gave her too many drugs so you wouldn’t have to bother with her.”

  Hope stomped her foot. “She was resisting us a lot—much more than those other two.”

  “I should beat your ass.” Gary raised his fist, but Leon grabbed his hand.

  “Enough already! From now on, we’ll just keep them in restraints and tape their mouths,” Leon said. “They don’t need to be drugged.”

  Gary looked around the back. “We need to set this up better back here, but first we have to dump her and find another girl. I told Charlie we had three ready for delivery.” He glared at Claire and Hope. “If you want freedom from your parents’ control, you better toe the line. Another mistake like this, and you’ll both be out on your asses. Understand?”

  Claire stared at the floor. “Uh-huh.”

  “Hope?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I understand.”

  “You damn well better. If we don’t find another girl to deliver before we get to Central City, you’ll both go without pay. Maybe you will anyway as a lesson.”

  Gary climbed back into the driver’s seat, pulled up a map on his phone, and looked for a remote location on the way to Central City where they could dump the dead girl, but before they left Denver, they would have to pick up a replacement. They had an hour to spare, and they had to take advantage of every second. Gary exited Colfax and drove up and down the surface streets for twenty minutes.

  “There.” He pointed out the windshield. “Those two will do just fine.”

  “But there are two of them. How the hell are we supposed to get them both in the truck at the same time?” Leon asked. His frantic voice had gone up a full octave.

  “You and I are going to grab them and toss them in the back. We don’t have a choice. If we only grab one, the other can identify us and the truck.” Gary drove past them and parked a half block ahead. He jerked the shifter into Park and climbed through the opening behind the seats. “I want both you girls to get out, and as soon as they get close to the rear of the truck, I want you to strike up a conversation with them about how to get to I-70. Leon and I will take it from there.” He jabbed the air with a threatening finger. “Don’t screw it up either.” Gary watched out the side mirror until the girls were within fifty feet of the truck’s rear then climbed into the back with Leon. “You two get out, and you better play up the questions like you’re Academy Award-worthy actresses. Now go! We’re going to jump out the back and snatch them as soon as we hear you talking to them. It’ll be to your benefit to pitch in when we need help too.”

  Leon added to that comment. “Yeah, like club them over the head once we get them inside.”

  Claire and Hope exited the truck.

  With his ear pressed against one of the back doors, Gary heard them talking to the girls on the sidewalk. “Got the zip ties and tape ready?”

  Leon pointed to both items lying on the floor next to the doors. “They’re ready to go, and so am I.”

  “Okay.” Gary lifted the door latch then the handle. He looked at Leon and nodded. “Go!”

  They bolted from the back of the truck and saw all four girls together on the sidewalk. Gary jerked his head at Claire, and with a hard shove, she pushed one of the girls toward Gary. Hope did the same with the other one, and within seconds, they were both at the mercy of the men. Gary and Leon grabbed them, tossed them in the back, and set the attack into motion. Claire and Hope jumped in and closed the doors behind them.

  “Bring us the tape and zip ties!” Leon yelled.

  Hope and Claire did as instructed, and with the girls pinned to the floor, the men straddling their backs, their wrists were bound behind them while Hope and Claire quickly silenced their screams with tape.

  “Okay, that’s done!” Gary wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “I need to get us out of here now. You three secure them to the restraints along the walls with more zip ties. Make sure they can’t budge, and make sure you don’t have tape over their noses. Dead girls don’t bring in money.” Gary climbed through the opening, jumped into the driver’s seat, and barreled down the street, following the signs toward I-70 west. He jerked his head to the right when Leon climbed into the cab and plopped down in the passenger seat with a grunt. “Everything under control back there?”

  “It’s all good. Now let’s dump the dead girl before she starts to stink.”

  Chapter 6

  Chief Franklin had an officer escort us to the home of Bill and Peggy Nance. They lived in a typical middle-class neighborhood on Adams Street in a well-kept home. We parked along the curb behind Officer Talbot’s squad car and walked to the front door with him. The Nances were expecting us.

  Mr. Nance, or Bill, as he insisted we call him, offered us the couch to sit on in the living room. Peggy joined him minutes later, then a child—who appeared to be around seven—peeked around the corner.

  “Lanie, go play in your bedroom. We have grown-up things to discuss with these agents,” Peggy said.

  The little girl looked at me with sad eyes. “Are you going to find my sister?”

  “We’re going to do our best to make that happen, sweetie,” I said.

  Peggy waved her off. “Now go on. This won’t take too long.” Peggy waited until Lanie walked away before she spoke again. “She’s been scared to death since Jillian went missing. She has nightmares nearly every night.”

  “We’re sorry to hear that, ma’am,” Renz said.

  “Peggy, please call me Peggy.”

  Renz nodded. “I’m sure you’ve given your statement to a half dozen people by now, but we’d like to hear it in your own words. Other girls have gone missing in the last few weeks, and although we don’t have solid proof yet that the cases are connected, we’re leaning that way.”

  Peggy buried her face in Bill’s shoulder. “It’s been over a week, and we’re no closer to finding her than we were then.” She wiped her eyes and looked at her husband. “Are you going to give the accounts, or should I?”

  “Go ahead until Saturday, when Jill and I started arguing, then I’ll take over.”

  I pulled out my notepad and waited. Renz asked Peggy to begin with the day they left for the RV park.

  “That was a week ago Friday. Jill was so angry that we wouldn’t let her stay home alone.” Peggy looked from Renz to me. “But she’s only sixteen, and well—”

  “Well what?” I asked.

  “She hasn’t been entirely trustworthy in the past. We’ve had problems with Jill, so I told her absolutely not. We weren’t going to allow her to stay home alone from Friday night until Sunday afternoon. But now in hindsight—”

  Bill put his arm around his wife. “Honey, we had no way to know the outcome of the weekend. You can’t carry the blame for her disappearance.”

  “Then why do I feel so guilty?”

  I had to keep her talking. “Peggy, please continue with Friday, when you left home.”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry for getting distracted.”

  “No worries,” Renz said.

  Peggy continued. “Jill screamed at both of us for being unfair. Teenagers have a real knack for laying guilt on parents. We did
our best not to engage, but she was so belligerent. She even yelled at Lanie for no reason whatsoever. We got to the RV park, set up the trailer, and Bill made a campfire dinner. Lanie loved it, but Jill marched off. She came back an hour later, went inside the RV, and didn’t talk to us for the rest of the night.”

  Bill took his turn. “The next day—Saturday—she continued with the silent treatment. She stayed in the RV and texted with her friends all day long. Finally, I had enough. I ripped her phone from her hands and told her she couldn’t have it back until we got home. She was to act like a family member and have fun with her little sister—even if she had to fake it. That’s when she stormed off for the last time”—Bill’s voice cracked—“and we haven’t seen her since. I checked her texts but there was nothing earth shattering in her messages. She told her friends she hated camping and that was about it.”

  “That’s a heartbreaking story,” I said.

  “If only I would have let her keep her phone, maybe she could have called for help, or there’s the chance the cops could have tracked it. Something! Damn it, it’s all my fault.”

  “We’ve been through the what-if scenarios many times with families. Usually if the perpetrator finds a phone on their captive, they destroy it immediately, toss it to the side, or turn it off. Even if she’d had it, the chances of it doing her any good are truly slim.”

  Bill shook his head. “Was that supposed to make me feel better?”

  I gave him a half smile. “No, but you might find some comfort in knowing the truth.”

  Officer Talbot took over. “Meade County Sheriff’s Office got the call several hours later, and they took over the investigation because it’s their jurisdiction.”