Blood Trail

by C. M. Sutter

  “Got it.” Renz looked from Peggy to Bill. “Do either of you know about problems at school, bullies, or anyone who took issue with Jillian?”

  “Not at all,” Peggy said. “Honestly, the only people who probably fought with her was us. I swear, kids hate their parents until they’re in their twenties. After that, and once they’re on their own, they realize just how good they had it.”

  “I imagine that’s true in a lot of families,” I said.

  “So, what happened after you called 911 and the deputy arrived?”

  “Deputy Jenner showed up first and walked the park with us as we explained the situation. We only had a few hours before dark, so he made the call and got five more deputies out there. We combed the area and talked to the other campers but got nothing. Jill stormed off, nobody heard or saw anything, then poof”—he emphasized the poof with his hands—“she was gone. More deputies and some of the campers helped search the next day, but we found no signs of her, a scuffle, blood, or clothing anywhere.”

  I nodded then turned to Officer Talbot. “Has Meade County kept you abreast of their investigation? Do they have any clues?”

  “Sorry, but they don’t have any leads. Jillian’s face was aired on the news three times over the last week, but no reliable tips have come in.”

  I let out a hard breath. “Okay. Tomorrow we’ll be going to the site to look things over with Deputy Jenner. Another girl was abducted near Sturgis last week and several more in Wyoming. City and county law enforcement agencies have been actively working the cases. We just arrived today, and we have two more agents working the Wyoming side of the investigation. It’s going to take some time to connect all the dots, but we intend to give it everything we have.”

  Bill furrowed his brow. “So more girls were kidnapped? Why?”

  I had my own theories although nothing had been substantiated yet, but by the expression that took over Bill’s face, I knew he was reading my thoughts.

  “Jill wasn’t kidnapped because somebody wanted to do her harm or demand a ransom, was she? She was kidnapped to be sold.”

  “Bill, at this point it’s too early to know anything for sure, but we have state troopers watching the interstates, county and city officers watching towns and rural areas, and the FBI is covering South Dakota and Wyoming with feet on the ground. We’ll get to the bottom of this. All we ask for is some patience on your part.”

  They held tightly to each other, thanked us for our visit, and showed us to the door.

  I gave Peggy my card. “Please, contact us if anything comes up.”

  They promised they would, and we returned to the police department.

  Ben Tilley had gone back to Sturgis and left word that Deputy Jenner would meet us at the Blackhawk RV park tomorrow at nine a.m. At that point, we didn’t have anything else to discuss about the case with Tony, since he wasn’t actively working the Meade County abductions. We did want to review all felony activities that had taken place in Pennington County over the last five years to see if a connection could be made to the abductions or if any local felon raised a red flag.

  After we checked out the Blackhawk RV park with Deputy Jenner the next day, we would continue north to Sturgis, check out that abduction site, speak with Tracy’s parents, then meet up with Ben Tilley again.

  Chapter 7

  Once Denver was in the rearview mirror, Gary sucked in and blew out a few calming breaths. “Claire, come up here. I need to talk to you.”

  She poked her head through the opening. “Yeah?”

  “Explain that broken taillight to me, and choose your words carefully. I can smell a liar a mile away.”

  She stuttered as she began. “Um, wait what? A broken taillight?”

  “You get one chance to answer honestly.”

  Hope yelled from the back of the truck, “I’ll tell—”

  Leon spun in his seat. “Hope, shut up! Gary isn’t talking to you.”

  She grumbled and went silent.

  “I’m waiting, Claire.”

  “Okay already. I didn’t know it was broken, and that’s the truth. I parked on a residential street so we could get some sleep, just for an hour or so, but when it was time to leave, I backed into a driveway to turn around.” She began to whine. “You know I can’t see shit through those side mirrors—”

  “What happened?”

  “I hit the car that was parked in the driveway, but I took off right away. It wasn’t like anyone saw us. It was the middle of the night for God’s sake.”

  Gary cursed. “You better hope to hell this doesn’t come back to haunt us. Where were you when that happened, and where were you going?”

  “We were passing through Cheyenne on the way here, to Denver.”

  “So it happened in a residential neighborhood in Cheyenne in the middle of the night?”

  “Yes, sorry. I don’t like driving this big truck.”

  “Go sit down. I have to think about things.” Gary continued on and had to focus on his driving. He watched for sideroads that would exit the interstate and take them deep into the backcountry. He needed to make sure the coyotes would make short work of the dead girl before any hiker caught sight of her. Gary turned off the interstate at Evergreen Road and continued north for several miles. A sign that read Rushing Brook Canyon Road caught his eye, and it sounded intriguing. He cranked the wheel and made a hard right onto the dirt road. Claire yelled that she’d just slammed against the opposite wall in the back.

  “Shut up, hang on, and keep your eyes on those new girls. We’ll be stopping in a few minutes to dump the dead one.” Gary continued deeper into the rugged backcountry and hit every bump and pothole on that one-lane road.

  Leon watched out the window. “Don’t get yourself into a spot where we can’t turn around. We have no idea where this road goes or if it ends without warning.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get out and see what we’ve got.” Gary pressed the brake pedal and shifted into Park, then killed the engine and waited for the dust to settle.

  “Where are you going?” Hope yelled as they opened the doors and climbed out.

  “To look for a good spot around here, so stay put for now.”

  The men walked the outer edge of the road, where a deep ravine lay directly to their left.

  “Be careful. The rocks are loose,” Gary said as they peered over the edge.

  “Yeah, but around loose rocks is a good place to dump a body. Hikers wouldn’t go down there.”

  “That’s true.” Gary looked ahead down the road. “I don’t see a place to turn around though. The road is too narrow.”

  “Let’s get rid of the girl then continue on until we see a side road or a spot wide enough to turn around. We need to get back to the interstate pretty soon, so we can’t go much farther.”

  “Okay.” Gary walked to the back doors, lifted the latch, and pulled them open.

  Hope and Claire squinted from the sun blasting in. The new girls squirmed and moaned through the tape.

  Claire kicked one in the hip. “Shut up. I’ve listened to whiny bitches for days, and I’m getting tired of it.” She and Hope jumped out and stretched. “Ahh… fresh air.”

  Gary tipped his head toward the bound girls inside. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

  The men disappeared for a minute into the dark box of the truck. They came out carrying the dead girl—Gary with his elbows locked under her armpits, and Leon grasping her ankles. They placed her on the edge of the road and removed what remained of the tape and zip ties. Gary balled it up and threw it back into the truck.

  “Double-check her pockets before we toss her over the edge.”

  Leon jammed his hand into every pocket and gave Gary a nod. “She’s good to go.”

  “Okay, we’re going to swing her a few times then let go. We need her to fall deep into the ravine so we have to put all our effort into it.”

  “I’m ready whenever you are.”

  Gary grabbed her by the wrist
s, Leon took her ankles, and they swung the girl back and forth.

  “Let go now!”

  On the third swing, they released her. She hit several boulders before she rolled down the hill.

  Gary inched ahead carefully and peered over the edge. “See anything?”

  Leon shielded his eyes and looked down. “I don’t see shit except for a lot of trees and rocks.”

  “Then we’re good.” Gary jerked his chin toward the trees. “Everyone go take a piss, then we’ve got to get back on the freeway.”

  Several minutes later, Gary found a turnout a mile farther. “Finally!” With some back and forth sawing maneuvers, Gary was able to get the truck facing the way they’d come. “Now we’ve got to make up time. I’m supposed to call Charlie in twenty-five minutes.”

  Leon grinned. “He’ll give us a pass. Hell, we’re bringing him an extra girl he wasn’t expecting. That’s another thousand bucks in our pocket and who knows how much more in his?”

  Gary tapped the steering wheel as the truck barreled forward and the rear tires kicked up dust. “What I’d like to know is who the actual broker is and how much money he’s making on every girl. It’s got to be at least five grand.”

  “Yeah, wouldn’t it be sweet to be in his shoes?”

  Gary’s mind raced. “It would be damn sweet. When is your next meeting with the parole officer?”

  “Next week, then it goes monthly.”

  “Same here, and after that, we’re going to step up our pace.”

  Chapter 8

  We’d gone through the Pennington County reports but didn’t find a single felon who had tendencies to commit kidnapping or anyone who had in the past. With that angle leading nowhere, we packed up and said goodbye to Tony Franklin. After supper, we would touch base through video chat with Tommy and Fay to get and give each other updates on the investigation.

  We would stay the night in the Rapid City hotel, spend tomorrow in the field, then grab a hotel in Sturgis for that night. Wednesday we would meet Tommy and Fay in Buffalo, but I had something to suggest later, during our video chat.

  “What do you want for supper?” Renz asked as we climbed into the Tahoe.

  “Mmmm—steak comes to mind. I guess, out here in God’s country, I’m envisioning a longhorn steer.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s more of a Texas phenomenon. Here in South Dakota, I believe bison is popular.”

  “Really? Okay, I’m game. I’ll see what steak joints I can find near the hotel that serve bison.” I checked every four-star restaurant within five blocks of the hotel. It would be a nice night to walk there and back. “I found one that has great reviews. It’s called Jerome’s Grill.”

  “Sure. How far is it from the hotel?”

  “Only three blocks.”

  Renz lowered the driver’s-side window and stuck out his hand. “Damn nice night for a walk.”

  I laughed. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  Later, after a delicious bison steak and mouthwatering sides at Jerome’s, I was happy to walk off the meal and dessert I’d just eaten. Back at the hotel, I powered up my laptop in a seating area near the bar. Renz had called Tommy after we’d left the restaurant and told him we would be video calling them at seven thirty. We still had ten minutes before the call.

  Renz tipped his head toward the bar. “Want something to drink?”

  “I’d love a glass of wine, but I better stick to coffee. I don’t want the others to think I’m taking my job lightly.”

  He waved off my comment. “I can guarantee you they aren’t going to think that, and as a matter of fact, I can damn near guarantee you that Tommy will have a beer at his side.”

  “You sure?”

  “One hundred percent. We are human, you know.”

  I smiled. “Okay, a glass of Cab sounds good.”

  “Coming up.”

  I watched as Renz walked to the bar. He and I were perfect partners, and as much as I missed Jack and J.T., my former sidekicks, Renz was a great guy, mild mannered, and as smart as a whip. I was happy that Maureen paired us up, and in my opinion, we were a good match. Renz returned to our table with two glasses of wine.

  “Thanks, partner. We have a couple of minutes before the call. I’ve organized our notes and have paper and pens ready to go.”

  A minute later, an invite link came through my email to join the meeting. I clicked on it, and within a few seconds, we saw Fay’s and Tommy’s faces on the screen.

  “Hey, guys,” I said. “Hope you’ve had more luck than we have today. We haven’t learned anything more than what was in the report filed by the Meade County Sheriff’s Office.”

  Tommy began with what they had. “We’ve talked to all the parents of the missing girls, and needless to say, they’re devastated. Nobody knows anything, but it’s not uncommon for parents of teenagers to be absolutely clueless. Kids that age don’t share information with authority figures, especially their own moms and dads. It seems that every teen disappeared right from their own neighborhoods, but the exact location of where they were when the abduction took place is unknown. We have a general area, and that expands five blocks out in every direction from their homes. We’ve interviewed their friends, too, and walked the neighborhoods, but came up empty.”

  Fay took her turn. “One thing that’s interesting, though, is the call that came into the Cheyenne, Wyoming, police department four nights ago. It was a disturbance call from a homeowner in a residential neighborhood, and when the police arrived, they found the homeowner’s car sitting in the driveway with the rear end damaged. Pieces of a taillight from the assumed hit-and-run vehicle were lying in the driveway. The police bagged them, and the homeowner filed an insurance claim, but it wasn’t until yesterday that anyone actually took enough interest in the pieces to look up the serial numbers imprinted in the plastic. Sounds like the insurance company was asking about it. It turns out that type of taillight comes from a 2005 box truck. Of course, we looked over those truck stop videos again but couldn’t make out if either white box truck had a broken taillight or not.”

  I rubbed my chin. “That is interesting. So the truck was in a residential neighborhood in the middle of the night and was—what—turning around?”

  “Probably. Those box trucks don’t have windows in the back doors, so the driver has to rely on the side mirrors. I could see how an unexperienced driver may have backed into something,” Tommy said.

  Renz took his turn. “So where exactly is Cheyenne?”

  “Cheyenne runs along I-25 and is about halfway between Casper and Denver.”

  “Then where is Cheyenne in relation to Glenrock, where Claire was spotted paying for gas?”

  Tommy shook his head. “Not that close—two hours away, but Casper, where Gary lives, is only a half hour from Glenrock.”

  “Hmm… I wonder if that’s a coincidence or not. Where are those trucks coming from anyway? They aren’t parked at anyone’s homes.”

  “Good question, Jade,” Fay said.

  “If the truck with the broken taillight was one of those white box trucks that we saw Hope and Claire getting out of, then where the hell were they going? We know there’s a connection between the men from Casper to Rapid City and abductions took place along that route, but south of Casper?” I asked. “If that vehicle is actually using the interstate and we know what time that police report came in, we might catch it passing a plate reader somewhere. We’d have to know where the nearest readers are in both directions out of Cheyenne though.”

  “Not a bad idea, Jade,” Tommy said. “We’ll absolutely check that out.”

  I continued. “Not to change the subject, but we have to pass through Gillette on our way to Buffalo on Wednesday. In my opinion, it would be worth our while to pay all the parents a visit.”

  “I agree,” Fay said. “We need to know more about the four of them, plus we need to know how those girls have access to money other than through credit cards.”

  Tommy took his
turn. “Tomorrow, besides learning more about the police report and plate readers, we’re going to get in touch with both men’s parole officers. I want to know how often they’re supposed to report in and what their schedules were from the minute they were released from prison. The times when they were home and when they weren’t might be based on those parole meetings.”

  “Good plan. Let’s touch base again tomorrow night. Sounds like we’ll all be busy during the day,” Renz said.

  With the time for our next video chat planned, I logged off. Renz and I each had another drink, then we parted ways at our rooms.

  Chapter 9

  Leon whistled as they climbed back into the truck and set off for the return trip to Denver. “Damn, that Charlie is a scary dude. Did you see how hard he punched that girl after she bit his hand?”

  “I thought Charlie demanded the merchandise be in good condition when we make the delivery. He said his people don’t want banged-up girls, and that’s why we can’t slap them around,” Hope said.

  Leon continued. “He’ll likely have to hold onto her for a while until her bruises go away. I’ll tell you one thing, I for one, don’t want to get on that guy’s bad side.”

  Hope laughed. “That’s because you’re a chickenshit.”

  Gary looked back at Hope, shook his head, and groaned. “That was the wrong thing to say.”

  Leon spun in his seat and slapped Hope across the face, bloodying her lip. She fell backward into the box of the truck. Claire cursed Leon and flipped him the bird.

  “Shut up, Claire!” Leon snarled then looked at Gary. “Whose idea was it to let these bitches tag along?”

  “Mine, and they serve a purpose, so deal with it. We’ll make a lot more money with four people working instead of two. Being chicks, they’re easier to control, and we’ve known them for years. They’re trustworthy.”

  Leon looked over his shoulder and glared at Hope. “Maybe so, but this one has a smart mouth. The next time you call me a chickenshit, I’ll break your jaw. Understand?”

  Hope nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Say you’re sorry.”