by D. K. Hood
“Still no trace of Lizzy Harper but I’m still looking as she don’t know we’re looking for her. If she is in town, I’ll find her soon enough.”
“Get Maggie to help you. Call some of the local stores—someone must have seen her. Anything else?”
“I have found something of interest.”
“Go on.” Jenna’s brow wrinkled into a frown.
“I took the list of people working at the hospital and cross-referenced the names of those who live in the cabins up near Craig’s Rock. I found four people. Three checked out okay but one man, Bobby-Joe Brandon, works nights at the hospital and he has taken a couple of days off with the flu. He was supposed to be on duty the night Jane Stickler died but called in sick. Kinda convenient, don’t you think?” He paused for a few seconds. “I found his cellphone number and called him but all I got was his voicemail. I figure there’s a slim chance he might be one of the four men the girls’ mentioned in the pedophile ring, and if so, he could have abducted the girl. As he isn’t answering his phone the vigilante might have killed him already.”
Kane’s skin prickled. “Where exactly does he live?”
“Did you pass a private road with a lot of signs when you went up to Craig’s Rock?”
“Yes, I remember the place.” Jenna flashed Kane a look of concern.
“Well, ma’am, his cabin is about half a mile up that road. You would have to drive to the gate and go on foot. He has the property fenced, so I’m told.”
“Okay, thanks. He might be in the shower or something, keep trying his number.” Jenna worried her bottom lip. “Any relevant leads on the missing girl?”
“Not really. We’ve had quite a few calls, a few crackpots, and the others I’m checking out as they come in. Most are the same, as we know already; they last saw her heading in your direction. One person saw her riding along the road when he was coming into town. She was last seen after school in the area for sure.” He paused and she could hear a tapping on a keyboard. “Another thing: Mrs. Dempsy saw a late-model white sedan turning and heading to your position early yesterday afternoon. She didn’t take much notice who was driving.” He took a deep breath. “There are volunteers searching from the school, heading through the forest in your direction. The rangers have them well organized.”
“Okay, thanks. If anyone calls in with a positive sighting, call me, and keep looking for Lizzy Harper; someone must have seen her.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After Jenna disconnected she stared up at Kane blankly as if thinking, then cleared her throat. “What if the vigilante killer set up this victim? You mentioned pedophiles groom kids online, and if she acted like a young girl, it’s possible this is how she is getting her victims alone.” She waved a hand around. “Look at this place: It’s a mile or more from town but not too far to come by bicycle, and it’s secluded.”
“Yeah.” Rowley blinked away the flies buzzing around his sweat-streaked face. “If the victims thought they were meeting a young girl, they wouldn’t be over-cautious—in fact, more likely to do whatever the kid wanted.”
“If we consider the vigilante is posing as a kid, yeah it makes perfect sense.” Jenna sighed. “If Bobby-Joe Brandon is part of this, he is probably dead already.”
A bolt of realization smacked Kane in the head. “We’re missing something. Let’s say the call I received about seeing the girl here was from the vigilante, and she didn’t disguise her voice this time to make me think it was legit.”
“She’s never done that before. Why now?” Jenna raised one eyebrow.
“I figure she’s been moving us around like pieces on a chess board. Think back. She blood-bombed my house and left the newspapers to justify her reason for murder, maybe in an effort to make us pull back the investigation. She wanted us out of town to give her time to kill Jenkins so she called and informed me about the graves at Craig’s Rock.”
“Then she lured Jenkins here.” Jenna was well ahead of him. “It’s obvious she knows the names of the men in the pedophile ring, and if Bobby-Joe Brandon is our fourth man, he would be next on her list. I figure Bobby-Joe planned to meet a girl here as well.” She glanced up at him, eyes flashing with excitement. “It’s possible she killed Chris then caught sight of Bobby-Joe with Sandra and followed him. We know someone else was here. Sandra’s trail vanishes so it proves a second vehicle picked her up.”
Kane rubbed the back of his neck. “The vigilante wouldn’t have picked up Sandra or she would have been home by now.”
“Yeah, she is using this murder scene as a decoy. I figure killing the fourth man is her ultimate prize.” Jenna stared into space then snapped her gaze back to him. “Craig’s Rock is close to Bobby-Joe’s cabin, so she calls you to tell you about seeing Sandra here. She would know I would call in all my resources to search for the missing girl, and when we found the body, I would call in the ME and give her a clear path to Bobby-Joe.”
“Oh shit!” Rowley’s eyes rounded in horror. “You’re saying she wanted us away from Craig’s Rock so she could murder Bobby-Joe Brandon?”
Kane nodded in agreement. “Yeah. We need to get up there now.”
56
When Duke barked and jumped, as wildly as possible for a hound, Jenna turned to see Wolfe and Webber coming into the clearing carrying a ton of equipment. She hurried to meet them and explained the situation. “I’m heading up to Bobby-Joe Brandon’s cabin. I think we’re wasting our time searching here.”
“If you leave Webber with me, we can handle the crime scene alone. I’ve organized a huge team from Helena and surrounding counties to exhume all the bodies at Craig’s Rock. They’ll be here first thing in the morning.” Wolfe walked over to the cabin and peered into the door. “I’ve already called the local mortician to bring transport for the body.”
“We think this is Chris Jenkins; he fits the description as far as I can tell on his driver’s license. Kane found his truck parked some ways up the main road. See if his prints are on file. I’ll need you to confirm his ID and find out if he has any next of kin.” She rubbed her mouth, remembering the flies and ants crawling over the victim’s face. “You’ll need to clean him up before you get a positive ID.”
“That’s given, ma’am.” Wolfe looked slightly annoyed.
With her mind juggling a multitude of cases, being nice sometimes slipped into obscurity. “That was rude, I apologize, Wolfe. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you about procedure.” She turned to her other deputies. “We’ll go in your SUV, Kane. Rowley and Bradford, with us.” She tossed her keys to Webber. “Drive my car back to the office when you’re finished here.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Webber’s face was sheet-white.
With a girl in danger, Jenna did not have time to boost morale. She offered him a small smile. “I know you’ve had a gruesome introduction to Black Rock Falls but it’s not like this all the time. You’ll be back to writing tickets before you know it.”
“I’ve seen death before, ma’am, but it’s never easy.”
“He’s doing a fine job.” Wolfe slapped Webber on the back. “Suit up, we have work to do.”
Jenna spun away to face Kane. “Let’s go.”
Frantic for the safety of Sandra Doig, Jenna jogged along the trail to Kane’s black SUV. When Kane moved to her side, she glanced up at him. “Lights and sirens. I want to get to Bobby-Joe’s cabin yesterday.” She yanked open the door to his car, tossed her backpack over the back, and climbed into the passenger seat. “Hurry!”
“You got it.” Kane hoisted Duke in the back and slid behind the wheel then cast a glance over to Rowley and Bradford. “Strap in, it’s going to be a wild ride.” His gaze settled on Rowley. “My sniper rifle is under the seat in a case. Get it out for me, please.”
“Roger that.” Rowley gave him a curt nod then clicked in his seatbelt.
Thrown back in her chair as the powerful SUV took off then spun one-eighty degrees before tearing back to the main road, Jenna gripped the edge of t
he seat. She had confidence in Kane’s ability to keep her safe but his look of grim determination worried her about his mood. His opinion of pedophiles was quite clear, and he would kill on her command without blinking an eye. She would need to keep a tight hold on her deputies if Bobby-Joe Brandon was alive and had the missing girl in his cabin.
“Go straight ahead at the intersection then take the first right. The road runs parallel to Stanton Road and will bypass the traffic in town.” Rowley leaned forward in his seat. “It’s residential but loops back around to Stanton Road near the college.”
“Okay.” The engine roared like an angry bull as Kane turned onto the highway.
Jenna concentrated on the road ahead, and with the siren blaring, the forest became a green blur as Kane increased speed, hardly slowing to take the bends. Behind her, she could hear Rowley checking his weapons and assembling Kane’s rifle. They flashed past cars, most pulling over to allow them to pass, and hit the intersection doing sixty. “Holy shit, Kane, slow down or you’ll kill someone.”
“We’re good. I could see a good hundred feet each way.” His blue gaze landed on her for a split second. “Trust me.”
As they flashed by houses, people came out open-mouthed to watch them go by. The end of the road came up fast, and with a quick glance in both directions, Kane hit the gas again and they surged down the open highway. Jenna gaped at the needle on the speedometer: eighty, ninety. She sucked in a breath and looked away when it slid over 120 miles per hour. She heard a strange whooshing sound as they passed cars, trucks, and buildings without slowing. The turnoff leading to Craig’s Rock and the entrance to the falls was coming up at speed.
A shower of gravel had washed down in the last rain and coated the end of the road, spilling onto the highway and making a muddy smear on the blacktop. Jenna held her breath. The car slowed, the motor rumbled, and she squeezed her eyes shut as Kane slid the car around the hairpin bend on the gravel, then, wheels spinning, the SUV gained traction and increased speed up the mountain road. He was scaring the hell out of her now. With her heart pounding, she tried to act nonchalant. “You should compete in drifting competitions. You’d win.”
“Nah, it’s an idiot’s game and I’d never risk my life on something so stupid.”
“That’s good to hear.” She glanced at him. “Turn off the lights and sirens, we don’t want to advertise the fact we are here.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As they climbed high into the mountain range, Jenna scanned the forest for cabins. Her wholesome idea of a wonderful trek up the peak to enjoy nature had been shattered of late. With hundreds of log cabins spread throughout the forest, she wondered how many people used them for illegal activities. The road weaved in all directions and Jenna swallowed hard as the SUV came perilously close to the edge of the falls, sending pebbles tumbling down the rock face. Then, to her relief, Kane turned down a side road leading into the forest. As they drove deeper into the mass of trees, the shade from the tall pines turned the bright summer’s day into dusk. A short time later, they approached the private road Walters had informed them led to Bobby-Joe’s property. She stared at the open gate with signs all over prohibiting entry. “That was padlocked when we came past last time.”
“This can’t be good.” Kane drove slowly through the opening and hung out the window, examining the gate. “Someone has cut through the chain.”
“It might be Lizzy Harper. She could be on foot.” A jolt of adrenaline hit Jenna, making her hand tremble. “Scan the area. Rowley, take the left; I’ll take the right. Kane, proceed with caution.”
“There’s a white sedan parked off-road ahead.” Kane slowed the car then pulled up. “Do you want to stop or continue, ma’am?”
Jenna shook her head. “No, keep going. Pull up just before the turn; we’ll go in from there. Rowley, run the plate.”
“Oh, mother of God.” Rowley’s voice came out in a rush of emotion. “He has Alison. That’s her car.”
57
It never ceased to amaze Jenna the way Kane could slip from his deputy persona into combat mode in the blink of an eye and move without making a sound. He changed noticeably and his expression became fixed, almost robotic, but his eyes moved constantly, scanning the area. With him in the lead, if someone was in the forest waiting to take a shot at them, they would not get past his scrutiny.
As they rounded the sweeping curve leading to the clearing surrounding the cabin with Kane in the lead, Jenna heard his voice in her earbud.
“If we cross the road, we’ll be able to come up around the back of the cabin.”
“Roger that.” She could see him using a pair of binoculars to check out the cabin. “Can you see any movement inside?”
“Nope. There is a truck parked out front.”
A strangled scream came from the forest, sending a flock of birds rising high in the air. In front of her, Kane froze and scanned the area with his binoculars. Jenna waved the other deputies into the trees and moved slowly to his side, taking cover behind a pine two feet wide. “Bobcat?”
Another scream and this time, a long wailing voice shattered the silence. “Pleeeease stop.”
Torn between checking the cabin for a kidnapped girl and saving a pedophile from potential murder, Jenna glanced toward Kane. “Check out who is screaming. If Alison is in danger, take action immediately. I’ll take Rowley and Bradford and clear the cabin.”
When Kane gave her a curt nod then took a well-worn trail blended into the forest without as much as a crack of twigs, she pressed her mic. “Rowley, Bradford, with me. We’ll cross the road here one at a time then go around the back of the cabin. Kane is heading toward the person in trouble.”
Without waiting, she dashed across the road and slipped into the cover of trees. Seconds later Rowley then Bradford sans dog were beside her. “Where’s Duke?”
“I told him to lie down; he is in the bushes.” Bradford gave her a worried look. “I thought he might get in the way.”
“Okay, follow me.”
Jenna approached the back door of the cabin with caution; no sound came from within and the screaming had obviously not disturbed the inhabitants. The back door hung open and she could clearly see the kitchen inside. “Sheriff’s department. Mr. Brandon, are you there?”
She turkey-peeked around the door and then drawing her weapon took a few cautious steps inside. The strong odor of unwashed man and beer accosted her nostrils. The kitchen was empty but her attention went straight to a gaping hole in the wall and the splintered wood fragments littering the floor. Only a gun could make that much damage. She hit her mic. “Kane, there is a hole as big as Texas in the wall in here.”
“Blood?”
“Not that I can see and it’s quiet.” She took a deep breath and moved into the kitchen. “The back door was open. It looks like one shot and a maybe a chase.”
“I can’t see anyone from my position. The screaming is coming from closer to the falls. I figure you’re good to go.”
“Okay.” She could see through to the small living room. Another open door was on her right. “Mr. Brandon?”
With Rowley hot on her heels, she edged along the wall and peered into the bedroom. She could smell the filthy bed linen from the doorway and, heart pounding, moved inside to check the small bathroom. “Clear.”
No one appeared to be home and yet a truck sat in the driveway and Alison’s car was on the road. Worry knotted her stomach. Where are they? She led the way to the kitchen, opening cupboards to search for the concealed entrance to a cellar. She turned to Rowley. “Search for a cellar door. It might be under a mat.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Kane, the place is empty. I’m still searching for Alison and the girl.” Jenna waved Bradford inside.
“The screaming has stopped. It wasn’t a kid’s voice; it sounded like a man. I figure the killer wouldn’t hurt a kid. Sandra and Alison must still be in the house. I’m climbing to a higher position.”
Glad she h
ad Kane on the outside watching their backs, Jenna holstered her weapon. “Roger that.”
In the kitchen, Bradford stood with one hand pressed to her mouth and stared at a laptop on the table. Concerned by the deputy’s ashen face, Jenna walked to her side. “What is it?”
“Take a look.” Bradford grimaced then turned away, shaking her head.
Disgust and anger slammed into Jenna at the lurid images on the screen, and using her elbow, she closed the lid. She dragged out latex gloves from her pocket and pulled them on then peered into a carton sitting on the table. Inside were clown masks, twenty or more thumb drives, and piles of photographs. She forced her mind to cut out the depravity and concentrate on the victims’ faces. “Oh my God, I recognize some of these girls from the newspaper articles.”
“Do you think he’s killed the girl?” Bradford’s hands were shaking.
“No, men like him prefer to keep them alive for as long as possible. She has to be here; he probably has her and Alison stashed close by.”
Frantic to find them, she glanced around, then Kane’s voice came into her ear.
“I’ve continued up the trail but I still can’t see anyone. I can see a ledge higher up; I’ll get up there and scan the area with my scope. Any luck finding Sandra and Alison?”
She pressed her mic. “No. The cabin is empty and we are searching for a cellar. They have to be here somewhere. I know Brandon is one of the pedophiles. He left a laptop open with porn files on the kitchen table. There’s a box containing clown masks, thumb drives, and photographs. I recognize some of them from the missing girls in the newspapers.”
“Roger that. Just a minute. I see movement up the top of the mountain and the sound of water is getting louder. I’m close to the falls and I can make out a few shapes ahead.”
“Okay, hold your position. We’ll check out the cellar then meet you on the trail.”
“Ma’am.” Rowley caught her attention. “I’ve found a safe with the door open. It looks empty.” He walked into the pantry and pointed to a door set into the back wall. “That might be the cellar door. I’ll check it out.”
