Atrocity

by C. M. Sutter

  I took a sip of my beer. “It’s our guts thinking for us.”

  “Then you can’t involve two or three counties on a feeling. Without proof that he’s in the area, you’d be tying up local resources and taxpayers’ money by having them search for somebody that you don’t know is there. Believe me, you guys are on your own until you have a county, a resort name, and eyewitness proof that he’s holed up there. So what actually is the plan?”

  “Horbeck and Jamison were going to continue making calls to resort owners and managers and ask if anyone has checked in under Brian’s name,” I said.

  “That sounds daunting. One, there’s a million lake resorts in North Country, and two, he could have rented the place under a false identity.”

  “Yeah, we know what we’re up against. The only person who could help us is Mark Peters, and he lawyered up and has already been released for lack of evidence. We went through his house and didn’t find anything helpful except a photograph and a beer receipt from Columbus dated last spring.”

  Jade frowned. “That’s helpful? It sounds like you have your work cut out for you.”

  Kate repositioned herself and faced Jade. “Brian left a taunting voice mail for Mrs. Philips earlier. Amber heard what sounded like TV commercials in the background. When we left, Mrs. Philips was on her way to the sheriff’s office to have Tech make a copy of Brian’s call. If Tech can enhance the TV commercials, they could help us get an idea of his location, especially if the commercials were local.”

  “It’s a start and actually a great idea. You’d be surprised at how many murderers we tracked down because sounds in the background helped us find their general location.”

  “Good. I’m looking forward to hearing the call again after Tech does their magic.”

  “Those guys are pretty good even for a little Podunk county like ours.” Jade grinned. “So, what’s for dinner?”

  I guzzled the last of my beer and stood. “I’ll throw something together. Let’s go inside, and I’ll check our supply of leftovers.”

  Jade took a seat and turned the TV on to the evening news she’d been watching earlier. She resumed the playback where she had turned it off and fast-forwarded through the sports. She perked up when breaking news cut in from our affiliate station in St. Paul. “Great. There seems to be breaking news every night, and it’s never anything good. This has to be about those recent murders.”

  I turned on the oven, set the glass casserole dish on the counter, and peeked around the corner. “Is it?”

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  I rounded the corner and sat on the couch alongside Kate as the reporter began her segment.

  “Megan Stevens reporting live in front of Mickey’s, a local tavern popular with the under-forty crowd right here in St. Paul. An eyewitness has informed law enforcement that they remember seeing the missing mother of two, Candy Dennis, at this very location on Saturday night before she went missing. Police are investigating the claim while family members are still frantically searching the area for their loved one. Candy’s disappearance falls on the heels of the three local women who have gone missing over the last two months. Unfortunately, they were all found dead within days of each other, and the murderer is still at large. This is Megan Stevens reporting live for Channel 6 in front of Mickey’s Tap. Back to you, Neil.”

  Jade clicked off the TV.

  “Wow, that has to be devastating for the family,” Kate said.

  Jade nodded. “It always is, especially since Candy’s family knows that the three women who went missing before her all ended up dead.”

  “Did Spelling say anything to you and J.T. about it today?” I asked.

  “He did, but we have to hold back until we’re asked to join the investigation. The locals need to establish that it’s the work of the same perp first. At this point, it’s a wait-and-see situation for the FBI.”

  I shook my head and returned to the kitchen, where I placed the casserole dish in the preheated oven. “Dinner will be ready in a half hour.”

  Chapter 22

  Cole returned to the dilapidated neighborhood later that night. He parked his car as close to the building as possible, grabbed the plastic bag off the passenger seat, and climbed out. His eyes darted left and right as he checked the darkened surroundings for prying eyes. The area was a hot spot for drug dealers hiding in the shadows while they made their sales. Cole didn’t want to be seen by anyone, not even a lowly criminal.

  With a final scan of the street, he approached the door, unlocked it, and closed it at his back. He took a deep breath, flipped on the light, and descended the stairs.

  When he reached the table Candy was lying on, the stench of urine filled his nose. She was soaked from her waist down, even more than before. Cole had expected as much considering the amount of glucose he had given her and came prepared with a change of clothes he had purchased at the secondhand store earlier that day.

  He would release Candy to her new world that night, then return to the basement and clean it from top to bottom before leaving the area for good.

  Cole studied her closely. He aimed the flashlight into her eyes. She didn’t even blink at the bright beam. Her condition remained the same as it was before. He removed the tape from her mouth. “Talk to me, Candy. Say something. I want to hear your voice.” She remained silent. Cole pinched her nose closed, waited, and watched. Seconds later, her mouth opened, and she sucked in a deep gasp of air. Guttural sounds filled the room, but nothing she uttered actually formed words.

  She’s like a baby, blubbering but making no sense at all. I’ve finally found the right amount of brain stimulation and alcohol to get the results I had hoped for.

  He twisted the tender skin on the inside of her arm. The sounds she made increased in pitch and volume. “So you do feel pain, you just can’t express it in words. That’s perfect.”

  Cole pulled a pair of rubber gloves from the plastic bag. He went to the sink and filled a bucket with hot soapy water, then dropped a sponge into it. He’d have to clean the table, remove Candy’s soiled clothes, and redress her. Once that was done, the dangerous part would be next—releasing the restraints. He doubted she was faking her stupor, but he wouldn’t know that as fact until she was freed from the leather straps. He always had his ice pick handy, just in case.

  He removed Candy’s pants and began cleaning the table beneath her. Once that was washed, he dried it with paper towels. Cole released her left foot and slid it into the floral-patterned pant leg opening, then secured that foot again. He repeated the process with her right foot. Once the pants were on and pulled to her waist, he released her left arm, slipped it into the sleeve of a green sweater, then buckled the strap back over that arm. He checked her expression often and saw only a blank stare covering her face. He slipped her right arm into the sleeve then moved up to her head.

  Cole was cautious. He taped her eyes and mouth closed, released the strap around her forehead, and slipped the sweater’s neck opening over her head. She was dressed. He returned the bucket to the sink and poured the yellow-tinted liquid down the drain. He dropped the ice pick into his pocket along with a small folding knife. Cole returned to her side with two large zip ties. Getting her up the stairs would prove tricky if she wasn’t able to walk, but he would test her abilities first. With her legs still secured to the table, he released her left arm again and pushed her up into a sitting position. Her unstable body swayed from left to right. Cole released her right arm then pressed her hands together behind her back and zip-tied them. That part was done. Even if she was capable of it, she couldn’t attack him in that state. He went to the end of the table and released her legs before turning her to face him. He hooked his arms through her bent elbows and around her waist, then pulled her off the table. In her weakened state, her legs were like noodles and unable to support her body weight. She immediately dropped to the floor and flailed on the damp cement with drool running from her mouth. He lifted her three more times until she was a
ble to lock her knees and stand.

  “See, you’re making progress, Candy. It’s almost time to let you go out into that brave new world where you won’t know shit. You’ll have no idea who you are or how you turned into the dimwit you’ve become. You’ll be famous, a medical mystery, and you’ll be all over the news. Once you’ve been turned in to the cops, every expert will have an opinion of why you’ve gone catatonic. My question is, will they ever figure out the truth?”

  Cole had the perfect place in mind. He’d dump her east of South Lexington Parkway in the Highland Park district. Homes there were nice, and the golf course was nearby. Golfers with early morning tee times would certainly notice her and come to her aid.

  Getting Candy upstairs and out to the car was his main concern. The rest would be like taking candy from a baby. He chuckled at his own humor while he dragged her to the lowest step. He’d pull her to the top, step by step, until they reached the landing.

  “Okay, here we go.” Cole pulled off a strip of tape and placed it over her mouth. “No sense in attracting needless attention if you decide to start blabbering.”

  Standing on the step above her, Cole hooked his arms through hers and lifted them until her butt was positioned on the next step. He had eleven more steps to go. Her head bounced off her chest with each jerk upward.

  Ten minutes later, he’d made it to the landing. He took several minutes to catch his breath as he wiped the sweat off his brow. Candy was propped against the wall. Cole eased the door open and peered out. Ten feet of open space lay between him and the safety of the car. He’d have to get her there as fast as possible. He clicked the fob and heard the door locks pop up. With a deep breath and a burst of energy, he reached down and lifted her to an upright position.

  “We’re out of here.”

  With his arm around her waist and nearly dragging her forward, he made it to the vehicle and pulled open the back door. He pushed her in and folded her legs just enough to close the door behind her. Cole ran back, locked the basement door, and returned to the car. He dove into the driver’s seat, checked his surroundings, and left.

  Chapter 23

  I was impatient and wanted to get to work that morning. I would do my best to help solve the Cox case once and for all. Brian had had far too much time alone with Trish, and we were starting day three with no viable leads. The man was a loose cannon. His behavior could play out in a dozen different ways, and I couldn’t foresee any good scenario.

  Jade wished us well and headed out into the morning traffic. She said she’d keep us posted if she and J.T. were called in to help the St. Paul police force on the Candy Dennis case.

  “How do you feel this morning?” I climbed into the passenger seat since it was Kate’s turn to drive. Even though the sheriff’s office was only a short distance away, I still enjoyed rubbernecking whenever I had the chance.

  “Physically?” Kate gave me a quizzical frown as she backed out of the driveway.

  “No, I mean mentally. Do you have any kind of vibe of what we’re up against today?”

  She sighed. “I’ve told you a million times it doesn’t work that way. I’m not a psych—”

  “Were you about to say psychic?” I grinned.

  “Okay, I’ll reword that. I can’t predict the fut—”

  “Future?”

  “Fine, I give up. I don’t have a vibe of any sort right now, but you’ll be the first to know if I do.”

  “Good, that works for me.” I checked my side mirror. “You’re clear to change lanes.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’m jacked up.”

  Kate laughed. “Please, tell me more.”

  “I want to get to work and find out if Tech was able to enhance the voice mail from Brian. If any of those commercials—”

  Kate corrected me. “If that’s what they were.”

  “Well, if they were commercials and if they were local ones, they could get us a little closer to Brian’s location.”

  “What if we’re barking up the wrong tree? He could be in Florida for all we know.”

  I sighed and hoped she was wrong. “No matter what, we have a BOLO out for the Lumina. Brian doesn’t know we’re looking at northern Wisconsin as his possible location. He probably isn’t hiding the car, and that’s all we need. One careless mistake on his part could put an end to this abduction case, and Trish would be free of him.”

  “It could, and that’s probably the best-case scenario, but we may never find them if he’s being careful. That, my dear Amber, would be the worst-case scenario.”

  “Let’s stay hopeful and pray that today is going to be a good day.”

  Kate glanced up through the sunroof. “At least the sky is blue and the sun is shining. Warm sunny days tend to improve my outlook on everything.”

  We met up with Clayton and Billings as we crossed the parking lot.

  Clayton winked. “Good morning, Detectives. I sure hope we make some progress today.”

  I cocked my head at Kate. “See, Chad is throwing out some good vibes too.”

  Billings smirked. “It’s the sunshine and the fact that he brought a dozen doughnuts to work, that’s all.”

  Inside the bull pen, Clayton set the box of treats next to the coffeemaker after taking out his favorite ones. Jack had already arrived and was in his office and talking to somebody on the phone. I helped myself to coffee and a doughnut, even though I’d had raisin toast with peanut butter for breakfast. I couldn’t think of a logical reason to pass up a doughnut under any circumstances.

  I crossed the bull pen to my desk and noticed that Jack had ended his call. He walked out of his office with what looked like a hopeful expression. I took a gulp of coffee to help wash down my doughnut. “Tell us something good, boss.”

  “I’ll try.” He pulled out my guest chair and took a seat then rolled his neck. I heard the crackles of what probably was pent-up stress. “That was Billy on the phone. Luke gave him the rundown this morning of what he had done last night with the voice mail from Brian. Billy was able to separate the nearest sounds from the ones in the distance. In essence, he silenced Brian and turned up the background voices with a little tweaking. Then he cleaned up the overall quality of the recording. He said the enhanced voice mail is as good as it’s going to get and is ready to listen to. He’s sending the improved version to my in-box in a few minutes.”

  Billings lifted his right leg over his left one. “Hopefully, it will be enough to understand what is being said. Did he know if the voices came from a TV or a radio?”

  Jack raised his brows. “I never thought to ask. A radio would definitely air local commercials, where a TV advertising spot could be from anywhere in that viewing area. Great question, Adam, and I’ll call him back and get his opinion.” Jack walked to the back of the bull pen, filled his coffee cup, and grabbed a doughnut. He returned to his office and sat at his desk.

  I spun my chair toward Clayton. “Do you think we could air Brian’s face on the northern Wisconsin television stations?”

  He rubbed his chin as if he was thinking about it. “Probably, as a person wanted for kidnapping and attempted murder, but I’m almost positive it would have to be a blanket statewide broadcast. We can’t segregate those counties without evidence that Brian is actually in that area. It would cause tourism to plummet, and we’d be in hot water.”

  Through his open door, I saw Jack wiggle his computer’s mouse. He leaned in close to the monitor with his cheek propped up by his fist. He scrolled until he found what he was looking for then called out to us. “Come on in, guys. The email is here.”

  We gathered around Jack’s desk and waited.

  “Oh, by the way, Billy said we wouldn’t know the difference between a TV or radio commercial just by the sound, but it would have been easy to tell if Brian stayed on the phone long enough. Either a TV show would start up or music would begin to play after the commercial.” He looked at each of us. “Here we go.” Jack pressed the start button on the audio f
ile, and his office fell dead quiet. We listened as the voice mail began to play. That time, the background sounds were in the forefront, and Brian’s voice was nearly nonexistent. What I had heard yesterday was definitely a commercial, and the first one was for a car dealership. The commercials continued, advertising a chain restaurant and finally a prescription drug for depression. I wrote down what was being advertised on each commercial, with the car dealership and the restaurant’s name as the important ones. The drug ad wouldn’t help us at all. The commercials ended, then what sounded like the news began playing.

  Jack clicked the stop icon, and the recording ended. “That’s it, guys. Now we need to locate both the car dealership and the restaurant. With any luck, they’ll be in the same town.”

  “Locating them shouldn’t be tough. The retail businesses will pop up at the one-hundred-foot mark on the scrubber bar once we start enlarging the county map.”

  Clayton turned his attention toward me. “That’s true, but we’re dealing with several counties.”

  “Then we’ll check all of them. I believe there were only three we needed to concern ourselves with,” Kate said.

  Jack tipped his head toward the bull pen. “Then knock yourselves out. We need the nearest city to those businesses, and then we’ll work on the resorts in that area.”

  I was raring to go. I pulled out my chair and took a seat at my desk. I thought of the fastest way to track down those businesses, and a simple Google search would work. “We have at least four counties to search if we really want to cover the entire area within the distance Brian could have gone on a tank of gas. Let’s each take a county and Google the car dealership’s name and then the restaurant. It’ll only take a minute.”

  I chose Lincoln County. The city of Tomahawk was located at the northern tip of the county, and that area was where the North Country feeling really began. An abundance of lakes to fish and places to camp dotted the landscape. Kate and Billings chose Oneida County since Minocqua, Rhinelander, and Woodruff all fell within its borders. Clayton took Vilas County, where Boulder Junction and the popular Eagle River were located. Between those counties, I was confident we’d find the restaurant and car dealership.