Buried in Wolf Lake

by Christine Husom

  I sensed Smoke was stalling. “And?”

  “I went to the farm with Hennepin and Minneapolis. No one was home, but we batted a thousand, anyway. Tire tracks on the Expedition and horse trailer matched those found at Lake Pearl State Park. And there were ten horses, Arabians, at the farm. One had hooves that fit those found at the shoreline of Wolf Lake. BCA confirmed all this today. They took the Expedition to the BCA, since we got so many jurisdictions involved. They’re combing through it.”

  My mind filled with images of the Engens, the leg lying on their lawn, Wolf Lake, hoof prints, divers, body parts.

  Smoke’s face was close. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, go on,” I said.

  “While we were there, a guy who tends to the horses showed up and said Parker’s parents would be home the next afternoon. Hennepin waited for ’em and then took ’em in for questioning. They apparently knew nothing. They’re gone a lot. Sounds like they’ve always been gone a lot. They left their son with his grandparents on a regular basis when he was young. Guess where?”

  The pieces were falling together. “The farmhouse where the Engens live on Wolf Lake?”

  “You got it.”

  “So what happened at that farm that made him leave a dismembered body there?” I wondered.

  Smoke shook his head. “We’ll keep digging. Grandparents are still alive, but in assisted living. Sounds like Parker was always a little different, according to the parents—kept to himself, no real friends. But they never saw this coming. He’s got a good position. He’s a laboratory geneticist at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Minnesota.”

  “You have got to be kidding me.”

  “He’s not dumb. Remember, psychotics wear lots of different hats and look like you and me.”

  I tried to process it all. “Did he kill Molly at his parents’ farm?”

  “No, it was at his loft.”

  A nurse came into the room and checked my vital signs and the fluids in the IV bottle. “Very good. Pulse, fifty-five, blood pressure is one ten over sixty. Is there anything I can get for you?”

  “No thanks.” I returned her smile.

  The nurse replaced my water pitcher with a fresh one, then left.

  Smoke studied my face. “Corky, you’re tired. We can finish this later. The sheriff will have my hide if he finds out I’ve told you all this when you’re supposed to be resting. I think your mother’s protective influence is rubbing off on him.”

  “Oh great.” At least my mother had someone to help ease her stress. “Smoke, just tell me—I’m not going to rat you out to the sheriff.”

  Smoke looked at his palms for a minute. “Going through Parker’s loft was an experience I don’t want to repeat in this lifetime.”

  “Why, what’d you find?”

  “He had video equipment set up. Tapes, a bed where he kept his victims bound, evidence of torture and rape, the saw he used to dismember them, a couple of duffel bags to transport their body parts.”

  My stomach tightened, then churned. “Them? How many?”

  “Evidence of two. There’s positive proof the other missing prostitute, Amber Ferman, was another of Parker’s victims.”

  Amber Ferman. I waited for Smoke to go on, but he remained silent. “What positive proof?”

  Smoke lifted an eyebrow. “In addition to the tapes, we found both of the victims’ heads in Parker’s freezer.”

  I was silent as I imagined opening the freezer door. “That’s why we couldn’t find Molly’s head. Oh.” I was thankful I had missed the loft search. “Okay, so, now they have Ferman’s head, but where’s her body?”

  Smoke shrugged. “Don’t know yet. Parker’s not sayin’ much.”

  “Did you interview him?”

  “After they taped him up here at the hospital, we booked him in our jail. Detective Harrison and I had at him for close to three hours, but he didn’t break. Had his first appearance this morning in front of Judge Davidson and got charged with kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, interference with a dead body, trespass.”

  Smoke made a “huh” sound at the last charge. Trespass did not adequately describe what Parker had done when he rode his horse to the edge of Wolf Lake and threw Molly’s remains into the water.

  “After his appearance, we took him to Hennepin, and I sat in when both Minneapolis and Hennepin investigators interrogated him. That went on another couple of hours. Then he appeared in district court there and got charged with a long list: kidnapping, assault, rape, murder, yada, yada. The FBI will have at it tomorrow. It’s a complex process, that’s for sure.”

  I yawned before I could stifle it. “I just can’t understand how he could do what he did.” My body quivered. “Was he going to do the same thing to me?”

  Smoke reached over and squeezed my hands. “I don’t know. Truth is, my mind won’t let me go there.” He watched me for a while. “You really do need to rest.”

  I still had questions. “Is my mom okay? Grandma, Grandpa, Gramps?”

  “It’s hard to hide the facts from your mother and grandmother. Your grandma is a natural investigator, and your mom is like a mother bear protecting her young.”

  “Oh, really?”

  We both smiled.

  “And John Carl is flying up this weekend to see you.”

  I nodded, remembering my mother telling me that when I was half-awake. “That’ll be good for Mom, too.”

  Smoke reached over and put his hand over my eyes. “Now, go to sleep.”

  42

  A week of daytime temperatures in the low seventies gave us a warm reprieve from the average mid-October highs in the fifties. Walkers and joggers were out in shorts and tee shirts. It made me long to be medically cleared to resume all my normal activities. Sara stopped at my house Friday when she finished work.

  “Sure you don’t want to come to Brainerd with me this weekend? My folks are hoping you’ll change your mind.”

  “It would be fun, but I don’t want to cancel my date with Nick tonight. He’s cooking.” I raised my eyebrows.

  “Lucky girl. How are your headaches?”

  “Actually, about gone. I haven’t taken any ibuprofen for the last two days.”

  “Good. So you heard Eisner got sentenced, huh?”

  “Yeah, Smoke called to tell me she’d been transported to Shakopee Women’s Prison to live out her few remaining days.”

  Sara gave me a hug. “It’s been a hard few months, hasn’t it? And how is Rebecca doing?”

  Rebecca, the little girl in my heart. “I think really well. I called her after school today, and she was sad about her grandmother, but overall, sounded pretty happy.”

  “When are you planning to tell her about her great-grandmother?”

  I gave her an incredulous look and shrugged. “Ah, never? I don’t know. The Brenners and I thought we should let the dust settle, get through the adoption process.”

  “I think that’s a good idea. How are you doing with the nightmares? Still having bad ones?” Sara leaned in for a closer look at me.

  “Here and there. The psychologist is really helping me work through it all.”

  “Are you scared to go back on the road? I know I would be.” She pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water.

  “A little. That’s why I’m so anxious to get released by the doc. I see him on Monday. The sheriff says he’ll keep me on light duty as long as necessary, but I’m already tired of pushing papers after only one week.” I drummed my hands on my thigh. “I just want to be in my squad car again.”

  Sara put her hands on mine to still them. “You got injured only three weeks ago tomorrow. It’s not like you’ve been laid up forever.”

  I shrugged. “It seems like forever. But I understand, from a medical point of view. I mean, I don’t want any setbacks, so I am minding my P’s and Q’s. For now.”

  “All in due time, huh?”

  “That’s what they say.”

  43:
Langley

  Langley had had about all he could stand from investigators. If his mother came to visit one more time, he would be sick. He had to become famous to get her to actually notice him.

  Jail was no problem. Everyone knew who he was and gave him as much space as he needed. He kept to himself, like he always had. The worst part was the corrections officer-Eve who served as housing officer every so often. That’s when he missed his freedom. Fantasies didn’t satisfy his urges.

  Langley was surprised by the number of letters he had gotten in the past weeks, mostly from young women—and a few men—offering friendship and more. A note from a work colleague both relieved and troubled him. A researcher in another state had stumbled upon the cause and cure of CA. Langley had always believed he would be the one to win that distinction. But, for Sheik’s sake, he was glad it had been found.

  Sheik. What would he do without his faithful master, his Gideon? He might die of loneliness. All because Langley had gotten interrupted before he could bind and gag the Eve-cop. He could barely comprehend what had happened. He didn’t let himself think about it much, because hot waves of failure and humiliation would roll over him until sweat erupted from his pores and dampened his skin.

  Langley hadn’t finished his quest and wouldn’t give up until he did. He’d find a way to put an end to the Eve-cop. He’d get one of his new groupies to help him.

  44

  Nick drew me into his arms for a long and longing kiss. We stood with our arms wrapped around each other, swaying gently, like willows in the wind. “You hungry?”

  “You say that like you’re not talking about food.” I smiled and his eyebrows rose in mock surprise.

  “Faith is gone for the night,” he hinted. “In the meantime, let me rephrase my previous question. Would you like to eat? You feel thinner.”

  “I lost a few pounds, but they’re coming back. And, yes, I’d love to dine with you.” I looked around the room.

  “It’s been so warm, I thought about eating outside, but as soon as the sun goes down, it cools off fast.”

  “Yes, it does.” Nick had his dining room table set with fine china, silver, and crystal on a linen tablecloth. “I am so underdressed.”

  He stepped in behind me and clasped his arms around my middle. “I love you in jeans, although I have to admit, that little black dress you wore last month about knocked my socks off.”

  I laughed, then felt immediate guilt, remembering the response it had drawn from Smoke. I was glad Nick couldn’t see my face. He reached around me and pulled a chair away from the table.

  “Madam.” Nick guided me to my place at the table. He lifted a bottle of pinot grigio from the table cooler and poured a splash in my glass as a sample.

  “Very nice.”

  “It pleases you?”

  “Yes, thank you,” I said as he added wine to my glass.

  “I will be right back.” Nick returned seconds later with a salad of baby greens, almonds, and mushrooms, drizzled with a wine vinaigrette.

  “Sure beats hospital food,” I teased between bites of steak tenderloin and twice-baked potatoes.

  Nick’s expression grew dark, like a storm cloud had moved in.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  His voice was grim. “Finish eating, then we’ll talk.”

  I could barely choke down the last of my food. Nick rose, took my hand, and led me into the living room. We sat side by side on the couch.

  “I can’t tell you how difficult it was seeing you lying in that hospital bed day after day. What is happening with the case?” Nick’s brown eyes were intense, nearly black. I was momentarily stunned by his words and his look.

  “Um, not much right now. Parker’s been charged with crimes in three venues, by four different jurisdictions. He may not get to trial in Hennepin, or federal court, for up to a year, maybe longer. Winnebago? Probably less than a year.”

  Nick looked at my hands before raising his eyes to mine. “I didn’t think you’d go back after what happened.”

  “To work, you mean?” He nodded, and I shrugged. “It’s my job. More than my job, it’s my career.”

  He shook his head slowly. “Corky, I can’t do this anymore.”

  “Do what?” I asked, my heart picking up its pace, waiting.

  “Going through hell every day you’re at work—wondering if you’re okay, frightened beyond all reason something will happen to you. And things do happen, so I guess it’s not an unreasonable fear.”

  The conversation didn’t seem real. “Nick, I don’t know what to say.”

  He reached over and grasped my arm. “How about you’ll leave the sheriff’s department and marry me?”

  That had come out of left field. “Nick—”

  “You need some time to think about it?” His face was earnest.

  I shook my head. “I never thought our relationship would come to a choice between marriage and my profession. Is that fair? Would you leave your job to marry me?” I pulled back from him.

  “That’s different.”

  “How?”

  “I am not in threat of my life on a regular basis.”

  “Neither am I, Nick. Granted, there did happen to be two threats this year, but normally, things are pretty routine around here.”

  He picked up my hands and softened his voice. “Corky. I’m not an ultimatum kind of guy, but I can’t change my feelings. I lost one wife. I don’t know if I’d survive losing another.” I squeezed his hands to offer some sympathy. “And it’s not just me—there’s Faith. It would devastate her to have another mother die.”

  “Nick, anyone can die at anytime. You know there are no guarantees. Death is a fact of life.”

  He pulled me gently into his arms. “I know how much your career means to you. I just hoped I meant more.”

  “That’s not fair, Nick.”

  He eased me to an arm’s length and held my eyes with his for a long time. “Maybe not, but that’s the way it is.”

  “Is this goodbye?” My voice was strained, and I swallowed hard.

  Nick’s eyes grew misty, and he nodded as a tear rolled down his cheek.

  45

  Smoke was sitting on his dock. The moon was full overhead, and a kerosene lantern rested on one of the dock’s poles.

  “Why are you out here in the cold?” I asked as I approached him.

  “Cold? It’s close to fifty degrees.”

  “After the warm Indian summer day we had, it feels nippy,” I said.

  I sat on the bench next to Smoke and watched him cast, then reel in his line.

  He gave me a sideways glance. “I thought you had a date tonight?”

  “I did until I got dumped.”

  He turned toward me. “Dumped? As in, Nick broke up with you?”

  I couldn’t speak, so I nodded.

  “What happened?” He set his fishing pole down.

  I swallowed, hoping the lump in my throat would go down. “He couldn’t . . . take it . . . me being a . . .”

  “Cop?”

  “He . . . made me . . . choose.” Tears spilled out of my eyes.

  “Come here.” Smoke locked his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. “You’re shivering.” He bought his other arm around the front of me and rubbed to warm me up. “Let’s go inside.”

  “It’s . . . fine.”

  “You sure?”

  I nodded.

  We sat in silence for a time before Smoke spoke again. “You know, not that Nick’s right, but I can understand how he might feel. You’ve had some pretty close calls over the last few months. Probably didn’t know what he was signing up for, dating a cop.”

  I shrugged.

  “You want to talk about it?”

  My tears had stopped, and I shook my head. “Not tonight.”

  “You going to get through this?”

  I nodded.

  “Got any plans of what to do next?”

  “There is something I’ve been thinking about for a while.
”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’m going to get a dog. A big watchdog that likes to go on long runs.”

  He squeezed a little tighter. “Mighty fine plan.”

  “Will you help me find a good one? One like Rex?”

  I felt Smoke nod. “I think I can handle that. We’ll get on it, a-sap.”

  Winnebago County Mysteries

  Murder in Winnebago County follows an unlikely serial killer plaguing a rural Minnesota county. The clever murderer leaves a growing chain of apparent suicides among criminal justice professionals. As her intuition helps her draw the cases together, Winnebago County Sergeant Corinne Aleckson enlists help from Detective Elton Dawes. What Aleckson doesn’t know is the killer is keeping a close watch on her. Will she be the next target?

  An Altar by the River A man phones the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department, frantically reporting his brother is armed with a large dagger and on his way to the county to sacrifice himself. Sergeant Corinne Aleckson takes the call, learning the alarming reasons behind the young man's death wish. When the department investigates, they plunge into the alleged criminal activities of a hidden cult and the disturbing cover-up of an old closed-case shooting death. The cult members have everything to lose and will do whatever it takes to prevent the truth coming to light. But will they find an altar by the river in time to save the young man’s life?

  The Noding Field Mystery When a man’s naked body is found staked out in a farmer’s soybean field Sergeant Corinne Aleckson and Detective Elton Dawes are called to the scene. The cause of death is not apparent, and the significance of why he was placed there is a mystery. As Aleckson, Dawes, and the rest of their Winnebago Sheriff’s Department team gather evidence, and look for suspects and motive, they hit one dead end after another. Then an old nemesis escapes from jail and plays in the shocking end.