Be Mine Forever

by D. K. Hood

“No, help Vicky, she’s our first priority.” Kane’s voice came out in a gasp.

  Against her better judgment, Jenna bit down hard on her bottom lip. Kane needed medical attention but their duty of care to a victim was a priority. She dropped on her knees beside Vicky. “Okay, let’s get you untied. The cut on your face isn’t too deep.” She had the gag out of her mouth in no time but the tape was stuck hard in her hair. “That will have to wait.” She cut the tape on her hands and feet. “Better?”

  “Th-thanks. You g-got here just in time.” Tears streamed down Vicky’s cheeks as she lifted a trembling hand and pointed to Kane. “I’ll be okay but he doesn’t look so good.”

  Horrified by the blood that had pooled around Kane in the last few seconds, Jenna scrambled over to him. “You’re not okay, Dave.” She reached for her phone. “I’ll call the paramedics.”

  “Not yet.” Kane’s voice came out on a whisper.

  Heart thumping, Jenna swallowed hard, wishing she had more experience in field medicine. “Let me take a look at you.”

  “Don’t touch the knife.” Kane winced and his face turned sheet-white. “The vest took most of it but I’m light-headed. She had two knives and I figure she caught me in the gap in the vest. Left side under my arm.” He took a labored breath. “Before you call the paramedics, you’ll need to stop the bleeding. Find something to press against the wound and use Duke’s leash to secure it tight. Then call the paramedics.”

  “Okay.” Without, a second thought, Jenna stripped off her jacket, Kevlar vest, and T-shirt. Balling up her T-shirt, she packed it hard against the small puncture wound pouring blood. “Hold your elbow in to keep the pressure for a minute.”

  They’d left Duke at the barn door. “Duke, come here boy.”

  When the dog bounded in, Jenna grabbed his leash, looped it around Kane and pulled it tight against her T-shirt. The stream of blood eased. She sighed with relief. “That will hold it.”

  Duke let out a long whine, dropped to his stomach, crawled up beside Kane, and licked his hand. Jenna swallowed hard. The dog had sensed something was terribly wrong. The light caught the sheen of sweat on Kane’s brow and her stomach dropped. She’d seen him badly hurt but never like this before. Grabbing her phone, she called the paramedics and discovered they were attending a multiple vehicle pileup on the highway to Blackwater. Panic gripped her, dammit, Kane needed help now. She called Carter. “We have Vicky but Kane’s down. We need a medic now and the paramedics are delayed. Can you go and grab Wolfe, he’s at work? Where are you?”

  “Heading back to the office. We found the suspects at home. How bad is he?”

  Jenna flicked a look at Kane. “Very.”

  “Copy that.” Carter sounded concerned. “The chopper is on the ME’s roof and ready to go. I’ll get Wolfe and send Rio by road. We’ll need a light out there. Headlights and blinkers would do. Call Wolfe and tell him I’m on my way.” He disconnected.

  Jenna made the call to Wolfe and he wanted details. “He has a stab wound to upper left of his chest. The knife is in situ. Wound to left side upper ribs, bleeding heavily. I have pressure on it.”

  “On my way. Don’t move him and keep him awake.” Wolfe disconnected.

  Worry consumed her. She’d been with Kane when he’d suffered far worse injuries than this but he looked so pale. His labored, rapid breathing was becoming shallower by the minute but she tried to act as if everything was fine. “Carter is bringing Wolfe in the chopper and Zac can take the prisoners down and book them.” She looked at Kane’s glazed expression. “You’re going to be okay. I’ll go and get the truck. Carter will need the lights to find us.”

  “Later.” Kane’s fingers barely moved as he tried to pat the floor beside him. “Sit with me. There’s something I need to say to you.”

  Anxious, Jenna dropped to her knees and took his hand. It was cold and damp. “I’m here, what is it?”

  “I—” Kane’s head dropped to his chest and his eyes rolled up in his head.

  Oh, Jesus. Fear gripped her. “Dave, Dave come on now.” She patted his face and then felt for his pulse, it was rapid and missing beats. “Dave, wake up.”

  She couldn’t rouse him and he was slipping deeper into unconsciousness. As she searched his pockets for the keys to the truck, she could hardly hear him breathing. Not wanting to leave him, she turned to Vicky. “Look after him. Keep trying to wake him. I won’t be long. We left our truck near the road.”

  “I’ll watch over him but you don’t need to go for your truck.” Vicky looked at her. “Dale’s pickup is just outside and he’ll have the keys in his pocket.”

  Jenna pushed the keys to the Beast inside her jeans and ran to Collins. “Where are your keys?”

  “Jacket pocket.” Collins looked at her forlorn. “I didn’t mean for the deputy to get hurt.”

  “Best you keep your mouth shut.” Jenna searched his pockets and found the keys. She snatched up her jacket and a flashlight and ran outside. It didn’t take long to start the engine and turn on the headlights and hazard flashers. She dropped her flashlight on the seat and pulled on her jacket. The light spilled over a few bottles of water and she collected them, sighing with relief. Dave would need water if she could wake him. Glancing at the sky, she pushed back the tears threatening to spill and jumped out the pickup. Rushing back in the stall, she handed Vicky a bottle of water and then checked Kane, but there was no change. Her T-shirt was soaked with blood and she had no option but to tighten the leash a little more. When finished, she turned to Vicky. “How did Dale get you to come here with him?”

  “He asked me to have supper with him at Aunt Betty’s Café and then called and lied about having a new foal.” Vicky stared daggers at Collins. “He thinks he’s all that but he smells like he hasn’t bathed in a year.”

  “You smell like a pig.” Marlene laughed.

  “I told you to zip it.” Reluctantly Jenna turned to Vicky. “Keep talking to Deputy Kane, his name is Dave. We need him awake.”

  “Okay.” Vicky moved closer and started to tap Kane’s face. “Dave. Can you hear me?”

  Jenna straightened. The chopper was on its way and she could do nothing more for Kane but wanted to throw the book at these kids. They wouldn’t get away with their crimes, not on her watch. She went to her prisoners and read them their rights. “As you’re over sixteen you can waive your rights and answer our questions without having your parents present. You’ll be taken back to the sheriff’s department and held in the cells. We’ll inform your parents but you won’t be released and will go before a judge in the morning and likely be taken to a youth correctional facility.”

  “No parents.” Collins looked alarmed. “I don’t want my ma coming down and screaming at me and my pa won’t be in the same room as her. I’ll waive my rights.”

  “I will too.” Marlene laughed. “You don’t scare me.”

  Slightly unnerved by witnessing the bravado of an obvious psychopath in Marlene, Jenna nodded and pulled out her phone. She hit the video and held it up in one hand with her flashlight in the other. “Okay, you understand your rights and wish to waive them, is that correct?”

  “Yeah.” Collins blinked at the light. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “You’ve got no evidence we did anything.” Marlene sneered at her.

  “You have no idea how much trouble you’re in, have you?” Exhausted, Jenna leaned against the wall but kept the camera rolling. “We have your DNA at both murders, and now we have both of you for kidnapping Vicky. In fact, I’ll compile a list of charges so long to give to the DA, like my deputy said, you won’t see daylight until you’re an old lady.” She turned to Collins. It was a bluff but she’d try it while he was off guard. “Something else, we know you’ve been talking to Dr. Turner. You’re patient 124, right?”

  “He said he wouldn’t tell anyone.” Collins’ eyes narrowed. “He said if I helped him move his wife’s body, he’d give me alibis.”

  “You told Dr. Turner?” Marle
ne pulled on the zip-tie binding her to the hitching post. “She’s lying.”

  “Then how would I know his secret number?” Jenna wet her dry lips. She had him. “Dr. Turner wrote appointments in his diary to cover both of you but I figured he’d fold and let you take the blame for his wife’s death.” She shrugged. “He’ll say you threatened him or something.”

  “I only visited him once at the school.” Collins appeared shocked. “I never went to his home. He called me to go over and help him at his wife’s apartment. I wore gloves and a balaclava but I dropped the body going down the stairs. She was heavier than she looked, we had to drag her into the alleyway.”

  “Okay.” Jenna paused the video to check Kane again. The bleeding had stopped but there was no change. He was in trouble and she could do nothing to help him. She went back to her prisoners.

  “We know you killed Laurie, Marlene.” Jenna lifted her chin. “That was an ingenious plan to disable her pickup and then make her drop her phone.”

  “Yeah.” Marlene seemed oblivious to the phone camera trained on her and preened at the compliment. “Once everyone was in the gym, Dale messed up her precious pickup and in the parking lot, I pushed her real hard and stamped on her phone.” She grinned. “You should have seen her face.”

  “You shouldn’t have told her.” Collins looked horrified. “Now I’ll be blamed for Laurie’s murder and you killed her, not me.”

  Jenna glared at them. “Then you killed Becky Powell. We know you were involved, Dale.” She held the phone high and kept filming. She wanted all the evidence she could get. “Why Deputy Rowley’s house?”

  “We didn’t know it was his house.” Collins looked incredulous. “It was empty, is all. When Marlene saw someone leave the key over the porch, she checked it out and took one of the backdoor keys.”

  Jenna looked from one to the other. “So, are you claiming you didn’t attack Mrs. Rowley as well?”

  “I didn’t touch anyone.” Collins stared at Marlene. “What did you do?”

  “Like I’m going to admit to hurting a deputy’s wife.” Marlene rolled her eyes.

  Jenna swallowed hard. Her mind was on Kane and not this pair of psychopaths. She wanted to be holding his hand and making sure he was okay but she had to keep them talking. She needed the evidence. “Why leave Becky’s body there? You dumped Laurie’s out at the mines.”

  “We saw the deputy’s SUV stopping outside and ran away.” Collins shrugged. “We didn’t have time to move her body.” His brow furrowed. “I’m not going down for Laurie’s murder.”

  Jenna turned off the video and took the light out of his eyes. “Just tell the truth and the courts will sort out who is to blame but don’t allow Dr. Turner to walk free—and he will if you don’t tell us everything you know about him.”

  “That’s not going to happen—not now.” Collins stared in the direction of Kane. “Why didn’t your deputy stop Marlene from stabbing him? He just caught her in his arms. He could have side stepped and she’d have hit the floor.” He shook his head. “Look at the size of him, he could’ve taken her head off with one blow.”

  Overwhelmed with worry about Dave, Jenna shook her head. “Deputy Kane doesn’t hit women.”

  “Then he’s a fool.” Marlene laughed. “I sure taught him a lesson. He’ll learn, men always do. Women rule. Isn’t that right, Sheriff?”

  Anger simmered and Jenna eyeballed her. “No, it isn’t right. He could have broken your neck like a twig but he treated you with respect. Your attitude toward men disgusts me.”

  The whoop, whoop, sound of the chopper blades filled the night and Jenna ran outside with her flashlight and waved it back and forth. She jumped into the pickup and reversed to light up the wide area of open land adjacent to the barn and then got out. There would be room enough for the chopper to land. Dry grass and dirt hit the windshield as the chopper lowered to the ground and the moment it touched down, Wolfe jumped out with Emily at his side. Carter remained at the controls, the blades whipping up clouds of dirt. A gurney dropped onto the grass and Wolfe pulled it up to its full height, dumped a bag on it, and pushed it toward Jenna at speed.

  Jenna led the way inside, unable to talk with the noise of the chopper. She ran into the stall. “He’s been out for about ten or more minutes. I can’t wake him.”

  “He’s bleeding out.” Wolfe bent over Kane and looked up at Jenna and Emily. “Grab his thighs.” Wolfe eased behind Kane and with effort lifted him onto the gurney. “Em, get the plasma.” He placed a tourniquet around Kane’s arm. “Give me a vein, come on, Dave. Don’t you dare die on me.”

  Legs weak, Jenna held her breath as Wolfe inserted the needle and held the plasma bag up high. She stood helpless, her body numb as he checked him and then turned to her. She looked at his worried expression and a part of her died inside. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah and I can’t risk doing anything more here. Time is of the essence and I have a surgeon waiting for him at the hospital. Rio and Rowley are on their way.” Wolfe squeezed her arm. “I’ll take good care of him, Jenna, and I won’t leave his side. He’s been through worse and he’s in great shape but I won’t lie to you, he might not make it to the hospital.”

  Overcome by grief, Jenna stared at Kane’s sheet-white face. The last time Kane was injured Wolfe flew him to a military hospital. “You’re not taking him to Walter Reed, are you?”

  “No, there’s not enough time.” Wolfe motioned to Emily. “Bring the girl.” Without another word, they headed back to the chopper.

  Desperately wanting to be with Kane, Jenna stared after them in dismay. Trembling, she watched the chopper lift off the ground and disappear above the trees. Beside her, Duke let out a howl to wake the dead but she had no words to comfort him. She looked down at Kane’s blood drying on her hands. The sticky slicks appeared black in the moonlight. Unable to stop the tears overflowing, she sunk to her knees and stared at the heavens. It was as if someone had ripped out her heart. “Don’t you dare take that good man away from me.”

  Fifty-Nine

  Rowley spotted the Beast on the side of the road and urged Rio on. “There. Ahead I can see lights.”

  The headlights of Rio’s SUV picked up Jenna leaning against the barn, her head turned away from the glare. He leapt from the vehicle and ran toward her surprised when his usually cool and calm sheriff fell into his arms sobbing on his shoulder. “Hey, Jenna. It’s okay, backup has arrived.”

  “Dave’s real bad. He might not make it.” Jenna looked up at him, her cheeks showing wet in the moonlight. “Stabbed twice. Lord, the knife was still in his chest.” She sucked in a breath. “Have you heard anything?”

  “He’s critical and went straight into surgery. Wolfe is in there observing, he wouldn’t leave him.” Rio rounded the hood and stood hands on hips. “Carter called just before, he’s at the hospital and will keep us updated but if it’s good news, it’s going to be hours.”

  “Okay.” Jenna straightened, gave her head a shake and seemed to pull herself together. “These are youth offenders and must be treated as such. They’re both over sixteen and will likely be charged as adults but for now we stick to protocol. We can’t hold them for more than twenty-four hours so we’ll be waking up a youth court judge and the DA. I have enough evidence to charge them both and we have a witness. Vicky Perez is alive, cut and burned but she’ll be okay physically. I’ve notified her father. The poor man was still waiting with Deputy Walters at Aunt Betty’s. He’s heading to the hospital now.”

  Rowley smiled at her. “I knew you’d crack the case.” He followed her inside the barn and his flashlight hit the row of pompoms on the shelf. “Did you notice the pompoms?”

  “No.” Jenna stared at them. “Bag them before we leave. The prisoners are through there.” She indicated toward a glowing light.

  Rowley winced at the pool of blood in the stall. “Is there any other evidence you need from here?”

  “Not now. We’ll tape the front and leave it.
Wolfe will need to do a forensics sweep. The red pickup Collins used to transport the victim is outside but I’ve been in it and contaminated any evidence.” Jenna pushed her hair from her face with bloodstained hands. “Get the prisoners loaded and give me and Duke a ride back to the Beast.”

  Concerned by Jenna’s pale face and big wide eyes, Rowley escorted Moore and Collins out to the SUV and secured them in the back seat. After bagging the pompoms, he went to the red pickup and shut down the engine and then walked back to Jenna. “I figure I should drive the Beast. You don’t look so good.”

  “Sure.” She gave him a sideways glance. “Just don’t tell Dave I allowed you to drive his baby.”

  Rowley laughed. “Okay.” He lifted Duke into the back and patted him. “Good dog.”

  After he slid in beside Jenna they bounced back to the Beast and changed vehicles. He had to admit to himself the idea of driving Kane’s pride and joy was daunting but he found the Beast handled better than expected and they were soon on the highway. He turned to Jenna. “I have some information to tie up a loose end in the case.”

  “Go on.” Jenna leaned back. “I need cheering up.”

  “We couldn’t figure out how come different vehicles were seen on the nights the victims went missing.” He looked at her. “When Rio and Carter realized it had to be Dale Collins and Marlene Moore, they looked a little deeper. Dale Collins’ father owns the car yard in town and Dale goes there every morning to clean the cars with a couple of other kids. But his father allows him to take any car off the lot to drive for the day. He used the vehicles to throw us a red herring and when he took them back, the vehicles went through a car wash and the interior was steam cleaned. No evidence.”

  “So, if we go through the inventory, we’ll likely find the vehicles used in the murders.” Jenna had come to life. “That’s brilliant.”

  Rowley nodded. “Yeah and the kids were pretty smart too. They knew how to conceal evidence but I’d like to know if Collins was involved in Mrs. Turner’s murder.”