issed his buzz cut but the longer style covered the ugly scar.
“She would pick them up at post office boxes along the way. Before you ask, she used her daughter’s address on the form to hire them. The postmaster in town says he doesn’t keep tabs on people collecting their mail but did mention Woodward’s lease expires the end of the month.” She held up one small hand like a police officer conducting traffic. “And yes, I did ask Sarah if her grandma ever mentioned if she worked in the area, and came up empty. She said she wrote brief letters about the history of the places she’d stopped at along the way, and personal matters. All I know is she came into town about a month ago, banked cash, and picked up her mail. We’ve made enquiries at the local ranches in the area but no one recalls seeing her.”
He stirred his coffee, mulling over what she had said. “You mentioned others are missing?”
“One other.” She refilled her cup then ran the tip of one manicured fingernail absently through a drop spilled on the table. “I had an enquiry about a missing person from Father Maguire from Atlanta. He is concerned about one of his parishioners, John Helms. The last time he heard from him, Helms was heading into Black Rock Falls to attend a game of hockey. That was two weeks ago. Father Maguire has not had any contact with him since he notified him to say he’d had car trouble and was planning to take the bus. Apparently, he called regularly.” She sighed and leaned back in the chair, coffee cup in hand. “This one is tricky because Helms took the vacation after marriage counseling. Apparently he needed a break from his wife.”
“Have you considered he could have planned to run off with his lover?”
“The thought has crossed my mind but Father Maguire is tight-lipped about the circumstances of the couple’s problems.” Alton raised both dark eyebrows. “I have a cell number for Mr. Helms but the service has been disconnected. As this was yesterday, I haven’t gotten very far with my enquiries and have no reason to suspect the two cases are linked.”
Kane drummed his fingers on the table. The missing persons’ cases should not be serious enough to put her on edge. She had mentioned three ongoing cases and he waited as she sipped her coffee for her to continue.
“Then there’s the guy in the lock-up.” She placed her cup carefully on the table and lifted her gaze. “There was a fight Thursday evening at the Cattleman’s Hotel. I was on duty with Deputy Rowley and we arrested three men for public intoxication. Two of them accused Billy Watts, the detainee, of stealing chips during a poker game. I’m trying to determine whether Mr. Watts is a suspect or a victim. At the time of arrest, he was carrying two hundred dollars and apparently cashed in a few minutes before the fight started.” She cleared her throat and gave him an apologetic look. “I released the other men in the morning. They are local boys and one is the mayor’s son. They are members of the local hockey team, and with a home game this weekend their coach will keep them in line.”
The mayor’s son? “Did you give special consideration because of their connection to the mayor?”
She gaped at him with an aghast expression and straightened. “I most certainly did not.” She pushed back the chair and stood with her fists balled on her waist. “Trust me, I don’t bend the rules for anyone, least of all Mayor Rockford.”
Kane swallowed the laugh crawling up his throat. She had guts to challenge him, and by the flash of anger in her eyes, she was serious. “Okay, okay, I believe you. How did the arrests go down? Would one of them be pissed enough to commit vehicular homicide?”
“What you really mean is, ‘Did they lose face in front of their friends after being arrested by a woman?’” She chuckled and her face softened. “Probably, but enough to attempt murder? No, I don’t think so.”
Kane’s stomach rumbled. “Please tell me you have a place in town that serves a good breakfast.”
“Aunt Betty’s Café is the best if you want good honest food, but you have fixings in your cottage.”
“Yeah, I know, but I thought it would be good to get the layout of the town before I start work on Monday.” He pushed slowly to his feet and smiled at her. “Would you consider coming along to show me around?”
She blinked a few times as if trying to compute what he had said then waved a hand toward her dressing gown.
“Why not? But I’ll need a few minutes to shower and change.” She lifted her chin and gave him a long, considering stare. “I guess if we’re going into Black Rock Falls in our civvies, you’d better call me Jenna.”
“Okay, see you when you’re ready.” Kane smiled at her confused expression. “Before I go, could I have the web address and password for the files? I’ll take a look before we leave and if you give me the number of one of the deputies on duty this weekend, I’ll send him out to photograph the scene of your accident and arrange a tow truck.”
“You are welcome to check the files. I need fresh eyes on the cases.” Jenna’s lips flattened into a thin line as she turned to a notepad on the bench beside the telephone, and taking a pen attached by a string, she wrote a combination of numbers beside a URL. She frowned as if deciding her next move then handed him the slip of paper. “I’ll call Rowley. He won’t know who you are and you’re not an official member of Black Rock Falls County Sheriff’s Department until Monday morning. Rowley is the best one to send out to the scene of an accident and will handle the case for now.” She tapped her bottom lip then wiggled her eyebrows. “Unless you want to start today?”
“Sure.” He turned toward the front door. “Thanks for the coffee.”
* * *
Once back inside his cottage, he went to the bedroom and pulled out his getaway knapsack. It contained burner cellphones, six credit cards in different identities, cash, his Zig nine-one-one backup pistol, ammunition, and a change of clothes. He dug out one of the cells and punched in his contact’s number. “Ninety-eight H requesting information on Sheriff Jenna Alton of Black Rock Falls County.”
He listened to the tapping of fingers on computer keys followed by an intake of breath.
“We have no records of interest under that name. I must advise you to stand down on any further enquiries on this subject and enjoy your new position.”
Kane grimaced. There should be information available on a county sheriff, no matter how inconsequential, so his instincts about her had been correct. “Copy that.” He flicked the cellphone shut, turned it over, and removed the SIM card then strolled into the kitchen and nuked it in the microwave.
Six
The chug, chug, chug of heavy machinery from the front of the house grabbed Kane’s attention. He strolled to the front door and stepped outside into an icy breeze. A snowplow turned in front of the sheriff’s house. The operator moved the machinery past his front door and peeled away the fresh top coat of snow. The red-faced man inside gave him a cheery wave then continued down the driveway. He lifted his hand in a mock salute and watched the spray of snow pile up each side of the road. The chill of winter cut through his thick sweater and he turned inside, kicking the door shut with his foot.
Checking through Black Rock Falls County Sheriff’s Department arrest files would have to wait until later. The tracker in Jenna’s earring had been his first priority. He grabbed a hoodie from his bag and, pulling it over his head, walked back to the door. Outside, he locked the deadbolt behind him then crunched through the ice-covered driveway to his SUV. He slipped inside, turned on the engine to allow the motor to idle, and pushed the heater up a few notches before pulling on his gloves. He had lived in colder places but not in the Upper Midwest. Climate change made the winters brutal in many states and he expected freezing temperatures but the wind in Black Rock Falls was wicked. Rather than wait, he backed out of the garage and drove to the front of Jenna’s house. Moments later, she emerged.
The sheriff had dressed in a padded jacket with a fur-trimmed hood worn over blue jeans and ankle boots. Carefully applied makeup covered the bruise on her face and she did not acknowledge him but moved down the steps and rounded the front of his ca
r to open the passenger door. Settled inside, she clicked in her seat belt before looking at him expectantly with a raised eyebrow.