When Wolfe crouched at the crimson pool at the front door and Kane bent to take photographs with his cellphone camera, she wanted to run over to them but kept her distance. If it was a crime scene, the fewer people stamping around the better. By the lowered voices, her deputies had found something significant and her heart pounded in anticipation. Moments later Kane waved her forward.
“Clear.”
Jenna took the face mask Kane held out to her and pushed it over her nose. The smell was disgusting. “What do we have?”
“Wolfe is doing a test on the blood but he thinks it’s animal; it has fur in it, maybe from a cow.” Kane indicated to the puddle and his mouth turned down. “In the blood are photocopies of old newspapers. Wolfe will have to clean them up but from what we can see from the headlines, they all feature missing kids.”
The sight of blood dripping from the innocent smiling faces depicted in the newspapers made Jenna’s stomach clench. She moved closer, trying to read the headlines. “Some of them look old, yellowed.”
“Yeah, they’re all cut from old newspapers.” Kane moved his flashlight to a few Wolfe had laid in a line on the grass. “Some of the articles are more than ten years old. Wolfe will be able to get all the pertinent information and the names of the journalists.”
“How many kids?”
“Six, and all missing girls.
” Kane’s eyes searched her face then he moved his flashlight onto his front door. “Then there’s this.”
Scrawled over the images of Amos Price and Ely Dorsey were the words: “Monsters kill kids”. Jenna turned to Kane and waved a hand at the newspaper articles. “Oh my God, do you think they mean Price and Dorsey killed these children?”
“It sure looks that way.” Kane removed his gloves with a snap, and his troubled gaze moved to her face. “With both of them dead, we have no idea where they buried the bodies. We only have one option.”
Jenna frowned at him. “Yeah, I know. We have to find the vigilante before they finish their killing spree.”
26
Parked in the bushes opposite the junction leading to Sheriff Alton’s ranch, she sat in her car tingling with excitement from her close encounter with the law and watched the road. Sweat soaked her shirt and her heart still raced from sprinting from the sheriff’s ranch. It had been a stroke of luck to be standing at the reception counter of the Cattleman’s Hotel when Deputy Kane called to make a reservation. It had given her plenty of time to work out a plan.
Outwitting the sheriff would not be easy, and she actually admired her grit. Jenna Alton was one tough cookie and not easily swayed by emotion. She wondered how the sheriff would react when she called Kane to give him the next clue.
She could never explain to Kane how she knew where to find the missing girls. She would send him to the isolated Craig’s Rock then down the mountain to Old Corkey’s place—a deserted cabin a short distance from where one of the monsters lived. That would keep the sheriff and her team occupied for at least one day.
A wave of anticipation of what was to come thrummed through her as she stared into the darkness at the sheriff’s ranch. Some time had passed since a cruiser flew past with lights flashing, and in the distance, a halo of illumination emanated from the sheriff’s property. It sure looks like I have your attention now. Time for stage two.
27
A welcome cool breeze lifted Kane’s hair and brought with it the aroma of pine forests. He took a few steps away from the cottage to enjoy a lungful of clean air. He reluctantly strolled back to the front door and glanced over at Rowley. The young deputy’s hair was stuck to his face with sweat. It was way past two in the morning and Rowley had worked non-stop to clean up the cottage with him after Wolfe had gone home to be with his kids. They had spent most of the night scrubbing down walls and hosing away blood.
Kane straightened his aching back and yawned. “That will do, I’m bushed. Thanks for your help, Jake.”
“It smells okay out here now at least.” Rowley dropped a sponge into a bucket and peeled off rubber gloves. “Do you think Deputy Wolfe will be able to save the newspaper articles?”
“Yeah, he’ll photograph them. He has software to bring out the print.” Kane removed his gloves. “I’m sure we’ll be able to get copies via the library archives, if all else fails.”
“Great.” Jake pushed a hand through his brown wavy hair. “I’ll head on home now.”
“And upset our sheriff?” Kane smiled at him. “She invited us to sleep over and trust me, the hot chocolate and cookies waiting for us will be worth it.” He winced. “I’d love to sleep in my own bed too but the cottage still has eau de death.” He indicated to Duke asleep in the bushes. “Even the dog won’t go inside.” He grinned. “So are you staying?”
“Okay. Do you think she is in danger from this crazy?” Rowley rubbed his dimpled chin. “Although you look like the target at the moment.”
Kane shrugged and stared at Jenna’s house. “Someone followed her into her house undetected, so they’re good, real good. It has to be the same person who called me. I think they are sending me a message to leave them to administer street justice.”
“We are all investigating the murders. Why target you and not the sheriff?”
“I guess because I’ve been interviewing women who suffered abuse as a child.” Kane collected the scrubbing brushes and dropped them into an empty bucket. “The killer believes I get a thrill out of hearing them speak about child abuse.”
“And you’re a man.” Rowley stood with his fists balled on his narrow hips. “The sheriff told me about your early morning workouts so I gather she can handle herself pretty well.”
“Jenna could take most people down single-handed but that’s not the problem. Whoever managed to get inside her house moves like a shadow and they are fit. They took off running at impressive speed after they sprayed my house with blood.” He glanced at Rowley. “Don’t worry. I doubt Jenna will let anyone get the better of her again.”