As Kane took the turn back to the highway leading to Main Street his deadly expression sent a shiver down her spine.
Thirty-Nine
Concerned about Jenna’s ashen face and trembling hands, Kane bit back the impulse to call the paramedics and have them meet them in town. He’d known Jenna long enough to know she’d see this case to the bitter end even if it killed her. He concentrated on driving, all the while figuring a way to insist she’d remain inside his truck when they arrived. As he wound the vehicle through the traffic, he turned to her. “Do you mind if I check the scene for explosive devices? We don’t have time to wait for the bomb squad.”
“Looking at the image, people have been walking past the body all morning.” Jenna turned her gaze on him. “Okay, go take a look at the scene, but I figure if he didn’t plant an IED, he’s probably rigged the corpse – so be alert.” She let out a long sigh. “I’ll contact Walters and ask him to inform Amanda’s mother. I don’t want her to find out about this on the news.”
Relieved she’d decided to remain in the truck, Kane looked at her. “What about the search parties?”
“I’ll tell Rowley to bring everyone in.” Jenna sighed. “They’ll be exhausted.” She lifted her cellphone. “Then the media will expect an update. I just hope the killer doesn’t decide to kill me live on TV.”
“Then we take that option off the table. I’ll handle the media.” Kane used the siren to move the crowd gathering like crows waiting to feed on roadkill, then drove onto the sidewalk, placing his truck between the wall of the library and Rowley’s cruiser. If the Shadow Man had a mind to take another shot at Jenna, it would be practically impossible to hit her with the truck in that position. He slid from the seat and pulled a pair of latex gloves from his pocket. He walked to Rowley’s side. “I want these people at least one hundred yards from the scene. Tell them to move back and to leave room for emergency vehicles.”
As Rowley got on the loudspeaker, Kane used his binoculars to get a close-up look at the immediate area surrounding Amanda’s body. The red shawl covered her well and could easily be concealing a vest of explosives or a bloody corpse. He turned and watched the crowd move away. People with eager expressions hovered in store doorways as if they believed the flimsy façades would protect them from a blast. The situation was perilous and although he hadn’t spotted a tripwire near the body, the killer had a shit load of options if he’d planned an explosion. His attention moved over the crowd. Most of them were filming on cellphones, holdi
ng them high to capture his every move. Any one of them could be the killer, just waiting for him to make his move before he triggered a concealed bomb using a cellphone. He’d no protection other than his Kevlar vest but that would have to do. The bomb squad was hours away in Helena. He’d need to rely on his years of training in explosives and handle the situation alone.
He’d need a cool head and a steady hand. He drew a few deep breaths. His pounding heart slowed and a self-induced calm came over him. He’d used this relaxation method many times before. A pounding heart and anxiety had no place in the world of a sniper or anyone dealing with explosives. With his breathing controlled and body relaxed, he moved forward step by step across the blacktop to the sidewalk. The traffic noise had ceased and the crowd behind him fell deathly silent as if every one of them was holding their breath waiting for something to happen.
Once he’d reached the sidewalk, he performed a visual scan of the body and surrounds. Amanda sat with her hands resting in her lap, leaning to one side and slightly hunched. The slumped position could be a good sign – a vest filled with explosives would act like a corset and make a body sit more erect. He crouched, bending low to search beneath the bench, and found no trace of a device. Standing, he edged closer and the familiar stench of rotting flesh drifted toward him. It wasn’t rank yet, but decomposition had set in with a vengeance.
Enforcing his need to remain calm, he kept his breathing slow and even. He moved closer and tried without luck to peer through the loosely knitted shawl. Aware that at any moment a blast could rocket him into eternity, he removed the telescopic baton from his belt. Behind him, he heard a collective intake of breath from the watching crowd as he extended the weapon and slipped the end under the edge of the shawl. Moving in delicate stages, he held his breath and eased the material away.
When the body didn’t explode into a million pieces, he groaned with relief. Apart from the distinctive red shawl, Amanda appeared to be wearing the same clothes as when she’d walked out of her house. Her dressing gown was dirty and covered in cobwebs and leaves. It hung open to reveal intact nightclothes. A wave of sadness swept over him and he steeled himself to bend and peer at her young face. The tragic eyes stared into oblivion, no longer clear but fixed and misty. The whites showed signs of hemorrhaging. He could clearly see her neck and discovered distinct signs of trauma.
Straightening, he searched the bench, moving all around and behind it, and then scanned the surrounding area. He examined a nearby trashcan, carefully checking the items inside, and then turned to see Jenna’s pale face watching him over the roof of his truck. He waved at her. “All clear, Sheriff.”
To his surprise, the crowd applauded and the chatter resumed in a wave of unintelligible noise. People pushed forward and Rowley’s voice boomed out over the loudspeaker.
“This is a crime scene. Have some respect, folks.” Rowley waited a beat but the crowd edged closer. “I’ll be arresting anyone moving forward. Now go about your business and allow the ME in here to do his job.”
Moments later, Wolfe’s van jumped the sidewalk and stopped in front of the bench. Kane went to greet him, and the rush of adrenaline from searching for a bomb mixed with the despair of finding another dead teenage girl rolled over him, making his heart thunder in his chest. He rubbed the end of his nose. “She doesn’t smell so good. I figure he killed her sometime last night.”
“Some corpses smell within seconds of dying, some are covered in excrement.” Wolfe snapped on his gloves, and then fitted his mask. “Decomposition depends on a variety of factors, so don’t jump to conclusions just yet. Give me time to take her temperature and perform an autopsy.” He tipped his head to one side. “Webber can assist me. I’d recommend you take Jenna back to the office ASAP – she doesn’t look so good. She might be going into shock. You’ll need to keep an eye on her.”
Kane closed his baton and nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
Forty
Sara Nelson had come to his attention a few days earlier and it was as if fate had placed her before him as an offering. How convenient that she left town at the same time as him each day. She’d spent her time with friends then taken the same bus home every day and he’d followed at a distance. When the bus slowed to a stop on Stanton Road, Sara Nelson stepped off. The bus blew out a puff of diesel fumes, and then continued on its way. The smoke dissipated in the light breeze until only the fresh scent of pine needles and wildflowers filled his truck. He scanned the area and smiled to himself. He’d dreamed of this opportunity and planned it a hundred times in his head. The spaced-out houses seemed deserted, not a soul lingering outside to enjoy the spring sunshine. He drove past her, and then stopped some ways ahead.
He grabbed a pulley from his toolbox but everything else he might need he’d already pushed into the pockets of his coveralls, including a small bottle of diethyl ether. After slinging a thick coil of rope over one shoulder, he jogged across the blacktop and stood staring into the trees. It never ceased to amaze him just how gullible a teenager could be and how easily he could bend them to his will. They’d all be aware the Shadow Man lurked in the area, but just as he’d imagined, he heard the sound of her footsteps as she crossed Stanton Road.
He pretended he hadn’t heard her following him and moved into the cover of the trees, dropping the rope into a clump of bushes. He kept his attention fixed on the green canopy and moved forward into the dense forest with careful steps, making sure to stay on the thick coating of pine needles underfoot.
“What are you looking at?” Sara caught up to him and tugged at his arm. “What’s up there?”
He turned and gave her his best, worried expression. “Crows. I saw an eagle go down close by. Crows always seem to find anything injured or dying. I wanted to find it before they kill it.”
“I’ll help you look.” Sara shielded her eyes with one hand and peered into the forest. “How far in?”
“Some ways.” He frowned at her. Acting concerned for injured wildlife made him appear safe. “Maybe you should head home. Your parents will be worried.”
“They’re both at work and won’t be home until after six.” Sara gave him a sunny smile. “I’ve nothing else to do.”
“If you’re sure? Maybe you should give them a call.”
“I don’t have to check in with them.” She frowned. “I’m not a kid.”