Her Shallow Grave (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“Kato, run the numbers, please.” Jo smiled at Jenna across the miles. “It’s real useful having a Black Hat, or should I say IT specialist, working in the office. He saves us hours of grunt work.”

“There’s been four out of twenty bodies identified. Six reported missing.” Kalo lifted his gaze from his screen. “The identification came from dental records and DNA.”

“Okay, thanks.” Jenna cleared her throat. “Carter, that’s a ton of Jane Does. I’ll go through the autopsy reports because I’m wondering if these women were prostitutes or the homeless?”

“Yeah, that’s an angle to chase down.” Carter removed the toothpick and flicked it into the trash. “Although you don’t have streetwalkers in town, do you? I’d start with the homeless—who has access to them?”

“We have shelters, the soup kitchen, churches, and the like.” Jenna glanced at Kane and then back to the screen. “We have had an influx of homeless people this year but the snow usually keeps them away. It is a good place to start.”

“Kane.” Jo frowned. “If this is the same killer, he’s delusional and lives in his own world. I’ll go through the files some more but I’m thinking Caucasian, mid-thirties, unmarried who has a profession that allows him to move easily from place to place.”

“Hmm. We’ll have to narrow it down some more.” Kane leaned back in his chair. “Around these parts, that description fits many men. Truck or delivery drivers, doctors, dentists, casual labor to name a few. My money is on a trucker or delivery driver, he maybe gives a girl a ride into town, gets all her information and kills her.”

“It could be all of the above.” Jenna shrugged. “As no one seems to have logged any evidence against the killer, has anyone found where he kept the bodies?”

“Nope, we assumed he used a hunting cabin, easily accessible in the snow, so not far from a main highway, and one that’s cleared regular.” Carter paused a beat and then frowned. “So in your case, just about anywhere along the entire length of Stanton Forest.”

“Okay, we have a starting point.” Jenna made a few notes on a notepad. “I need to find out if any of the victims have been sexually assaulted.” She lifted her gaze to the screen. “I consider it relevant to the case. Rape and murder are often part of the ritual, but I’m not seeing that here in the few cases I’ve scanned. I don’t have an autopsy report on our victim, so can’t rule it out. I’ll need to investigate this aspect; with the humiliation and dismembering, if he’s not raping them, he has a motive we have not come across before.”

Jo nodded. “I’ll ask Kalo to do the research to save time.”

“Thanks, Jo.” Jenna smiled at her and then turned to Kane. “Do you have any other questions for Jo?”

“Nope, but if it comes back none of the women were sexually assaulted, it’s always a possibility the killer is impotent. If so, it puts a different slant on the revenge, doesn’t it?” Kane turned to Jenna and frowned. “This type he’s killing, is the same every time—why?”

“Revenge?” Jenna stared into the screen. “They were close at one time and she humiliated him. He likely killed her and has been killing her ever since.”

Jo wanted to give Jenna a high five. “It would be a strong motive and that’s further than anyone else has gotten on The Sculptor’s case.”

“Hmm…” Jenna shrugged. “Now we just have to find him before he kills again. Not easy in the middle of winter with not one clue to go on.”

Fifteen

After four hours bumping along in the cab of an eighteen-wheeler with a man who smelled as if he’d missed out on the invention of deodorant, Zoe Henderson was glad when the truck stopped at a place lit up with flashing red lights that read, “Triple Z Bar”. She turned to the driver. “Why are we stopping here?”

“I get a bed and a meal here. We’re in Black Rock Falls. The town is in that direction but this place is cheap.” He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “You can join me if you like and I’ll give you a ride into town first thing?”

The thought of a hot meal was tempting and she would find another ride before bedtime. “Yeah, sure.” She grabbed her backpack and climbed down from the cab.

The icy chill seeped through her clothes and although the ground had a generous coating of salt and sand, ice glistened on the blacktop reflecting the bright lights in patches of flashing crimson. As she picked her way through the parking lot to the bar, she noticed the line of motorcycles outside. She’d fit in here just fine. Wearing a leather jacket, she looked like a biker’s old lady and her ink and black fingernails alone would get her a ride into town. The last shelter had turned her away and pointed her in the direction of Black Rock Falls insisting they offered shelter for the homeless. Apparently, the town had long-term accommodation available and assistance to get a job. The bonus was a soup kitchen and a free clinic. She’d landed in paradise.

The dimly lit bar was hot and noisy. The smell of beer, sweat, and chili crawled up her nose as she followed the truck driver to a table. She glanced around—her entrance had gained the attention of a few members of the motorcycle club

who’d pushed tables together and sat in a large group. Giving them her brightest smile, she dropped her backpack on the floor, peeled off her leather jacket, and rolled up her sleeves to display her tattoos. Sitting down, she stared at the sticky rings left behind from the last customer’s drinks alongside a pile of dirty dishes. She looked at the driver. She hadn’t asked his name, she didn’t care, he served a purpose. “How do you order a meal here?”

“There’s no fancy service here.” He grinned a yellow-toothed smile at her. “I’ll go up to the bar and get us the special.” He collected the plates and looked down at her. “Be careful who you talk to, the Black Widow MC often drop by this bar.”

“I’ll be fine.” Zoe crossed her legs and twirled a strand of black hair around one finger catching the eye of a member of the MC. The guy looked promising and she smiled at him. To her surprise, he stood and strutted toward her. He was tall and lean. She kept eye contact. Here comes my ride into town.

“Hey.” The biker pulled out a chair, turned it around, and sat down, leaning his arms on the back. “I haven’t seen you in here before, where did you come from?”

Zoe smiled. “All over, my man is on death row and I needed to get out of town. I jumped into the first eighteen-wheeler heading west.” She indicated toward the bar with her chin. “The driver offered me a hot meal and a bed for the night.”

“Honey, you don’t want to stay here.” He shook his head. “This place will give you cooties.” He took a long look at the driver waiting at the bar and then nodded in his direction. “And he’ll expect more than you’re prepared to give.”

“I don’t really have a choice.” Zoe let out a long sigh. “I’m broke and starving. I heard Black Rock Falls might take me in and help me find a job.”

“Yeah, the town council don’t like people sleeping on the streets hereabouts.” He chuckled. “On account of the serial killers.”