The Crying Season (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“Yeah, thanks.” Jenna took down the make and license plate then leaned back in her chair; it would seem Stokes had done a thorough investigation. “Did either of them have a rap sheet?”

“Nope, clean as the driven snow, the pair of them, and they had no financial worries either.” He cleared his throat. “Now it’s a murder investigation, I’ll dig deeper into Paige’s background and shake down her old boyfriends to see what falls out. It looks like we’ll have to work together on this one.”

“That was the general idea. I’ll email you the files we have to date and the full autopsy report when I have a copy.” She had a thought. “Ah, before you go. Do you know of any similar crimes in your area? My deputy is a fine profiler and he believes this isn’t the first time this man has killed.”

“If we knew what state to search in, it would help, but I’ll get my team on it and see what we come up with. I suggest you do the same. This is the Hollywood precinct. I’m pushed for time and resources here; we have a heavy caseload as it is without this on top. Problem is with cold cases they tend to get pushed down the line but I’ll do my best.”

Jenna wanted to bang her head on the table in frustration. Heavens above, she had two of his citizens in her morgue and he had practically yawned his way through the conversation. “Would you at least notify the next of kin?”

“Yeah, that I can arrange. I’ll give them your details and they can make the necessary arrangements once the ME has released the remains.”

The line went dead.

Jenna stared at the handset in disbelief. “So much for cooperation.”

She collected the files she had to date and sent them through to him. The phone rang and Wolfe was on the line. “What do you have for me?”

“It’s the cellphone found at the crime scene. I managed to download the contents of Paige Allen’s SIM. The last number dialed was 911 in October last year. The call lasted one second, so if anyone answered I doubt they would have worried, especially as 911 calls go through our private cellphones out of office hours.”

“It’s chilling knowing one of them tried to call for help.” Jenna sighed. “Anything else?”

“Apart from the 911 call, no, there are images on the SIM but most of them are corrupted. They are of the general area, the Cattleman’s Hotel restaurant, and some mountain views.”

A wave of relief spread over her. At last, she had a lead. “So, they could have stayed at the Cattleman’s Hotel?”

“It would be worth checking.”

Jenna made a few notes. “When will you finish the post?”

“I’ll have a full report sent to you later today but there is one thing of interest. In layman’s terms, the cuts on Paige Allen’s bones are consistent with a hunting knife and a machete.” He paused for some moments. “I’m not ruling out there might have been two killers. The crossbow bolt we found in Dawson Sanders is unusual and out of place. Why did the killer only use it once? It is something we need to investigate further.” Wolfe sucked in a deep breath. “If that’s all, ma’am, I’ll get the report underway.”

“Yes, and thank you. Thank Jill for me too.”

“I will. Have a good day, ma’am.”

“Bye.” Jenna disconnected then searched through her contacts for the Cattleman’s Hotel.

She was just about to dial when a knock sounded on the door. “Yes, come in.”

Rowley stuck his head around the door and appeared ruffled. He sported a large red welt under one eye and his hat was askew. “The ruckus at the Triple Z? It is the same two men as last time. Do you want them in the cells?”

She waved him away. “Yeah, write them up, I’ll get to them next.” Why did I take this job?

18

Kane finished his lunch at Aunt Betty’s Café, picked up a bagel with cream cheese and a takeout coffee for Jenna, then headed back to the office. His morning had been a complete shambles. He hadn’t questioned Jenna’s insistence to send him out with Bradford this morning, and although he had worked on a variety of ridiculous problems in his time, his patience was running thin.

The morning had consisted of writing tickets for illegal parking and sorting neighborhood squabbles. Right this moment, he would have given a month’s pay to be swinging punches at the local ruckus at the Triple Z with Rowley and Webber.

He enjoyed the thrill of profiling and catching killers with Jenna and the team, but he missed the variety of action from his past life. Although the plate in his head, courtesy of a car bomb during his days as a government agent, caused him headaches, it had not slowed him down. The only beneficial adrenaline rush of late came from working out with Jenna every morning, or riding his horse at full gallop, but after seeing active service for so long, life in Black Rock Falls made him yearn for excitement.

He entered Jenna’s office and placed the food and coffee on the desk. She had all the windows open and the mingled scents of the pine forest and Jenna’s shampoo filled the room. “I’ve had lunch, what else is on the agenda?”

“One second.” Jenna tapped away at her keyboard then lifted her attention to him. She pounced on the takeout bag, inhaled, then smiled. “Oh, thank you. Bagels and cream cheese… You do read minds, I knew it.” She pointed to the takeout. “You are the only person who has ever turned up with food for me when I am famished.”

Kane grinned. “Maybe I just like to keep on your good side.”

“Keep this up and you’ll always be on my good side, Dave.” Jenna gave a moan of pleasure and bit into the bagel.