“Too easy.” Kane chuckled. It did not take a genius to know she had not eaten since breakfast. When Jenna was on a case she forgot what day it was, let alone allowing herself time for a meal break. “Did Rowley and Webber sort out the fight at the Triple Z?”
“Yeah, it was more of a domestic between Leroy and Abel Finch. Can you handle the interviews? Rowley would have finished his report by now.” Jenna sipped her coffee and sighed. “Get Bradford to write the reports from your patrol this morning. Anything interesting happen?”
“Nope and she is already hard at work.” He stretched, wishing it was time to head home. “I gather the troublemakers from the Triple Z are in the cells?”
“Yeah, I was going to interview them but I’ve been snowed under with phone calls and autopsy reports.” Jenna leaned back in her chair. “I’ve spoken to the detective on the Sanders and Allen cold case at Hollywood PD. I’m afraid he has little to offer the murder investigation but we are exchanging case files. He did at least interview the family and close friends at the time they went missing.”
“Don’t expect too much help.” Kane rubbed the back of his neck. “The case will be right at the bottom of his list.”
“That’s why I’m working the case. I need to chase down any leads here before they vanish. The couple stayed in town at some time before they died, and what happened to their car? It isn’t on the DMV list as found or abandoned.”
“It could have been sold to a chop shop. They don’t ask too many questions about ownership.” He rested the palm on the handle of his pistol. “Do you want these idiots from the Triple Z incident charged or released with a warning?”
“I guess it depends on the damages to the bar and if the proprietor wants to press charges.” She nibbled at her lunch. “The brothers have nothing of value, and this time they were fighting each other and everyone else joined in. Use your own judgement.” She sighed. “I’m heading over to the Cattleman’s Hotel with Rowley to see if anyone remembers seeing Sanders and Allen. I hope they’ll give us access to their records when I tell them the couple are victims of a homicide.”
“They might want to avoid a court order but it’s more
likely they’ll give you specific information about the couple rather than open their books. If they have kept a video it would be useful but it’s likely they have overwritten the data by now, and if not we’ll need a court order to obtain a copy, privacy laws being what they are.” Kane indicated over one shoulder with his thumb. “When I’ve finished the interviews, do you want me to check out local junkyards and see if anyone has had eyes on Allen’s vehicle?”
“Would you?” Jenna popped the last piece of bagel into her mouth and licked a smear of cream cheese from her lips. “If you find anything interesting, call me.”
“Roger that.”
* * *
After contacting the proprietor of the Triple Z and discovering he did not intend to file for damages, Kane interviewed Leroy and Abel Finch. The brothers had argued over a bar tab, and after agreeing to split the amount between them, he let them go with a warning that next time they caused trouble, they would be heading for court.
As he followed them to the front door, he caught sight of Jenna climbing into her vehicle with Rowley riding shotgun. The afternoon sun glistened on her hair and when she turned to glance at him, he gave her a wave. He pushed on his hat and climbed into his rig. They usually worked together, and her insistence for him to go on patrol with Bradford had puzzled him. Maybe he had gotten a little too close to her the previous evening and this was her way of keeping him at a distance. After pulling out into the traffic, he grimaced. He had come close to kissing her goodnight. If this was her reaction, he had better keep his distance. Pity, she was only the second woman in his life he had ever cared for.
The first recycling yard yielded nothing but as he drove into the second he could hear the screaming sound of tearing metal as the crusher compacted cars into neat cubes. Heavy machinery lifted the cubes and dropped them onto a waiting truck that sagged under the weight. Entering through massive gates, he pulled up outside a ramshackle office and glanced around. Rows of vehicles of every description spread out over at least five acres; they ranged from almost pristine to rusty relics from the 1950s.
The air in the office hung heavy with the smell of oil and cigarettes. Stained wooden shelves held car parts, each with a paper tag tied with string. In one corner, a motor looked out of place with its bright chrome pipes gleaming in the dim interior. Kane moved through the office and a scattering of metal shavings and glass fragments ground under his boots. Behind the counter sat a man in his fifties with slicked-back salt-and-pepper hair.
“What can I do for you, Deputy?” He stood then wiped his hands on his filthy coveralls.
Kane stepped closer. “Afternoon, I’m Deputy Kane. I’m searching for a late-model silver Ford Sedan. It went missing over a year ago. Has anything similar come through here?”
“Maybe, maybe not.” The man sat down at his computer. “I run this place to the letter of the law. If it came in, I’ll have a record.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Long moments passed and then the man printed up a list and handed it to Kane.
“We had two late-model Fords. One was a burned-out wreck brought in from Blackwater, the other from a deceased estate here in town. All the details are listed.”
Kane tipped his hat. “Thank you for your help.” He headed back to his car.
Once inside he checked the vehicle identification number of the burned-out wreck with Allen’s missing vehicle. They matched. He called Jenna. “I’ve found Allen’s car. No plates but the numbers match. It was stripped and burned out in Blackwater then transported here to be crushed.”
“That would involve two men: one to drive and one to follow.”
Kane stared at the line of rusting vehicles. “It is a possibility but there are ways around it. For instance, the killer could own a tow truck. Take the car to a deserted area, strip it down, and set it on fire. That vehicle wouldn’t stick out, they’re a dime a dozen here.”
“True, but Wolfe still is in two minds about how many killers were involved. Not many hunters carry a rifle and a crossbow.” Jenna let out a long sigh. “Of course, we can’t rule out the fact someone else stumbled on the remains and decided to put a bolt through the head either. As Webber believes, the bolts are expensive and not usually left behind, I’ll send him out to hunt down the supplier at the local stores.”
Kane scratched his head. “Do you know how many online retailers there are as well? It would be like finding a needle in a haystack.”
“I might just find that needle.” Jenna cleared her throat. “The Cattleman’s Hotel confirmed the victims stayed there and the dates. Funny thing is, they checked out. I would have thought after a few days in the forest they would want a hot shower and a good night’s sleep before they headed home. Most hikers do.”