“Yeah, I do.” Kane dragged a chair from the other side of the room and sat down. “You can’t blame yourself and you can’t change anything.”
“I miss her so much.” Barry’s bottom lip quivered just slightly.
“I would say ‘sorry for your loss’ but it means nothing.” Kane cleared his throat. “What gets me through is knowing their love will remain in your heart forever and they’ll always live in your memories. Any time, day or night, you just have to think about them and they are with you again.”
“Thanks.” Barry blinked at Kane. “That is a lovely thing to say.”
A love that lasts forever. His wife. Jenna glanced at Kane and swallowed the lump in her throat then turned back to Barry. “We came to see you because we need what you can tell us about where you went and who you spoke to before you went on the hike.”
“Last Friday we caught the bus up the mountain for a look around. I wanted to find out from the checking station if there were any safe hiking places well away from the hunters. We hiked up to the falls. We stayed at the Black Rock Falls Motel. Caught the bus on Sunday and got put down near the old trail to Bear Peak.”
“So, you found out about the trail from one of the wardens or a ranger?” Jenna took out her notebook and pen. “Do you remember his name, or can you give me a description?”
“No, not a warden. They were so busy they told me to take a map and keep out of the designated hunting areas.” Barry sucked in a breath. “We missed the bus and hitchhiked, got a ride from one of the hunters. I asked him for the most secluded trails and he gave me an old map. He told me about the track leading to Bear Peak, how quiet it was away from the tourists. In fact, all the info we needed. He even gave us the bus information. He was a real nice guy.”
Psychopaths usually are real nice people. Jenna and Kane exchanged meaningful looks. She smiled at Barry. “Do you remember where you put the map?”
“It was in the pocket of my jeans. The doctors cut them off me when I arrived.”
Jenna sighed. The hospital would have incinerated them by now. “Do you remember what type of car he was driving?”
“Nope, it was the same as everyone’s rig around here.” Barry closed his eyes. “It was a dark color, I don’t remember the make.”
“What about the driver, was he from around here?” Kane leaned forward. “Or did he have an accent? Was he Caucasian, Native American?”
“He was white, wearing a woolen cap like yours, didn’t see his hair or eyes—he was wearing shades. Can’t say how tall he was either, he was sitting down.” Barry shook his head. “He wasn’t the killer—that man had a creepy voice like an alien.”
“Did you see his hands?” Jenna pushed on. “Any rings, scars on his face or hands, tattoos?”
“Nope, he was wearing gloves.” Barry sighed then moaned and pressed the morphine drip dispenser clutched in one hand. “He was a normal guy. He dropped us right at the motel. We ordered in for dinner and left town early Sunday to catch the bus. We didn’t speak to anyone else about our plans.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Jenna stood. It was pointless trying to question him now. She turned to Kane and waved him outside into the hallway. “What do you think?”
“If it was the killer, then it’s more than likely a chance meeting because he is too smart to risk someone seeing him with the victims.” Kane shrugged. “If someone did see him pick them up hitchhiking, Barry says he dropped them off at the motel. It wouldn’t be evidence against him but as Lilly was the type of woman he enjoys killing, he used the information he gave Barry to set the scene for his next kill.”
A shiver slipped down Jenna’s back. “That easy? That scares the hell out of me.”
“That easy this time maybe but not for the others. The chances of everything falling into place for him like that would be remote.” Kane rubbed the back of his neck. “I figure the only possible way the killer finds his victims is once he sees a suitable couple, he stalks them to discover their movements. Let’s face it, most couples who don’t come here to hunt are looking for a romantic weekend or honeymoon.”
Jenna leaned against the wall, running the information through her mind. “Stalking them would be difficult unless the killer works in the industry, as in at the hotel or even as a travel agent. How else would he be able to follow their movements or know their plans?”
“The killer could frequent the Cattleman’s Hotel like most of the hunters in town; we know the first two couples stayed there.” Kane shrugged. “We have two suspects who go there as well: Woods and Canavar. We have information that Canavar visited Black Rock Falls last fall and I would be interested to know if he took a room at the hotel.”
Jenna chewed on her bottom lip. “Both men fit the description Barry gave us, but this scenario removes the Blythes. I doubt either of them go to the Cattleman’s Hotel very often.”
“They don’t fit the description of the man who picked up Lilly and Colter. I wouldn’t describe either of them as a—” Kane made quote marks in the air with his fingers “—‘really nice guy.’ Would anyone suspect a nice guy staying at the hotel who has a casual chat with them in the restaurant or at the bar? This is a friendly town, everyone chats to strangers.”
Jenna nodded. “That’s true.”
“Then again the killer could have a partner who works where the old maps are still available. Psychopaths could be smooth-talking, good-looking men; he could have a woman for a partner. Remember there are women who are attracted to killers.” Kane stared into space as if running scenarios through his mind. “The moment they come across a suitable couple mentioning hiking in a secluded area, they alert the killer and he stalks them until he discovers their plans. He sets up the pay-per-view and meets them on the trail.”
Jenna gaped at him then the pieces started to fall into place. Everything Kane said made sense. No one would sit in wait for days in the forest hoping a couple matching his perfect type would stumble into a trap. “Yes, previous gaps between kills could mean he was waiting for the right couple to come along.” She straightened. “A
s the Cattleman’s Hotel is linked to two couples, and two suspects, we should head back to the office and split the workload. I want information on the owners of the backpacks as soon as possible. If any of them are missing, we need to find out if they stayed at the Cattleman’s Hotel and when.”
“Yeah, and I would like to know how many people inquire about the old trails. I’ll make some calls and find out who has copies of the old maps available for tourists.” Kane glanced at her. “We’ll need to be told if anyone makes inquiries then alert them to the dangers.”
Jenna headed along the corridor. “Let’s hope one of the people we talk to isn’t the killer’s partner, or he’ll know we’re closing in on him.”