Bring Me Flowers (Detectives Kane and Alton)

He lifted his head to gaze at a group of girls chatting close by and smiled. After the thrill of finding a girl in the forest and taking her, his skill had proven invincible. He would snatch a girl off the street soon and display her for all to see, then the media would not ignore his art. He bit back a groan, remembering the intense satisfaction of killing his forest gift. Oh, she had fought well but none had ever escaped his knife.

No one ever would.

His mind shifted to the sheriff. A pretty woman and worthy of his art but she would take the brunt of his anger. He would have her soon and enjoy every second. The way she strutted around as if she owned the town made him more determined to tame her. They all beg in the end. Her deputies were no match for his skill, and he would be able to deal with them one at a time in his own special way.

Reluctantly, he closed the file on his cellphone. He had plans to make. He ran the faces of his chosen girls through his mind and trembled with anticipation. Who will be next?

Thirty-Seven

With the statements from Aimee Fox and Kate Bright plus Steve Rogers’ account placing him in Stanton Forest around the time of Felicity Parker’s murder added to the signed accounts from Lucky Briggs and Storm Crawley, Jenna’s application for an arrest warrant went through in minutes. She arrived back at the sheriff’s department to find Kane waiting in anticipation. Waving the document, she smiled at him. “Good work. I think we have our killer.”

“Just in time too, he was in town chatting to Aimee Fox and one of her friends, Julia Smith, earlier. I wouldn’t mind betting he is still in town. Wolfe is going through the surveillance footage for the last hour or so. I know he parked his car in the library parking lot, so he would have to return there eventually.” Kane’s mouth turned down and he cracked his knuckles. “I can’t wait to arrest him.”

“I know where he was about five minutes ago.” Wolfe strolled out of the back room. “He was buying a newspaper from the stand near the church.”

“It sounds like he is searching for information.” Kane’s blue gaze rested on her face. “That’s typical behavior for an exhibitionist psychopathic killer, he wants to read about the murder in the newspapers so he can relive the thrill. Not seeing his kills on the news must be driving him crazy.”

“Okay, I’ll handle the arrest with Kane.” Jenna checked her weapon and tucked a couple more zip cuffs into her pocket. “Let’s go.” She headed out the door and made for her SUV with the department’s insignia on the doors.

She drove the vehicle down the main street, noting the way Kane drummed his long fingers on the dashboard in an agitated fashion. She flicked him a glance. “We’ll find him, he has no idea we’re coming for him.”

She headed straight for the church, and seeing Steve Rogers strolling toward the computer store, she pulled the vehicle into a bus stop and leaped from the car. Before she had taken two steps, Kane had reached Rogers, spun him around, shoved him face first into the brick wall, and cuffed him. She gaped in surprise, then seeing the crowd gathering, she stepped forward. “Steve Rogers, I am arresting you on suspicion of murder.” She read him his Miranda rights then nodded at Kane. “Put him in the car.”

“Clear the way. There is nothing to see here.” Kane’s large frame cut a gap through the spectators on the way to her vehicle.

Jenna followed close behind and waited for Kane to secure their prisoner in her SUV. To her surprise, Rogers had not resisted arrest or uttered a word apart from agreeing; he understood his rights. She slid behind the wheel and headed back to the office. The moment she stepped inside, Rogers gave her a cold look.

“I want you to contact my lawyer. His number is in my wallet.”

She nodded. “Very well, and what about your wife?”

“She left me, and don’t go looking for her, I have no inclination to speak to her.” Rogers gave her a belligerent glare. “I know you have been talking to her behind my back, I heard the messages you left.”

That’s why she didn’t return my call. “As you wish.” She glanced at Kane, who had a firm grip on Rogers’ arm as he handed him over to Deputy Walters at the counter. When he returned, she straightened. “Take Wolfe with you, book him, and lock him up.” She gave Kane a long stare. “Don’t give him any reason to make a complaint—understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She had not missed Kane’s grim expression and the flash of anger in his eyes or the way his knuckles had whitened around Rogers’ arm. When Wolfe strolled out the back room, she touched his arm. “I know you both want to pulverize him but he is innocent until proven guilty and right now all we have is circumstantial evidence. I have a warrant to seize his car and I’ll arrange a tow truck to collect it now. Where is the best place for you to do a search?”

“We need a clean room but I guess the garage at the funeral home will have to do. I can set it up with plastic sheets. We don’t want to give the defense any reason to suspect we tampered with evidence.” Wolfe’s blond brows narrowed. “Make sure no one opens the car or touches anything without suiting up first. Maybe I should go and supervise?”

“Sure, but get Rogers processed first. The car can wait for an hour or so; it’s not going anywhere and I have to call his lawyer.”

Anxiously, she stared after Kane, hoping he would keep his cool. The number for Steve Rogers’ lawyer was in her daybook from the last time Kane had questioned him. She went into her office and made the call. After disconnecting, she contacted the tow truck company and asked them to wait for Wolfe in the library parking lot. She heard a tap on the door and Rowley strolled into the room.

“I guess you won’t need me to watch Mr. Rogers’ house tonight?”

“Ah, but I will need you to do a midnight until seven shift overnight. I’ll ask Walters to cover the early shift. I’ll need someone here to keep an eye on our prisoner.” She smiled at him. “You and Walters won’t have to pull a shift over the weekend; the Blackwater deputies will be on duty until Sunday. We can all go to the dance.” She smiled at him. “You and Walters can take the afternoon. I’m guessing Mr. Rogers’ lawyer will try to get bail, which will be denied and he’ll be taken to the jail and held until the hearing.”

She heard Kane’s voice in the hallway and glanced at the door. He strolled in and his dark eyebrows met in a frown.

“Rogers’ lawyer will be out for blood. We’ll need to have every shred of evidence with the prosecutor or he’ll walk out on bail. Wolfe has left to supervise the pickup and search of his vehicle. We have probable cause to search his house as well and need to ASAP. I have his house key.”

Jenna took a sheet of paper from a folder on her desk. “I have everything ready but I’ll need to be here when Rogers’ lawyer arrives.” She handed him the search warrants. “Take Rowley and head over to the funeral home to search the car with Wolfe, then go to Rogers’ house. It will be quicker with three of you working the scenes.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He raised both eyebrows. “Are you sure you won’t need me here?”

She waved him away. “Yes, now go, then once you have written your report, send Rowley home, he is covering the graveyard shift.”