Pray for Mercy (Detectives Kane and Alton)

Closing his notepad, Rowley frowned. He wouldn’t get any more information from Hahn and thanked him and headed for his cruiser. He pulled out his phone and called Rio. The phone went to voicemail again. “Where the heck are you?”

THIRTEEN

As the Beast roared along Stanton and the fresh mountain air rushed through the cab, Jenna shivered but didn’t have the heart to pull Duke back inside. The bloodhound’s head stuck out the window, his long silky ears blowing in the wind as his lips filled with air, moving them away from his teeth in waves to give the impression he was singing along to the tunes blaring from the substantial speakers. She laughed. “Would you look at Duke. He’s singing along with you.”

“He has great taste in music.” Kane grinned and continued to sing in his deep baritone. He shot her a serious glance. “It’s only fair he joins in. I do howl at the moon with him when the fancy takes him.”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know. I figured a pack of wolves had invaded us. Is it a full-moon thing and should I be worried? I mean, you’re not going to change into a werewolf are you?”

“Not anytime soon.” Kane grinned at her and wiggled his eyebrows. “Are you frightened I might bite you?”

“Ha-ha.” Jenna laughed. “No, but if you do plan to go feral and run with the pack, I’ll be running right alongside you.”

“That’s good to know.” Kane chuckled. “Maybe next full moon you should come out and howl at the moon with us?”

“That’s a date.” Jenna sighed, looking at the forest flashing by. “I wish we could have ridden up here. It would have been a nice ride in the sunshine. I really need to get out into the fresh air. It was a long winter. I’d kill for a run on a beach somewhere and feel the sand between my toes.”

“Shane was telling me the other day his mom has a place in Florida. A condo right opposite the beach.” He cleared his throat. “He said if we ever wanted a holiday, we could use it. He plans to take a week down there with Julie and Anna next summer and take them to the parks. Most times it sits empty.”

Jenna frowned. “Why not book a place like normal people and head out to Hawaii or somewhere?” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Ah, I see. No bookings, no one knows we’re there, apart from the airline.”

“We’re not ‘normal people’ anymore, Jenna.” Kane’s expression became serious. “There are killers out there who have it in their heads to challenge us to catch them. You do understand some psychopaths want someone to stop them killing? This is a few of the type we attract, then there’s the ones who believe they can beat us and get away with murdering people in our town. It would be nice to go somewhere, where nobody gives a darn who we are or what we’re doing in their town.”

Leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes, thinking of Florida beaches, she smiled. “Wouldn’t that be nice? Can we ever get away for a few days… like ever?”

“When you employ two more deputies, we can leave the crime solving to Rio and Rowley. With two others to assist them, they’ll do just fine and let’s face facts here, Jenna, we’re only a flight away if they need us.”

Jenna opened her eyes as they turned off Stanton and started to make the climb up Rocky Road, heading for Jolene Darvish’s house. “You sure have a point. Okay, the first chance we get, we’re out of here.”

“That’s Rio’s truck. What the heck is he doing here?” Kane pulled into the narrow driveway behind him and climbed out.

Jenna scrambled out and stepped carefully around the potholes in the road. She stared into the cab. Rio was just sitting there staring at the road, his face pale, and eyes fixed. “Is he okay?”

“Yeah.” Kane pulled open the door. “Are you sick?”

“Nope.” Rio dragged his attention away from the road. “I’m waiting for Cade. Seems you’re right, Dave. He’s been coming up here to visit a girl and he didn’t plan on coming home again last night.” He turned a weary gaze toward them and shrugged. “I figured I’d wait here for him to drive by. I tried to find him last night, but unless you know where the cabins are up this way, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack and you risk the chance of someone taking pot shots at you. Mountain folk can be darn right unsociable.”

“Just how long have you been sitting here?” Kane leaned against the open door.

“Since Piper broke down and told me where he’d headed.” Rio shrugged. “Around four yesterday afternoon.”

Jenna peered in through the passenger window. “Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

“Battery’s dead and I didn’t think to bring a car charger with me.” Rio shrugged. “I’d been calling Cade nonstop all last night. He’s not answering either.”

“Just a minute.” Kane slapped the door shut and headed back to his truck, returning with a Thermos of coffee and a bag of cookies. “Here, these will keep you going. We need to go check on someone.” He thrust them at him through the window.

“Thanks.” Rio gave them a bleak look. “What do you want me to do?”

Jenna exchanged a meaningful glance with Kane and nodded. “Best you stay here in case Cade slips by. We’ll be at Mrs. Darvish’s cabin. It’s four driveways up. Once we’ve been there, we’ll help you locate Cade.” She turned back to the Beast.

“I don’t figure that’s the way to handle Cade.” Kane climbed behind the wheel. “If he wants to keep him home, maybe take his car keys away from him. Walking or taking the bus after having your own ride brings a kid down to earth real fast… Trust me, I know.”

It wasn’t Cade’s behavioral problems that was bothering Jenna. She frowned at Kane. “Rio is a trained officer, very well trained, and his kid brother goes missing. Why didn’t he call it in or at least call one of us to help him?”

“Not only that.” Kane flicked her a glance and backed out of the driveway, turned onto the road, and headed up the mountain. “Why is he driving around without a phone charger in his vehicl

e? They’re supplied and it’s not as if he forgot to bring it with him. He never forgets anything. It’s as if he’s a different person this morning.”