Whisper in the Night (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“That information was on the news last night, so what else did they say?” Maggie opened the plastic wrap on her sandwiches and nibbled on a ham on rye.

“They all said they’d seen people in their rooms.” Julie ran the faces of the girls through her mind, trying to recall details. “Mandy, Amanda Braxton, said she often dreams too but she wakes up and sees her dead grandma in her room at the end of the bed just looking at her. Sometimes her grandma hums nursery rhymes. She said it’s happened a few times and last time she pinched herself to see if she was awake – and she was.”

“Her dead grandma?” Maggie’s brown eyes widened. “Anyone else see anything strange?”

“Yeah, there was a lot of talk about bad dreams but they were all talking at once. The others seemed to be dreaming about the man on the news, the Shadow Man.” Julie straightened. “One of the girls said just about everyone in her class at school – I guess she meant the girls – had seen him in their rooms but he vanishes like smoke.”

“I figure the girls at your school have very vivid imaginations but I’ll make sure to tell the sheriff.” Maggie made a few notes in a book on the counter, and then smiled at her. “Don’t you go worryin’ over them girls finding out it was you who told the sheriff. She hears secrets all the time and keeps them locked up in here.” Maggie tapped her head. “Now eat your food, we have work to do. I’ll show you how to inventory supplies.”

Seventeen

Jenna glanced at her watch, made a note in her book and climbed into the cruiser. She waited for Kane to join her and tossed him a packet of sandwiches. “Let’s eat now and discuss what you picked up about Mr. Packer, then we’ll go find Paul Kittredge. Mrs. Rosen said they go into town for lunch, but if he’s back by now he’s somewhere on the ranch working with a group of gardeners.”

“Sure.” He opened a go cup of coffee and sipped. “Coffee’s still hot.”

Jenna stared into the bag of takeout, found her bagel with cream cheese and sighed. Since Lindy Rosen went missing, she’d skipped too many meals, and after finding the young girl murdered her appetite had taken a downward slide. “So what have you got for me, Kane?”

“He’s a possible suspect for a number of reasons ?

? close proximity to Lindy, seen as a trusted person by the family, has likely set up a friendship of sorts with the girls. All this could be innocent or he could be grooming them to trust him. He seems very relaxed and that’s unusual, although I’ve seen similar behavior in criminals who’re convinced there’s no evidence to link them to a crime. It wouldn’t mean squat if Wolfe finds his DNA in Lindy’s room. He admitted to working there recently. One thing that bothers me: he lied about his experience using explosives.” Kane sipped his coffee. “Why would he lie unless he has something to hide?” He bit into his sandwich and chewed. “No one outside our team knows the connection between the explosion at the old schoolhouse and the location of Lindy’s body.” A frown crossed his face. “That alone makes me suspicious of him. If we add it to the other things we know about him, it makes him a possible suspect.”

Jenna pondered his words for a few moments, and then sighed. “It baffles me how a killer can return to the scene of the crime and act as if nothing’s happened. Packer arrived this morning and carried on business as usual but from previous experience, a few have fooled us in the past. I guess you’ll be able to give me more than one example of a killer who acts perfectly normal after a vicious crime?”

“A crime of passion would be different. They’re usually remorseful, shaky, upset by what they did and can’t face looking at the body of their victim, but psychopathic behavior follows a pattern of sorts once it’s triggered.” Kane met her gaze. “It’s no good trying to rationalize the mind of one because they don’t think like we do and they can’t be placed in a box with a label saying they are this or that type.”

Jenna nibbled on her bagel. “Yeah, they’re usually the opposite of the dirty old men our moms used as an example.”

“The problem is many have other psychological trails or crossover behavior, we never know what has triggered them or what’s going on in their minds.” Kane shrugged. “They could be anyone you meet in the street, there’s no particular type, but the one thing they’ve in common is their lack of empathy, remorse and guilt, so witnessing the aftermath of what they’ve done means nothing to them emotionally but hearing people talking about the crime might heighten their enjoyment of the kill.”

“So why is he playing this game with us?” Jenna turned in her seat to face him. “What perverted pleasure is he getting out of seeing us run around?”

“Two reasons, I figure.” Kane glanced out the window at the house then slowly back at her. “He’s got away with the same crime countless times before and he needs to kill but wants the added thrill of being chased, so he gives us a clue, then escapes before we find his victim.” He took out another sandwich and waved it at her. “Or deep down he wants to be caught. Maybe he’s tired of running.”

Jenna snorted. “You missed out the bit where he tried to kill us as well.”

“I figure he was testing us to discover if we had combat skills but one thing’s for sure, this is the lull before the storm. He’s already planning his next kill.”

Jenna turned as a truck with Green Thumb Landscaping Service painted on the side lumbered past and carried on along the curved driveway. She put down her coffee and started the engine of her cruiser. “I figure Paul Kittredge will be in that truck.”

She followed some distance behind. The truck stopped beside a stack of rolled turf and four men poured out. By the time she’d pulled up the men had set to work laying turf. They all stopped at once and looked in her direction. She climbed out and shut her door, then headed along a pathway to speak to them. Behind her Kane’s boots crunched on the gravel and she could see the men’s eyes flicking from her to Kane then back. None of them looked too pleased to see them. She straightened and marched up to them. “We’re looking for Paul Kittredge.”

“That would be me, ma’am.” A man with scraggy dark hair hanging down from under a cowboy hat turned and smiled at her.

Jenna wrinkled her nose as the smell of unwashed male and fertilizer oozed out of him in a fog of stink. Kittredge stood about five-ten with a rugged hawk-like appearance and piercing amber eyes. His dirty clothes clung to him and his bare arms were glossy with sweat and dusted with soil. She offered him a small smile and drew him out of earshot of the other men, who went back to work as if doing so would hide them from scrutiny. “I’m Sheriff Alton and this is Deputy Kane. As you’re probably aware, Lindy Rosen was found dead yesterday and we’re hunting down anyone who came in contact with her over the last couple of weeks.” She pulled out her notebook and glanced at her notes. “I gather you’re in charge of the Rosens’ landscaping project?”

“Yeah, I’m the landscaper; these guys are come-and-go laborers.”

“Did any of them work with you last week?” Jenna glanced at the men. “They legal?”

“It’s not my business to question my boss on who he hires.” Kittredge shrugged. “I get whoever the boss sends with me, depending on what work we’re doing.” He glanced over at the men. “Nope, can’t say if any of them were here last week. Maybe you should ask them – if you speak Spanish.”

“And you do, I gather?”

“Enough to get them working.” Kittredge glanced toward the ranch house. “Shame about Lindy, she was a nice kid.”

Jenna noticed his mouth twitch up at one corner into an almost-smile and bile rose at the back of her throat. She didn’t need to be an expert in body language to translate his reaction. Cold seeped into her and Duke was acting strangely. The dog walked around Kittredge, and then whined, before sitting at Kane’s feet. Not a clear indication of recognizing a scent but enough to get Kane’s attention. When he cleared his throat, she gave him a slight nod; it was obvious he wanted to question Kittredge too.

“When was the last time you saw Lindy?” Kane hooked one thumb in the belt of his jeans and took a casual stance. To anyone other than Jenna, he looked bored.