Break the Silence (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“Lyons.” Kane leaned back in his chair. “What if he knew Jacobs had left distinguishing marks on Chrissie? Perhaps we’re looking at this all wrong. Maybe Jacobs became a liability.”

“And Devon had image files on his burner.” Rowley frowned. “If he’d broken the rules, maybe Lyons decided to eliminate him as well.”

Jenna looked from one to the other. “So we’ll need to find out where Lyons was at the time of both deaths. I figure if he is capable of rape, murder would be second nature to him.” She made a note in her daybook and then leaned back in her seat. “We still need more than circumstantial evidence to prove Lyons and his friends were responsible for raping Chrissie. Has anyone heard from Webber? I was expecting a report from him by now.”

“He was heading out to the house last night.” Kane reached in a bag for a sandwich. “They had a wake for Jacobs and Devon. Maybe he stayed over, and he’d be training this morning. I doubt he’d have found any alone time to contact us. He wouldn’t risk sending a message in case Lyons got suspicious and checked his phone.” He blinked then stared at Jenna. “See if he logged into the files last night.”

After scanning the files and finding an entry Webber had made in the early hours of the morning, Jenna’s heart pounded. She read the report aloud and looked up at her deputies. “Webber is close to getting the proof we need. I agree with him: Lyons having the images is one thing, but if they don’t prove he or any of the others are involved in Chrissie’s rape, they’re useless. We can’t prove when they took the images, so it won’t hold up in court. It’s not a crime to have explicit images of women over the age of eighteen.” She turned to Kane. “Nice touch adding those files to Webber’s phone. It seems like he needed them. I don’t envy him. He is taking one hell of a risk.”

“I was just covering all the bases.” Kane rubbed his chin. “If Lyons is a killer, he won’t think twice about taking him out.” The nerve in his cheek twitched and his agitation was palpable. “As Lyons has Emily in his sights, it’s going to make life difficult if we have to watch out for her as well. Webber is going to be in trouble if Lyons expects him to procure girls for their party and participate.”

Jenna shook her head. “That is so not gonna happen.” She drummed her fingers on the desk. “We could raid the party for drugs. Surely Webber will give us a heads up if he discovers how Lyons is administering them.”

“We know how.” Kane frowned. “They slip something into their drinks. Pinning it on one person would be difficult, especially if they have a punch bowl, for instance.”

“Do people make punch anymore?” Rowley pulled a face. “Maybe ten years ago but not now.”

Jenna rubbed her temples. “Seems to me we have to be at the game on Saturday, and I suggest we have eyes on Emily as well. She runs each afternoon around four; we’ll make sure we have someone in the area just in case she has any problems with Lyons.”

Jenna’s cellphone chimed and she looked at the caller ID before answering the call. “Morning, Shane. How are you?”

She listened and then put the phone on speaker. “Okay, you’re on speaker, and Kane and Rowley are here.”

“A cleaner, Doris Beachwood, at Lyons’ house called the paramedics around eight thirty this morning. She found the body of a man, since identified as Dylan Court, in the cellar. Before you ask, the cellar is more of a man cave, big-screen TV with a theatre-type set up. It looks like they like their privacy—I noticed some porn DVDs beside the TV.” Wolfe paused a beat. “The paramedic who called said Court was DOA—possible drug overdose.”

A shiver of dread ran up Jenna’s back. Kane had drug-tested all the men living at the house and they’d all come up clean; and after the fiasco with Owen Jones, the coach had implemented random drug testing. “He wasn’t a user. Kane drug-tested them all the night we found Jacobs.”

“Yeah, well, a couple of things don’t look right about the scene either. You should come and take a look before I move the body. This man was sharing a room with Pete Devon.” Wolfe cleared his throat. “I’m not convinced this is an accidental overdose. Apart from the cleaner and the paramedics, no one else but me has been in the room. Seth Lyons is on his way, and I called in Webber to make everything appear normal. I’ll explain my concerns when you arrive; I could be overheard here.”

Jenna exchanged a worried look with Kane. “We’re on our way.” She disconnected and stood. “Rowley, find out what you can about Dylan Court. I’ll need his next of kin and if he had any prior drug problems.”

“What about Emily?” Rowley got to his feet. “It’s usual for Wolfe to call her in to assist at a scene, and I figure we’re just handing her to Lyons if she’s there.”

“No doubt. I’ll call him and make sure she doesn’t show.” Jenna waited a beat to think. She had so many things to juggle and so few deputies. “Ah, and if you have any trouble with the rodeo crowd in town, call Walters in to run the place while we’re all out on a call. I’ve asked the Blackwater sheriff to send over more deputies to handle the crowd at the showgrounds over the next few days, so they’ll have things under control while we’re busy with our caseload.” Jenna shrugged into her jacket and then headed for the door. “Okay, Kane, you’re with me.”

Thirty-Nine

Kane sidestepped a couple of kids on skateboards flying along the sidewalk and followed Jenna to his truck. People milled around town dressed in fringed shirts and cowboy hats; they seemed to go all-out when the rodeo came to town. He glanced up, catching sight of a red balloon trailing its string as it escaped above the trees on an updraft of wind. As he pulled open the door to his truck, the tempting aroma of hot dogs and onions drifted from one of the street vendors. At his feet, Duke lifted his nose in the air and whined. He lifted him into the back seat of his truck and strapped him in. “I’ll buy you one when we get back.”

“You’ll buy me what?” Jenna climbed in and clicked in her seatbelt.

Kane slid behind the wheel and started the engine. “A hot dog for Duke. I figure he’s becoming addicted to them.”

“They can’t be good for him.” Jenna frowned and glanced over at the dog. “You spoil him.”

Kane backed out and turned his truck toward Stanton Road. “Nah, he’s good. I only give him the sausage to eat.”

“Well, I figure it’s just another excuse for you to eat.” Jenna chuckled. “You’re a bottomless pit.”

Kane smiled at her. “I’ve never been called that before. Annie used to say I was like a teddy bear.” Memories of his dead wife flooded over him. “With my stomach growling and all.”

“She’s still with you, isn’t she?” Jenna stared straight ahead. “My folks sure are. I think about them all the time.”

Annie’s smiling face drifted into his mind but the scent of her had vanished, and her soft laughter no longer tormented his dreams. He closed his fingers around Jenna’s hand and squeezed gently. “She’ll always be a part of me, Jenna, and I’m trying to move on but it’s difficult.”

When a slight tremor went through her, he glanced at her, meeting her gaze and seeing a dampness in her eyes. He had to force his concentration back to the road and dropped her hand to grip the wheel. She’d been very patient with him and never demanded any type of commitment. Yet he figured she wanted more and was allowing him time to grieve his wife. Hell, she was his best friend and he cared for her. “Jenna, I guess I shouldn’t talk so much about Annie.”

“No, don’t ever think that, Dave.” Jenna cleared her throat. “It’s good you trust me with your past.” She turned in her seat to peer at him. “You play your cards very close to your vest.”