“We know Jones was angry about being dropped from the team but being set up could’ve been Lyons’ idea of a lesson, same with the beating he took up near the rapids.” Kane glanced at Jenna. “Same with Stein. How do we know Stein wasn’t involved in past rapes? Maybe Jones and Stein wanted out. How could Lyons punish both of them? He’d make Stein agree to stand down and say nothing when he invited Chrissie to the party. I figure Lyons may have raped Chrissie as a punishment and a taste of what he was capable of doing.”
“It’s all possible.” Webber sighed. “Stein didn’t seem too worried about Chrissie going to the party with Lyons.”
Kane nodded. “Yeah, maybe things weren’t moving along fast enough for him and he figured he’d be a shoulder to cry on for Chrissie after the party.” He cleared his throat. “Seems to me there’s a deal of threatening going on after these rape parties. I figure Lyons has everyone under the thumb.”
“We’ll never arrest anyone at this rate. We’ve all got different ideas on the suspects and motives.” Jenna stared at the open safe. “It’s been hours and whoever took the files would’ve destroyed them by now.”
“Unless he tries to take out Lyons in a freak accident.” Wolfe’s gaze moved over them. “It would tie up loose ends to take out the ringleader.”
“Then find out what Lyons’ plans are for the next few days.” Jenna turned her attention to Webber. “The team doesn’t train on Saturday mornings, do they? So find out where he’s planning to be. Sure as hell, the killer will know and go after him.”
“I already know some of his movements.” Webber crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s planning on running this afternoon on the rapids trail. He’s been going up there regularly and just about made an announcement in the cafeteria yesterday he’s going at four. He told me at the party he plans to follow Emily up the mountain. He figures if he gets her alone, she’ll agree to come to a party here tomorrow night. He also figures, if that fails, he’ll have time to hit on a couple of girls after the game, but I doubt he’ll have any luck. There’s the rodeo on Saturday and then the dance. The Fall Festival dance is a big deal, and I figure most girls already have dates.”
“If I see that animal near Emily…” Wolfe’s expression had turned dangerous. “I’ll break him in half.”
Although the idea of Emily being in the crossfire angered Kane, he could see an angle they hadn’t considered. He moved to Wolfe’s side. “Emily knows the deal with Lyons, and if he causes trouble, he won’t expect to be coming up against a girl with her level of close combat training.” He gave him a long look. “Explain the situation and tell her to run as usual. I’ll shadow her with Jenna. I’m betting if the killer isn’t Lyons, then he’ll know he’s heading to the secluded part of the mountain where Emily usually runs. I figure he’ll wait for her to pass and then grab Lyons.” He shrugged. “It’s what I would do, and this guy certainly seems to know everyone’s movements, and he plans his kills. He has eyes on his victims so is closer than we think.”
“You mean, use my daughter as bait?” Wolfe shook his head. “No way. I’m over my daughters getting mixed up with serial killers.”
Kane frowned. “Emily won’t be bait for the killer. She’ll be the lure to get Lyons alone on the mountain. There’s no reason the killer would target her—even if he shows.” He stared at Wolfe. “It’s a win-win situation. If Lyons makes a move on Emily, we’ll have him; if the killer tries to take out Lyons, we’ll arrest him.” He sighed. “If none of the above happens and Lyons just asks her to the party, then we’ll have her on scene with Webber as backup. She knows the score. The moment Lyons offers her a drink, all she has to do is walk out the front door. We’ll be right outside, and if the drink contains a date-rape drug, we’ll arrest him for Chrissie’s rape and anything else we can throw at him. His fingerprints will be on the glass and we’ll have Webber as a witness.”
“She’ll want to do it. She’s part of the team now. With both of us as backup, and Rowley and Walters close by, what could possibly go wrong?”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Wolfe’s expression resembled the sky just before a storm. “When does anything ever go right in Black Rock Falls?”
Forty
He’d spent a leisurely morning sitting under a tree outside the library at the college. He tipped his head back and stared into a cloudless blue sky. A light breeze blew down from the mountains, bringing with it the unmistakable smell of snow. It wouldn’t come yet, not for some weeks. He needed the weather to cooperate and not interfere with his plans, and as luck would have it, Mother Nature was still in the last throes of summer and only a few of the signs of fall were evident. It was spectacular this time of year; some might see the bloom of summer fading, but in his eyes, it was a feast of color. The spectrum changed as did the unique smells of an alpine town. The pines would always be there, tall and majestic, but as the green faded from the undergrowth and wood smoke filled the air, it was as if nature had replaced the summer scenery across the forest and grasslands.
The time he’d taken of late to observe human behavior had fascinated him. The students moved from one class to another like ants, all with a purpose, all following their set path, programmed to move, eat, and leave at the sound of a bell. They walked in orderly lines, carrying their media devices and books. It seemed the brainwashing of people to obey anyone in authority came at an early age. Get a group together and ring bells or issue a few orders and they’d do just about anything. Heck, the military even ordered men to kill and they did so without a second thought.
He liked Black Rock Falls. It would seem that rather than keep people away, the notoriety of the place was making it the place to be, or visit. The town teemed with visitors but the rodeo crowd kept well away from the college and life here seemed to continue in a bubble of normality.
It was as if no one really seemed surprised that members of the football team had suddenly perished. He’d seen no outpouring of grief, no girls crying on each other’s shoulders, no midnight vigils for the dear departed. He sighed. Perhaps they needed graphic slayings to stir their emotions. He grinned into the sunshine. Perhaps he should have skinned them alive and then pegged them over an ants’ nest. Now that would’ve gotten their attention.
Forty-One
Jenna didn’t figure her day could get any worse until she slipped out of Kane’s truck and a harassed Rowley greeted her on his way to his SUV. “What happened?”
“Just had a call from one of the Blackwater deputies you sent out to keep an eye on the crowd at the showgrounds.” Rowley gave a disgusted grunt. “Seems things have gotten way out of hand, fights have broken out; they’re not sure but some are saying the ticket office was held up at gunpoint. People are chasing down the culprits and now the bulls have gotten loose and stamped all over vehicles in the parking lot. I was heading out to lend a hand. Walters is in the office.”
“Okay, head on out there, I’ll follow in my cruiser.” She waved Kane inside. “Get the Dylan Court casebook written up and send Walters out to notify his next of kin. The moment Wolfe calls, I want you to head down to the ME’s office and attend the autopsy. I’ll be there as soon as I’ve dealt with this.”
“You sure, Jenna?” Kane looked apprehensive. “Those boys can get rowdy, especially if they’ve
been drinking, and Wolfe has Webber on hand, he doesn’t need me there.”
Jenna tapped the handle of her Glock. “Maybe, but I always have a friend ready to deal with these situations, and in addition to the deputies on scene, I’ll have Rowley as backup. We can’t let crimes in town slide because of our caseload. The townsfolk deserve our protection—my protection as their sheriff. This is a minor distraction from the case. Get at it, Kane. We have to solve these murders and I’ll be back before you notice I’m gone.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He opened the back door to his truck to allow Duke to jump onto the sidewalk. “Call me if you need me.”
She gave him a wave and headed for her cruiser, searching her pocket for the key fob. In truth, she preferred Kane to drive her in his truck. Apart from the company, it gave her time to think or work on cases to and from the office. Her cruiser looked surprisingly clean and then she remembered a group of local kids had been holding a car wash to collect donations for band equipment and she’d let them use the parking lot outside the sheriff’s department. Maggie had collected a generous donation from her deputies and all their vehicles had received special treatment. She climbed inside and opened the window then headed slowly through town and out on the highway to the showgrounds. She turned on her radio, and moments later it crackled into life. It was Rowley. “Copy that. Go ahead, Rowley. Break.”
“Copy that. Ma’am, I’m in pursuit of a red GMC Canyon, heading north on the highway, containing the suspect of a hold-up at the showgrounds. The Blackwater deputies have things under control there. The paramedics are on-site treating the people injured from the bull stampede. Break.”
Jenna slammed her foot down on the gas and hit lights and siren as she flashed past the showgrounds off-ramp. Way in the distance, she could make out Rowley’s wigwag lights. “Copy that. I’m right behind you. What details do you have for me? Go ahead.”
“Copy. Two suspects involved, both went to the showgrounds loaded for bear. They had a beef against the organizer about some money owed. The one I’m chasing got clean away. The other suspect disappeared into the crowd at the showgrounds but the deputies have a description of him. They’re conducting a search now. Break.”