Her Shallow Grave (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“I watched a show on TV about making art out of trash.” He leaned back in his chair. “Some of the artists are famous for their trash art. At the time I was dumping my trash and then I figured, people should see how I rose like a phoenix and went from a boy to a man.”

Ava noted the acne scars on his face. He was likely bullied at school and something must have happened to trigger him. She nodded. “Yeah, same. I gave the finger to the world and I do what I want now too.”

“I can’t walk away.” Preacher held his head. “Delores won’t let me. She keeps coming back so I create a sculpture to forget her.”

She had to make him believe she was not his Delores. Ava nodded. “Good idea. I like your style.” She smiled at him but fear gripped her insides. “Can you show me your art?”

“Not my art but I’ll show you photos of their tattoos. I like their hair too and I keep strands but I wouldn’t want anyone touching them. I’m sure you understand?” Preacher chuckled deep in his chest and pulled out his phone. He held out the phone to her and scrolled through so many images it made her head spin. He became animated and excited looking at them. “I found these Deloreses in Colorado.”

Biting hard on her cheek to keep her expression bland, Ava turned her attention to the images on the screen. Her pulse raced so fast her head spun but she remained calm on the outside. He was watching her so closely that she could feel his breath on her cheek. Finally, he placed the phone on the table and looked at her as if waiting for a comment. She nodded unable to form words for a beat. Apart from Zoe and Isabella, she recognized herself among the images, drugged, naked and posed like all the rest. It made her sick to her stomach. Forcing herself to look at him, she pushed words from her suddenly dry throat. “Impressive ink. You have an eye for design, I see. Your sculptures will make you famous.”

“I am already.” Preacher played with his phone turning it over in his hands. “Delores was on the news. She looked so fine on the newspaper office steps.”

Ava tried to swallow the bad taste in her mouth as the truth dawned on her. “You turn Delores into art?”

“Yeah. It’s the only way I can get her to smile at me again.” He ran a finger down her arm. “I thought you were Delores but maybe I’m wrong. You smile all the time.”

Ava shivered at his touch. The touch of a sadistic serial killer. She decided to play her hand. It was likely he planned to kill her anyway but every day she remained alive gave her a chance to escape. “I’m not Delores, my name is Ava and I think your idea of turning Delores into art is spectacular.”

He made no reply and for long minutes only the sound of the clock ticking on the wall filled the room. Ava held her head high and fixed her gaze on him. She had to be strong or he’d kill her for sure.

“You’re a strange woman.” Preacher shook his head as if finding it hard to understand. “I have never met anyone that appreciates my art before. I made a snowman and left it in the park recently.” He frowned. “When a couple of women walked by, they ran screaming to the sheriff.”

Why would people be frightened of a snowman? Ava shrugged, clanking her cuffs. “Some people have no taste. I bet the snowman was brilliant. I wish I’d seen it.” She shivered and he noticed.

“You’re cold. I’ll make you a hot drink.” Preacher stood and pulled out the fixings to make hot chocolate. “We are going to have so much fun together, Ava.”

Forty-Three

The phone rang on Jenna’s desk as she headed for the door. She picked up the receiver. “Sheriff Alton.”

“Jenna, this is Ty Carter. We have the facial composite of the victim. I emailed it to you. We ran it through a facial recognition program using your three possible suspects and it came back as a match for Zoe Henderson. I passed the information onto Wolfe and Miss Henderson’s hometown law enforcement office and they are moving on it as we speak. They’ll contact you, once they’ve notified next of kin. I asked the cops to obtain permission for the release of dental records as well.”

Relieved they had a name at last, Jenna made a note in her book. “Thanks, Ty. I really appre

ciate your help with this case.”

“My pleasure.” Carter cleared his throat. “It’s a tough one and spread over at least two states. This killer has been busy. I’ll contact you if we get a breakthrough and if you want to brainstorm anything, call me any time.”

Jenna looked up as Kane peered in the doorway. She met his gaze and then looked away. “Okay, thanks, Ty. I’ll be in touch.” She returned the phone to the cradle and looked back at Kane. “We have a positive on our victim. Zoe Henderson. I’ll forward the email to you and Rowley and then we’ll hunt down when she arrived in town. She would’ve had to hitchhike, so we’ll start at the Triple Z as planned. It’s the logical put down place for any local truckers.”

“Why would you think that?” Kane leaned against the doorframe pulling on his gloves.

After sending the mail, Jenna led the way outside before answering him. She stepped with caution onto the slippery sidewalk and pulled up the hood of her coat against the chill. “Most trucking companies frown on their drivers giving people rides. It’s an insurance issue.” She led Kane to his truck and waited for him to brush the snow from the hood and windshield before jumping in the passenger side and turning to him. “They drop people at the Triple Z. There they can get a ride with someone passing through.”

“It seems a bit far from town to leave someone in this weather.” Kane frowned. “It wouldn’t be too difficult to drop them in town.” He backed the truck out with care and took off at a snail’s pace. “If I was new in town, the first place I’d go is Aunt Betty’s but if I was broke, I’d hunt down a soup kitchen or the homeless shelter. No one would risk sleeping rough in this weather.”

Jenna stared out the window at the relentless snowfall as Kane negotiated the truck through snowdrifts and onto the salt-covered strip of blacktop. It never ceased to amaze her how people adapted to harsh weather conditions. No matter, rain, snow, or shine, the townsfolk continued with their day-to-day tasks as normal. The wonderful smells drifting from the bakery had wafted past her on the way out making her stomach growl. The cold had returned her appetite with a vengeance. They drove past one of the churches and Jenna dragged her thoughts away from food and turned to Kane. “If someone was homeless or in need of assistance they might go to a church.”

“Yeah.” Kane headed along Stanton Road. “No questions asked and they often have spare clothes available as well. Some of them run charity shops and have a place for emergency accommodation in their halls. It would be worth checking them out as well.”

Jenna stared at the forest in all its wild beauty. The snow-covered branches hung low over blackened trunks. The trails leading inside seemed to vanish into darkness. The stillness broken only by the loud crack of frozen branches tumbling to the ground. She rubbed her hands together. “I think this is going to be the coldest winter yet. It’s still a couple of weeks until Christmas and when I first arrived here, the temperature usually dropped to its lowest in February.”

“I hope the mayor has the resources to keep the roads clear. We don’t want to be snowed in like Jo and Carter.” Kane turned onto the on-ramp to the highway. “In this town, the moment we’re not around, all hell will break loose.”

Jenna looked at him. “If it gets to that stage, we’ll get the horses cared for here in town and take up residence at the Cattleman’s Hotel. In fact, I might mention the possibility to Mayor Petersham, it would be less expensive to hire more men to drive the snowplows.”

“I’d make the call sooner than later.” Kane shook his head. “The snow is relentless this year.”