Her Shallow Grave (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“I saw a girl in Aunt Betty’s with a tattoo on her hand. I’m sure I recognize it from one of the missing persons’ files we have received but we have looked at so many.” Jenna pushed the coffee toward him and dropped the takeout on the console. “I need to check.” She pulled out her phone and scrolled the images. “I’ve found it! Ava Price out of Wyoming. She’s the same height and has black hair. It could’ve been her.”

“If she’s alive and well, and eating at Aunt Betty’s, why are you concerned?” Kane picked up the bag of takeout and pulled out a sandwich. “Did she give you a wink or mouth, ‘help me’ or anything?”

Jenna shook her head. “She was wearing sunglasses and no, she didn’t mouth anything but the guy with her had his arm around her waist. He could’ve been holding her against her will. I had this gut reaction something wasn’t right with her.”

“Ah, let me think.” Kane waited a beat. “If you were in trouble and standing beside a sheriff, wouldn’t you at least mouth the word, ‘help’?”

Allowing the scene to run through her mind, Jenna sighed. “Yeah, I guess so. Unless she removed her glove to allow me to see the tattoo. That might have been a call for help.”

“We only know the girl is missing.” Kane finished his sandwich and sighed. “She may be holed up with her boyfriend and doesn’t want to be found. It happens all the time but if you’re worried about her safety, we should go and check her out. Did you get the plate?”

Jenna shook her head. “Only a partial. Montana plate ending in six, eight or nine. White Ford pickup.” She glanced at him. “It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, but we can try.” She entered her password and then the information on the mobile digital terminal screen in Kane’s truck. “I’m glad we have all databases including the FBI’s at our fingertips. Wolfe certainly can charm Mayor Petersham when it comes to obtaining new equipment.”

“Ha.” Kane grinned at her. “The updated MDT didn’t come from the mayor. That was Wolfe with a little help from Bobby Kalo.” He winked. “We can access the FBI databanks without a separate password and thanks to Kalo, we’re untraceable.”

Jenna gaped at him. “That’s illegal… are you saying we’re hacking the FBI databases? We’re committing a federal offense?”

“No, technically we’re not.” Kane looked at her over the rim of his to-go cup. “Have you formally resigned from the FBI?”

Jenna shook her head. “No.”

“Me either and are we to protect our new identities at all cost?” Kane reached in the bag for another sandwich. “We took an oath, right?”

“Yes… but…” Jenna stared at him and sighed.

“So, we are following orders by remaining invisible.” Kane took another bite of his sandwich and chewed slowly. He waved at the MDT. “And we are allowed to use any available resources at our disposal.” He smiled at her. “Where were they heading?”

Jenna fastened her seatbelt. “Toward Stanton Forest.” She glanced at the coordinates of Axel Reed’s cabin. “We’re heading that way.”

“You said she was with a guy.” Kane

placed his cup into the console and pulled out into the traffic. “Did he resemble Axel Reed or Claude Grady?”

Jenna opened the bag of sandwiches and pulled out one. She didn’t feel hungry but working at this pace, she ate when she could. “It was hard to tell. He was wearing a hoodie, sunglasses, and a scarf much like the man you described who offered Emily a ride.”

“Hmm, like about another hundred men walking through town.” Kane turned onto Stanton Road and glanced at the GPS. “How did Rowley discover Reed had a cabin?”

Swallowing a sip of coffee, Jenna turned to him. “He called Bobby Kalo. Asked him if he could help. Bobby discovered Reed was gifted a cabin owned by his uncle, on his mother’s side. He found an old post on Facebook, mentioning Reed and his MC going up there for a weekend.”

“How come it didn’t show on our search?” Kane slowed to take a cleared dirt road into the forest. “I searched all the property records for his name specifically. I only came up with his place in town, no hunting cabin.”

“That’s because the deed is still in his uncle’s name. The family name is Simpson.” Jenna stared at the forest flashing by. “Pretty smart if you don’t want to be found.”

“Yet you said he denied owning a cabin?” Kane picked up speed as they hit the cleared road. “An out and out lie.”

A strange twist of excitement gripped Jenna. “Yeah, and Reed fits the profile. It will be interesting to see if the road to his cabin is clear and he’s holding a girl with a red poppy tattoo against her will.” She looked ahead. “Although, I can’t see a white pickup on this road. I think that’s just wishful thinking.”

The GPS instructed them to take a left down a narrow but cleared road through the forest. Snow lined the sides of the road in a white wall, prickly with an abundance of pine needles and gray in places from the tainted slush. They climbed slowly and steadily winding upward. They passed a few gates on the way, all with signposts warning that trespassers would be shot. After following some confusing switchbacks, they came to a gate with similar warnings but with the name Simpson written on a mailbox tipped at a jaunty angle. Jenna looked at Kane. “Now we know why the road is clear—they get mail service up here. We should walk in, if it’s innocent we don’t appear so threatening and we can call out.”

“Hmm, in normal circumstances I’d agree with you but I’m not so sure it would be the best tactic.” Kane stared at the gate. “If we’re dealing with The Sculptor, which is more than likely, he’ll shoot us. He’d be within his right to do so. We’d be better driving in lights flashing, so he knows who we are from the get-go. The Beast is reinforced steel with bulletproof windows but I’m still wearing a vest before I set one foot inside his property.”

Saying a silent ‘Thank you’ to Wolfe for supplying her department with liquid Kevlar vests, Jenna slid out the door and met Kane at the back of his truck. Inside, Kane was fully equipped for any situation. Jenna removed her coat and shivered as the bitter cold bit into her in seconds. She pulled her vest over her head and fitted it securely before shrugging into her coat. The vest was the latest technology and unlike the old style, it was light and comfortable to wear. It didn’t impede movement. The liquid Kevlar not only solidified on impact from anything but also absorbed the shock as well. She’d heard a rumor from Wolfe that full suits were available and a person could be protected from neck to ankle and yet still be able to execute a full range of movements.

“I’ll have one of those.” She indicated at the helmet in Kane’s hand. “We’ll look like a SWAT team.”

“Good choice. We have established this guy could be ex-military.” Kane pushed the helmet onto her head and then pushed one over his black woolen cap. “If he is, he’ll use a headshot to take us out.” He opened a metal box containing his rifle and assembled it in seconds. His face had set in combat mode. “I’m taking this as well, just in case he tries to run.”

A chill, not from the cold mountain air, slid down Jenna’s spine. Here was the sniper, the tactical and professional Kane. She respected his expertise and nodded. “Okay.” She tightened the straps on her helmet and checked her weapon. “I’m good to go.”