“You’re a survivor and I’m proud of you for being so strong.” Wolfe ripped off his jacket, wrapped it around her, and then pulled her close again. He stared over her head at Kane, his eyes wild. “No one gets away with hurting my girls. Now we turn the tables on him. This time we’re going to lure him into a trap.”
“How so?” Jenna moved to his side and offered Julie a bottle of water.
“We don’t let anyone know we’ve found Julie. So far he’s covered his tracks and left no evidence.” Wolfe’s face was a mask of controlled rage. “Everything we have is circumstantial at best. We’ll need to make him reveal himself by using his own technology against him.” He turned to Kane and his lips curled in a sadistic smile. “This SOB didn’t figure on me joining the game.”
Sixty-One
He’d decided not to go home and be alone. Having no alibi was, after all, a trap for the inexperienced. He had all the creature comforts in Aunt Betty’s Café and he’d linger here for as long as it took to make sure they remembered him. He’d ordered a thick steak with all the trimmings and set himself down with a good view of the TV. It amused him to watch the local law enforcement running around chasing their tails, but he didn’t have to step onto the sidewalk to find out what was happening. The media were all over his murders and reported every move the sheriff made. The sexy newsreader called him the Shadow Man and it fitted him well. The darkness and shadowy places always made the killing so much better. The fear in his victims’ eyes when they realized he’d planned to kill them and the soft moans as they gasped their last breath regenerated him. It was as if their life force filled him with energy. It must be what happiness feels like.
A breaking-news banner flashed on the screen, catching his attention. He stared at the TV with interest. Have they found Julie?
The blonde newsreader was waving a microphone in front of the sheriff’s face. The sheriff looked dusty and had dark circles under her eyes.
“Sheriff Alton, you look dead on your feet. Can you give me an update on the Shadow Man Case?”
“The Shadow Man is a name you’ve used.” Alton frowned. “The name romanticizes the seriousness of the crimes of an ignorant coward who believes killing young girls is a game.”
Unperturbed, the interviewer pressed on. “We understand Julie Wolfe has gone missing. What are you doing to find her?”
“We’ve had volunteers assisting us all afternoon. The search and rescue helicopter is out, plus we’ve ground teams in action.” Alton stared into the camera. “We’ve deputies from other towns on their way to assist and with their help we’ll be working around the clock in teams to keep the command post open. The search will not stop because it’s dark, nor will the investigation into this brutal killer.”
“Have you stepped up the investigation since the medical examiner’s daughter became a victim?” The interviewer’s eyes flashed as if in private triumph. “It looks like all hands on deck right now.”
“We’ve been following the same procedure since Lindy Rosen went missing.” Alton waved a deputy forward. “As I said, as none of us have gotten a break since Monday, we need help. My team will be splitting up and working in shifts with the other deputies.” She motioned to the deputy. “This is Deputy Kane and his team will be taking over now. I’ll be back around ten to relieve him, and so on.” She cleared her throat. “You can be assured a Black Rock Falls deputy will be on duty all night directing the search for Julie and leading the investigation to catch the murderer of Lindy, Amanda and Sara.”
As the interview wound up, his anger simmered just below the surface. She called me a coward. He cut a slice of bloody steak, pushed it between his lips and chewed slowly. There was nothing cowardly in walking into a house and taking a girl from her bed with her parents sleeping in the next room, or abducting one off the street where anyone could’ve seen him. Like most women of her type, the sheriff figured she was above men. Heck, he’d given her a chance and if she’d found Julie, he might’ve walked away. Maybe he could’ve waited a few months, acting the innocent, and then started up again in another town, but now she’d gone and made it personal. He stared at the image of Sheriff Alton on the TV screen. Oh, I’m so going to enjoy killing you.
Sixty-Two
Jenna waited in her office until four deputies from Blackwater arrived. Not long after, Kane and Wolfe left the sheriff’s department, roaring through town with lights flashing and sirens blaring. She glanced at her watch; Walters had recovered and would arrive in a few minutes and she could leave. She leaned back in her seat. In the time since they’d rescued Julie, Wolfe had taken his daughter to the ER for an examination. She’d come through her ordeal amazingly unscathed but Jenna had first-hand experience of how easily PTSD could creep up on a person. No doubt, Wolfe would be keeping a close eye on her.
“Evening, Sheriff.” Walters’ gray head poked around her office door. “Glad to see young Julie home safe and well.”
Jenna pushed to her feet. She’d been ready to leave for the last hour. “So am I but don’t tell anyone, will you? Thanks for coming in on such short notice.”
“No worries, ma’am.” Walters moved to one side to allow her to pass. “Like me to walk you out to your vehicle?”
Jenna shook her head. “I figure I’ll be safe enough with a news crew parked outside. I’ll be back soon.” She hurried out the door, ignored the questions from the press and slid into her cruiser.
The drive home seemed darker and more ominous than usual and her heart pounded in her chest as she drove through the gate into her ranch. Coming home alone with a lunatic on the loose wasn’t her idea of fun. The security system recognized the device in her vehicle and by the time she reached the house the place was flooded with light. She slid out from behind the wheel when she heard a sound. Spinning around, weapon drawn, she aimed in the direction of Kane’s cottage. A dark flash bounded out of the shadows and an excited yelp broke the silence. Jenna laughed as Duke almost knocked her over. He jumped around her, his backside wagging and tail whipping the air. She holstered her weapon, then bent and scratched his ears. “Is this your happy dance?” She straightened and headed for the steps. “You should be asleep by now. Come on, I’ll find you a snack.” Well, Kane hasn’t been here. He’d have locked him in the cottage.
Once inside, she reactivated the alarm, removed her coat and weapon belt, and then placed her Glock on the nightstand in her room. She glanced down at the ring containing her spare tracker resting beside her weapon and slid it on before heading into the kitchen. She filled Duke’s bowl although Kane had a doggy feeder in the cottage and Duke never went without. After filling the coffee maker, she headed for the shower but couldn’t push the idea from her mind that a killer could be watching the house. Sure, Wolfe had grandiose plans to catch the killer and get evidence against him in one sting but keeping her out of the loop was unforgivable. Kane’s insistence that she trust him and act natural wasn’t helping her nerves either. She flipped the lock on the bathroom door and took a shower.
* * *
Dressed in a bathrobe and slippers, she headed back to the kitchen. “Where are you, Duke?”
She heard a whine, then loud barking. It was coming from behind the laundry door. She frowned. How had Duke gotten stuck in there? She took a few steps toward the door – and caught sight of a movement in her periphery.
“Nice to see you again, Sheriff.”
Every hair on her body stood to attention as she spun around and took in the grinning face of Charlie Anderson. I knew it was you.
Dressed in coveralls with a woolen cap pulled down over his hair, her attention shifted to the pistol gripped in his gloved palm. She clasped her hands before her and pressed the stone in the ring to activate the tracker and one-way connection to Kane’s cellphone. “Mr. Anderson, why are you pointing a weapon at me?”
“Because tonight is a good time for you to die.” He glanced at the laundry door. “But I’ll put a bullet in the mutt first if you don’t shut him up.”
Jenna glanced toward the door then raised her voice. “Lie down, Duke. Lie down.” The barking eased to a whine and she could see the dog’s nose pushed hard against the crack at the bottom of the door.