“Okay.” Jenna headed toward the driveway. “I’ll leave it for now.”
Jenna found Kane leaning against the Beast sipping coffee from a to-go cup. “Find anything?”
“Nope.” Kane shook his head. “You?”
“Yeah.” Jenna pulled open the door and inhaled the smell of coffee. In her absence, Kane had filled three to-go cups from the Thermos. “He was in Blackwater and had his laptop with him.”
“And he’s so confident, he admitted being there.” Jo climbed into the back seat and reached for a cup with a sigh. “He has an underlying aggression and right now, I’d place him on the top of our list.”
Forty-Five
As they rolled into Prairie View, there wasn’t one light from any of the homes. It seemed everyone was tucked up in bed. Aggravated clouds of moths surrounded the streetlights in a frenzy and as they passed below, the trees lining the side of the road cast zebra shadows across the blacktop. Exhausted and dangerously close to falling asleep, the light and dark stripes flashed like a don’t walk sign. Jenna shook her head to dispel the hypnotic effect and as Kane pulled up outside Simon Dexter’s house, she fixed her attention on the gray sedan parked in the driveway. She finished her coffee, hoping the caffeine burst would keep her awake and ran through the suspect’s file on her phone. “Okay, Dexter lives alone, was on scene of the Woods’ fire, has been in DC, and is a firebug. He had a hankering for Sophie but was warned off by Wood, same as Cleaves. At this time, he is only a person of interest. We don’t have enough on him right now.”
“He seemed nervous to me when we interviewed him.” Kane looked at her. “He doesn’t act confident enough to bust into people’s homes.”
“I agree.” Carter leaned forward from the back seat. “Most folks around here have weapons in the house. The only way I figure Dexter could have gotten inside uninvited would be if he was known to the family.”
“I’d like to go this one alone with Jenna.” Jo was staring at her phone. “From Kane’s notes, Dexter was intimidated by them, he gave up Cleaves at the get-go. It would be interesting to see how he acts with us. Maybe we’ll get to see the other side of Simon Dexter.”
Jenna forced her lips into a smile. “Okay, but poke me if I fall asleep on his porch waiting for him to come to the door.”
She climbed out the truck and they made their way up the driveway. Jenna ran one hand over the hood of the old gray sedan and turned to Jo. “It’s warm, he hasn’t been home long either.”
“I sure hope he’s not involved with Suffolk.” Jo unbuttoned her jacket and touched her weapon as if to reassure herself. “This case would make more sense, if two men were involved.”
As old case files percolated through her mind, Jenna stared at her. “We’ve had them all, brothers, one leading the other into crime, and then there was the pedophile ring. Now we have three men, all up to the necks in underage girls. All of them would have remained under the radar if Woods hadn’t made a noise about his daughter and chastised Suffolk about the treatment of his wife.” Suddenly fully awake and energized, she nodded slowly. “Maybe one of them noticed Pamela Stuart on their travels, maybe members of the Louan sect, church or whatever, are in Blackwater as well. Sheriff Stuart is an honorable man, he’d never have allowed a group of men to use underage girls in this way. This would have made him a threat and they’d have needed to remove him.”
“It sure makes a lot of sense.” Jo smiled at her. “Although proving it will take a ton of detective work.”
Jenna marched up to the front door and thumped hard on the wooden panels. She noticed a doorbell and leaned on it, hearing a constant buzzing inside the home. “FBI. Open the door, Mr. Dexter.”
The door opened and a ruffled bleary-eyed man stood before them. With a receding chin, his hooked nose seemed to take up all his face. The smell of smoke was heavier on his clothes than her own. By the look of him, he’d been sleeping in them. “Mr. Simon Dexter?”
“In the flesh.” Dexter’s mouth curled into a yellow toothed grimace. “This is the second time the FBI have dropped by. I want to see your IDs. This is police harassment.”
“I’m Special Agent Jo Wells.” Jo held out her cred pack. “This is Jenna Alton.”
“I know you.” Dexter pointed a finger with a dirty nail at Jenna. “You’re the sheriff out of Black Rock Falls. What are you doing in my county, chasing after the guy who beat you up? Nasty cut on your neck there, Sheriff.”
Unperturbed, Jenna stood her ground. “Investigating a crime. Where were you tonight, Mr. Dexter?”
“Out.” He scratched his belly and yawned. “You’d better come inside. I made a pot of coffee and fell asleep waiting for it.” He turned around and headed down a hallway, stopped, and looked at them. “If you want to talk, I need to sit down.”
Concerned by the way he’d dismissed them as a threat, when the sight of an FBI agent would normally have most people worried, Jenna shook her head. “Not this time. Come back here. It will only take a few minutes of your time and we have other folks to visit tonight.”
“Go to hell.” Dexter kept walking.
Surprised by his attitude, Jenna straightened. “If I step inside your house, it will be to take you in for questioning.” She waited a beat. “Your choice, Mr. Dexter.”
When he turned slowly and eyed her with contempt, she eased her Glock out of the shoulder holster and dropped it to her side. She noticed the flicker of doubt in his eyes at her action and she wondered if he had the same opinion of women as Suffolk.
“You’d draw down on an unarmed man?” Dexter held up his hands, shoulder high, and walked toward them.
Jenna didn’t raise her weapon but stared at him, trying to judge his intentions. “I don’t know if you’re armed, Mr. Dexter. Just keep those hands where I can see them. All I want to do is to ask you a few questions. I’m confused by your attitude.”
“There should be a law against women carrying guns.” Dexter stopped a couple of yards from them his eyes blazing with suppressed anger.
“Why is that, Mr. Dexter?” Jo stepped closer to the open door. “Women have equal rights in this country and by law, you’re required to obey the direction of a law enforcement officer.”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” He glared at Jenna. “Ask your questions and then get the hell off my property.”
Jenna holstered her weapon. “Where were you tonight?”
“I was in Blackwater. I went to see the fire.” Dexter shrugged. “Or is there a law about that now?”
After taking out her notepad and pen, Jenna glanced past him and took in the unkempt house. She turned her attention back to him. “What time was this?”
“Maybe ten or later, I’m not sure.” Dexter shuffled his feet. “It was a housefire. It lit up the sky like a wildfire. I came home just before.”
“How did you know about the fire?” Jo stiffened beside her. “You can’t see it from here.”
“I have a scanner.” Dexter rubbed his chin. “I like watching fires. The flames are like evil spirits leaping out of hell. Chasing firetrucks is a hobby. It’s exciting.”