The snow muffled sound but the roar of powerful vehicles soon rumbled up the mountain. Heart thumping fast with anticipation, Preacher stretched out on the snow, binoculars aimed at Sheriff Alton and her team. If he had a mind, he could shoot them but that would be no fun at all. He watched the movement below with interest. The sheriff’s posse had arrived with engines roaring, making no effort to be quiet. The unmarked black truck that chauffeured her, led a marked pickup with a uniformed deputy behind the wheel and following him, a large white truck bearing the insignia of the medical examiner. As the people emerged, their reactions to his art were varied. The sheriff had a look of hopelessness, the younger deputy glanced and looked away, but the others moved closer and examined it without expression. The sheriff acted like a general issuing orders to her troops but then spent her time searching around the outside of the cabin. She’d find nothing. He hadn’t gone further than the end of the rockface.
As the Medical Examiner and the big deputy eased their way toward Delores, their voices carried to his position. They worked together as if they’d been doing so all their lives. Speaking in hushed tones, they spent a deal of time testing the roof before the ME slid over to Delores on a rescue stretcher, took some photographs, and then removed her. He wrapped her in silver foil like leftover takeout before they carried her back to his truck.
Images of inside the mortuary danced in his mind. He wished he could be there, listening to the discussion as they admired his work and discussed the finer points of his technique. They must surely admire his creativity. He could visualize the autopsy and the ME sorting through the parts of her like a jigsaw puzzle. How fine she’d look with his neat stitches crossing her chest. Would he reattach her limbs? It was a shame they’d bury her or turn her to ashes. In his world of ice, she’d be with him forever—but he didn’t mind, there would always be another Delores.
Twenty-Six
At last they had secured the crime scene and the torso of the young woman was in safe hands. Jenna kicked the snow from her boots and trudged inside the sheriff’s department. The office had a homely smell of new books, freshly brewed coffee and the vanilla air freshener in the foyer. She walked to the counter. Maggie looked at her with apprehension and she smiled at her. “Everything is taken care of, Maggie. Did Duke behave himself, no howling at the door after we left without him?”
“No, he was too busy eating to notice you’d gone.” Maggie wrinkled her nose. “Although, he was a mite interested in the delivery. I must say, it doesn’t smell so good.” She pointed to a large manilla envelope on the counter. “It’s for you.”
Jenna picked up the envelope. It was heavy and bulky with just her name printed on the front. “Did it come by courier?”
“That I can’t say.” Maggie shuffled some paperwork. “It was here when I came back from the bathroom. With you all gone, I had no one to watch the counter but I did lock the cashbox in the drawer.”
“That’s fine.” Jenna chuckled. “You can’t be in two places at the same time.” She walked into her office, removed her gloves, and then tore open the envelope.
A plastic bag slid out onto her desk. Inside, the mutilated body of a rat lay in a pool of blood. Jenna stepped away and swallowed hard. She moved swiftly to the door. “Kane, get in here.”
It seemed to take ages for Kane to amble into her office. Jenna indicated to the rat. “Mail call.”
“That can’t be from the killer.” Kane stood hands on hips. “He wouldn’t risk leaving any traceable evidence and he’s never mailed anything before. If he did it would be part of a body not a rat.”
Jenna had already decided who had sent the rat. She nodded. “Oh, it’s not from the killer. It’s been sent to scare me off. The only person I’ve upset lately is Kim Strickland. She’s escalated. This has to be from her.” She rounded her desk, dropped into her chair, and went straight to her computer to hunt down Kim’s address from the Motor Vehicles Division database. “If it’s her, this is a threat and we’ll have her for stalking. Go check for prints.”
“Copy that.” Kane pulled surgical gloves from his pocket and gloved up.
Anger rising, Jenna wrote down Miss Strickland’s address. “It’s her, I know it.” She looked up at him. “Are you aware she lives in an apartment opposite the bank? She can keep you under surveillance from her darn window.”
“I didn’t know. I’m sorry, Jenna. I’ll deal with her.” Kane slid the rat back into the envelope and picked it up between thumb and finger. “I’ll go see her.”
Snorting, Jenna stood. “You’re not going anywhere near her. On your way to the evidence room ask Rowley to write a generic media release for the current case and after that I want you to update the files.” She met his gaze. “We have a full caseload and this can be put on the back burner for now.”
“Okay.” Kane examined her face. “If it is her, we’ll need her set for comparison. We could send Rowley?”
“Leave that to me.” Jenna waved him away.
Blood boiling, she returned to her desk and printed a photograph of the tattoos they’d been showing around town. Careful not to touch more than the very corner, she slid it inside a manilla folder, pulled on her gloves, and headed out the door. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with, she had a stupid obsessive woman on her case. Solving the dead rat mystery and getting Kim Strickland out of her hair would be a quick fix and then she could concentrate on solving the murders. That was life in Black Rock Falls. There was never just one crime to solve but a myriad of different problems, which as sheriff, she was expected to deal with daily.
She tucked the folder under one arm and trudged along Main. Keeping in mind the woman was probably watching her as well, she stopped by a few stores along the way asking if the folks were happy with the condition of the sidewalk—using any excuse to be in the store. She crossed the slippery blacktop to the gap in the snow left from the snowplow and continued along the other side of the road. When she came to the small building housing four apartments, she made her way round back to the parking lot under the building. To her surprise, Kim Strickland was heading for her vehicle carrying a medical kit balanced on top of a box of supplies. Jenna strolled toward her. “Afternoon, I’m speaking to the townsfolks about these tattoos. Could you look and see if you recognize them at all?” She pulled the photograph from the folder.
“As soon as I have a free hand. If you could open the door for me, I’d appreciate it.” Kim raised one eyebrow and her red lips curled into a satisfied smile. “I’m planning a romantic weekend away with Dave and I’m all packed and ready to go. I’m sure he told you all about our plans?” She rested the carton on the hood of her large SUV. “I just have to make sure my kit is up to date and pay a visit to the pharmacy. He’ll be by after he’s given you a ride home.” She gave Jenna a stricken look. “Oh, he didn’t tell you about us yet, did he?”
Did Kim really believe Kane would go to her cabin with her? The woman was delusional but she’d play along to get the prints. Trying to keep her expression neutral, Jenna opened the passenger door as directed. “Deputy Kane doesn’t discuss his private life with me. I’m surprised he’d plan to go anywhere this weekend. It’s not safe to travel in this weather and we have a huge caseload.” She stepped back as Kim lowered the carton into the back seat.