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.”
Jenna opened the gate and climbed back into the truck. With the blue and red wig-wag lights reflecting in the snow, they drove up the winding road. A white pickup sat in the driveway. Jenna’s heart picked up a beat at the sight of Axel Reed walking across their path carrying something in his arms. As they moved closer, he ignored them and kept moving. “Oh, that doesn’t look good.”
Unease cramped Jenna’s gut as she pulled her weapon and slid from the truck taking aim at Reed’s chest. She blinked twice to make sense of the gruesome scene before her. Blood dripped from the biker as he struggled to drop a bloody plastic bag into the open door of a meat locker.
Fifty-Two
In a millisecond, Kane took in the threat and scanned the immediate area searching for any movement. The man, dripping with blood, turned slowly to look at them with a surprised expression. Kane had rolled into his yard but with the lights flashing they were more than a little visible. He had his Glock trained on Reed’s head and he wouldn’t miss.
“Sheriff’s department.” Jenna stood behind the door aiming her weapon. “Hands on your head.”
“What the hell is going on here?” Axel Reed wiped his hands on his blood-soaked jeans and lifted them shoulder-high.
“I said, hands on your head. Link your fingers.” Jenna moved out from the safety of the door. “Now.”
“Sure, but I’ll make my hair all bloody.” Axel Reed glared at them. “Can’t a man butcher a bison on his own land anymore? Since when has that been an offense. I have a hunting license and the beast was on my land.”
Kane moved closer and peered into the meat locker. He couldn’t tell the origin of the meat but pieces that size meant it wasn’t human. He turned and gave Jenna a nod. “How did you shoot and move a beast that size on your own?”
“Who said I did it on my own?” Reed looked from one to the other. “I’m unarmed and pose no threat. Would you mind not pointing your weapons at me?”
Kane holstered his weapon. He could draw down on a man in a split second if necessary. “So who helped you butcher the beast? There’s no way one man could’ve carted a bison from the forest to here in the snow.”
“I shot it and friends helped me field dress it but we had to transport it here in the bed of an old pickup.” Reed wiped the back of his hand across his nose leaving a bloody streak. “When I heard your truck, I thought it was Josiah coming by to help me carve up the meat. I need to get it finished and packed before it freezes.”
After peering around the trees, Kane spotted what was left of the bison, hanging from an A-frame. Beside it sat a long bench scattered with knives and saws commonly used in butchering. “That’s a lot of meat for one man.”
“Yeah, and my friends have already taken some for helping me.” Reed looked pleased with himself. “It’s mighty fine eating and will keep me going for some time. I’m giving some to Josiah and I’ll take what I don’t need to the soup kitchen.” He looked from one to the other. “Unless you’d like some?”
Kane and Jenna both shook their heads. Kane cleared his throat. He preferred his meat from a store and without the risk of parasites. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
“We’re looking for a girl by the name of Ava Price, she has a tattoo of a red poppy on one hand. Have you seen her around town?” Jenna moved closer to him and held up her phone.
“Nope, can’t say that I have.” Reed looked agitated. “Mind if I keep going?”
Kane pulled out a pair of latex gloves and exchanged them for his leather ones. “Mind if we take a look around? If I recall when you spoke to the sheriff, you said you didn’t own a hunting cabin or land up here. You mentioned before about shooting the bison on your land. Why lie to the sheriff?”
“It’s not my land, it’s my uncle’s land until the deed changes hands.” Reed waved a bloody hand at the cabin. “Look all you want. The door is open.”
“Thanks.” Kane followed Jenna to the cabin steps and then paused when another truck rumbled into the yard. He turned and stared at the driver. “That must be Josiah.”
“Yeah, I’ve met him. He helps at the soup kitchen and came to my attention after interviewing Claude Grady. I figure Grady wanted him for an alibi and as luck would have it, Josiah Brock was at the soup kitchen the other day when we stopped by. He knows Grady but can’t say for sure when he last drove with him.” Jenna frowned. “He’s on our list of cabin owners to check. I’ll go inside and look around. I want you to speak to Brock, see if he’s willing for us to toss his cabin as well.”