They pulled on their Kevlar vests and struck out across the slippery road and along the snow-covered sidewalk. When Kane opened the gate, it swung open without a sound and Jenna was through and heading around back. She ducked under low hanging branches and entered a void of blackness. Halted by the unknown, she pulled out her Maglite and shone it on the white ground. The yard was piled with snow and she doubted the back door had been opened for weeks. A drift had blown in up to the windowsills. If anyone attempted to escape from this side of the house they’d be in trouble. She heard Kane bang hard on the front door but inside nothing stirred.
After hearing Kane’s four attempts to wake Reed with no response, Jenna edged her way across the back of the house and froze, heart pounding at the sound of muffled footsteps coming from the fence line. She doused the light and pulled her weapon. Temporarily blinded by the darkness, she pressed against the freezing wall and waited. Could the house have a side door? If Reed planned to escape, she’d hit him with the beam of her Maglite but for now, she’d blend into the night. Footsteps came closer, crunching almost silently in the ice-covered snow. Pulse pounding in her ears, she took a deep breath and aimed her weapon.
Fifty-Five
“Jenna, where are you?” Kane’s voice came out of the night and the beam of a flashlight pierced the darkness and swung back and forth.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Jenna stepped out into the beam of light. “I’m here. I thought you might be Reed.”
“He’s not home.” Kane walked to her side. “I’m not sure why he left his truck outside in the weather. There’s a garage on the other side of the house. I looked inside and his motorcycle is missing.”
Following Kane back around the house, she looked inside the garage. “It’s unusual to leave it unlocked as well.” She glanced at the pickup. “Maybe he had to leave in a hurry.” She walked over to the truck and peered into the back. A good coating of ice covered the bottom and icicles hung all around. “It looks as if it’s been hosed down and left.”
“Yeah.” Kane moved his flashlight to a trashcan outside the garage. He walked over and lifted the lid. “Hmm, empty bleach bottles. He’s been cleaning something but then he did use this truck to transport the bison.”
Jenna shook her head. “No, he said he called in friends and they used an old pickup to transport it. No doubt one with a hook and a winch on the back.” She shot him a glance. “I mean how many men does it take to lift a bison?”
“It wasn’t a calf so might have weighed over a thousand pounds at least.” Kane scratched his cheek. “Field dressed and without the head.” He looked at her. “The truck would do all the lifting but I’d want a guy each side to guide it into the bed of the truck. So, I’d say three. He’d need one to operate the winch.” He stared into space. “There’s not much space up there to drive a truck, Jenna. Most people would bring it out of the forest in pieces, unless he has a cleared area somewhere inside his property. It would make sense a bison would go there to look for food, especially if he lured it with hay.”
“Okay.” Jenna stomped away in the snow. “Enough about butchering bison. Reed could be anywhere. He’s probably hightailed it over to visit Morgan, we’ll worry about him later if needs be. We need to drop by Claude Grady’s home.” She reached the truck and pulled open the door. “He lives on Stanton.”
They climbed inside and drove back to Stanton arriving at Grady’s home a few minutes later. Jenna made her way to the side gate when she heard growling. The next second a huge mixed breed dog threw itself at the fence, snarling and barking. She stepped back and looked at Kane. “So much for surprising him.”
“No matter.” Kane hammered on the door making it shake in its frame. “Sheriff’s department. Open up.”
Lights came on in the house and a few long minutes later, Claude Grady opened the door. Dressed in day clothes, he stared at Kane and then slid his gaze to Jenna. She remained beside Kane. “When did you get home, Mr. Grady?”
“Why? Did you drop by earlier?” Grady seemed to fold into himself, recover, and then straighten.
“Just answer the question.” Kane took a step closer.
“I went out.” Grady looked at Jenna. “You know I help out at the shelter. Well, when I’d finished, I managed to grab a meal at Aunt Betty’s before they closed. That’s not against the law, is it?”
Jenna pulled out her notebook. “Okay, who did you speak to tonight?”
“Father Derry and ah, sorry, I don’t know the homeless people’s names but I spoke to them. Ask at the office, I made a pot of fresh coffee for the receptionist but she’s new and I don’t recall her name.”
“And in Aunt Betty’s?” Jenna stared at him. “What did you eat? Did you pay by card or cash?”
“I had the chili and paid in cash. I didn’t speak to anyone special. I ordered at the counter and sat down. They were busy cleaning up.” He shrugged. “They’re always busy.”
He’d become more confident as if he was certain she’d believe his story without checking him out. Jenna nodded. “So you wouldn’t mind if we take a look around your house?”
“My house? Why would you want to search my house?” Grady looked appalled.
“Not search.” Kane leaned one hand against the doorframe. “We’re looking for a homeless woman. She was seen in town earlier and someone is hiding her.” He smiled. “If she’s not here, you’ll be taken off our list.”
Adopting a casual pose, Jenna smiled at him. “It’s late and we want to get home to bed. You are the last person on our list who works at the shelter and may have come in contact with her.”
“What has she done? Is she dangerous?” Grady eyed them with suspicion.
“She may be ill.” Kane shrugged. “We’re not sure but we have to find her first. You must understand we can’t take everyone’s word for gospel.”
“I don’t have anyone staying here.” Grady stood to one side. “Come in and see for yourselves.”
Jenna gave Kane a nod and he hustled along a hallway to hunt down the cellar. She wrinkled her nose. The house smelled of death. Not strong but the smell was one she’d never forget. The walls had lines of trophy heads, including deer and elk. An old sofa and a couple of easy chairs surrounded the fireplace and above the mantlepiece sat a flatscreen TV. Keeping Grady in sight, she glanced in all directions. “Show me around. Deputy Kane is going to look at your cellar.”
“Sure.” Grady frowned. “Nothing down there apart from the furnace and some old furniture.” He led the way from the family room along a hallway to the kitchen. “Laundry through there, dining on the right.”
Keeping her back to the wall, she peered into each room. The kitchen was old with dishes piled up in the sink. Coffee cups lined the counter, stained with the remains of coffee in various amounts. “Did you have a party?”
“Nope.” My dishwasher died and I can’t afford to buy a new one.” Grady’s attention kept lifting upward.