The Crying Season: An edge-of-your-seat crime thriller Read online

  Not ten minutes later, she heard horses whickering then Wolfe’s blond head came into sight above the bushes. He turned and held up a hand like a traffic cop. Three horses, not two, were waiting patiently in a small clearing. Two she recognized as belonging to Wolfe and Webber, who owned the third? Had someone stumbled onto the crime scene? Wolfe had not contacted her in hours, and this part of the forest was not on a recommended trail. Deputy Webber was nowhere in sight, nor was the person who owned the third horse. Her instincts went on full alert and she noticed Kane stiffen and rest one hand on his weapon. This can’t be good. She cleared her throat and dropped her voice to just above a whisper. “Okay, dismount. We go on foot from here. Spread out, and keep alert. It seems we have a visitor.”

  7

  He took lunch at the Cattleman’s Hotel and his attention settled on Bailey, dressed in a garish, bright-pink jogging suit. They would be leaving after breakfast on Wednesday morning and taking the old trail through the forest that Nigel had recommended.

  The area was familiar to him. In fact, the deeper into the forest they went, the better. They would be closer to his secret cave, and the likelihood of seeing anyone else would be remote. He liked to spend time enjoying the chase, although the thrill of stumbling over other hikers only added to the excitement.

  When Bailey’s haughty tone of displeasure rose above the low hum of conversation in the restaurant, he lowered his gaze to his plate. So spoiled and used to getting her own way, she used her ample charms to get what she wanted. He moaned and rubbed his temples. Her whining voice was driving him insane. He needed a distraction before he lost his cool, and his mind filled with her running through the forest, tripping over then trying her feminine wiles on him. She would beg him not to shoot her or slit her throat. He bit back a laugh. She would be confused when he gave her a reply in the negative. No one dared to refuse her; she thought she was too damn precious. Not to me.

  Killing her would soothe his brain. He could not allow her to continue to pollute the world. It was time for him and others of like mind to rid the population of these matriarchal, emasculating women. Women were on this earth to serve men and give them children, period. He closed his eyes and could feel the handle of his weapon against his palm. See the muzzle of his gun pressed hard against Bailey’s forehead. He would watch her bewildered expression as he squeezed the trigger real slow and put a bullet right between her eyes.

  Sharing the thrill had come along by accident. He had discovered the dark web some years ago. Untraceable and safe, he moved like a ghost in complete obscurity in a place where everything, including a person’s life, was for sale—at a price.

  8

  On Jenna’s whispered command, Kane slid into the bushes. He could hear her behind him moving as silently as possible through the dry undergrowth. He used the trunk of a wide pine and turkey-peeked around the corner. Wolfe’s short wave to ward them off could be two things: Either he was in trouble or he did not want them contaminating a crime scene. Not being a man to take chances, he reacted the same way as Jenna and moved forward with caution. He patted his leg and Duke came to his side. He found it strange the dog had given no warning.

  “Can you see anything?” Jenna had pressed her back against a tree.

  “Nope.” He scanned the area where he had last seen Wolfe but nothing moved. “Orders, ma’am?”

  “Move out with caution. I’ll watch your back.”

  Kane turned to look at her. “Roger that. Keep Duke with you; he’ll make too much noise.”

  He slid between the close-growing trees using the shadows as cover and moved to Wolfe’s last location. To his relief he heard voices and rounded a clump of bushes to see three men crouched down and examining the ground. Two he recognized as Wolfe and Webber but not the third. “Wolfe, are we clear to enter the area?”

  “Yeah.” Wolfe stood and his mouth quirked up at the corners. “Sorry, man, I should have shouted out but Atohi found something and I was engrossed.”

  Kane turned to look back in Jenna’s direction and called out, “Clear.”

  He took in a tall, lean man with black hair flowing past his shoulders. The man, a Native American, walked toward him, his brown intelligent eyes dancing with amusement. He was about thirty, wearing a thick hunting jacket, plaid shirt, and jeans.

  “You must be Dave Kane? Atohi Blackhawk.” He held out his hand. “Man, you came in here without a sound. I’m impressed.”

  Kane shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. Have we met before?”

  “Ah, no. Shane dropped by the res to ask about sacred burial sites close to the boundaries. He mentioned you moved like a ghost. I’m a tracker so I came back here with him to check out the skull in case it was one of ours. I had a poke around and found a few interesting items close by.” Blackhawk smiled. “I’m happy to help out when needed.”

  “We’ll be glad of any help you can offer.” Kane heard footsteps and turned at Jenna’s arrival. “Ah, Atohi Blackhawk, Sheriff Jenna Alton.” He waved a hand toward the other deputies. “Jake Rowley and Paula Bradford.”

  “Nice to see you again, Atohi. What did you find?” Jenna moved to his side.

  “A cellphone and more bones.” Blackhawk frowned. “I’d say the animals got to the body—they are spread all over. We only found a few of them.”

  “I see.” Jenna wrinkled her nose. “What do we have, Wolfe?”

  “From the size of the pelvis, a female; from the teeth, she was in her late teens, early twenties.” Wolfe’s fair brows narrowed. “I would say the bullet wound in her skull is the cause of death but I’ve found what is consistent with knife wounds across two of the bones we found. I need to take a closer look to determine if this happened post-mortem or not.” He rubbed his chin. “The cellphone is toast. The screen is broken and it’s soaking wet. I doubt I’ll be able to pull anything from it at all.”

  “We found a body on the way here; well, Duke found a skeleton. From the clothes and size, I would say it is male. It is pinned to a tree by an arrow through the forehead.” Jenna rested both hands on her hips. “Then Duke found a couple of backpacks. We have ID and Kane figures they must have a camp close by—they only had one day’s supplies with them.”

  Kane called the dog to his side. “Duke is becoming an asset. We would have missed the skeleton; he is some ways off the main trail.” He glanced at Wolfe. “If the skull belongs to the woman he was travelling with, then I’d say he was killed first. She dropped the backpacks and ran for her life and the killer caught her here.” He turned to Blackhawk. “Where did you find the cellphone?”

  “About twenty feet in that direction.” Blackhawk pointed toward the mountain. “It was close to a boulder at the foot of the mountain. Don’t worry, I didn’t touch anything. Wolfe took photographs and bagged the items. I found a button as well.”

  “I think she tried to wedge herself behind the boulder, she probably dropped her phone and smashed it.” Wolfe’s expression was grim. “Any signs of torture on the male victim?”

  “I’m not sure, there’s not much left and what is there is held together by clothes.” Jenna pushed a strand of hair behind one ear. “Apart from the missing hands, it appears to be intact.” She glanced at Wolfe. “Why are their hands missing?”

  “Small bones are difficult to find; they are easily carried off by birds or rodents.” Wolfe shrugged. “Finding them in a forest this size would be near impossible.”

  “I’m wondering why the male victim’s bones haven’t been scattered by animals.” Kane let out a long sigh. “I would say he was shot as well; his shirt looks like there are bullet holes in the material.”

  “Let’s not jump to conclusions.” Wolfe frowned. “Decomposition causes stains of all descriptions on clothes, but being untouched by animals is unusual.”

  “The only thing I can think of that keeps animals away is gasoline.” Blackhawk’s eyebrows drew together. “Maybe the killer planned on burning the body then thought better of it.”

 
“Yeah, if he started a wildfire up here, he wouldn’t be able to outrun it.” Kane stared into the thick, dry undergrowth. “I can’t imagine anyone would be stupid enough to even contemplate such a thing.”

  “I can test what remains of his clothes for residue.” Wolfe lifted his chin. “If he is covered with gas, our killer might have used it to ward off animals. He might have liked to visit his victim. Many of them get a thrill out of watching a corpse decay.”

  “How disgusting.” Jenna grimaced. “Although, I guess I shouldn’t say that as it’s a crucial part of your job. Kane’s told me all about the forensic body farm you visited.”

  “I wouldn’t make a very good ME if I couldn’t identify the different stages of decomposition.” Wolfe looked abashed. “I happen to find the different variants, including insect infestation, animal intervention, and the effects of temperature, extremely interesting.”

  “Just the image I need before lunch.” Jenna’s stomach clenched. “How much longer do you need here? We’ll need to get to the other crime scene ASAP.”

  “I’m done.” Wolfe turned to Webber. “Collect up the equipment and get it packed away on the horses.” He glanced at Jenna. “Unless you want to see where we found the skull and other bones?”

  “No, that’s fine.” Jenna indicated with her chin toward Kane. “We’ll go on Kane’s theory and go back to the male victim and work back in this direction—but first we’ll eat.” She turned and headed toward the horses. “Rowley, Bradford, with me, and keep alert… We have a killer in the mountains.”

  Kane watched her go and turned to Wolfe and Blackhawk. “I think he’s long gone. Although, Duke didn’t make a sound before we spotted you.”

  “That’s because he knows Shane and Cole.” Blackhawk smiled. “He is smart enough to know who is a friend by their scent.”

  “Maybe but he doesn’t know you, does he?”

  “Duke and I are old friends.” Blackhawk rubbed the dog’s ears. “He was born on the res, and his owner was a cousin of mine who lived in Black Rock Falls. We trained him together.” He sighed. “I went to the animal shelter to collect him when my cousin died but someone else had taken him. I’m glad he ended up in a good home.”

  Kane decided not to explain where the dog had been between owners and nodded. “Great, maybe you can let me know the range of his skills sometime?”

  “Yeah, I’d like that and we’ll have plenty of time to chat. I’ll be around for a couple of days, maybe more. Shane has hired me as a tracker.”

  “Oh, I’m sure we’ll have a lot to discuss. I’d like to know more about the history of Stanton Forest.”

  9

  After eating lunch, Jenna surveyed the area Wolfe had secured and glanced over his images then ordered her team to head to the next crime scene. The time they had in the mountains in late fall was limited. Snow already coated the peaks of the mountain range and a cold wind rustled through the trees. All vegetation apart from the majestic pines had shed their leaves for the onset of winter, and underfoot multicolored leaves littered the way. Finding evidence at this time of the year would be near impossible. It was as if the forest was hiding its secrets beneath a cloak.

  With Kane leading the way, deep in conversation with Blackhawk, she moved her horse closer to Webber’s. Cole Webber had turned out to be a solid albeit quiet member of the team. His attention to detail impressed her but it was as if he hid inside a protective shell, not allowing anyone to get too close. She had to admit, the job had gotten in her way of getting to know the deputy better. On the ride to the next crime scene, she would remedy that error. “How do you like partnering with Wolfe?”

  “I like it fine.” Webber’s mouth twitched up in the corners. “I’m not sure how he keeps so much knowledge inside his head at one time.” He clicked his tongue at his horse and moved closer. “At first, I wasn’t too sure about examining human remains and I admit to spewing a couple of times in the past at autopsies, but the way he explains everything makes it a whole lot easier.”

  A cool breeze brushed Jenna’s cheeks. She pulled up the zipper on her jacket and glanced up through the canopy of green to catch a glimpse of the sky. To her relief, a blue cloudless expanse greeted her. No snow today. She nodded in agreement to Webber’s reply. “Yeah, he knows his stuff. When he first arrived, I knew he had some level of experience in forensics and computers but not the extent of his expertise. Having our own ME after using Mr. Weems, the mortician, for years makes life easier.” She glanced at him. “Are you thinking of studying to become his assistant?”

  “Yeah, not as in getting a degree at this stage.” He looked pensive. “Not that I wouldn’t want to go back to school for the qualifications I need, it’s more about time and money.”

  Jenna nodded. “I’m sure we can work something out.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” Webber touched his hat.

  She turned in her saddle to greet Wolfe as he maneuvered his horse toward her. “I guess you have questions about the second victim?”

  “Yeah, a few. How far off the main trail did you find the man’s body?” Wolfe eased his horse closer to her. “Are you sure it’s not a hunting accident? The couple could have stumbled into a designated hunting area. It should be easy to check, I’m sure the FWP keep records.”

  “Kane said he figured the killer used the victim as target practice and I agree. I could plainly see a hole in the sternum through the tattered shirt. We left everything in situ and only disturbed the area around the backpacks. From the image of the woman’s skull, I would say without a doubt this is a double homicide.”

  “The skull leaves little doubt. I’ve called in a forensic anthropologist, Jill Bates from Helena.” Wolfe gave her a small and very unusual almost satisfied smile. “I sent her some images of the skull and she wants in on the investigation. We’re lucky, she wasn’t busy.”

  Jenna nodded. He appeared in a good mood but then anything to do with dead things brightened his day. “Will you need her to examine the bones before you remove them?”

  “I could call in a team from Helena, but as the skeleton is intact, as long as I follow protocol and film the removal, I doubt anything will be overlooked.” Wolfe shrugged. “I am experienced in the preservation of a crime scene in this situation and Jill insisted I go ahead. We can examine the remains more thoroughly in the lab.”

  Jenna’s mind drifted back to the gravesite they had discovered earlier in the year and the time it had taken for a team of forensic anthropologists to collect all the evidence. Wolfe had been there working alongside them from day one. “I’m sure the investigation is in safe hands.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” He smiled.

  After snaking through the forest, the track opened out onto the clearing beside the main trail. The hair on the back of her neck stood to attention knowing a man met a gruesome death not yards away. She turned to Wolfe. “The body is on the left off the main track, about twenty feet heading toward the mountain.”

  “Roger that.”

  “This is your area of expertise.” Jenna dismounted. “How do you want to proceed?”

  “I’ll take a look at the backpacks first. If they have supplies, then we can assume the crime scene is the beginning of their journey, which would mean we could search for the campsite on the way back down the mountain. Obviously if they have no supplies, they could be heading toward the camp.”

  “Okay.” Jenna pulled a bottle of water out of her backpack and sipped. “I guess you’ll need Webber to assist you with the remains and everyone else can fan out and look for clues.”

  “If you search from the crime scene and back to where the couple discovered the skull, you might find the way the woman ran from the shooter. I’ll view the remains and get them ready for removal.” Wolfe slid from his horse and went to her side. “I’ll need photographs and live footage of the scene as I move the remains. Who has a steady hand?”

  As if he needs to ask. “Kane.” She raised an eyebrow. “I’ll search the immedi
ate area with Bradford. Rowley can team up with Blackhawk.”

  “That sounds like a plan.” Kane had moved to her side without making a sound. “Do you want me to show Wolfe the backpacks, ma’am?”

  “Yeah, I’ll organize the search. Make sure you are wearing your earbuds so I can contact you. Webber is assisting Wolfe with the removal of the remains.”

  As Kane and Wolfe disappeared into the forest with Duke on their heels, Jenna’s deputies gathered around her. “Okay, listen up. I want you all wearing earbuds so we can keep in touch. Webber, you will be assisting Wolfe, so unpack the equipment for a body retrieval. The rest of us will work a grid back from the crime scene to the position of the next body. There are dark areas so use your flashlights if necessary. Look for anything, scraps of material, hair, bullet casings. Wear gloves, take a picture with your cellphones of anything you find before you remove it and bag it. Make sure you label every evidence bag with location, time, and date.” She took a deep breath. “If you discover any bones, animal or human, leave them in situ and notify me immediately. Do not, I repeat, do not interfere with any bones.” She glanced around. “Questions?”

  When they all stared at her in silence, she gave them a curt nod. “Okay, grab your gear and get ready to move out.”

  The deputies moved to the horses, and although they were not more than a few feet away, a feeling of unease spread over her. She had seen the results of a number of vicious crimes in Stanton Forest and had not forgotten any of them, but all had been closer to town. Here, miles from civilization, with no cellphone to call for help, it did not take an overactive imagination to envisage what it must have been like running through the thick undergrowth with a killer close behind. On a slow walk, she had tripped a number of times negotiating the rough terrain, gnarled tree roots, and fallen branches. The idea of running blindly through them would be terrifying. She chewed on her bottom lip, determined to discover who had killed the young couple. Why do these lunatics keep choosing Black Rock Falls?