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  “No, I only remember the cops coming when Jane went missing. I guess they investigated him. I have no idea—I was just a kid.”

  “Okay.” Jenna leaned back in her chair, acting nonchalant; he was getting way too upset, was it genuine or an act to cover his guilt? “How long ago did your sister vanish?”

  “Eight years.” Stickler lifted his red-rimmed eyes and sniffed. “If he’s dead, we’ll never find her now, will we?” He took the glass and gulped the water.

  “Our job is to find her and we’ll do our very best but we need your help. What we want to know is if Price had any friends.” Kane’s expression hardened. “Do you remember if he worked with another clown or did you see him with anyone?”

  “Yeah, I do remember a magician, called himself the Great Dungini, and another clown.” Stickler stared into space then moved his gaze back to Kane. “I don’t remember any other names.” He straightened. “I could ask my parents. They probably have photographs; they took tons and have videos of the parties, although it would be hard to identify them with the clown makeup.”

  “Okay thanks, you’ve been very helpful, and any images or videos would be a great help. Interview terminated at two-fifty.” Jenna switched off the recorder. “Deputy Kane will give you his card. If you can think of anything at all to help us, please call him.”

  “I will.” Stickler pocketed the card. “Can I go now?”

  “Yes.” Jenna flicked her ID over the scanner on the door and it clicked open. She indicated toward Rowley. “My deputy will show you out.”

  After shutting the door behind him, she turned to Kane. “What do you think?”

  “From his reaction at finding out Price is dead, he isn’t the killer.” Kane shrugged. “Problem is, he is angry and believes his sister is still alive, which after so many years the chances are remote. He has confirmed there was another clown. Stu Macgregor, the Great Dungini and Price worked together at one time and we know they worked at Party Time. As Price was clean at the time of the FBI investigation, I figure the media would have gotten hold of Macgregor’s case and if Stickler knew the two men worked together, he might have suspected Price had taken his sister. I hope Stickler doesn’t think Macgregor is involved as well and seek vengeance.”

  “Oh, I hope not.” Jenna frowned. “We have enough to worry about at the moment.”

  13

  It could not have been easier to turn the tables on the next predator. With a few concerned words about having to slip away from home once her parents were asleep, she convinced him to take a room at the Black Rock Falls Motel. A perfect place, the motel had a variety of clientele depending on the seasons, from randy rodeo cowboys having one-night stands to hockey fans supporting their favorite team. In other words, the room rate started at two hours and the owner accepted every client who walked through the door. Men like him loved motel rooms because they carried so much DNA, proving anything would be difficult.

  She persuaded him to leave the room key buried under the big tree beside the school gate and she made plans to meet him inside the room at seven that evening. After watching him drop the key and kick dirt over it, she waited for his SUV to turn the corner before attempting to collect it. As she walked past the school, she allowed oranges to spill from a paper sack in her arms. Retrieving the key and popping it into the sack with the oranges had been easy.

  After arriving home that evening, she checked her messages, made a few necessary calls, then turned into a young teenager. She glanced in the mirror: At a slim five foot two, with fried eggs for breasts, she could pass as a much younger girl from a distance. During the day, the heels on her shoes and the clever way she styled her hair made her appear at least five seven. Her padded bra gave her a more voluptuous look, and when she added makeup, she looked all of her twenty-one years.

  After slipping on surgical gloves, she pulled on a hoodie and moved through her kitchen and into the garage. She had chosen a mid-range white Ford; with so many in town, no one would notice her parking on the tree-lined lane beside the motel. The Black Rock Falls Motel was in a perfect location. No CCTV cameras to intrude on clients’ privacy, and the owners left them alone. Spectacular burnished copper maple trees surrounding the courtyard bathed the area in mottled shadows, which would allow her to enter the room unnoticed.

  She arrived at six thirty and slid from the car, leaving the car keys hidden on top of one of the wheels then, keeping to the shadows, entered the motel parking lot. The monster had followed her instructions, taking a room at the back of the building, the last one closest to the trees. Glancing around, she jogged across the courtyard and used the key to gain entrance.

  She heaved a sigh of relief, finding the room unoccupied. If he was a pack animal, she would be in trouble if he arrived with a couple of his friends. She removed her coat then took the long metal meat skewer out of her bag and slid it within easy reach beneath the pillow. No poison this time.

  This one deserved special treatment.

  Glancing at the clock, she turned out the lights and watched out the window for him to arrive. At five minutes to seven, an SUV pulled up outside and she caught sight of the light glistening on his bald head as he walked to the door. Her heart pounded. He was big and could snap her neck like a twig. Virtually defenseless, she would be at his mercy if her plan failed.

  When he pushed open the door, she backed into the bathroom, standing silhouetted by the streetlight coming through the bathroom window. To make him believe his date was a young girl, she must keep her face in shadow. A wave of anticipation at the thought of destroying this monster empowered her. She would play the role and make him pay.

  “You in here?” His voice sounded excited and shrill for his size.

  She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself then giggled. They always liked it when she giggled. “Yes, I’m here. Did you bring the things I asked you to buy?”

  “Yeah.” He held up a paper sack. “Why the stockings and blindfold? I don’t want you wearing stockings, I like my girls natural. Can I turn the light on so I can see you a bit better? You sure look pretty.”

  “Not yet, I’m shy.” She twirled fingers in her hair, acting coy, and kept out of his way. “You look older than your picture. I thought you were eighteen.”

  “I shave my head to look older.” He gave her a sad look. “I did lie a bit but I so wanted to meet you.”

  “That’s okay.” She giggled again. “You like to play games, right?”

  “Oh, yeah, I like to play games. What do you have in mind?”

  “I watched my sister with her boyfriend – she’s eighteen – when they were babysitting and thought I was asleep. I asked you to bring those things because I want to do what they were doing.”

  “That sounds like fun. What were they doing?”

  “Well, my sister tied his hands and feet to the bed with stockings then she blindfolded him.” She giggled again at his moan of pleasure. “Then she climbed on top of him. It looked like fun.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I can do that.” His voice trembled as he shed his clothes then dragged the items out of the bag. He ripped open a condom packet and smiled at her. “Why don’t you get undressed then come here and tie me up.”

  Sickened by his lustful gaze, she shook her head. “Blindfold first. I’m shy. We can play your game next time, okay?”

  “Sure, I have lots of games we can play.” He pulled the blindfold in place and laid back on the bed. “This is going to be so much fun.”

  “I can’t wait.” She bent, retrieved his balled-up smelly socks, and dropped them on the bed then turned on the radio nice and loud. “I don’t want anyone listening.”

  “Good idea.”

  She moved swiftly, tying his ankles then straddling his fat belly to secure his wrists to the slats in the headboard. His heavy breathing and moans of encouragement made her skin crawl. She slid the metal skewer from under the pillow. Satisfied he was restrained, she leaned over to switch on the bedside lamp then lifted up his blindfold.
“Look at me.”

  An expression of terror crossed his face and he trembled.

  “Who the hell are you?” He bucked, frantically trying to dislodge her. “Are you a cop?”

  “I don’t think so. I’m here to kill you.” She pressed down hard on his chest, feeling his heart thumping against her palms, and stared into his horrified eyes. “How does it feel knowing you’re going to die?”

  “Not if I kill you first, bitch.”

  “Good luck.” Her fear slipped away as she looked at the pathetic excuse for a man shaking beneath her. She could not pity him. She hated men like him. “I’m going to kill you in the most painful way possible. Just like I killed your friend.”

  “Why?” His face had turned a deep shade of red.

  Suddenly struck dumb, she stared at him. “Why? For all the young girls you molested. Payback is a bitch, isn’t it?”

  She enjoyed his struggle beneath her and the way his eyes bulged. She had frightened him, the same way as he terrified his victims. “Your friend died slowly, but unfortunately for you, it will be quicker but so much more painful.”

  “You don’t need to kill me. I’ll give you money, anything.” Tears welled in his eyes. “What do you want?”

  “Justice.” She picked up the socks. “Open your mouth.”

  To her surprise, he complied and she jammed the socks halfway down his throat then pressed down hard. She sucked in a deep breath then plunged the skewer into his ear. As his muffled screams filled the room, she felt nothing. No remorse, no pity for inflicting incredible agony on the writhing man. Her mind was a void. He was vermin and she was the exterminator. She leaned down and stared into his eyes as the life faded away. “Suck it up.”

  When he shuddered and his eyes rolled up displaying the whites, she removed the skewer then wiped it on the pillow. After dropping it into a plastic bag, she pulled out a roll of tape and dabbed a strip meticulously over the bed, lifting a myriad of hairs from the sheet. Satisfied nothing of her remained, she emptied his wallet to make it look like a robbery then collected her things and slipped out the door. Rot in hell.

  14

  Saturday

  Early the next morning, after their usual workout, Kane sat in Jenna’s kitchen drinking coffee. The hound dog sat at his feet. One call to the animal shelter had revealed his name as Duke, and the dog he thought to be old turned out to be five and listed as a great tracker. After rehydrating, a couple of decent meals, and a bath, he was looking good.

  He smiled at Jenna. “I hope I can find time to purchase the horses tomorrow. They might come in useful in this investigation.” He leaned back in his seat. “I repaired the corral last night, and the horse boxes in the barn are perfect. All I need to do is order feed and straw.” He frowned. “There are a couple of horse floats for sale in town as well.”

  “Isn’t this going to cost you a lot of money?” She peered at him over the coffee cup. “I mean, you have spent a fortune on meat for Duke. More than you spend on yourself, and his vet bill must be horrendous.”

  He grinned at her and patted Duke on the head. “Nah, it’s all good, and I have money. There was no way I was sending Duke back to the shelter, especially as he is a tracker. He will be a great asset once I get him fit. I like his company and I’m sure you’ll grow to love him.”

  “He has such a sad face, of course I love him. I just hope his name won’t offend Deputy Duke Walters.”

  He chuckled and called the dog to his side. “Nah, I told him and he said he was used it. Apparently Duke is a popular name for hound dogs.”

  Her cellphone vibrated on the table. “Sheriff Alton. Yes, Mr. Ricker, what is your emergency?” She glanced at him, disbelief etched in her expression. “Don’t touch anything, shut the door to the room, and keep Rosa in your office until we arrive. I’ll have someone there as soon as possible.” She disconnected and the next moment was speaking to Rowley. “Can you get over to the Black Rock Falls Motel? Hold the fort until we get there. The cleaner found a body tied to one of the beds. Secure the scene until we arrive. I’m contacting Wolfe now.”

  Kane pushed to his feet. “I’ll contact Wolfe, you get ready for work.”

  “Okay then go to the motel straight away; don’t wait for me.” She gave him a wistful look. “Why do people seem to die on my day off?”

  “Dumb luck.” He headed for the door then stopped and glanced back at her. “Would you like me to handle this case?”

  “The second death in one week? No way, I need to be at ground zero.” Jenna shook her head, sending her raven hair spilling in all directions. “I hope it’s not another homicide. I’m worried Black Rock Falls is becoming murder central.”

  Within half an hour, Kane pulled his black SUV into the motel parking lot beside Wolfe’s vehicle with the Black Rock Falls’ Coroner insignia on the side. When Rowley walked out of the office to meet him, his face pale and expression grim, Kane took him to one side. “What do we have?”

  “Homicide.” Rowley’s brown eyes narrowed. “There is a guy in one of the rooms around back tied to the bed with stockings and with blood running out of his ear. Wolfe is there now. He said to send you down when you arrive.” He glanced over Kane’s shoulder. “Ah, there’s Sheriff Alton now.”

  “Have you taken statements from Mr. Ricker and Rosa? I assume she found the body when she went to clean the room?”

  “Yeah, the room was booked yesterday. Ricker thought it was for a romantic evening. Most people take this side of the motel if they don’t want to be seen. The SUV parked outside belongs to Ely Dorsey.”

  Kane made a note in his book. “I see. Any other customers staying on this side of the motel?”

  “Nope, and Ricker said apart from Dorsey’s vehicle, he hadn’t seen any other vehicles parked here but Rosa was on her way home and noticed a white late-model sedan parked on the road some ways back. She said it was unusual to see a car there because the trees drop berries all over the paintwork.” Rowley lifted his chin. “She said the car was gone this morning when she arrived to clean the rooms.”

  “Did she say what time she noticed the car?”

  “Around seven last night.” Rowley cleared his throat. “She works two shifts: early morning and six until nine at night.”

  Kane scratched his cheek, thinking. “Do you know what time the victim arrived?”

  “He picked up the key before lunch and paid for the night. I used the mapping app on my phone and located his cabin in the mountains. It is about a mile away from the last victim’s residence. It’s possible they knew each other but folks up in the mountains keep to themselves.” Rowley removed his hat and scraped a hand through his unruly hair. “Ricker said Dorsey did say he was in town for the Fall Festival.”

  “I wonder if the two dead men knew each other.” Kane rubbed his chin. “Hang on a minute, Ely Dorsey. Holy shit, I’m sure I saw that name on the list of employees at Party Time. He might have worked with our last victim.” He glanced at Jenna as she joined them.

  “What have we got?” Jenna moved to his side.

  “Another homicide, ma’am. He booked in here under the name of Ely Dorsey. I’m wondering if he is the same man who works for Party Time.”

  “That’s pretty simple to find out. I’ll check online.” The sheriff gave them both an exasperated look, pulled out her cellphone, and located the webpage for Party Time. “Yeah, there is a clown here of the same name. That’s him alright; his photo matches his driver’s license.” She snorted. “Maybe someone is doing us a favor.”

  Kane regarded her closely. She appeared agitated to the max. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, come on, Kane.” She glared at him. “Zoe said four men visited her. If Ely Dorsey was one of them, then someone is doing our job for us.” Her eyes flashed with anger. “Trust me, angry people take the law into their own hands. Someone who suffered abuse could have discovered these men hurting children and they would not want to put a kid through a trial. Ask any brutalized woman—she would
rather see the perpetrator dead so they never harm anyone again. When the men who attacked me died I felt nothing, absolutely nothing—nothing but relief.”

  “I’m sure most women would agree with you; most men too.” Kane huffed out a long sigh.

  Jenna pressed long fingers to both temples. “If someone knows the names of the molesters, they could be taking revenge against them. It would be impossible for Zoe to identify Ely because the men wore masks. I suggest we target his associates anyway and find out if they are involved.”

  “If we can find them before they’re murdered.” Rowley’s brown gaze dropped to the ground. “The mountain men are a pretty tight bunch. They won’t rat on each other.”

  “Maybe things will change when they discover Ely was murdered as well. They’ll be running scared.” Jenna lifted her chin and a determined look crossed her face. “Pedophiles like them young, but the killer probably isn’t a kid, so we could be chasing down a close relative hell-bent on vengeance. If a pedophile ring is operating in our town, we need to close it down. It looks like I’ll need to make another call to the FBI.”

  “They had nothing on Price.” Kane shrugged. “I’ve checked and he wasn’t on any sex offenders list or had any priors statewide.”

  “Now he is dead they have no case to pursue but I’ll keep them informed.” Jenna gave an exasperated sigh. “They do have ongoing investigations statewide at the moment, and with any luck the other men in the pedophile ring will drop into their net.”

  Kane shook his head. “With the internet, it could be operating anywhere in the country. Finding who is involved will take a heck of a long time.”

  “Then we walk all over their friends until one of them talks; someone must know something about these men. People gossip, although I gather predators often keep their predilections secret.” Jenna shot him an angry look. “They worked together. There has to be another link… someone knows both of them. Find them.”