FOUR

It Takes A Village To Solve A Crime

 

 

“Jenny, get your ass over here, girl!” I heard Ben shout as I entered McGill’s. I was getting a to-go order. Their pancakes were the bomb, and after the night I’d had, I needed some stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. Ben and Gerry were sitting at their regular table as I walked in, so I walked over to them and smiled.

“Morning, gentlemen. You doing ok this morning?”

“What’s this we hear about an intruder up at your cabin last night?” Gerry shouted.

“How on earth did you hear about that so soon? Jack just left four hours ago.”

“Nothin’ gets past this town, you know that, girl. Now answer the question: did you have someone break into your cabin?” Gerry asked again.

“Unfortunately, yes, but they didn’t take anything, except my pride. Jack thinks they were looking for something to steal, and I scared them off when I woke up.”

“Jack, you say, made the call on his night off?” Ben asked surprised.

“He was up already, so he was close when I called the station.”

“He isn’t concerned it was the killer at your place last night?”

“Uh, I don’t think so. Why would the killer be after me?”

“You fit the profile,” Ben explained.

“Profile? What profile?”

“The one Gerry and I put together after you left last night.” Oh, good lord, why did I open my notes in front of these men?

“Gerry and I worked on it last night and figured out these women were all 35-40, had brown hair, brown eyes, and they were also single. That’s what serial killers do: they find a type and go after them.” Impressed they’d come up with that, I told them, “Ok, guys, good catch. I’ll pass that along to Jack if I talk to him.”

“If you’re gonna be investigating this for a story, Ben and me think we should help you out. We know everyone within five counties; we’d know a killer if we saw one.”

I raised my eyes to the ceiling, looking for strength. These men were like crazy uncles, and I loved them dearly. I’d rented my cabin from Ben, and he’d left his cool log furniture so I wouldn’t have to buy new. But I’d promised Jack no interference, and something told me Ben and Gerry putting their two cents worth in might piss Jack off. I’d seen him bossy, and I didn’t want to see him pissed.

“Guys, I don’t know what to say. You—”

“Nothin’ to say, Jenny. We’re gonna help you on this and that’s that. Now, we’ll meet here every day after Rosie shuts down. She’s got the inside scoop on the women around here, and maybe we can figure out who the next target is. Then Jack can just be waiting to grab this guy when he strikes,” Ben finished, and I stopped right before I could argue against his idea. Opening, then closing my mouth, it occurred to me that that wasn’t a half-bad idea. If this guy had a type, then we could figure out who in the county matched it and feed the info to Jack.

“Aren’t the women they found strangers?” I inquired.

“First victim, Jamie Smith, was from over in Ouray, and the one found yesterday was identified as Cindy Baker from Lake City.”

“Ben, how do you know this?”

“I got ears, Jenny. I use them.”

Right, these men knew everything that went on in this town. How could I forget? I pondered this information for a moment and then figured that it couldn’t hurt to go along with their plan. Sitting in a diner with Ben, Gerry, and Rosie, talking the story through, could only help clear up ideas.

“Ok, guys, you’ve got a deal. I’ll meet you back here at three if that works for you?”

“That it does, Jennifer,” Gerry called out with a smile on his face.

“Orders up, Jennifer,” Rosie shouted, so I headed to the bar, paid my ticket, and waved at the boys as I headed to my car. For the first time since I got to Colorado, I felt excited about my job, but then I stopped and turned my thoughts to the women who had died and felt like the scavenger Jack said I was. I needed to find a way to help, not just sensationalize the story. There were enough bottom feeders in the press. I didn’t need to become one of them.

***

“That’s right, Agent Rowe: two murders in two months, both victims had brown hair, brown eyes, and they were in their mid to late thirties.”

Scribbling on my notepad, I waited while Agent Rowe with the FBI searched the national database for any killings that matched ours. Forensics had come back on the latest victim. Cindy Baker from Lake City, was a single woman who worked at the Java Hut in the tourist town. She was divorced with no children and had moved up to Lake City in the last year from Pagosa Springs. The first victim, Jamie Smith from Ouray, was also a transplant from Denver. This explained why no one had known either woman.

“Sheriff, we don’t have any known murders matching your victims. If you have another body turn up with the same M.O., give me a call back, and I will present the info to my superior and we can start a profile.”

“Agent Rowe, I’m trying to avoid another victim, you’re supposed to be the experts on serial killers, and I’m inviting you to come to my county to assist.”

“Sheriff Gunnison, I appreciate the position you’re in, but we have thousands of murders we’re investigating at this time, and until it’s clear we have a serial on our hands, my hands are tied.”

“I’ll be sure to pass that along to the next family I notify when another one of my residents turns up dead,” I bit out. Slamming the phone down, I raked my hand through my hair, muttering, “Fucking Feds.” Most small town sheriffs didn’t like the Feds pissing all over their jurisdiction, but I couldn’t give a shit if it meant one of my own was safe from this asshole. I needed to find this guy and find him fast. Yanking up the phone, I dialed Drew.

“Drew, you got time to meet with me?”

“Up to my elbows in guts, Jack, but what can I do for you?”

“I want to take a look at the lividity marks on the back of Cindy Baker.”

“Ok, I’ve got another two hours’ work in front of me, however. Meet me at the morgue in two and a half? Does that work for you?”

“I’ll make it work. See you then,” I said as my only goodbye.

“Grady,” I shouted down the hall to my deputy. Grady Hall, who had two years on the force and was a competent cop, was also the mayor’s son. Though only twenty-three, he worked hard and had a sharp mind. I saw a future sheriff in him and tried to include him in all investigations to groom him for this job.

“You bellowed, Jack?”

“Get me the phone records of both murder victims and a timeline for their last-known whereabouts.”

“You got it, Jack.”

“Where’s Barry?”

“He called in, said he was checking on the Stewart woman, making sure she didn’t have any more trouble last night. He should be back in about an hour.”

“Who told him to do that?”

“I figured you did.”

“Christ.”

Barry was checking on Jenn…Since when did he do a callback when he didn’t even take the callout? I felt anger crawl up my gut and tried to press it down. Did Barry know Jenn before yesterday? Was that why he’d leaked information about the second victim? “Her fucking eyes, my ass.” I felt my jaw tighten and my anger spike. “Christ.” I grabbed my phone, found Barry’s cell number and hit send.

“Todd.”

“Barry, you wanna tell me why you’re on a callback with Ms. Stewart?”

“Uh, just checking in with her, making sure she’s ok. Why?”

“I was the lead on her break-in, so why are you on my callback?”

“Jesus… she’s a friend, ok…? I just wanted to make sure she was all right.”

“What kind of friend, Barry?” He paused before answering and I felt my anger spike.

“That’s none of your business, Jack. You wanna bust my balls about being on your callback, fine, but I don’t have to answer to you about my relationship with Jennifer.”

“Fair enough. Now get your ass back to the station.” I disconnected and immediately dialed Jenn’s cell.

“Hello.”

“You at home?”

“Jack?”

“Babe, are you at home?”

“No, I’m on my way into the paper, why?”

“Good. Lunch. Mike’s Burgers. Noon.”

“You sound pissed. Has there been another murder?” Taking a deep breath to tap down my anger, I tried again.

“Bad morning. Can you make lunch at noon?”

“Um, yeah, but why are we having lunch?”

“Jenn, you gotta eat, I gotta eat, so we’re eating together.”

“Right…. um, Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“Is this you keeping an eye on me?” she asked, sounding sweet and confused.

And there it was, the reason why she intrigued me… No games to get my attention, no acting coy or disinterested, just sweet and honest.

“Yeah, babe, this is me keeping an eye on you.”

“Ok,” she whispered. And for the first time this morning, I smiled.

***

“You want menthol for your nose?” Drew asked as he shoved a jar in my face.

“I’ll survive; I hate having to smell it the rest of the day.”

Standing in the morgue with the body of Cindy Baker, I thought, again, that I needed a vacation. Two women dead and no clue to the killer, and once the residents found out what was happening there would be panic. Every man or woman who’d ever had an odd encounter would call in, and we’d be so overwhelmed with calls, it would be hard to separate fact from fiction.

“She’s on her stomach so we can look at the lividity marks. I also took thermal pictures to see if I could raise the image.” Drew pointed to an x-ray hanging on the light board, and I could see two-inch lines running down her back.

“Ok. Show me the body.”

Drew threw back the sheet and the bloated body of what was once a beautiful woman lay face down in death. I ignored the smell and concentrated on the marks: four distinct straight lines, two inches wide and two inches apart, covered her from ankle to shoulder. Studying the marks, it hit me.

“Those look like they came from the bed liner of a truck?” Drew studied the marks, then looked up at the x-ray picture and nodded.

“I would agree that those look consistent with a bed liner.”

“Did you find any fibers on the body or clothes?”

“Dirt consistent with the dump site, some fibers that we’re running through mass spec. I’ll call you when the results are in.”

“You get anything from under the fingernails or teeth?”

“Nothing in her teeth; stomach content shows she ate three hours before death, and that her last meal was pizza. Fingernails showed nylon fibers, and again, they’re currently running that through mass spec.”

“Ok, keep me updated. I need to find this sonofabitch and fast.”

“You’ll be the first to know when the results are in.”

I slapped Drew on the back and made my way out of the morgue. I looked at my watch and noted the time. I needed to get to my truck and head over to Mike’s for lunch with Jenn. I didn’t have time to start something with this woman, but I’d be damned if that was going to stop me. You made the time for a woman like Jenn, because if you didn’t, someone else would.

***

“You’re having lunch with a man?”

“Bailey, it’s just lunch. He asked me and I agreed.”

“Mom, I think that rocks.”

“You do?”

“Well, yeah. Dad’s been gone over a year, and you’re young and beautiful. Why not find some guy to rock your socks off?”

“Bailey, I’m having lunch, not sex,” I told her drily.

“So have sex for dessert.”

“This is what I get for having a kid when I was so young: you think I’m your best friend instead of your mother. I’m not discussing sex with you.”

“Who aren’t you discussing sex with?” said a deep voice behind me.

I was waiting for Jack outside Mike’s Burgers, talking with my know-it-all daughter, when I heard Barry’s voice in my ear. I turned and laughed, “No one, Barry, just talking with my daughter.”

“Ah, gotcha.” Raising my finger, indicating I needed a minute to finish my call, I turned my back to him.

“Bailey, I have to go, but I’ll call you tonight. Everything going ok? You need anything before I go?”

“School rocks, Mom. Don’t worry about me. You’re finally in Colorado; go have fun.” Smiling at her response, I looked up and saw Jack coming down the sidewalk. I felt my heartbeat pick up just from watching him walk. One thing was for sure: with Jack around I wouldn’t need to worry about aerobic exercise.

I heard Bailey talking in my ear, and I tuned in long enough to hear her say she needed to go, so I took my eyes off Jack and responded:

“Ok, Bailey, talk to you later. I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom. Bye.”

Jack approached with a scowl on his face, looking past me. I turned and remembered Barry was there, still standing behind me. As Jack walked closer, he looked at me before he turned to Barry.

“Barry, you on lunch?”

“No, I was just checking with Jenkins next door about the vandalism he had last week and saw Jennifer standing here.”

Both men seemed angry. I wasn’t sure what was going on and, to be honest, I figured I didn’t want to know. Jack looked down at me and smiled, dazzling me again.

“You ready to eat, Jenn?” I nodded since I wasn’t sure I could find my voice.

“You two are having lunch together.” Barry’s statement came out like an accusation, and it startled me. Jack reached up and put his hand to my neck and gave me a light squeeze.

“You have a problem with Jenn and I having lunch?”

Barry looked at Jack’s hand on my neck and narrowed his eyes. I could then see my mistake with Barry. Having coffee and being friendly was coming back to bite me in the ass. My husband used to say men couldn’t just be friends with women. Men either wanted to have sex with you or they didn’t; and if they didn’t, they wouldn’t spend any real time with you. I didn’t agree with that, though. I thought men and women could be friends without having any sexual tension, but clearly, Barry was not one who fell into that category.

“No, Jack. I guess callbacks can be done on lunch hours,” he replied snidely.

“Not a callback, Barry. There a reason you got a problem with me having lunch with Jenn?” I looked down at my feet; I was too embarrassed by this pissing match and wished I’d waited inside.

“No, by all means, enjoy your lunch. Jennifer, as always, a pleasure to see you.” And with that he gave me a two-finger salute and walked back the way he came.

“You and Barry got something going on I need to know about?” I looked up at Jack and watched his jaw go tight as he watched Barry walk away.

“Um, no, we’re just friends. He took me for coffee once when I first moved here, and we bump into each other from time to time.”

“Good, keep it that way; I don’t like to share.”

“Share? I’m not sure I’m ready for any type of relationship, Jack.”

“Babe, you may not be ready, but that’s not going to stop me from trying to change your mind,” he replied, smiling, his rough voice washing over me. Damn. My traitorous heart liked hearing that and started racing. My head told me to run, but I stupidly listened to my heart and smiled back at him. I know, I know, it’s that damn smile.

“Ok, Jack,” I whispered in reply. Jack’s smile turned to a sexy grin and his eyes dropped to my lips. I sucked in a breath as his head lowered, his lips gently brushing mine. A warm tingle coursed through my body as he wrapped both arms around me and crushed me to his chest. We were in public, but I didn’t care. Jack deepened the kiss, his hand coming up my back and into my hair, securing me deeper into him. Slowly, the kiss ended, and he let me go. I took a wobbly step back and looked up at him. Jack’s brows moved together in reflection, like he was working something out in his head. Then he smiled and my knees got weak.

“Now that’s more like it, boy.” I turned my head to see Lorraine grinning from ear to ear. My face flushed in embarrassment, but Jack just grunted and grabbed my hand before he pulled me towards the door, mumbling, “You got that right.”