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“That might be an option you can put to the owners.” Kane glanced down at Davis’s feet. He did not wear the cowboy boots most locals favored but polished loafers. “I’d better keep going. Thank you for your cooperation.” He turned for the door, pulled on the handle, and strode out into the refreshing morning air.
As he approached the sheriff’s office, he noticed the cruiser Jenna had commandeered from Deputy Daniels was conspicuous by its absence. He glanced at his watch and, seeing it was ten thirty, headed past the sheriff department’s front door and toward Aunt Betty’s Café. If he had to withstand Alton’s wrath on her return, he would need some comfort food. The fact she had not called to bawl him out or issue him with a string of orders played on his mind. Alton hadn’t been shy at cutting him down to size in front of Rowley, and her choice not to confront him seemed a little out of character. Maybe she had taken a few hours to cool her anger, although he would have thought an ongoing investigation of two murders would have negated any reason for taking personal time.
At the door, the tempting aroma of freshly baked cookies made his stomach growl in appreciation. He stamped the snow from his feet and stepped inside the shop. After ordering enough cakes, sandwiches, and coffee for everyone at the station, he collected the carton and headed back to work. People he passed in the street greeted him with smiles and nods. Maybe he would find a home in this little town and a modicum of peace. Snow pelted his face and icy rivulets ran into the neck of his jacket. By the time he reached the office, he could not feel his feet, and the headache had returned in an uncomfortable throb.
He met Rowley at the front desk. “Got time for a coffee break?”
“Yeah, I’ve finished everything the sheriff gave me to chase up. Wow! Coffee and goodies. Thanks!” Rowley reached in the carton for the takeaway lid marked “cappuccino” and sighed in appreciation. “Sarah’s uncle arrived and identified the body and I have a list of John Helms’s personal effects his wife sent. He wore a diamond stud earring. I rang the ME and he informed me he has reason to believe the killer ripped it from his ear after death. Maybe it’s another trophy the killer kept.” He collected a pile of cakes and shrugged. “And I had a call from the forensics team.”
“Did they find anything interesting?”
“More like disappointing.” Rowley shrugged. “No DNA trace on that hair they found on Sarah and the footprints of the boots they found are useless. They said that brand of footwear can be purchased at any Walmart.”
“Okay, disappointing maybe but we still know the homicide involves two killers.” Kane headed for his desk with his food and coffee. “Maybe we’ve missed something.”
“I’ve read and reread every report until I’m cross-eyed.” Rowley dropped into the seat opposite Kane. “Everyone we thought was involved checks out. We don’t have any suspects left apart from Stan Clough.”
Kane bit into a turkey on rye and sighed. He chewed slowly, milling over the cases. “It would be a great help if the sheriff kept us informed of her movements. I gather she’s off on a hunch.”
“Would you like me to call her?” Rowley stared at the uneaten cake in his hand.
Kane pulled the lid off his coffee and tossed it in the garbage. “Why not? I doubt she’d take my call right now.” He sipped his scalding coffee as Rowley tried Jenna’s number.
“She’s not picking up. Maybe she’s out of range. There are heaps of black spots around here.” Rowley frowned. “You don’t suppose she’s obtained the warrants and gone out to the Clough place alone, do you?”
“I doubt it very much, although I wouldn’t rule out the possibility.” Kane pushed to his feet. “I’ll check if she’s made an entry in her day book.” He strode into Jenna’s office and flipped open the book on her desk. The page for the day’s date was blank. “Damn!”
He marched into the outer office and went to speak to Magnolia on the front desk. “I’ll talk to him.” He indicated to the angry-looking man waiting at the counter. “Get on the satellite phone and see if you can raise the sheriff. She’s out in Pete’s cruiser and we can’t reach her by cellphone.”
“Sure thing.” Magnolia sat down in front of the radio.
Kane turned to the angry man. “How can I help you?”
“I need to pay a fine for letting my dog run without a leash.” He handed Kane a ticket and a check. “It’s a load of bullshit. The hospital just released me and now I get a fine. How could I keep the dog on a leash when I’m not home? I’m being harassed by the old lady next door.”
“I don’t think so. I came close to hitting your dog on the road the other day. I instructed my deputy to issue this fine. Keep your dog under control before it causes an accident. Put up a fence so it can’t get off your property.” Kane leveled his gaze on the man. “And I’ll be personally looking into any further complaints from your neighbor.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Nope, but you can take it as a warning.” Kane scanned the document and payment into the system and issued a receipt.
The man snatched the documents from his hand and stormed off, his face flushed with anger. Kane glanced at the waiting area, glad to see it empty for once. Behind him, Maggie repeated the message and then she turned to him. “She must have turned off the satellite phone.” She smiled. “I’ll try again in five minutes.”
“Has she checked in at all this morning?”
“Not so far.” Maggie pushed a mass of curls from her round face. “But she left here in a right mood. Slammed the car door fit to break it off the hinges.” She frowned. “Shame she took Pete’s car, it’s the only one without a GPS. We could have tracked her if she has broken down somewhere. That old car is on its last legs.”
“Keep trying until you reach her.” Kane rubbed a hand down his face.
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* * *
The last time he had spoken to Deputy Daniels was when he radioed in at ten to report all was quiet at Clough’s piggery and he was going to his brothers’ ranch to grab a snack.
Lunch had come and gone without a word from Jenna.
When the search and arrest warrants for Stan Clough arrived, Kane gaped at them in disbelief. He called Jenna’s cellphone with no luck then asked Deputy Rowley to join him. “I’m not sure what’s going on but the sheriff is MIA and so is Daniels. Did the sheriff discover any new evidence and neglect to inform me?”
