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“We’ll have to wait for the results from the rape kit samples.” Wolfe’s mouth turned down. “The verbal report I received from the doctor at the hospital said Price had abused her over a long period. We know she had been missing for six months and that would be consistent.” He sighed. “The only way you’ll find out what happened to her is to ask her and see if she’ll talk.”
“I find it impossible to believe that Price would only be interested in her on the weekends when his friends were there.” Jenna’s cheeks grew hot. “Really, he had his disgusting fetish there for the taking. We know he only gave her a shower before the others arrived. If they cleaned up the place as you suggested, they would have made sure she was clean too. My guess is, the rape kit will implicate Amos Price alone and I bet his bed will carry the signs as well.”
“I did find seminal fluid in his bed. It will take some time before the DNA tests come back, though.” Wolfe’s gray eyes met Jenna’s. “I’ll let you know the moment they arrive.”
&n
bsp; She pushed to her feet and stared down at him then moved her attention slowly to Kane. “When we find these animals, I expect you to both act in a professional manner. Bring them in so we can interrogate them and see how far this pedophile ring has spread. I don’t want to find out they broke their necks resisting arrest. Do you understand?”
“Sure do.” Kane’s lips formed a thin line. “How do you want to proceed?”
“Hit the streets. Someone must recognize a man with a tattoo resembling a black widow spider on his hand. Look at people who run summer camps, scout leaders, preachers, anything that involves kids.”
“Are we looking into the homicide of Amos Price as well?” Rowley gave her a concerned look. “Or concentrating on the pedophile ring?”
“We’ll be running with both cases.” She chewed on her bottom lip, thinking. “I want to know everything about Lizzy Harper and her mother but go easy. Kane, contact her mother by phone first and find out what you can. As Wolfe mentioned, poison is often a woman’s preferred method of killing. We need to know if Lizzy and her mother are involved.”
“And follow up with an interview?” Kane was making copious notes in his book.
“Yes, as soon as possible.” Jenna sat back down in her chair. “I’m going to see if I can obtain details of Lizzy Harper’s case but it will take a court order and right now we have nothing on her. I want every piece of information regarding her you can discover. I want to know if anyone else was involved in her abuse apart from her father.”
She turned her attention to Rowley. “Get me a list of tradesmen that the real estate agents used for that house and go and see Mr. Stickler. Ask him to come in for questioning and watch his reaction; if he looks like he has something to hide, contact Kane for backup.”
“Have you assigned anything for Walters to do to pass time at the hospital? He has a laptop with him.” Kane met her gaze with raised eyebrows. “Rather than playing solitaire all day.”
Jenna thought for a moment then nodded. “Yeah, give him a call, would you? I would like him to check the Montana database for any similar cases over the last ten years.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
When the deputies left, Maggie the receptionist knocked on her door and her huge brown eyes held concern.
“Can I get you anything, Sheriff? You look plum worn out.”
Jenna forced her lips into a smile. “I’m fine, thank you, just overworked. Was there anything else?”
“The new deputies are all settled. They’ll drop by later this afternoon.”
And I thought the day could not get any worse. Jenna slumped into her chair and rubbed her temples. “Thanks.”
10
Kane strolled out of Jenna’s office and grimaced at Wolfe. “If the guy with the tattoo is a local, then he would come into town for supplies, or at least eat at Aunt Betty’s Café. I think we should start with the stores in town.”
“Yeah and we’ll work faster if we split up.” Wolfe scratched his blond stubble. “Although if you plan to drive out to the Triple Z asking questions, I think I should tag along.”
The Triple Z was a biker roadhouse some miles out of town toward the mountains and not a place to walk into without backup. He grinned at Wolfe. “Yeah, maybe we should try there first. Nothing brightens my day more than seeing grown men run for cover at the sight of a badge.”
“You saying we intimidate people?” Wolfe’s suntanned face creased into a grin. “Sometimes looking mean gets results, and over at the Triple Z we are an unknown quantity.”
Kane snorted with laughter and headed for the door. “We’ll take my car. I’ll drop you here on the way back. If you take north of town, I’ll take south. We’ll be able to cover most of the stores and meet at Aunt Betty’s for lunch at noon.” He reached for his cellphone. “I’ll call Walters and give him something to do then we can be on our way.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Wolfe peered at his cellphone. “During the drive, I’ll see what I can find on Lizzy Harper and her mother.”
“If you find her number, I’ll pull over and speak to her.”
As Kane negotiated his SUV through the traffic, he wondered why the Black Rock Falls townsfolk celebrated every festival on the calendar. Although, he imagined visitors from neighboring towns boosted the economy. He rubbed his stomach, glad to find his six-pack not suffering from his overindulgence of homemade cookies and candies he purchased in vast quantities from the stalls lining the streets. The intense morning workouts he performed with Jenna kept him in shape, and her skills had become formidable. After a couple of psychopaths had kidnapped her last winter, she had changed significantly and had worked hard to overcome the flashbacks. Allowing him to train her in mixed martial arts had made them firm friends. They had formed a comfortable relationship and banned talk of work during their downtime together.
As he drove, he scanned the area. The local park was a mass of color with candy-striped marquees and a bounce house. At the sight of two clowns leading kids on ponies, the hair on the back of his neck stood to attention. He pulled into a parking space. “Clowns.” He slid his gaze to Wolfe. “I wonder if they have a union or something.”
