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11
She strolled in the park, and to all around her, she would appear to be one of the crowd eating cotton candy and enjoying the festivities. The smell of hotdogs and horse manure filled the air as she lingered at the pony rides. She had seen Deputy Kane chatting to the clowns earlier. He had given them his card and smiled then scurried away. She had stared after him and a shiver of hate ran through her. He could be one of the monsters. A man in a position of power was someone no one would ever expect. He had no wife and never dated. That made him a prime candidate. Maybe she would follow him for a while and see what he was doing in town today. I can see you, Deputy Kane, and I’m watching you.
She needed an excuse to move into the pony circle to keep Kane in sight and sidled closer to a clown lifting a child onto a small bay pony. Touching the horse’s mane, she feigned interest. “How long will you be here? I would love to bring my little sister for a pony ride. She just adores clowns.”
“For the entire festival.” The clown had a French accent.
“Oh, thank you.” She smiled warmly. “We always had clowns for my sister’s birthday parties. Do you do kids’ parties?”
“Sometimes, but we prefer the festivals.” He indicated to the line of kids waiting for rides. “I gotta go.”
“Oh yes, of course.” She smiled but inside her skin crawled.
Her attention fixed on Kane, she walked slowly back through the crowd and took a seat on the far side of the pony rides beside a frazzled mother with three demanding children. From here, she could keep a close eye on Kane’s movements. When he headed for his car, she got to her feet, intent on following him. She needed to know what he was doing and who he had on his list of suspects. As she walked to her vehicle, she glanced at her watch. Goosebumps rose on her arms with the thrill of anticipation. Soon she would meet the next monster on her list. He had been such an easy man to catch. She had played him at his own game, fed his ego, and the jerk had agreed to meet her.
By the morning, another monster would be dead.
12
Jenna lifted her attention to the two new deputies. Cole Webber, twenty-eight, with brown hair and brown eyes, introduced himself with a soft New England accent. He had transferred to Black Rock Falls from Boston, and having another experienced deputy would be useful.
Standing, she took in the man before her, noting his confidence. She offered her hand. “Welcome to Black Rock Falls. Do take a seat.”
“I’m glad to be here, ma’am.”
She turned her attention to Paula Bradford, five seven with blonde hair and green eyes. This rookie had started her career in law enforcement only six months previously in Helena. “It’s a big step for you to leave your family and come here.” She shook the woman’s hand.
“I come from a large family and solitude in a small town will be heaven, ma’am.” Paula smiled then sat down. “Thank you for arranging the accommodation. My apartment is very nice.”
“Yes, thank you.” Webber gave her a strange look. “Although, I
gather from the neighbor, the house once belonged to a deputy killed in the line of duty.”
Jenna cleared her throat. “Yes, Pete Daniels was a valued member of our team but he wasn’t killed in the house and his family donated the property to the department.”
“Are his killers in jail?”
“They’re dead.” Jenna’s mind flashed back to the crunch of bone as her heel killed her attacker. A knife held at her throat, the discharge of a weapon, and blood on her face. Her hands trembled at the disturbing memory and she bunched them into fists.
“Jenna?” Kane’s worried voice broke through the terrifying visions playing in a loop in her mind.
She blinked and, seeing him filling the doorway, noticed the confused expressions on her new deputies’ faces. Oh, God, how long have I been out this time? Forcing the horrific memories back into their box, she forced her lips into a smile. “Deputy Kane, I’d like you to meet Cole Webber and Paula Bradford. They will be starting tomorrow. I’ll need everyone pulling overtime this weekend. Can you ask Wolfe to bring them up to speed? I’d like an update from you as soon as you’re finished.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve spoken to Rosemarie Harper.” Kane’s concerned gaze moved over her face as he placed a takeout cup of coffee and a paper sack from Aunt Betty’s Café on her desk. “I picked up your lunch.”
She glanced at the clock; it was past two. “Thanks, I’ve been busy.” She glanced at her two new deputies. “See you in the morning.”
When the door closed, Jenna covered her face with both hands. The flashbacks of her kidnapping and near death had lessened but obviously sat in the back of her subconscious waiting to pounce at any given moment. She felt such a fool, acting like an idiot in front of her new deputies, but Kane would cover for her—he had been her rock throughout the entire ordeal.
She leaned back in her seat and sipped her coffee then peeked into the bag and smiled. Turkey on rye, her favorite. She took a bite and the door opened. Kane walked back in and dropped into a chair. Swallowing, she smiled at him. “Thank you. I didn’t notice the time.”
“Are you okay, Jenna?”
She waved his question away. “Fine, we were discussing Pete’s death and I had a flashback. I hope it didn’t last too long.”
“I don’t think so.” Kane’s lips twitched into a half smile. “Webber thought you were grief-stricken discussing Pete’s death and feels like a heel for bringing up the subject. I know we are all sorry about what happened to Pete but you really need to see someone about the flashbacks and nightmares. Post-traumatic stress disorder isn’t a myth, it needs to be treated.”
“You can talk. The other night during the movie you dozed off then woke up and grabbed me by the throat, if you remember.”
