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As they headed out to Gloria Smithers’ ranch, Jenna looked through her notes. None of the victims’ associates were involved in the case. The victims had no social life, no friends or workmates they hung out with at weekends. Every person they spoke to led to another dead end. Apart from the fact the two murder victims worked at Party Time, they had nothing to prove they as much as spoke to each other outside of work. It made sense that if a group of men visited the girls on a regular basis, they would have been friends for some time. The men in the group trusted one another and obviously planned each meeting with care. The fact they had been very careful not to allow themselves to be recognized in any of the images they had found made her wonder just how many men were involved. The girls mentioned four men, but she could not be sure if they were the same four men. She rubbed the tip of her nose. The only conclusion she could come up with was the men met years ago, maybe as teenagers, and yet nothing her deputies had discovered pointed to anything other than the two working for Party Time. She had to dig deeper. But where?
She glanced at Kane. “Do you think the killer was either a victim of abuse or a relative of one of the girls they molested?”
“So far all the relatives we’ve found have sound alibis for the time of death of both victims.” Kane shrugged. “Although we are assuming the six missing girls we know about are the extent of the pedophiles’ activities; there could be more. Then add the fact it is all assumption; we don’t have proof any of these missing girls were involved with our victims.” He sighed. “The killer being a victim of abuse is the more likely case.”
Jenna scanned her notebook as if the proof she needed would suddenly jump out at her. “Revenge is the only motive for Price and Dorsey I have. The problem is, all missing kids are still missing, which leaves us with the three women molested as kids: Lizzy Harper, Angelique Booval, and Pattie McCarthy.”
“Pushing them for information will be difficult; maybe you’ll have a better chance. They don’t want me to speak with them.”
She let out a huge sigh. The masks were significant. If the group of men used the masks as a regular disguise, it would have started from the get-go and would have left a lasting impression on the girls. Her three suspects held key information on the identities of the others in the group of molesters, although getting them to admit or identify any of the men involved was proving difficult. Her thoughts turned to Angelique Booval. The interview with her the following day might give her the breakthrough she needed to solve the case.
She glanced at Kane, who appeared deep in thought. “Did the Booval brothers mention anything about their sister’s whereabouts during the murders?”
“They did mention she was in town but apparently she won’t go near them in costume; clowns frighten her.” Kane’s head remained face front, staring at the road. “Another suspect was in town that day as well. I saw Pattie McCarthy heading away from Stu Macgregor, who was wearing a clown costume. Maybe she doesn’t like clowns either.”
Jenna stared at him in surprise. “That’s not a reason to kill someone. Many people hate clowns—it’s a real phobia.”
“Sure is. It goes by the name of coulrophobia but I don’t think that particular phobia is what our killer suffers from.” Kane’s blue gaze met hers for a few seconds before returning to the road. “In my opinion, the vigilante has a form of PTSD and something triggered an episode and set them off on this killing spree.”
“I can relate to that. In fact, I’m not surprised the murders happened when we have a festival in town. Entertainers are all over: the ones in the park and the magician on the sidewalk. I need to find out if Price and Dorsey worked the streets in some capacity last week as well.” She made a note in her notebook. “I’ll find out if Party Time knows anything.”
“I checked that already.” Kane sighed. “Party Time isn’t involved in the street festivals. The local town councils organize and pay the entertainers.”
“Okay.” She looked back at Kane. “So we know Harper and McCarthy were in the vicinity at the time of both murders and Angelique Booval was in Black Rock Falls the day Ely Dorsey died. We need to know if Booval was in town the day Price died.”
“We’ll ask her in the morning.” Kane turned into a driveway. “Here we are now.”
Jenna glanced up as they entered a sweeping driveway with white fenced areas of land each side containing numerous horses. “This place is huge.”
“Yeah, Gloria has a few different breeds here, I gather.” Kane drove to the steps of a white ranch of considerable size. “She has picked out a few mounts we might find suitable.”
The moment the car pulled up at the front steps, the door flew open and out stepped a voluptuous woman in her late twenties with flowing red hair and wearing jeans so tight if she had varicose veins, Jenna would have been able to see them. As Kane slid from the driver’s seat, the woman grabbed him and kissed him on both cheeks.
“Dave, how wonderful to see you again.” The woman linked her arm with his as if she had known him for years. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“So am I. Do you mind if I bring the dog along?”
“Of course not, silly.” She beamed up at him.
Jenna climbed from the SUV and went to Kane’s side. “You must be Miss Smithers. I gather you have some horses for sale?”
“Ah, yes.” Kane turned and gave her a stony look. “Gloria, this is Sheriff Jenna Alton.”
Gloria hardly acknowledged Jenna’s presence but towed Kane toward a big barn set some way from the ranch. Jenna could hear them chatting in low voices and her instinct told her to get back in the car and wait, but she pushed down her bubbling resentment toward the woman and caught up to them. She forced her lips into a smile. “Do you live here alone, Miss Smithers?”
“Of course not. How could I run a place like this alone?” Gloria turned her attention back to Kane. “There is a black gelding I think will be perfect, and a choice of two mares. The bay is very quiet, for the more inexperienced rider.” She shot an almost pitying glance at Jenna. “Then there is a white Arab; she is a little headstrong but sound.”
Jenna could not help herself and touched Kane’s arm. “I like a horse with spirit.”
“I’ll have Arnie saddle them for you.” Gloria led the way into a massive barn and detached herself from Kane to speak to one of her staff.
Jenna turned to him. “Nice lady. I wonder why she’s not married.”
“I have no idea.” Kane’s mouth turne
d down and he bent to rub Duke’s ears.
“She likes you.” Jenna stared after Gloria. “Why don’t you ask her out on a date?”
