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“Was he leaning against the door?”
“No, he was leaning against—it was a pickup.” Her eyes popped open and she smiled at him. “A big light-colored pickup.”
Kane nodded. She appe
ared genuinely surprised she had remembered. “Okay. You said he was carrying an ax and laid it on the seat.” He frowned. “An ax is pretty big and so was he, and yet he managed to lean into the car between the steering wheel and seat with an ax in one hand, is that right?”
“He had an ax.” Ella closed her eyes again then opened them. “It was a small ax. Like about this long.” She held her hands about one foot apart.
Kane nodded. “Was it just a blade or was it a different shape, like a hammer on one side for instance?”
“I only saw it for a split second but I know it was metal.” Her expression became solemn. “It went like this: we stopped, Sky opened her window and he hit her with the ax, opened the door, dragged her out, dropped the ax on the seat then tried to grab me. He was big and couldn’t fit all the way into the car. I had time to open the door and run.”
“Okay. It was probably a hatchet from what you’re describing. An ax has a long handle.” Kane made notes. “So you don’t really know if Sky is dead, do you? She called to you later, didn’t she? How do you know he’d killed her?”
“I don’t, not for sure, but I heard her scream.” Ella’s eyes filled with tears. “It was terrible, like he was killing her. I couldn’t help her, could I? I was terrified. He threatened to hurt me too.”
“Not many people would take on a man of my size carrying a weapon.” Kane wanted to be sympathetic, but visions of Jenna luring a killer away from him to save his life slid into his memory. Friends performed heroic acts when necessary and the missing girl was Ella’s best friend. He needed to push a little and see if a dark side was hiding beneath her devastated façade. “Did you think to maybe follow him back to the road and see for yourself? It was pitch black, as you mentioned in your statement, and the brush is thick along the side of the road. It would have been easy to hide in the ditch beside the road.”
“Really? Are you some kind of jerk?” Ella’s eyes flashed with anger. “Do you honestly believe anyone would put themselves knowingly in danger like that? He had an ax, or hatchet or whatever. I’m just not that brave, sorry.”
Concerned the woman was suffering from PTSD, he nodded. “That’s fine. You mentioned planning to stay with Sky’s parents. If they are still willing to have you, are you willing to remain with them until we find Sky? Right now, we would prefer you to stay in town. We’ll need you to identify the man who attacked her.”
“Yeah, I know Sky’s family and I’d like to be here to find out what happened to her.” She sighed. “I don’t really want to stay alone in my brother’s apartment.”
Kane folded his notebook and pushed it with his pen into his pocket. “Okay, I’ll speak to the doctor and call in on Mrs. Paul. Thank you for your help.”
“Find Sky.” Ella lifted her chin.
Kane opened the door and glanced at her. “I’ll do my best.”
In the hallway, he nodded to the deputy on duty outside Ella’s door and made his way out through the security doors. He ran into an angry man, who introduced himself as Sky’s father.
“What are you doing about my daughter and why can’t I see Ella?” Mr. Paul’s face turned a nasty shade of purple. “What the hell is going on here?”
Kane dropped his voice to just above a whisper. He’d discovered long ago that people tended to quieten down to listen if he spoke softly. “The sheriff has search and rescue out looking for her and we have a BOLO out on her and her vehicle. We are waiting for people to call in sightings. At this moment, we don’t have any suspects but the sheriff has every resource working on the case. Ella is currently in protective custody but as soon as I speak to the sheriff, I’ll see if we can make arrangements with the doctor to have her released into your care, if you like?”
“Damn sure, I’d like.” Mr. Paul glared at him. “It’s bad enough my daughter is missing, maybe murdered, but believing Ella is involved is crazy.”
Kane pulled out his cellphone and waved it at him. “Just give me five.”
He walked out of earshot and called Jenna. “I’ve spoken to Ella Tate. She’s a strange one and displayed mood swings but that could be due to PTSD. She is defensive and angry. That’s not the usual behavior I’d expect to see in a person who has just murdered their best friend and I can’t imagine how she managed to hide both body and vehicle without a trace.” He sighed. “I pushed her buttons but her story didn’t change from her statement and I asked questions from all angles. I doubt she’s involved. I believe it happened like she said and I don’t figure she is a flight risk.”
“I’m not sure we should cut her entirely loose just yet. She is the only witness.” Jenna’s voice sounded husky from her cold. “Sky’s mother called and I gave her an update on the search for Sky. She is anxious to speak to Ella. She can’t understand why we’re keeping her at the hospital without visitors. I guess if you’re convinced Ella is telling the truth, we can let her go on the proviso she stays with the Pauls.”
“Sky’s father is here now and willing to take her.” Kane leaned against the cold wall and stared into space. “Do you want me to speak to the doctor and see if she’s okay to leave?”
“No, that’s okay, Wolfe spoke to him already. Ella is physically good to go but from what Wolfe said about her, he suggested she should see a shrink.” Jenna cleared her throat. “He’s already arranged for her discharge from the hospital. All you need to do is send the Blackwater deputies home and explain the terms of release to Mr. Paul.”
“Roger that.” He rubbed his chin. “Did you ask Wolfe what tests the doc wanted done on you?”
“Not yet. If you’re dropping by his office maybe, you can ask him. Tell him I said it was okay. Then I think you should head home. Rowley and Walters have everything covered at the office. Nothing is happening in town, everyone is inside waiting for the next blizzard. Rowley diverted the media and BOLO hotline calls to my cellphone.” She sighed. “If Rowley gets stuck in town he can get to his home from the office and we can handle the horses tonight.”
Kane smiled. It was as if she was reading his mind. A persistent pain throbbed in his head and his knee ached after the long walk—not that he would admit it. “I can manage alone. I’ll grab some comfort food on the way home from Aunt Betty’s Café; the cold weather makes me hungry.”
“I can hear your stomach rumbling from here.” Jenna chuckled. “See you later.”
Twelve
