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Kaden waited until the helicopter lifted off the ground and swooped its way toward Madison before he returned to the parking lot and crawled into his rented Jeep. A portion of his grinding tension eased at the knowledge that Lia was safe and that she would make a full recovery. But there was no way to fully relax when the killer was still out there.
Driving back to Pike, Kaden refused to dwell on the frantic drive to the hospital. Or the grinding fear that Lia would die before he could get her to the emergency room. That trip would be giving him nightmares for years to come. Instead, he concentrated on their conversation just before she was whisked away by the air ambulance.
None of the killings made sense. A hit-and-run. A staged accident. The mysterious death of Ryan Burke in his meatpacking plant. And then to add in the brick thrown at Lia and the poisoned cookies . . .
These truly felt like the acts of a madman who had no plan or purpose. Just a random desire to hurt people.
Arriving in Pike, Kaden drove directly into the alley behind the store and climbed out of the Jeep. He left the engine running. It wouldn’t take long to grab a few clothes and personal belongings for Lia and toss the cookies into a plastic bag. He wanted to be in Madison as soon as possible.
Of course, his desire to be with Lia didn’t make him forget that the mysterious killer might have made a duplicate key to the store and been willing to set up a nasty trap. Kaden cautiously opened the back door and stepped into the hallway. It was shadowed, but there was enough light to see it was empty. He entered the office and made a quick search before heading into the store to ensure there was no one hiding in the aisles or behind the counter. Once convinced he was there alone, Kaden made his way up to Lia’s apartment.
He did another quick sweep, checking to see if anything had been disturbed since they left. And that there were no lethal surprises. Like a ticking bomb. Or a plague of rats. Who knew what might happen in Pike?
There was nothing to find. Tossing the cookies into a plastic bag, Kaden unpacked Lia’s suitcase, which was still filled from her previous trip to Madison. Grabbing fresh clothes, he jogged his way down the steps. He was back in his Jeep in under fifteen minutes.
He placed the cookies and suitcase in the back compartment, locked the door, and climbed into the driver’s seat. Intent on the number of things he needed to do, it wasn’t until he reached down to put the Jeep in reverse that he noticed there were two manila envelopes tossed on the passenger seat.
Kaden cursed as he realized he’d been so focused on the danger that might be waiting for him inside, he hadn’t bothered to worry about what might happen outside.
Which was ridiculous, of course. The killer was as unpredictable as the Wisconsin weather. Assuming he was dealing with someone who would behave like a rational person was a waste of time. They had their own agenda and their own way of achieving their goals.
Pulling on his winter gloves, Kaden grabbed the top envelope and pulled up the flap. He wouldn’t risk dumping out the contents; instead, he warily peered inside. It took only a second to recognize the files he’d brought from his brother’s condo.
Shit. Whoever had poisoned Lia had been creeping through the alley while he was in the store. And they had returned the files they’d stolen the night before. Why? Was the killer taunting him? Proving they would always be one step ahead?
That seemed the most logical conclusion.
Tossing the envelope on the floorboard, Kaden reached for the second envelope. He frowned as he caught sight of the corner that had been ripped away. Why did that send a strange sense of dread through him? A dread that went beyond the thought the killer had left it for him. As if there was a voice in the back of his mind, trying to warn him that the missing corner was important.
Kaden muttered a curse and forced himself to open the envelope so he could see inside. He was wasting precious time. Thankfully, there was nothing creepy. No weapons. No bloody body parts. In fact, there was nothing more shocking than a stack of papers. Tilting the envelope, Kaden shook the contents onto the seat.
His brows arched as he caught sight of what looked to be official reports. Official reports from the EPA.
With a strangled gasp, Kaden grabbed the papers and shuffled through them. Most of it he didn’t understand. There were charts and graphs that only a professional could decipher, but thanks to Lia and her knowledge of international banking, there were a few things he did recognize. Certainly enough to realize he was holding what Hollywood would call a “smoking gun.”
Dropping the papers on the seat, Kaden tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. The killer had to have been the one to leave the envelope, but why give him this evidence? It was almost as if the mystery person wanted to help him solve Vanna’s death. Certainly, the papers tied the dead woman to the town of Pike. And to the men who would have wanted her dead.
Judge Armstrong. Mayor Erickson. Ryan Burke.
Ryan Burke. Kaden’s fingers squeezed the steering wheel as the name seared through his mind. Not just because his was the most recent death. But because of what Anthony had told him. The deputy had been certain the businessman was clutching an envelope in his hand when he was murdered, right? And a corner had been ripped off when the killer took it from him.
For a second, Kaden struggled with what to do with the information he had. It would be easier to decide if he knew exactly who had put the envelopes in the Jeep. And why. It felt like . . . manipulation. As if the mystery person was deliberately dropping breadcrumbs for him to follow. A trap? A false trail?
Only one way to find out.
Shoving the Jeep into gear, Kaden stomped on the gas pedal and exited the alley. He turned onto Main Street and drove the short distance to the courthouse. Without hesitation, he swerved to park in a loading zone. If someone was stupid enough to give him a parking ticket, they would be very sorry.
Pausing long enough to gather the papers, Kaden stepped out of the Jeep and made sure it was tightly locked. He didn’t want any more unexpected surprises. Then, jogging up the steps, he pressed the intercom set in the stone wall. A second later, there was a loud buzz, and Kaden pushed open the glass door to enter the building.
He headed directly for the sheriff ’s office, barely noticing the young deputy who was seated at the front desk.
“Can I help you?” The deputy shoved himself to his feet as Kaden stormed his way toward the inner office. The poor man was wearing a uniform, but he was painfully young, with a nervous expression on his face. He probably hadn’t been on the job more than a few months. “Wait. You can’t just go in there.”
“Watch me,” Kaden muttered, never slowing as he reached the door and shoved it open.
He was inside the office and had the door closed behind him before the mayor realized he was no longer alone. Jerking up his head, Tate Erickson glared at Kaden with obvious annoyance.
“What the hell? Get out of here.”
