Page 14 of Good Girls Don't Cry

Blowing out a long sigh, Jenna nodded. “Yeah, two guys in a work truck. They’ll be waiting for you. I’ll call in the ME and follow you ASAP.”

“Copy that.” Rio disconnected.

The moment Nanny Raya came to collect Tauri for kindergarten, Jenna gave the others the bad news. “We need to head there now.”

“Pennies on her eyes?” Kane pushed plates into the dishwasher. “Don’t tell me this is another copycat murder? Did they leave another note?”

Anxious to get to the murder scene, Jenna stood. “Not that I’m aware but the first on scene kept clear of the body, so I don’t have any more details.” She turned to Carter. “Would you call Wolfe? I’ll grab my things.”

“Sure.” Carter frowned and ran a hand through his shaggy blond hair. “If this is another copycat, maybe we need to run it past Jo. With her insight into the criminal mind, she’ll be able to give us a profile.”

Having an FBI behavioral analyst on the team was a bonus and Jenna nodded. “I’ll upload all the details when we get back from the crime scene and then give her a call. I need to know exactly what we’re dealing with. We need to find this monster before he strikes again.”

Fifteen

As they headed into town, Jenna turned to Kane. “We’ll need to split the team. I’ll go with Wolfe to the crime scene and you’ll need to go with Carter to spot Raven and Emily. You can at least get their coordinates so we know what to tell the road crew heading that way to clear a path through for them. It will also give us an idea of just how much damage the landslide has done to the roads. I suggest you drop them provisions for a few days, just in case we can’t get to them.”

“They are our priority.” Kane flicked her a glance. “The problem is I need someone else in the chopper to work the winch and lower me down and then pull them up.”

“In normal conditions I could do that from the cockpit.” Carter leaned forward in his seat and Duke licked his face. “The problem is the wind and the low cloud cover is causing havoc at the moment. The wind alone is a reason why I can’t be distracted for a second while I’m that close to the mountain.” He stroked both dogs and leaned back in his seat. “I say we have a look-see and then work out a plan to rescue them. Dropping them supplies is a good idea because we have no idea how long the cloud cover is going to cause a problem. Low clouds come and go, which makes matters worse.” He sighed. “We don’t need to be flying a rescue mission in dense clouds. It would be suicide that close to the mountains.”

Understanding the risks that chopper pilots took when undergoing rescue missions, Jenna nodded. “I’ll call Aunt Betty’s and ask them to make up a few boxes of supplies. If we’re going to be on the move most of the day, we’re going to need them as well. We can pick up energy bars and bottles of water from the office. Will Raven need a first aid kit? Not speaking to them personally is a big problem.” She sighed. “I wish I could talk to Emily and find out if she’s okay. I also want to know if they believe the crime scene was obliterated by the rockfall or not and if Emily managed to take enough photographs and swabs to identify the body.”

“Wolfe did say that Raven needed to climb some distance up the rockfall to get a signal, so I doubt you’ll be able to speak to them unless they’ve found a way through the forest, which in that area is just about impossible.” Kane stared ahead as they turned onto Main. “They’ll need a lot of water, maybe a purifying kit as well. I’ll see what we have in the store closet. We can’t waste any time. The moment the cloud cover lifts we need to be in the air.”

Jenna pulled out her phone and called Aunt Betty’s. She placed a huge order and then looked at him. “They’ll have it ready as soon as possible. I’ll pack energy bars and chocolate as well as military provisions just in case they’re there for a time. We’ll drop by Aunt Betty’s on our way to the crime scene to collect it.”

After making a few phone calls while Kane and Carter collected everything they needed, she stood the moment they walked back into her office. “Ready to go? I’ve spoken to Rio. This case is familiar. In fact, it is exactly the same as one we’ve solved before—a copycat of James Earl Stafford—but they only mimicked his crime scenes. This one is different. I know that killer is either dead or in prison. It’s another copycat.” She leaned back and pressed her hands into her spine and moaned. Sitting had become a problem today. “Wolfe has just arrived. We need to get there ASAP.”

“We’ll be right along.” Kane gave Carter a meaningful stare and he slipped from the room with Zorro on his heels. “Jenna, I can handle this if your back is aching. It might mean the baby is coming. You really need to be close to town.”

Jenna smiled at him. “I love that you care, but I need to be close to you. I’ll have my doctor on scene and my coach if needs be. Right now, I’m not having contractions, just an aching back. Your baby is very heavy, Dave. By the way it’s kicking right now, I’m starting to believe it’s a boy dressed in tactical gear and Army boots and wearing night-vision goggles.”

“Well, they do say the baby goes quiet before delivery, so maybe it’s going to be a few more days yet.” Kane chuckled. “Army boots, huh? Now wouldn’t that be something?”

Sixteen

Mist hung over the mountain, the wisps of water vapor blackening the trunks of the tall pines and coating everything, enhancing the colors. Water droplets glistened on leaves and flowers like millions of diamonds, and the entire forest looked magical. The fire roads into the forest were surprisingly busy. Road crews and heavy machinery made their way toward the rockfall in a long convoy. Jenna gripped the side of her seat as Kane switched on lights and sirens and barreled past them on the wrong side of the road. Bounced all over the seat, Jenna breathed a sigh of relief when they finally drew up behind Wolfe’s van. Rio’s truck was parked in front, blocking the trail. She turned to Kane as he opened a door to lift Duke down. “Do you mind helping me down? I don’t want to risk turning an ankle on that uneven ground.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Kane swept her into his arms and carried her to the trail. He set her down gently beside a tree ringed with crime scene tape and scanned the area. He looked at Carter. “It’s déjà vu all over again.” He walked beside Jenna as they approached the body. “Do you figure he shot her with an arrow?”

“That would match the copper pennies over the eyes of the last victims who were left like this.” Carter wrinkled his nose and coughed. “I guess a wound from an arrow would clinch it.”

Grabbing a face mask as the bittersweet stench of death crept toward them like an otherworld entity, Jenna pressed the mask to her face. “I hope not. It would make this case more difficult.”

This part of the forest was beautiful. The trail was a favorite of hikers in summer. The forest here held an abundance of wildflowers and over the years they’d spread into a carpet of colors. Normally the air would be filled with fragrance but the smell of decomposition overpowered everything. Crows circled above like vultures or sat clumped together on any available branch just waiting for a chance to fly down. From the marks on the victim’s clothes, a few critters had already chewed on exposed parts.

Jenna’s gaze slid over the body, mentally taking in the victim’s position. Most times murderers left their victims where they fell, or where they’d tossed them. A few made a point of laying them out, either in crude poses or to make them appear asleep. This was the latter. The girl’s arms were folded over her chest, her legs straight. The victim’s clothes were intact and she wore blue examination gloves—why? She couldn’t recall any other victim wearing gloves. After moving closer to peer at the victim’s face, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through the images of the missing high school girls. She nodded to Wolfe as he talked into a small recording device and peered at the victim’s face. Although bright copper pennies covered the eyes, it was still obvious this poor girl was Samantha Haimes. Jenna swallowed hard and took in the scene and then went to speak to Rio and Rowley. They stood some distance away staring at Wolfe as he conducted a preliminary examination. “Okay, what have you got for me? The victim resembles Samantha Haimes. What did the first on-scene witnesses see?”

“Not much.” Rio stood hands on hips and feet apart. “They noticed the body as they drove past and stopped to take a look. One of the men, I have his details, came closer but didn’t go past the head of the trail. He knew by the smell the victim was deceased and called it in. They waited until we arrived to make sure nothing happened to the body. They’ve been sounding their horn repeatedly to keep the crows away.” He lifted his chin. “I’ve sent them on their way as they’re part of the crew heading up the mountain to unblock the road to the ski resort.” He sighed. “Any news of Em and Raven?”

Jenna gave her head a shake. “Nothing new, no. I’m guessing they’re trying to find a way through the forest. Raven mentioned staying with his vehicle, but worse case, they’ll try and hike out but it’s dangerous with the tremors and the rockslides.”

“They’ll be fine.” Kane rubbed his chin. “Raven knows the forest, and he won’t take any chances.” He looked up at the heavy low clouds. “Once the visibility improves, Carter will take up his chopper. When we locate them, we’ll drop them food and water and a few other supplies. Hopefully the road crew will make a path for them, but if not, they’ll need to get away from the rock face, and we’ll be able to get them out.”

“I’m checking visibility every ten minutes or so.” Carter looked up from his phone. “Once it’s safe, my chopper is ready. I only need a few preflight checks and we can leave.”

“Rowley.” Wolfe beckoned him. “I need your eyes on this wound.”

---