Chapter 4
Four
Black Rock Falls
Present day
After adding the coordinates to the crime scene in Rio’s GPS, Jenna stared out of the window.
On the drive into the office, she hadn’t noticed the amount of Halloween decorations the townsfolk had already installed throughout the town.
Now with Rio driving, she realized how preoccupied she must have been, which surprised her.
She usually enjoyed the Halloween festival, provided she didn’t have to deal with psychopathic killers.
Her boys were excited and Tauri constantly brought home different items he’d made at school to show Jackson.
Usually at this time of the year, Kane obtained a pumpkin and spent an enjoyable time with the boys carving it out and adding a light inside before placing it on the front porch.
The fact that he hadn’t done that yet and had left without any notice whatsoever left a deep hole in Jenna’s heart.
It was no wonder she hadn’t noticed the Halloween decorations on the drive to the office.
Her head was everywhere but on the job at the moment.
“I don’t mean to pry into your business.” Rio glanced at her as they took the fire road and headed deeper into the forest. “Is everything okay with you and Dave?”
Jenna ground her back teeth and leaned back in the seat with a sigh. “Of course everything is fine with us. Why would you think any different?”
“He seems to have been gone for a time.” Rio frowned. “It must be difficult for you to manage alone with the boys. If there’s anything I can do to help, you only have to ask.”
Smiling at him to at least give out the appearance of being nonchalant, Jenna shook her head.
“It’s all good. I’m not alone. As you know, I have Raya.
She lives at the ranch with us and is exceptionally good at helping me with the horses.
In fact, we sat down the other night and cleaned all the guns in the gun safe.
” She blew out a sigh. “Of course, I miss him when he’s away, but men need time to themselves sometimes.
I know Wolfe needs to get away too and they like to spend some time together fishing and hunting.
There’s been nothing happening here for the last two months and I believe they were getting a little stir-crazy.
They both finished building antique motorcycles in the same week and I figure they were at a loss at what to do next. ”
“Uh-huh.” Rio’s eyebrows rose. “I find it very strange that they both have been away for so long. I know Dave hates being away from you and the boys. He mentioned it to me before, when I asked if he’d like to go fishing with Rowley and me.
We planned a week last summer after we closed the last case—you recall our vacation? ”
Nodding, Jenna kept her eyes face-front as the GPS instructed them to make a left.
“Yeah, he mentioned it, but it would mean leaving me alone with only Raven to run the office. I’m afraid I asked him if he wouldn’t mind making an excuse for not going with you.
I know he would have liked some time away fishing with you guys.
Carter would have likely wanted to join you as well, which would have meant that I’d have no one to call on in an emergency.
Styles and Beth would come, but they’re even farther away.
” She flicked him a glance. “This is one of the reasons I didn’t ask him to set a limit on his time away.
I figured he deserved to take as much time as he needed and so did Wolfe.
It’s not as if we don’t have them covered.
They work really hard and deserve a break.
” She gave him a direct stare. “Another thing, I’m not the type of wife who constantly checks up on her husband.
I don’t need to because I trust him implicitly—and most likely they’d be somewhere out of range anyway. ”
“What about in an emergency?” Rio drove along a narrow trail.
Barking a laugh mainly to remove the lump from her throat, she turned to look at him. “That’s what I’ve got you guys for.” She stared ahead, noticing Raven’s truck parked alongside the trail. “There, I see Raven’s truck, just ahead.”
Once they’d parked behind Raven’s truck, Jenna collected her things and slid out of the door. Behind her Emily Wolfe parked the medical examiner’s van. She went to speak to her. “Wait in the van with Webber until we clear the area. Raven is out here somewhere.”
“Okay.” Emily buzzed up her window and leaned back in her seat.
As Jenna passed Raven’s vehicle, she noticed two women sitting in the back seat averting their eyes.
She rounded the front of the truck and stared at a metallic blue Ford F-150 a short distance away parked under the trees.
Jenna stood for a moment, taking in the sun-bleached paint and the dusty tires.
She’d seen many pickups like this in the high school parking lot.
Only this one had two heads placed deliberately on the roof, facing forward like grotesque ornaments.
Beside her, Rio swore under his breath and she wanted to turn to look at him, but she couldn’t drag her eyes away from the morbid scene.
A patch of sunlight streaked through the trees highlighting the roof of the truck, making everything too clear and too real.
“It’s the legend of the Axman.” Rio stepped forward. “Where are their bodies?”
Jenna gathered herself and straightened. “This isn’t a prank, although it’s been staged to look like one. Look at the way the killer has placed the heads. It’s intentional and ritualistic.”
“Yeah. Seems like we have another batshit-crazy person haunting the forest at Halloween.” Rio shook his head. “Heck, we told the same story in LA, and trust me, I saw some oddball things happen there, but nothing comes close to this.”
She’d attended many horrific crime scenes in her life, but nothing really prepared her for teenagers cut down just before their lives had even begun.
A noise came from the forest and her hand went to her weapon.
Beside her, Rio had already pulled his and stood in a shooting stance with his arms outstretched in front of him.
Jenna held her pistol out in front of her as Raven stepped out of the trees.
She blew out a long breath and holstered her weapon. “Maybe call out next time.”
“The bodies are over here.” Raven indicated over one shoulder with his thumb.
“They’re not together. I’ve marked everything with tape and recorded the crime scenes.
I’ve searched the entire area and can’t find any tracks or anything to say anyone else was here.
The underbrush is so thick and covered with pine needles that footprints just don’t show.
” He looked around her. “Is that Emily?”
Nodding, Jenna turned and waved at Emily.
“Yeah, she’s over there with Webber. We’ll need to call in a tow truck once the bodies have been removed.
No doubt Wolfe will be back very soon and will want to examine that F-150 from top to bottom.
When you organize that, make sure you tell Millers’ Garage that men collecting it must wear examination gloves and the truck is to be taken to Wolfe’s garage at the morgue right away. ”
“Do you want me to walk you through the crime scene first, Jenna?” Raven waited for Emily and Webber to arrive.
“I don’t believe that the victims were murdered in or close to the truck.
The amount of blood at each scene indicates they were murdered and their bodies left where they dropped, on scene.
From the blood trails, the heads were taken to the truck and placed on top.
From the marks I can see on the female’s legs, I would say she was running for her life through the forest.”
“I’m sure I’ll find more evidence during an autopsy.” Emily moved to Raven’s side and smiled at him. They’d been dating for a time. “But it is good to have another doctor along.”
“Can we go and see the victims now?” Rio pulled on examination gloves and glared at Raven. “Those women in the truck, have they been interviewed? Did you take statements?”
“They were shaken when they arrived at my cabin.” Raven straightened to his full six-five and eyeballed him.
“My first priority was to make sure they were safe and to check the scene to ascertain it wasn’t a prank.
They’ve left their horses at my place. I’ll need to take them back there once we’re done here.
I can take their statements then—unless you’d like to do it now?
I need to give Jenna a rundown of the crime scenes. ”
Jenna looked from one to the other. Rio had been interested in Emily at one time and she’d moved on, but it was obvious that Rio still had feelings for her.
He saw Raven as a rival. Up to now it hadn’t affected their jobs, but then Kane had always been around and she doubted they would dare to argue in front of him.
It made her mad they didn’t offer her the same respect.
She led Rio away from the others and lowered her voice.
“Rio, as my chief deputy, it’s your responsibility to step in when I’m busy.
Those women are petrified, so I want you to handle the statements and get them out of here.
Raven has already processed the scene and I’ll go with him and the forensics team to view it.
” She raised both eyebrows waiting for an argument, but he said nothing.
“Then I’d appreciate it if you’d transport the women back to Raven’s cabin and make sure they get home okay. ”
“Yes, ma’am.” Rio eyeballed Raven and then turned on his heel and headed toward Raven’s truck.
Although his superior, Rio had no cause to chastise Raven in front of Emily and Webber. They were supposed to be a team. She glanced at Emily, who rolled her eyes and shook her head. She turned back to Raven. “Lead the way.”