Chapter 33
Thirty-Three
A wave of delightful heat hit Jenna as she stepped inside the sheriff’s office.
She stopped at the counter to ask Maggie if she had any messages.
The first one was a request from the doctor who’d examined Jill at the hospital to call her.
She used the phone on the counter to return her call.
“This is Jenna Alton returning your call.”
“We have a problem with Jill Marsden.” The doctor sounded serious.
“There are signs of abuse: broken bones healed but never set, and she has bruises all over. She is in good spirits but is afraid of being sent back to the foster home. Yet she didn’t call it a foster home.
She called it ‘the place she lived.’ I found this unusual.
Apart from malnourishment, I felt it would be better to have her settled at Her Broken Wings with other children.
The people from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services agreed, so I discharged her, but she will need follow-up.
I have X-rays and have made up a case file of evidence, which I will send to you. ”
A ripple of anger went through Jenna. How long would this keep happening? She bit down hard on her bottom lip. “Thank you. I’ll make sure she is safe.” She disconnected.
The second message was from Rhett, who told her the child had been abused, but that Jill had settled into Her Broken Wings very well.
He had observed her with Julie mixing with the other three children currently living there under the supervision of a qualified caregiver.
It seemed the child had never had her own bedroom before and believed that Julie was a fairy.
Jenna stared at the note and handed it to Kane.
“It’s not good news, but little Jill is in very good hands.
The moment our current murder cases are settled, we’ll pull out all stops to make sure we find her sister and investigate the foster care family she was living with. ”
“Beth will be all over it. You should send her the files. She’ll get started.” Kane followed her upstairs to the locker rooms and Duke bounded past them into her office looking for food. “My boots are soaked through. I need to change my jeans too. I won’t be long.”
Jenna looked down at her soaking boots and jeans wet to the knees.
She headed into her locker room to change and could hear loud voices coming from the men.
By the time she walked out dry and warm again, the delivery from Aunt Betty’s Café had arrived and Rio was carrying it upstairs to the conference room.
She met him in the hallway. “I hope there’s enough food for everyone.
I told Susie there were eight of us and we were starving and to send plenty of hot meals. ”
“Rowley carried another box up just before.” Rio shouldered his way into the conference room and dumped the box on the table beside another. “I’m sure there’s enough.”
Jenna peered into the box. Bowls of chili, savory turnovers, hamburgers, and fries filled the carton, and in the other were four pies, from the smell, cherry, peach, and apple still hot from the oven, and each one large enough to feed six.
She smiled. “Well, Suzie sure knows your appetites. Grab what you need and we’ll discuss next steps. ”
“Before you start.” Kalo peered from around his laptop screen. “I ran the CCTV footage from the pizzeria on the night Richards from the Haunted House claims he was waiting for a long time. Well, he was there and waited for about an hour to get served. It was very busy. So he’s in the clear.”
Jenna nodded. “That’s good to know.” She smiled at him. “I need to call Beth Katz about another case. I won’t be long.” She made the call and forwarded the files. “What do you think? I want to be in on this. Can you arrange to get me jurisdiction?”
“Yeah, we’ll investigate and if we find anything, Styles can deputize you and Dave as federal task force officers.” Beth’s chair squeaked as she pushed it along. “The child is safe?”
Nodding, Jenna glanced up as the team walked into the conference room. “Very safe. Let me know what you find. Right now, we’re up to our ears in multiple homicides.”
“What’s new?” Beth chuckled. “We’ll talk soon.” She disconnected.
Jenna waited for everyone to get their notepads and pens ready.
She selected a container of chili and used the spoon supplied.
It was hot and delicious and she moaned in pleasure as it slid down her throat.
Being in the forest during a blizzard with her legs frozen to the knees had made her hungrier than she imagined.
Even with the haunting sights of the decapitated men, her appetite hadn’t abated and neither had any of the men around the room.
All of them watched her in anticipation as they ate rapidly.
“Okay, this afternoon on our way home we are going to drop by and see Marty Flynn. Carter mentioned that he believes he is hiding something and maybe, if I speak to him, he may give up what he knows.”
“I’m sure he was hiding something.” Carter pushed his spoon back into his chili carton and looked at her.
“The kid refused to look at us straight in the eye. In fact, he kept his eyes on his boots the whole time we were there, as if he was afraid that we might see a tell in his face. He knows something but he doesn’t want to lose his job. It must mean a lot to him.”
“Or he’s terrified of the men he’s working for.” Kane gave a nonchalant shrug. “Or one of them at least. After reading your interviews, I wouldn’t mind betting that it’s Jonah Pike who has a hold over the kid.”
Jenna looked around the table. “He seems to stick out, going on the interview, but then we’ve got Caleb Durnell, the guy the two women noticed hanging around the school. Both of them drive white pickups.”
“And so does Mason Kitteridge, the guy who works at the Haunted House.” Raven leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the top of the table.
“There is a whole list of things that make him one of the dangers. He has special effects knowledge and access to props, masks, and costumes. He knows how to stage scenes and it’s his business to frighten people. ”
“It makes him almost too obvious.” Jo brushed the crumbs from the savory turnover from her shirt.
“I checked him out. He’s been working here for a time, since the place opened.
He worked in Blackwater previously and no one has been decapitated.
Although it fits him, I’m still not convinced.
I figure we need to haul him in and interview him. ”
Nodding, Jenna agreed Kitteridge seemed an obvious suspect and they’d need to get more information from him. “Yeah, we’ll bring him in tomorrow and see what he has to say for himself, when he’s not in front of his workmates.”
“Who else do you want us to bring in for questioning?” Rio lifted his gaze to Jenna.
Jenna tapped her pen on her legal pad. “Just Kitteridge and Pike for now.” She glanced at Jo.
“I figure we should interview Durnell at his home in the forest first thing in the morning—but we’re not going there alone.
We’ll take Dave and Carter with us.” She shot a glance back at Rio.
“I’ll leave you and Raven to bring in Kitteridge and Pike.
Make it after lunch. Keep them separated, and don’t let them see each other.
” She turned to Rowley. “I want you to man the office and keep me updated.”
“I’ve uploaded all the information I’ve discovered on the suspects.” Kalo peered at them from over his laptop screen. “Nothing of great note but I did find out where they’ve been living these past five years or so—and that’s here in Black Rock Falls, with the exception of Caleb Durnell.”
Jenna nodded. “Okay, I’ll leave you all to bring your files up to date and we’ll head off to speak to the kid with Carter and Jo.
Kalo, you come with us too.” She looked at the others.
“Once you’re done, head home. It’s been a very long day.
Get some rest. I have the feeling things are going to get hectic from now on. ”
“More than today?” Carter grinned around his toothpick. “Bring it on.”