Chapter 32
THIRTY-TWO
After leaving the evidence with the DA, Kane drove Jenna to Aunt Betty’s Café.
They found a parking spot some ways away, and battered by the freezing wind, hurried along the sidewalk.
In the windows of the stores, Christmas lights flashed in bright colors and festive music filtered into the street.
Most had Christmas trees just inside the door adorned with brightly colored gifts.
Head throbbing from the cold, Kane embraced the warmth in Aunt Betty’s Café.
The team had pushed tables together in their usual spot and everyone sat around chatting.
Duke bounded over to see him, his thick tail windmilling.
He nodded to Carter. Duke would go anywhere with him and Zorro, but Duke stressed out a little if Kane went missing for some time.
He rubbed the dog’s ears and, after removing his coat, slid into a seat beside Beth Katz.
He didn’t know her very well. Jenna had spent some time with her during his time away on a mission and found her to be a very experienced agent.
He sat enjoying the warmth as Jenna brought everyone up to date about Graves.
Beside him, Beth cleared her throat trying to get his attention.
He swiveled his gaze toward her. “So, you weren’t able to locate Ethan Rourke? ”
“We’ll catch up with him tomorrow. If you all survive taking down Bryce Withers.
” She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.
“Styles has insisted I remain at the office and bring the files up to date. As he is technically my boss, I agreed. He wants me to do in-depth searches on the suspects. He doesn’t want the case to run over Christmas if possible.
Styles takes Christmas very seriously and is looking forward to being part of your family’s celebrations. ”
Kane smiled at her and slowly removed his gloves.
“We’ll enjoy having everyone along. Unfortunately, apart from the boys, Jenna and I don’t have any family—I mean siblings or parents.
We do call Atohi Blackhawk and his relatives family, due to our son Tauri.
So we’ve made our team an extended family.
We celebrate all the holidays together, and you and Styles are more than welcome to join us. ”
“Thanks. We’re very much loners as well.
” Beth barked a laugh. “Unless you include my father in the state penitentiary. I’m not sure if anyone has told you but it’s no secret that I’m the daughter of a serial killer by the name of Cutthroat Jack.
” She sighed. “Before you ask, no, I never saw him kill anyone and I didn’t know he had murdered my mother until a long time after.
The cops questioned me at the time and I didn’t know what they were talking about.
To me, he was just my dad. I’ve never visited him in jail.
To be perfectly honest I couldn’t look at him after knowing what he’s done. ”
The conversation paused a while as everyone gave their orders to Wendy. Kane turned back to her. “Is that why you joined the FBI?”
“My first love is IT.” Beth leaned back in her seat looking at him.
“I became proficient very early. I discovered the dark web around the age of fourteen. By the time I got to college, the FBI approached me to join their cybercrime division. I admit I found it tough going. They were always waiting for the psychopath to break free in me. I ended up in Snakeskin Gully with Styles because they believed I didn’t show enough empathy toward a child kidnapped by a predator.
It’s a long story. I arrived and took care of the child but found a man bleeding out from a cut throat.
I made sure I had the kid safe and tried to save the man’s life.
Later we discovered I’d tried to save the perpetrator and the Tarot Killer had murdered him minutes before I arrived on scene. ”
Astonished, Kane looked at her. “You could have been killed.”
“I don’t think so.” Beth took a sip from a cup of coffee. “Seems to me, everything I’ve read about him tells me he murders serial killers. I don’t believe he’s a threat to law enforcement. I figure he’s just cleaning up the mess we leave behind.”
Her theory made sense. “You’ve brought down many pedophile rings. Untouchable people.” Kane explained the situation they’d stumbled on previously.
“The thing with pedophiles, Dave, is they’re like cockroaches—there’s never just one.
” A shadow crossed Beth’s eyes. “I’d like to look at his computer when you’re done.
It’s likely that he’s connected to others.
They use the dark web and have many disguises.
They’re in every walk of life and aren’t ‘the dirty old man’ everyone believes.
As a sexually deviant type of psychopath, they have no empathy for the children they destroy.
Over the last ten years or so, I’ve made it my life’s work to hunt them down and bring them to justice. ”
“I’m sure the DA will be more than willing to hand over the computer.” Jenna leaned forward in her chair to look at Beth. “I agree with you. I’ve seen things over the last decade or so that keep me awake at night. The more we put behind bars the better.”
The conversation became lighter as they all enjoyed their meal.
Susie, the manager of Aunt Betty’s Café, also provided large plates of leftovers for each of the dogs.
Kane watched with interest as Duke, Ben, and Bear woofed into their plates of food, demolishing them in seconds while the Doberman, Zorro, ate daintily.
With three dogs watching him, it didn’t take long before Bear tried to sneak a sausage from his plate.
Zorro, sitting like a sphynx with the plate between his front legs, gave a low growl.
His top lip quivered over a set of formidable canines.
Kane chuckled and looked at Carter. “Is he always like that with his food?”
“We don’t have many other dogs around.” Carter moved Zorro and his food beside him. “With Duke, it’s mutual respect.” He smiled. “Then again, he usually gets kibble. I don’t spoil him with sausages. I guess he figures it’s a onetime deal and he’s gonna savor every bite.”
Back at the office, Kane made sure everyone had the equipment they needed while Jenna uploaded files to the server.
He assumed that the pedophile had returned to his home without knowing that he had been discovered as the tracker app on his phone indicated that the vehicle remained outside his house.
A DMV check confirmed that the vehicle was his only form of transport.
Convinced they would be able to arrest him easily enough the moment the DA issued an arrest warrant, he put Graves to the back of his mind and concentrated on the mission.
When Jenna appeared at the door of her office, they all moved out but left a few minutes apart to avoid appearing like a convoy.
They kept the vehicles to a minimum and left all the dogs in the office with Beth.
She appeared to be quite happy to work in the office alone, even though Jo had offered to remain behind.
Night had fallen by the time they headed to the fire road in Stanton Forest. Kane dropped Jenna, Jo, and Kalo at Wolfe’s van. He emerged from the front seat wearing combat gear and carrying an automatic rifle. He slid into the front seat and nodded to Carter.
“Do you know how to use that thing?” Carter’s eyes widened.
“Marine.” Wolfe faced front, his face frozen.
“Is there anyone in Black Rock Falls who is not ex-military?” Carter raised both eyebrows.
Kane glanced at him in his rearview mirror. “Rowley and Rio, as far as I know. I figure the rest of us all came here for a quiet life. You know, a nice peaceful backwoods town set in the mountains. Who could want for anything better?”
“Uh-huh.” Carter smiled around his toothpick. “Y’all came looking for paradise and found Serial Killer Central.”
Nodding, Kane slid the Beast into a small clearing on the edge of the fire road.
The black vehicle would be totally hidden once the snow had coated its exterior.
The other vehicles would be concealed in different positions.
He checked his watch and then contacted the members of the team through his com.
“The delivery is due in approximately ten minutes. Kalo will have a drone up by now and will feed information to us about the truck’s location.
I’m moving into position now. Move out.” He slid out of the Beast with Wolfe and Carter at his side.
He slapped Carter on the back. “Go get ’em, cowboy. ”
As Carter slipped away, Wolfe snorted beside him. He looked at him. “What?”
“I’d like to shoot that toothpick out of his mouth.” Wolfe grinned at him, his teeth white in the dark. “Then he’d know I can handle a rifle.”
Kane smiled back. “Come on, I have a nice ice-covered boulder to watch the action. It gives me a clear line of sight to the barn where the deliveries are unloaded.”
“You’ve played this mission very close to the vest.” Wolfe moved beside him, their boots hardly making a sound in the snow. “I drove past getting here and noticed the security cameras. How are the men going to get into position without being seen?”
Keeping to the edge of the fire road to avoid detection, Kane scanned ahead for any movement, but all appeared to be quiet.
They reached the large boulder and climbed up the slippery surface until they reached the top.
As he set up his sniper rifle, he glanced at Wolfe, who lay down peering at the BW Ranch through field glasses.
“They’ll be coming in from behind, apart from Carter and Styles.
They’ll be using the outbuildings for cover.
Kalo hacked into Withers’ CCTV setup and has looped footage running through the system on all cameras.
The moment Carter sees proof of fentanyl tablets in the delivery, they’ll move in.
We were lucky and have six DEA agents working alongside us.
Rio and Rowley are with them, coming in from behind.
Five minutes away, we have enough prison buses to carry all these men to County.
If luck goes our way, I’m hoping it will be a clean bust.”
“Not with all the firepower I see. It’s gonna be a bloodbath.” Wolfe didn’t lift his eyes from his field glasses. “The snow isn’t helping but the deep shadows around the buildings are shielding Carter and Styles because I can’t see them and I know they’re there.”
“Showtime.” Kalo’s voice came through the com.
Kane dropped into position. His sniper rifle had all the gadgets necessary not to need a spotter.
He peered down the scope and moved it from one of Withers’ men to the other.
One move in the wrong direction and he’d be able to take them down before they pulled the trigger.
Wolfe had insisted on coming along to watch his back.
That’s what Wolfe did and there would be no arguing with him.
“The truck’s turning in now.” Wolfe moved his field glasses across the view. He tapped his com. “I can confirm the flatbed contains horse pellets. It’s heading along the driveway now. Withers’ men are in position. I can see men in hazmat suits just inside the barn.”
Kane slowed his heartbeat as adrenaline pumped through his veins.
Remaining calm meant he never missed his target.
Right now, one mistake could cost a member of the team their life.
He took a few deep breaths and dropped into the zone.
As Withers’ men unloaded the horse pellets from the truck and exposed the rainbow-colored fentanyl pills, men in hazmat suits came forward carrying large plastic containers.
The shouts of “federal agents” and “sheriff’s department” came through the night as the team moved forward to make arrests.
Without warning, one of Withers’ men fired into the air, spraying the driveway with bullets.
They weren’t going down without a fight.
Kane held his breath as the team shrank back and took cover, but Withers’ men raised their rifles.
Shots rang out and Withers’ men scattered, using the truck for cover. All would be easy targets for Kane.
“Kane, we’re directly in the line of fire with no escape.” Carter’s voice came through Kane’s com. “Have you got eyes on the targets?”
Kane had expected they wouldn’t go easy, considering the value of the shipment. The decision had been taken out of his hands. He tapped his com. “Copy. Keep your heads down.”
If he didn’t act right away, his team would be slaughtered.
Carter and Styles would be the first to die.
He took aim. A few seconds later, five men lay dead and the remaining members of Withers’ team had laid down their weapons.
Before he could blink, agents and deputies moved in to disarm them.
Scanning the area and keeping vigilant, he remained in position until every last one of Withers’ men had been secured.
As Carter and Styles cuffed Withers, Kane rose to his knees, scooped up handfuls of snow, and rubbed them into his face.
He didn’t enjoy killing and wanted to wash away the memory.
“You’ve saved hundreds of thousands of lives tonight—not to mention your friends.
” Wolfe sat beside him, his face chiseled in the moonlight.
“The mission is a success. Your team looks up to you and Jenna. You lead by example and never take a life unless it’s absolutely necessary.
” He slapped Kane on the back. “Put this behind you and hold your head high like you always do or I’m going to start believing that being a father is making you soft.
” He shouldered his rifle and slid off the boulder.
Kane dismantled his rifle and stared into the peaceful forest. He pushed away doubts and jumped down beside him. He smiled. “Come on, old man, I’ll race you back to the Beast.”