Chapter 10
Ten
Unsure if it was his training as a doctor or concern for a friend, Raven flicked constant glances at Jenna.
Since Kane and Wolfe decided to take off on a fishing trip, she’d been on edge.
It was hard not to notice the dark circles under her eyes and the fact that unless pushed she didn’t eat.
The kids were fine. He asked Blackhawk about them and he often visited Jenna’s ranch to see them.
Being a close friend and relative to Tauri, he spent his time making sure Tauri was aware of his culture, and because Jackson was a child who craved to learn, Blackhawk had been teaching both boys his native language.
Tauri was now fluent and slid with ease into conversations when he took him for visits to the res.
As Raven worked with Blackhawk, they often spoke about Jenna and Kane’s boys.
He’d noticed pride in Blackhawk at their achievements but hadn’t mentioned his concern about Jenna.
As they drove over the second bridge, he noticed Jenna stiffen and lean forward in her seat.
He slowed and glanced at her. The mist rolled around them and he could hardly make out the headlights of Rio’s truck following behind them.
“I doubt you’ll see anything. The mist is so thick this close to the water I can hardly make out the blacktop. ”
“I’m sure there’s a white truck parked alongside the road.
It wasn’t here when I came by earlier.” Jenna turned in her seat to look behind them.
“It’s hard to tell, but I turned around somewhere along here and drove back toward the bridge, and then I saw the girl walking along the tree line.
She came out of the mist and I could see her clearly. ”
Raven nodded. Although the mist created shapes from the headlights and the motion of the truck, he hadn’t seen anything remotely like a young girl in a bloodstained nightgown.
He used his com to speak to Rio. “I’m turning around just ahead.
Jenna thinks there’s a parked vehicle closer to the last bridge. ”
“Copy. I see nothing but mist.”
“I’m guessing you’re all thinking I’m crazy.” Jenna moved her attention to him. “Just remember, I came out here after a report, not on a whim.”
Raven turned his truck around and crawled alongside the road. “I read the statements from the two women, Jenna. I just wished you’d asked for backup. You knew I was helping out at the morgue tonight. Why didn’t you call me?”
“Because I figured they were seeing things—until I got here.” Jenna pulled on her bottom lip until it turned white. “It scared me and I don’t scare easy.” She pointed. “There, just alongside the road. See the white truck?”
The mist swirled ahead of them, but he made out the back lights of a pickup. “Yeah, I see it.” He pulled in behind it and turned to Jenna. “The engine is running.”
He waited for Rio and Rowley to stop behind them and opened his door slowly. Outside, apart from the purr of the idling engine, an eerie silence surrounded them. It was as if the thick white cover of fog had dampened everything. “I’ll let Ben out. He’ll soon let us know if someone is around.”
“We’ll check the truck.” Rio and Rowley moved forward, weapons drawn. They walked around the truck with their guns pressed against their flashlights. “It’s empty. Driver’s side door is open. Nothing here. No blood or signs of a struggle.”
“Over there.” Jenna moved her flashlight toward the forest. “That newly cut stump is where I saw the girl and she turned into the forest along that trail.” She turned to the others. “If you see someone coming at you with an ax—shoot to kill. I’m not taking any chances with this maniac.”
Scanning the forest, the hairs on the back of Raven’s neck prickled as he gave the order to Ben to be on guard and they moved out.
Beside him, Jenna had pulled her cloak of professionalism around her, although he did notice a slight shake in the hand that was holding the flashlight.
Behind him, Rio and Rowley were walking backward, their flashlights moving through the forest, searching for any movement.
Beside him, Ben whined, moved in front of him, and turned around in circles.
He turned to Jenna. “He smells something and it’s distressing him. ”
“So do I.” Jenna pulled a face mask from her pocket. “It’s getting worse.”
The mist swirled in front of them in an impenetrable wall of white.
Anyone could be hiding in the trees and he could almost cut the tension with a knife in the small group of people.
He swung his flashlight around and noticed two lights.
“Over there. I see lights.” The mist swirled around them as if taunting them to move closer.
The stink of death hung in the cloud, sticking to their clothes.
Raven blinked, unable to believe his eyes. “Sweet Jesus.”
“Oh, no.” Jenna raised her weapon. “We’re too late.” She glanced behind her to Rio and Rowley. “Stay sharp.”
Raven had seen many horrific sights in his time, but he shuddered as he moved his flashlight over the two severed heads sitting on a log in the middle of the forest. Their mouths had been propped open and inside two black candles glowed in the dark.
The victims were both male. One of them still wore his ball cap, and they stared out into nothingness without expression.
Blood coated the fallen log and led away through the pines.
Behind him Rio cleared his throat and Rowley turned to spew into the bushes.
He looked at Rio. “Did you say something?”
“No, but I hope you’re not planning on calling Em out here tonight?” Rio glanced at Jenna and then back at him. “It’s not safe for her to be driving here alone, let alone working a crime scene.”
Raven shrugged. “That’s not my call.”
“We’ll process the scene as best we can tonight, but we need to find the bodies. We can’t leave them out here for the wildlife to feed on.” Jenna turned to Raven. “Are there body bags and a forensics kit in your truck?”
Raven nodded. “Yeah, and I know Rio has them too.”
“Okay, we look for the bodies. There’s a blood trail we can follow.
” Jenna moved her gaze to all of them. “This killer could be watching us and might want to add us to his list of victims, so stay sharp and stay together. Don’t talk—listen.
Watch Ben for a reaction. He is our best asset in situations like this. ”
They moved out scanning the forest, but as before no sound came.
Even the rush of water in the river had been muted by the fog.
Before them Ben moved, sniffing the air, his ears pricked listening for any sounds.
The hard solid trail gave up no evidence apart from the blood.
No footprints, no hair caught in the branches.
It was the same scene as before, as if the killer didn’t exist. Ahead, their flashlights lit up two humps on the path, and as they drew closer the two bodies of what appeared to be one older and one younger man came into view.
The older man wore dirty coveralls and the younger, Wranglers, cowboy boots, and a jacket with the logo of the local hockey team across the back.
Raven bent to examine the remains and then straightened.
“The older victim has an almost clean cut, blood spatter is head-high and covering the surrounding trees, but I figure the younger one tried to run. He has a sharp forced injury to the spine. He went down and was dispatched here.” He pointed to a massive pool of blood surrounding the second body.
“Okay, we’ll collect as much evidence as possible.
We’ll record the scene first.” She turned to Rio.
“You do that and we’ll keep watch and then we’ll all walk back to the trucks and get whatever we need to retrieve the bodies.
We’ll come back in daylight and search for evidence.
Right now, it’s too dangerous. We don’t know if this is one man or many.
” She turned to look at Rio. “I would never endanger Em’s life.
I have a doctor right here, more than capable of removing the bodies without contaminating evidence.
I’ll call her the moment we’re on the road and she can meet us at the morgue. ”
As Rio went about recording the scene, Raven moved closer to Jenna. “I honestly believed it was over between Rio and Em. I’d never make a move on a colleague’s girl. It’s unprofessional.”
“It was well over.” Jenna swung her flashlight around and peered into the darkness.
“She could never commit to him. He might have had feelings for Em, but to her, he was just a good friend. She asked me once how I knew Dave was the one for me. I told her if she needed to ask, she’d answered her question. ”
Nothing moved in the forest, and apart from Ben whining his distress about finding dead bodies, it seemed as if the Axman had slipped through their net.
Concerned someone was close by watching them, Raven went through the task of retrieving the bodies, collecting soil samples and blood samples, and conducting a body temperature reading on each victim.
It was all he could do for now. As they carried the bodies back to his truck and loaded them in the back, he turned to Jenna.
“If you wait for me, I’ll follow you home, just in case something happens to the truck. ”
“I’ll be okay.” Jenna shook her head. “I panicked, is all. Dave only serviced my truck a couple of weeks ago. If anything happens, I’ll call you. I’m sure you’ll be hanging around the morgue before you head home.”
Thinking of Emily, working late hours, he nodded.
“Yeah, I’ll give her a hand to process the bodies before I head home.
” He nodded toward Rio and Rowley. “If they’ll help me unload the bodies at the morgue, it would make life easier.
If they don’t want to stick around, I’m happy to take it from there.
Why don’t you head on home and check on your boys? I’ll drop you at Aunt Betty’s.”
“Thanks.” Jenna gave him an exhausted smile. “I appreciate you.” She walked to Rio and Rowley. “Help Raven unload the victims at the morgue and then you can head on home. I’ll see you in the morning.”