Page 11 of The Killing Plains

Colly leaned back in her chair, frowning. “But what’s this got to do with Denny Knox?”

“The cases are linked, and there’s too much that doesn’t add up. Avery convinced me.”

“Really?” Colly looked again at the young policewoman. Why on earth would Russ trust the judgment of a kid like that? She was probably fresh out of the academy.

Colly forced a smile. “Russ mentioned you have a special interest in this case?”

“Adam Parker was my brother,” Avery said almost fiercely. “I know in my gut Willis didn’t kill him. It’s why I’m a cop.”

Colly stared, her face growing hot. She’d seen it before—victims’ family members pushing for further investigation, refusing to accept police findings. To admit a case was over meant recognizing the finality of loss. The hollow inadequacy of justice. It meant letting go. Colly understood the impulse, having experienced it herself. But the notion that her life had been disrupted—her guilt over Victoria’s and Randy’s deaths leveraged—on false pretenses was infuriating.

Oh God, Russ isn’t sleeping with her, is he? She’s not much older than Alice, Colly thought.If he dragged me out here just to please his booty call, I’ll kill him.

Russ seemed to read her thoughts. “I wouldn’t have called you if I didn’t think Avery’s onto something.” He leaned forward. “If Willis didn’t kill Adam, he didn’t kill Denny Knox, either. The same person murdered both boys, and whoever did it is still out there.”

The room was silent. Colly swallowed the last mouthful of coffee and set down the cup. “I hate to be the wet blanket, Russ, but that’s two gigantic logical leaps. Other than Avery’s gut, where’s your evidence Willis didn’t kill Adam? And how do you know the same person committed both murders? You’re not going on the fact that both bodies were dumped at the pond, are you? Everyone in West Texas knew the details of Adam’s case—it was all over the news.”

Russ peeled off his gloves. “I’d agree, if it weren’t for this.”

From his desk, he pulled a thick file folder labeled “Dennis Knox.” Rifling through its contents, he handed Colly a photo.

It was a close-up of the rabbit mask on a translucent plastic sheet, staring up at her with dead white eyes.

Colly looked up. “So?”

“It’s not the same one. That was on Denny, not Adam. Avery took that picture last September, the day we found the body.”

He handed Colly a second photograph, this time of a ginger-haired boy, naked, curled tightly on his side, his eyes closed. His pale skin glowed against the hoof-pocked mud on which he lay. He looked asleep.

Russ pointed to one of the boy’s cupped hands. “It’s there, rolled and tied. Just like Adam’s. See the pink ribbon sticking out?”

Colly whistled. Laying the two photos side by side, she inspected them. “Creepy, but it doesn’t rule out a copycat.”

“Yeah, it does. Back in ’98, the cops never released this detail.” He tapped on the first photo with his forefinger.

“You mean—?”

“Only the person who planted it on Adam would’ve known about the rabbit mask. Get it?” Avery said irritably.

Colly suppressed her annoyance at the girl’s tone. “That’s why the Rangers closed Denny’s case after Willis’s death?”

“Partly. But it gets worse.” Russ ran a hand roughly over his face. “We found a stash of rabbit masks in Willis’s cabin the night he died.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep. The thing is, Momma alibis him, says Willis was with her the whole day Denny was killed.”

“You believe her?”

“Momma’s not much of a liar. If anything, she’s too honest. And the housekeeper backs her story. Rangers didn’t buy it, ofcourse. Thought she was protecting her son. But if she’s telling the truth, then those masks were planted to frame him. The killer must’ve figured if Willis took the fall once, it’d work a second time.”

“You think this hypothetical killer murdered Willis, too?”

Russ sighed. “Willis’s death was ruled accidental. Rangers thought it was suicide, though, and I agree. Willis knew better than to hand-feed that snake from inside the cage. The Rangers figured he did it out of guilt. But I think he was just scared of being wrongfully convicted again.”

“Russ, you can’t exonerate someone on a rookie’s hunch and the word of the suspect’s mother.”

“That’s why I need the case review. Something’s not right, Col. Willis wasn’t smart enough to make those masks. And he wasn’t dumb enough to leave them in his nightstand. I don’t think he killed anyone. But someone went to a lot of trouble to make it look like he did.” Pushing aside the papers on his desk, Russ leaned in and lowered his voice. “Momma wants to clear Willis’s name. But honestly, that’s the least of my worries. I think we’ve got a serial killer on our hands. This has all the hallmarks—similar victim profile, same method of killing, tokens left to taunt the cops.”

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