Page 36 of Fear for Her Life

BLACK ROCK FALLS

It was good to be in Black Rock Falls again, and Beth Katz had a particular serial killer in her sights. It wasn’t common knowledge that Carl Romero, known as the Blue Man, had been responsible for murdering her only living relative two weeks prior to her mother’s death. She’d found her Aunt Carol beaten, bludgeoned, raped, and strangled. She’d sat beside her, holding her hand as she died. Aunt Carol had uttered a few words before she died, and those words were imprinted in Beth’s brain.The gas man.

When the cops arrived, they’d taken little notice of her once they knew she dropped by regularly after school, to wait for her mother to collect her on the way home from work. It had been some years later when Beth noticed the headlines on a local newspaper announcing Carl Romero, the Blue Man, had been arrested for the murders of a string of women. The article went on to say that he’d gained access to the victims’ homes on the pretense of being a gas man searching for a leak. He’d got his nickname because witnesses had seen a man wearing blue coveralls leaving the premises. Once she’d joined the FBI, Beth had hunted down the files on Romero and discovered that her aunt’s murder was never included in his list of crimes. In fact, he was charged with only his last five murders, and rumors had it that he’d boasted in prison to killing over one hundred women. Now he was out and killing again.

Since arriving she’d considered putting her grievances toward him on the back burner and allowing justice to take its course. He’d die or be in prison for life, but when Norrell discovered his DNA all over the quiet librarian Elaine Harper and all three prisoners’ DNA on Maya Brooks, things had changed. The Tarot Killer inside her had risen to seek revenge for not only her aunt but the other ninety-seven women he’d murdered. If he did, by some miracle, face trial for the recent murders, it would make no difference. A life sentence without parole was like thirty years, and apart from the death penalty for victim number one, he had received four life sentences for the others. She’d discovered his life in prison was better than most. He had influence and benefactors who made his life inside comfortable. He needed to pay for his crimes, and no one had been executed in Montana since 2016. Although current information signaled this might change, if she had the opportunity, she’d take him down. Although she’d be risking everything, it was a chance she’d be willing to take.

Beth glanced up from her laptop. She’d been watching the facial recognition program run the footage from live CCTV cameras around town. There was something fascinating about watching faces flash like fast-forwarding the TV ads, although they’d slowed in the last hour or so as darkness crept into town along with the mist rising from the river. She dragged her attention away from the screen. If there was a match, she’d hear a loud buzzing sound. She stretched and stared at Styles dozing on a sofa in the conference room, ankles crossed and cowboy hat pulled down low over his eyes. Carter was at the other end and the pair of them looked like bookends. Rio and Rowley were busy writing reports. They’d gone home for three hours rest and were eager to lend a hand in catching the prisoners. Across the long table Jenna sat with her feet propped up and chatting on the phone to her son. The atmosphere was strange and unlike any mission she’d been involved in before. She hated waiting and would rather be out in the thick of it. Standing, she went to refill her coffee cup. She had taken two or three sips, when Bear, Style’s K9, whined and sat beside the door.

Placing her cup on the table, she walked over to the sofa and kicked the bottom of Styles’ boot. “Wake up, your dog needs to go outside.”

“What?” Styles sat up with a start and reached for his Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum, aiming the wide muzzle at her face. “Jeez, Beth, I could have killed you.”

Beth grinned. It was the only excitement she’d had all day. “But you didn’t. Come on, it’s dark outside and Bear wants out.” She took her coffee from the desk and handed it to him. “Drink this, and wake yourself up. It’s been as quiet as the morgue in here. The facial recognition program is linked to my phone, and if it identifies anyone, I’ll know right away.”

“I’ll go with you.” Carter stretched and stood. “We’ll have a better chance of locating them tonight. The DOC search parties are coming closer and they won’t be able to backtrack.” He turned and looked at Jenna as she disconnected from her call. “We’ll take the dogs out and do a recon around town.”

“There’s not many people on Main tonight. Seems they’ve been listening to the warnings from the media to stay inside and lock their doors.” Jenna looked from one to the other. “I’ll wait for Raven to return and then decide what to do.” Her phone chimed and she listened intently before disconnecting. She looked at them. “The coordinator of the DOC search is dropping by in the next ten minutes to discuss a search pattern. I’ll need to be here.” She gave Beth a long considering stare. “There’s black woolen caps in the storeroom. You might want to cover your hair.”

As they all wore black tactical gear, Beth pulled a hat from her pocket. “Yeah, I’m on it.” She looked at Styles and Carter. “You too. Those hats cast recognizable shadows.”

They headed downstairs and onto Main. The sidewalk was deserted and swirls of thick mist snaked their way across the blacktop to be sucked into the alleyways. The mist seemed to mute the streetlights stretching out the dark spaces in between. As they walked past the dark storefronts their footsteps seemed to echo across town. Wind howled down from the mountains, cold against Beth’s cheeks even as summer approached. She pulled on her gloves and brushed her fingers over her weapon in an unconscious check to make sure it was secure in its holster.

The park loomed out of the darkness and at one end a carousel creaked as it circled slowly in the breeze. The swings moved back and forth as if children had just left them. When Styles pushed the gate open, both dogs vanished into the waist-high mist, only the sounds of them sniffing the grass telling their directions. Beth turned to face Main. Across the road only Aunt Betty’s Café remained open, the bright light from inside spilling across the sidewalk. Inside, the usual throng of diners was missing, and a woman she recognized as the assistant manager, Wendy, wiped down tables. Her phone signaled an alert and she pulled it from her jacket. “We have a sighting.” She placed the phone on speaker and called Jenna. “Did you get that?”

“Yeah, Callahan is in the old part of town, where the deserted warehouses are being sold. A few made into apartment buildings have residents and some are building sites.”

Walking up to Styles, Beth touched his arm. “Send us the coordinates. We’ll head there now.”

“No, I need you in town. I’ve had sightings of Romero. I’ll confirm ASAP.”

“I’ll take the warehouses.” Carter shrugged as he emerged from the darkness close by. “I’ll need backup.”

“Rio is on his way back to the office.”Jenna issued orders to Rio.“Beth, if you see Romero, call it in. Stay on Main. I figure Romero is heading your way. I’ll update you when we have the confirmation.”She disconnected.

The thrill of the hunt surged through Beth. She bit back a grin and averted her gaze from Styles. “Game on.”

FORTY-THREE

TEN STRIDES

The speed with which Wolfe collected vital intel during missions never ceased to amaze Kane. By the time he’d driven halfway to Ten Strides, a busy little mining town approximately an hour’s drive away, he’d received enough information to complete his first mission. The group of dealers worked from a dilapidated building on the edge of town and employed local children to sell their drugs. All of the men in charge had been identified as suspects in vicious murders but had escaped arrest by relocating their operation when conditions became too hot. As the lights of the town came into view, Kane pulled the old truck to the side of the road to read the blueprints of the building Wolfe had just sent him. It had once been a printing factory and had fallen into disrepair when the railroad bypassed the town.

Neglected for thirty years, deserted buildings made up most of Ten Strides, but when the mining companies moved in, the railroad spur to the town had reopened and prosperity reigned. As workers became rich, the lowlifes of society moved in to take their money. This drug distribution area had once belonged to Souza, and in the few months he’d been in prison, a new band of dealers had stepped in. From the information China had given him, the men had once worked for Souza but found a new supplier in his absence. When Souza ordered them to deal only with him, they had refused.

Kane considered all aspects of completing the task Souza had set him to prove his loyalty. He had never been a killer for hire. His job was to protect people from a greater harm, so going into the building and blasting away was not an option. If he took out the main players, which would ingratiate him with Souza, someone would need to come in behind him and get any children involved out of their current situation. Many of the children who worked for drug syndicates were either recruited from local gangs or were runaways. He checked the blueprints on his phone. “Have you had eyes on this building?”

“Someone has.”Wolfe cleared his throat.“What do you need to know?”

Kane checked the aerial images of the street. “Beside it used to be an old fire station. If I can get onto the roof, I’ll be able to jump onto the top of the building and enter through the hatch and take them by surprise. Have you come up with a way to ensure there are no kids there when I arrive?”

“Yeah, it took some doing.”Wolfe’s truck engine roared.“The DEA had a guy undercover for the last six months. They’re aware of what’s happening and the method of delivering the drugs. Addicts call a certain number and use a code to purchase something specific. The kids ride out on bicycles to meet the customers. The DEA has two confidential informants on the payroll, so have everything they need to make a purchase. The only way to get all the kids away at the same time is to call the numbers and get them out on deliveries. When they arrive with the drugs, they’ll be taken into custody. We’ll need split-second timing to achieve this without any of them alerting the main players.”He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.“I’ll give you the heads-up when the kids are clear. We’re getting close. Use the coms from now on.”

Relieved that none of the kids would be injured or witness what was about to happen, Kane nodded. He shut down his phone and slid it underneath his seat. From this point on, all he would need was the miniature com in his ear. He tapped the earring. “I suggest you start making the calls when I get onto the roof. Once I see the kids leaving the building, I’ll go clean out the rats’ nest.”

Kane drove through the surprisingly busy little town and parked his truck outside the local bar. He stepped out onto the sidewalk and scanned the street without moving his head. Loud music drifted on the air along with the smell of stale beer. He grabbed his duffel from the passenger seat and slung it over one shoulder. From the map, the local dealers distributed drugs from a building in a street behind Main. As he turned the corner the stark contrast between the middle of town and the backroads was remarkable. Empty buildings stretched out as far as the eye could see. Many had rusty old vehicles parked outside as if people had just walked away and left them. Buildings had been burned and stood as charcoal shells, their blackened insides like rotten teeth in an open mouth.

Kids on bicycles hung out in groups outside a dilapidated building. Graffiti covered the walls, and the windows were boarded up. Senses on high alert, Kane stuck to the shadows and approached with caution. He slid into the firehouse entrance and edged his way along the building to recon the drug den. The sounds of laughter, clinking bottles, and voices came from inside. He moved back into the body of the firehouse. “This might be a setup. I can hear more than three people inside and there are seven kids outside with bicycles, so I guess they’re expecting a big night as it’s Friday. Orders.”

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