Page 41 of Their Wicked Games

After starting the recorder and the videotape, Jenna glanced down at her notes. “Were you in the vicinity of the Devil’s Punch Bowl on Sunday last?”

“No.” Ripley’s fists clenched and unclenched on the table before him.

Jenna waited for him to continue but he said nothing. “Do you know Leo Kelly, Zoe Ward, or Ash Rogers?”

“Yeah, you know I do, so what?” Ripley stared at her. “We went to the same high school and took some of the same lessons. They weren’t what you might call friends.”

“Today we spoke to you on the crossbow range.” Kane leaned back in his seat taking a casual pose. “I was told by the range manager that you are one of the top six in the current competition. Do you meet socially with any of the other shooters?”

“Socially? As in going out? Nope.” Ripley narrowed his gaze. “I see them at the range. They are my competition, so of course I know them. I’m on a team with Alicia and Jesse Davis. At the moment, we’re leading the competition. Although all three of us are in different events, we get sponsorship from Guns and Ammo as a team.” He sighed. “Geoff Bannister, Carl Harper, and Lonnie Barlow are our main competition. I know many of the other shooters. We chat sometimes or nod to each other, but I don’t have a strong friendship with any of them.”

“So, Jesse Davis was lying when he told us the three of you go hunting?” Kane drummed his fingers on the table. “He actually said Alicia was never happier than when she was up to her elbows in blood.”

“Yeah, we went out once or twice, but I have only two hunting bows. They have a multitude of bows.” Ripley shrugged. “Bows get damaged in the forest just by carrying them around. For me it’s not worth the risk.”

Jenna had waited to ask one of the most important questions. It was a wild guess but acting as if she knew that Ripley had been calling Jimmy Two Cents, it might just get reaction. “But you do have a strong relationship with James Earl Stafford. From his incoming phone records, you call him at least twice a month and you’re listed as one of his pen pals.”

The reaction was instant, Ripley threw himself back in his seat, eyes wide with shock. “He told you it was me?”

“I think that’s enough on that subject, Sheriff Alton.” Cross laid one hand on Ripley’s arm and stared at her. “I can’t imagine what his relationship with a prison inmate has to do with this case.”

Snorting, Jenna shook her head. “It has everything to do with this case, Mr. Cross.” She turned her attention back to Ripley. “I know you discuss hunting, but you were really planning murders, weren’t you?” She looked at Sam Cross. “Stafford has a code. He gets his followers to call or visit him and everything he says anyone listening would assume they were discussing hunting, but he’s really planning a murder. He recruits people to murder in his stead. It’s been done before. We just had to discover how he was doing it.”

“That’s not enough evidence to charge my client.” Cross shrugged. “The DA won’t proceed with a prosecution. Your evidence doesn’t hold water.”

As information filled Jenna’s ear, she glanced at Kane. From his expression he had heard the same information. She turned back to Sam Cross. “I’m sure I don’t have to inform your client that Alicia Palmer was also a friend of Stafford. She started as a pen pal and graduated to visiting him at the prison. She was found murdered, and on searching her house, we recovered cross bow bolts containing human DNA. A piece of material found at the Devil’s Punch Bowl murder scene matched her jacket. I will be holding your client in custody until the results are in. I will also be seeking a search warrant for his room at the college and will be taking his bow and quiver into evidence for scientific analysis.”

“You don’t have probable cause.” Cross was making hurried notes.

“Yeah, we do.” Kane leaned forward. “One, he is a friend of Alicia Palmer, who we have reason to believe has used her crossbow on a human. Secondly, he admits to going hunting with her, and thirdly, they are both involved with Stafford. As the murders follow his MO to the letter, we have more than enough probable cause to get a search warrant and hold him pending further investigation. I will be arranging for him to be taken to county.”

“I’ll be interested to see this evidence.” Cross stood and looked at Ripley. “If you’re innocent, you have nothing to worry about. Sheriff Alton won’t manufacture evidence against you. Right now, all you can do is wait. I’ll be reviewing the evidence if and when it arrives and be in touch. Do you have anyone I need to contact?”

“Nope.” Ripley shook his head as if resigned to his fate. “Just get me out as soon as possible.”

“I’ll do my best.” Cross looked at Jenna. “I expect you to feed my client. He will have missed dinner by the time he arrives at county.”

Jenna nodded. “That’s a given. Innocent until proven guilty.” She stopped the recording. “Mr. Ripley, Deputy Kane will take you down to the cells and arrange transport to county. It’s more comfortable down there and I’ll have dinner sent down for you. Any allergies I should be aware of?”

“Nope.” Ripley was subdued as if all the life had been drained out of him. “I want a bloody steak and fries and a soda.”

Jenna waited for Kane to escort him out and turned to Sam Cross. “Alicia Palmer was brutally murdered. It was as if someone really hated her. From what I’ve heard about her, she was a dominant person. I am concerned about what influence she had over Ripley.”

“I appreciate you giving me that information.” Cross gathered his things and headed for the door. “If it’s true, it won’t help him. If he was involved in the first murders with Alicia Palmer, he could have easily murdered her to keep her quiet. I’m sure you’ve considered that scenario because I don’t see you hauling in the third member of the crossbow team. Why is that?”

Tucking the statement pad under one arm, Jenna nodded. “He is on our list of suspects with the members of the other team. They all move in the same circles. They also cross over to hunt with each other. The only time they’re on separate teams is when they compete. We know this to be true as all of them, apart from Ripley, admitted hunting together at one time or another. They also admitted to hunting with many of the members of the crossbow club, but at this time we’re just concentrating on sharpshooters, as the murder in the forest was very accurate.”

“It will be interesting to follow your investigation.” Cross stood to one side as Jenna used her card to access the door.

Outside, Kane waited for her with Jo and Carter. She smiled at them. “I was surprised he admitted to knowing Stafford. I’m sure Ripley is involved. Now we need to concentrate on finding the third shooter. I figure it has to be one of the four remaining suspects and not one from a lesser team. Two come to mind. The way Bannister acted concerns me, and Barlow was seen in the area. I figure we shake them down again and see what falls out.”

“Right now, the third shooter believes he is in the clear.” Jo folded her arms and leaned against the wall. “Whichever one it is will be feeling confident he’s gotten away with murder. He knows Alicia is dead and for sure as hell he won’t be contacting Ripley. He’ll be too smart for that.”

Jenna nodded. “What do you suggest?”

“Go over the interview notes again and see if we missed anything and then we hit them again tomorrow, same as before. At work.” Jo straightened. “Maybe tell them Ripley is in custody and singing like a bird. Then see how they react.”

Jenna smiled. “That works for me.”

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