“The Black Rock Falls Funeral Home has a very experienced ME. Max Weems and his son have worked for the county in that capacity for ten years.” She holstered her weapon. “I’ll call them now.”
“I have fresh coffee brewing, and as you’ve supplied me with a number of take-out mugs would you like me to bring you a hot drink?”
She smiled at his thoughtfulness. “I would kill for a coffee—thank you.”
Twenty
After asking for directions to the landfill, Kane headed the SUV down the driveway. The countryside still resembled a greeting card under the watery morning sun, but snowdrifts on the roadside had melted and green patches peeked out. “I hope we’ve seen the last of the snow.”
“Not likely.” Alton was clutching her coffee mug with both hands. “But it’s good to see the sun today.” She glanced at him. “I need to tell you something that might be relevant to the man jumping me on Saturday night.”
He met her gaze and nodded. “Okay.”
“I went out on a couple of pseudo dates with James Stone. He’s a lawyer to the more affluent residents of Black Rock Falls.” Alton’s gaze showed her concern. “He only wanted me to be his partner at functions, nothing serious, but he has become a bit of a stalker and fits the size and build of the man who attacked me. I refused a date with him on Friday, but at the time he couldn’t have known what you look like or that you would be living in my cottage. The only person I informed about your position was Mayor Rockford.”
“Does this Stone character speak to Mayor Rockford?”
“I guess so. Stone is their lawyer and a close friend.” She looked at him from below her lashes and her cheeks pinked. “The mayor did see me out with him at the Halloween Ball. We spoke to him.”
Kane rubbed his chin and stared at the road ahead. “It is more than likely they discussed my position and I gather you informed the mayor where I would be staying?”
“Yes, he asked me.”
“If the mayor told Stone, it would be easy for him to look up my details. You had to file my application with the town council for approval.” Kane cleared his throat. “I guess to some guys I might come over as a rival to your affections but as I said before, threatening harm isn’t the way to win a woman’s love.” He shot her a look. “I know giving me your personal information is difficult but if he is a creep and a possible danger to you, I need to know. I’m placing Mr. Stone on the list of suspects.” He sighed. “Anyone capable of holding a knife to a woman’s throat is capable of murder in my book. No other suspects?”
“I did have a spooky animal cruelty case involving Stan Clough. He went to jail for six months.”
He frowned. “Spooky? Now that’s interesting. I’ll pull his file and take a look.”
“He told the court that aliens had cut up his cattle and pigs, but when I went with Rowley he was covered in blood. He made some excuse that he was trying to save them.” Alton frowned and her mouth turned down. “He gutted them alive. Problem is, I can’t forget the way he looked at me. He has soulless eyes like a demon.”
“Animal cruelty is a front runner for psychopathic behavior. He would be a suspect if we were investigating a murder.” He glanced at her pale face and smiled. “You know, the majority of killers I’ve arrested have been intelligent, interesting, and quite good-looking people. I don’t think looks matter when it comes to murder.”
“Have you investigated many murder cases?”
“Some.” He shrugged. “I think you’re jumping the gun a bit about the supposed body at the landfill. In my experience, the moment people smell death, they panic. The drum could easily hold a dog. If it’s been stored in fluid, after a time the fur falls out, and it could resemble a person.” He waved a hand toward the frozen countryside. “It’s been like this for months and the ground is too hard to dig any sort of grave. The fact the contents haven’t frozen is no judgment of time either; plenty of liquids don’t freeze.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.” Alton sipped her drink and sighed in contentment, blowing out a cloud of steam.
* * *
By the time they arrived at the garbage dump, vehicles blocked the approach to the landfill, and with Alton hanging out the window directing traffic, Kane maneuvered around a line of cars. Driving on the wrong side of the road, he headed toward two men barring the gate. Horns sounded and people waiting to unload garbage glared at him. He pulled the SUV to a halt and turned to Jenna. “How do you want to handle this, ma’am?”
“Tell Brinks I want to speak to him and we should get someone out here to control the traffic. I’ll call Daniels.” Alton waved him away in a dismissive gesture.
He strode to the head of the line and spoke to the two men standing out front. “Open up to let the sheriff through then close the gate behind us. If you have any problems with the crowd, move one of the tractors in front of the gate. Which one of you is Brinks?”
“I’m Brinks.” One of the men stepped forward. “Don’t worry, I didn’t let a soul near the body.”
“Are you sure it’s a body, as in human and not an animal?”
Brinks raised one bushy gray eyebrow and rubbed at his untidy beard. “I don’t recall ever seeing an animal wearing a wedding ring.” He grimaced. “The sight scared ten years off my life. I thought I’d experienced every odor known to man working here but that barrel makes noxious gasses smell like roses.”
A shiver of unease lifted the hairs on Kane’s neck. No murders had occurred in Black Rock Falls in two years, and the moment he arrived, a body turned up. “How many of your employees worked here on Saturday?”
“Just me and Joey.” Brinks indicated with a thumb.
A younger man in thick winter clothing with dark eyes and a crimson nose sticking out above a scarf stared at Kane. “There are usually six of us working here on Saturday.”