“Okay.” Jenna pushed to her feet. “The moment the warrant arrives, we’ll move out.” She glanced at Wolfe. “Do you want to be involved?”
“Not at this stage.” Wolfe indicated to Webber. “I need to work on the Knox evidence. I can spare Webber for backup.”
“Good, then that’s all for today.” Jenna exchanged a look with Kane and he hung back as the others filed out. “Do you figure Chuck Burns will cause any trouble?”
“I’m not sure. He was wary and defensive but he gave us permission to search his property. He didn’t have too many wrecks there at all and nothing even remotely late model. We just gave it a quick sweep and left.” Kane shrugged. “Of course at the time I wasn’t aware he owned other buildings close by.”
Jenna chewed on her bottom lip. “If he has Sky’s car hidden somewhere else, he wouldn’t be worried about you searching his yard.” She leaned one hip against her desk. “Burns is looking more like a suspect by the second.”
Fifty-Four
Anger raged through him with each step from the parking lot and between the red brick buildings. He used his key to open the hidden entrance to his secret rooms. The freezing fingers of melted snow running down his neck did not cool his temper. No one had ever gotten so close to destroying his business. He reached the next door and thumbed in the password on the keypad. He grunted as red lights flashed his error. “Dammit all to hell.”
The nosy sheriff was sticking her nose into too many places. She was smarter than he had given her credit for and the deputy always at her side had a stare that cut into a man’s soul. He snorted, recognizing a killer. When he looked into the mirror, the same truth reflected back at him. It takes one to know one.
Deputy Kane was hiding a secret just like him. His reaction on the highway when he challenged him was unexpected and showed Kane was a certain type of man—one who doesn’t fear death—which made him a threat. He thumbed in the password slower this time and the door clicked open. Smashing the metal door against the wall, it echoed down a passageway lit only with small downlights. After removing his coat and boots, he shoved them into a locker containing his spare coat and the male nurse’s clothes then dragged hospital scrubs over his clothes and wore a hat and face mask as a disguise. He would never risk anyone seeing his face just in case one of his victims escaped. It was going to be a rush; he had so little time to complete his orders and didn’t want his reputation for delivering on time shot to hell because of Sheriff Alton. Due to her interference, he would have to cease operation until the smoke cleared and it would cost him millions.
His temper hadn’t cooled by the time he came up on the male nurse he’d cajoled into working with him. In truth, he wanted to feed the wimp into the hogger machine and watch his eyes as the machine slowly shred him into little pieces but right now, he needed him. Maybe later. “You’ve watched the doc harvest organs so I need you to work on Doug alone because we’re runnin’ out of time and I have business to attend to in town.”
“No way.” The nurse stopped washing Olivia and peered at him over his face mask. “Watchin’ is one thing and I assist but doing a number of complicated procedures is another matter. If I made one mistake and cut too deep, the sample would be useless.” He raised both eyebrows. “Then your reputation won’t be worth a dime.” The nurse cleared his throat. “Another thing—you’ll have to pull back on the drugs before shipment, you’re givin’ Doug enough meds to bring down a grizzly.”
A wave of frustration gripped him at the sight of Olivia’s terrified stare but he’d no time to indulge in his fantasies, he’d need to leave soon to convince the doc to drop everything and complete the next shipment. “Okay, drop him down some but keep him strapped to the bed. He’ll be first when I can get the damn doc here.”
“What about Olivia?” The nurse met his gaze.
He shook his head. “We’ll get to her later. Is she on the zombie drug?”
“Yeah but it won’t last long, maybe another ten minutes or so.” The nurse picked up the bowl and towels and left the room, leaving them alone.
It took an effort to control the rush of excitement. Unlike Sky, she’d be alive when he fed her into the hogger, and watching the machine do its job sated his desire. He’d once preferred to strangle them. Stabbing left too much evidence behind. He had to admit leaving their bodies to rot beside the highway had been a waste but all that had changed now. Now, nothing went to waste.
Fifty-Five
Caught up in Jenna’s exuberance, Kane slid behind the wheel and waited for her to fasten her seatbelt before peeling out of the parking space and heading to the outskirts of town to Chuck Bur
ns’ junkyard. The tires gripped well on the newly salted blacktop, and he accelerated leaving the decorated main street behind. “I sure hope we find something substantial this time.”
“Time has been our enemy, not getting the report from Mrs. Lars until yesterday then waiting for the judge to sign a search warrant, we’ve given Burns plenty of time to dispose of evidence.” Jenna waved the document. “I wish we’d had this yesterday.”
Kane shrugged and pulled his truck to a halt outside the junkyard with Rowley’s cruiser close behind. “Then Knox could have slipped through the net. He looked the most suspicious and he’s still on our list. How are you playing this?”
“We’ll go see Burns. I’ll send Rowley and Webber round back of the old garage in case he tries to run.” Jenna climbed from the SUV and issued orders then led the way into the office. “Mr. Burns, we have a warrant to search your premises.”
“Sure, I said before you could look around.” Burns wiped greasy hands on a stained rag. “I ain’t got nothin’ to hide.”
“The warrant extends to all your premises, including the old garage and storage areas you own in this location.” Jenna slapped the warrant on the desk. “If you have keys it would be wise to open the doors or I’ll give my deputies instructions to break them down.”
Kane tried to avoid the rancid smell of male sweat and dirty motor oil and rested one hand on his weapon; if Burns planned to escape, he would try in the next few seconds but the man’s face paled and he leaned heavily against the wall. It was as if all the life had drained out of him. “Hand over the keys, Mr. Burns.”
“Okay, sure.” Burns’ eyes shifted from him and back to Jenna then he went for something below the counter.
Don’t go for a weapon. I don’t want to kill you. We need answers. Before he finished the thought, his Glock was in his hand. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“One more step and Deputy Kane will blow your fingers clean off.” Jenna had her Glock aimed at Burns’ chest. “Hands on head. Step away from the counter.” She exchanged a meaningful glance with Kane.
Kane moved around the counter and pulled open a drawer. Inside he found sets of keys and whistled at the sight of a Smith & Wesson 500. He holstered his Glock and pulled on a pair of latex gloves, then lifted the pistol out the drawer. “You weren’t planning on shooting me, were you, Burns?” He smiled at the quivering man. “And just for the record, I wasn’t aiming for your hand, I was aiming right between your eyes and I never miss.” He unloaded the gun, letting the bullets tumble back in the drawer, then slipped the heavy weapon into his jacket pocket.
“Show me the keys for the garage.” Jenna held her weapon steady. “Then cuff him, Kane. I don’t want any surprises.” She read Burns his rights. “Let’s go.”