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Forty-Seven

Jenna met the team as they spilled back into the office. She stared at Kane. “Silas Thorne? He’s dead? What happened?”

“See for yourself. Although it was dark down there.” Kane removed the bodycam and handed it to her. “He had Olivia wired with explosives and threatened to blow us all sky high. Carter hit him in the shoulder. I went to disarm him and he drew down on me. It was self-defense.”

“There is a nice confession on there as well and Dave read him his rights.” Carter moved a toothpick across his lips. “We saved the girl. It was a successful mission.”

Jenna fingered the bodycam and frowned. “Where is Olivia?”

“In the conference room.” Kane indicated behind him with his thumb.

“Raven is checking her out. She looks okay, scared to death but no major problems. He didn’t hurt her.

I guess he was saving her for a special kill.

I gave her my phone to call her mom. Her parents will be along soon.

They’re happy for you to question her and she’ll tell you everything that happened the night of the prom and since then.

She’s seventeen and a credible witness.”

Clearing her throat, Jenna looked from one to the other. “So you walked out and left the body for the rats?”

“Nope.” Carter smiled at her. “I called Wolfe, and his team is heading there now.”

Kane and Carter were both dirty and their faces streaked with sweat.

She waved them out of her office. “Okay, you go and take a shower. I’ll order some food from Aunt Betty’s.

Ask Rio to sit with Olivia, so Raven can do the same.

I’ll watch the footage and then speak to her.

” She smiled. “Seems to me, you handled everything without me. Great job.” She picked up her phone and placed a delivery for takeout.

As Kane and Carter headed for the locker room, she leaned back in her chair and smiled at Duke. “I do believe it’s time for me to go home and wait for my baby to arrive.”

She slid the card from the bodycam into her computer and watched the dark footage.

She could clearly hear everything that had happened.

She swallowed hard at the sight of the scarecrow and chills ran down her spine each time Carter diffused the bombs.

The confession was there to a point, but she needed to know what happened on the night of the prom.

Jenna picked up her recorder and headed to the conference room. Olivia was sitting up on the sofa wrapped in a blanket drinking hot chocolate. She looked at Raven. “I need to question her. Is she okay?”

“I’m fine, just a little sleepy.” Olivia smiled at her. “Thank you for finding me. I knew you’d come.”

Taking a seat opposite, Jenna turned to Raven. “Go and clean up. The takeout will be here soon.”

“Thanks.” Raven smiled at Olivia. “You’re in good hands.” He hurried from the room.

Keeping her expression pleasant, Jenna looked at Olivia.

“Your parents will be here soon, but your mom said it was okay to talk to you about what happened. I’ll record it so you won’t need to keep repeating it, but you might have to answer a few questions later.

One thing I need to know is how did Silas Thorne get into the limo? ”

“I don’t know.” Olivia gripped the cup with both hands. “We didn’t see him until we heard a gunshot and then saw the blood splashed on the window between the driver and us.”

Jenna nodded. “Okay, I know it’s painful, but what happened next?”

She listened in horror as Olivia described the terrifying moments before she saw the limo drop into the river.

Without prompting, she went on giving as much detail as possible.

The girl gave a very harrowing description of her time in the caves.

Sickened by the vivid descriptions, she thanked Olivia and stood.

“Deputy Rio will stay with you until your parents arrive. Please don’t hug them.

I’m sure the medical examiner will need to take samples from your clothes.

Thorne might be dead but there will still be a full investigation.

I’ll be sending details of his crimes, plus his DNA, across the US.

There are many unsolved crimes and he might be responsible for many of them.

” She squeezed Olivia’s hand. “You’ve been so brave, but please take the help you need to recover.

I’ll always be here if you need to talk. ”

“I’ve proved to myself I’m stronger than I thought.” Olivia gave Jenna a determined look. “I’ll never forget what happened, but I won’t fall apart. I need to live a normal life. I want to remember my friends and tell their stories. I want to make sure this never happens again.”

Nodding, Jenna motioned to Rio to come inside. “I’ll work hard to make sure men like him are caught and brought to justice. Deputy Rio will wait. I’ll send someone down with takeout. I’m sure you must be starving.” She patted Olivia on the shoulder and headed for the door.

Exhausted, Jenna walked back to her office.

The case was solved, the team still running smoothly and very capable of tying up any loose ends.

She’d wait for Kane to shower and eat and then she’d thank everyone and head home.

For now, she’d leave law enforcement to her trusted team.

She smiled as Kane, Carter, and Raven came into the office carrying a box of takeout.

“The takedown went like clockwork.” She looked at Kane.

“It was a clear case of self-defense and Carter, wow, that was some fancy finger work.” She swung her attention to Raven.

“You just fit into the team as if you’ve been here all along.

Thank you, for solving the case.” She looked at Kane.

“When you’re done here, take me home. I want to spend the next week or so relaxing.

” She smiled. “As of this second, Rio is in charge.”

“About time.” Kane grinned at her. “Let’s go.”