Page 12 of Their Haunted Hearts (Detectives Kane and Alton #27)

Eleven

Raven stared at the trembling women. After hearing screams, he hadn’t wasted any time breaking down the door. He looked over his shoulder at the broken lock and shattered doorframe. “Did the displays frighten you? Why were you inside? It hasn’t opened yet.”

“Forget about the displays. There is a dead body in there.” One of the women pointed a shaking finger to the door.

“It smells of death. We went inside to add some extra decorations and everything went to hell. The automatons turned themselves on and we were trapped inside. I guess it’s been made that way to frighten people but we couldn’t get out.

We were stuck in there and then suddenly all these candles lit up around this body.

At first, we thought it was part of the display but then we could smell it and took a closer look.

The next thing, all the lights went out, we screamed, and you came through the door. ”

Raven took their names and details. He called the office and gave the information to Rio. “I’m going to take a look inside.”

“We have a killer on the loose in town.” Rio’s boots tapped on the tile inside the sheriff’s office. “I’ll be there in five. Don’t enter the building without backup.”

Raven blew out a sigh. He was used to doing things alone and now as a deputy he needed to follow rules. “Copy that.” He turned to the women. “So, what do you do in the scheme of things?”

“The company that built this haunted house employed us to add a few fine touches to the displays.” Mary’s pale face and wide eyes concerned him.

“We are expected to be here anytime the house is open for tourists or festivals, to ensure it always looks its best. Things like adding cobwebs or spiders. We hadn’t expected the electronics to suddenly activate and scare us half to death or to find a dead body. ”

“It’s another vampire.” Deb nodded slowly. “Same as the other one. Someone believes they are stopping them from invading Black Rock Falls.”

Raven stopped writing notes and stared at them with his pen hovering above his notebook.

He had been hearing similar conversations from the local townsfolk during his patrol.

Many of them stopping him to ask him about the recent vampire discovered in the coffin outside Aunt Betty’s Café.

“I figure you’re allowing your imagination to run away with you.

” He glanced from one to the other. “Common sense would tell you that vampires are fictional characters. They don’t exist. Whoever is doing this is a stone-cold killer and not a heroic vampire slayer. ”

“The thing is that many myths are being proven to be true of late.” Deb pushed a trembling hand through her hair. “What I saw inside that place fits the description. Maybe it’s time for everyone to take a closer look. If there are vampires in our town, we all need to take precautions.”

Trying very hard to smother a smile, Raven recalled the few townsfolk he’d seen wearing strings of garlic around their necks.

He figured they were already taking precautions.

“Well, I guess you do what you feel is best, but I can assure you the dead can’t hurt anyone, unless they’re infected with disease. ”

The whoop whoop of a siren signaled the arrival of Rio.

His vehicle pulled up nose-in to the haunted house.

Raven turned to the women. “I want you to stay here. We’ll need to take statements as you are first on scene at a possible homicide.

My dog will guard you.” He gave Ben a signal and the dog dropped down in front of the women.

“Okay, let’s take a look inside.” Rio tossed him a flashlight.

“They’ve probably seen a very real-looking dummy.

Some of them could fool anyone, especially when you’ve been spooked.

” He glanced at the door. “We’ll need to call someone to fix the damage and contact the owner.

” He swung a look at the two women. “Don’t let anyone inside.

I’ll tell you when it’s safe.” He nodded to Raven. “After you.”

Raven found it interesting how different members of the sheriff’s department worked a scene.

Kane was the military professional, putting his life on the line and always out in front.

Jenna delegated everyone a job and they all moved together as a team.

Rio spat out orders but never took the lead.

He figured this attitude came from a man who’d never been injured in the line of duty.

Being shot wasn’t nice, but once it happened, a person knew what to expect and acted accordingly.

First up, he didn’t imagine that the killer was still on the scene—if indeed this was a homicide—but he could easily be someplace watching what was happening.

Raven stepped inside the door, drawing his weapon.

He swept the room with his flashlight and immediately moved across to a long white table with the body the women described.

“Sheriff’s department. Come out with your hands on your head. ”

No sound came from inside the house and only traffic noises came from behind them. He turned as Rio stepped in the door. “There’s no one in this room. I’ll check for life signs if you want to clear the house.”

“Not alone I don’t.” Rio moved his flashlight around the room.

“From what I know about the plans for this place, it has changing hallways and shifting floors. If the automation has been turned on, we could trigger it just walking through. As it’s not finished yet it could be dangerous.

I’ll wait for you to examine the supposed body. ”

Raven walked across the room, his boots sticking to the floor.

He played the light across the sticky puddle under his feet.

It resembled blood. He turned to look over his shoulder at Rio.

“I’ve contaminated the crime scene. Stick to the outside walls.

There’s a patch of what could be blood over here. ”

He went toward the body. He didn’t need to check for vital signs. The wooden stake pierced the chest and would have destroyed the heart. He pulled out his phone and called Jenna. He gave her a quick update of the situation.

“We’ve just arrived at the Triple Z Roadhouse to hunt down a lead on the first victim.

” Jenna’s boots crunched on gravel and the wind buffeted the phone.

“We’ll get there ASAP. I’ll call Wolfe. Wait for him and send Rio back to the office with the witnesses.

He can take down their statements and let them go.

I’ll follow up later if necessary.” She paused.

“Tell Rio to charge the drunk in the cells with damage to properties and vehicles. He isn’t our killer. He was locked up all night.”

Raven nodded. “Copy that.” He had his phone on speaker and swung his gaze to Rio. “Did you get that?”

“Yeah.” Rio scratched his cheek. “The person responsible sure knows how to make his victims look like vampires. The one thing missing is the fangs.”

Picking his way carefully to the door on the opposite side of the room, Raven glanced at him. “This guy is infatuated by vampires. Part of him believes that he’s killing them before they turn, so the teeth wouldn’t be an issue.”

The door the women said was locked opened smoothly and they stepped onto a ramp that led to a narrow hallway.

They moved slowly throughout the house, checking each display and every closet they could open.

A few automatons startled Raven but none of them became active.

Everything seemed in order. “We’ve walked all over this house and nothing has sprung into life.

The women were terrified when I found them and said everything suddenly came to life.

We’ll need to tell the owner to check out the control panel.

It’s not safe if it’s going to switch on without notice. Someone could get hurt.”

“I figure the controls will be in the kitchen.” Rio followed close behind him.

“From what I’ve read, entry will be from the alleyway.

The ticket booth will be created beside the back door and the patrons start in the passageway beside the kitchen.

The staff will be supervising by CCTV cameras in the kitchen.

I haven’t seen any cameras, so I guess that hasn’t been set up yet. ”

As they reached the kitchen, Rio let out a long breath behind him and Raven turned to look at him, surprised to see his tightly guarded expression. “I figured you’d be more experienced in crime scenes.”

“I’m very experienced in crime scenes.” Rio holstered his weapon. “I was a gold shield detective in LA before I came to work here. What makes you believe I’m not experienced in crime scenes?”

Raven could understand if Rio’s coldness toward him was because he’d stepped in as a rival for Emily’s affections after their breakup, but on a professional level, he’d witnessed Rio’s instant dislike for him.

The man had a retentive memory and maybe that’s why he had a little trouble letting go.

Or maybe it was his instant close friendship with Kane?

He and Agents Carter and Styles, along with Wolfe, had a bond that only those who’d served in the military enjoyed.

Because of this bond, he’d slipped into the team with ease and spent a good deal of his downtime with the others building motorcycles.

He gave Rio a long considering stare. “Maybe because this place freaks you out. You know it’s not real—well apart from the dead body laid out on an altar in the family room—but I could almost feel your fear. ”

“My problem is I don’t forget things.” Rio rubbed his chin.

“The patch of blood gave me a flashback to a case that I was involved in some time ago. I woke up covered in blood after investigating a dead body in a similar situation to this. I was the prime suspect for a time and the problem was I couldn’t remember what had happened.

For someone like me, forgetting never happens and it kind of freaked me out. ”

Nodding slowly, Raven slapped him on the back. “Yeah, I’ve been there. It gets better.”

“I doubt it.” Rio sighed. “Not being able to forget is a curse more than a gift.”

Raven noticed the purses on the kitchen table.

He pulled out his phone and took a picture of them.

“I’ll take these out to the witnesses. They’ll need them.

I’ll get the details of the owner from them and call him.

If you want to go, I’ll wait here for Wolfe.

” He waved toward the back door. “Maybe we should go out this way.”

“Sure.” Rio pulled open the door and stepped outside into the alleyway. “I’ll get someone out to fix the door. Will you be okay to wait here until it’s repaired?”

Checking his watch, Raven shrugged. “I’ll need Rowley to relieve me within the hour.”

“I’ll send him along.” Rio strode away along the alleyway.

Raven scratched his head. He wondered why Jenna had made Rio chief deputy.

When she’d been away on maternity leave, the position had sure gone to his head.

Right now, he figured Rio would run in the elections against her the following year.

Not that he could win. The townsfolk loved and respected Jenna and Kane.

They knew they would keep them safe. The people he’d spoken to during her absence had been reassured knowing if a serial killer came into town, she’d be there defending them, even with a new baby.

Luckily, the town and Jenna had been given a respite.

Apart from a few local robberies and a small gang of kids from Blackwater stealing vehicles, it had been the quietest fifteen months in the past seven years.

He went back to the witnesses and called the owner, who was on his way with a crew.

He explained the place was a crime scene and until the medical examiner had finished, no one would be entering the building.

The door, however, could be repaired. The owner had a carpenter on his crew and would take care of it.

He watched the women climb into Rio’s truck and waved away the few inquisitive onlookers before sitting on the bench.

His part-time job had expanded from the odd day to three days a week and, like now, maybe seven days a week until the perp was caught.

Luckily, training dogs as K-9s or for protection wasn’t precise.

His dogs were super smart and could pick up their training when he had time.

The people waiting for a protection dog understood a dog took as long as it takes.

Having Atohi Blackhawk as a partner, meant he didn’t need to be at home to feed them.

When he worked, Blackhawk stayed in his own cabin on his land.

They had a great working relationship. He leaned back, rubbed Ben’s silky ears and sighed.

He didn’t mind sitting back for a time, watching the townsfolk prepare for Halloween, and he might get lucky and Emily would arrive with her dad.