Page 4 of Their Haunted Hearts (Detectives Kane and Alton #27)
Three
After speaking to Christine McEntire and Terry Bauman, Jenna left them with the receptionist, Maggie, to sign their statements.
She called the mayor to give him a report of the incident and arrange for a crew to come out and clean the mess on the sidewalk and road.
She went back downstairs to speak to Rowley.
He had been with her since she first joined the sheriff’s department and she’d trained him.
Rowley was married with boisterous twins, and his wife, Sandy, had given birth to a baby girl a few months after Jackson was born. “How’s the prisoner?”
“Sleeping.” Rowley stood from behind his desk opposite the cells. “We took his prints. I’m running them through the database now. He wouldn’t give his name and has no identification on him. He had his weapons and a bunch of keys, is all.”
Jenna frowned. That was unusual. “We’ll let him sleep.” She leaned against the wall. “How are Sandy and the kids?”
“They’re fine.” Rowley smiled and pulled up a photograph on his phone. “The kids are growing like weeds, and Mia is walking and talking up a storm already.”
Jenna peered at the image. “Mia is so like Sandy.” She tapped her bottom lip.
“You’re going to be stuck here for a while.
We discovered a body in town just before.
Wolfe is conducting an autopsy at two. You’ll need to order takeout for lunch and grab sandwiches for the prisoner. He’ll wake up hungry.”
“Body?” Rowley raised both eyebrows. “Where? Is it a homicide or did the drunk guy shoot them?”
She nodded. “I think homicide, but he did shoot her in the cheek but she was already dead. Wolfe believes she died hours ago.” She straightened from the wall.
“The victim was found in a coffin outside Aunt Betty’s.
The guy in the cells shot it up and two women noticed it wasn’t a mannequin.
It was starting to stink, so it would have been discovered before long.
” She sighed. “It has two marks on its neck and a stake through its heart. I figure we have another Halloween lunatic running around. It’s going to be hard to keep this murder under wraps, half the townsfolk have seen the body. ”
“So, you don’t figure the shooter and the corpse are connected?” Rowley rubbed his chin.
Jenna checked her watch. “Right now, I don’t have a clue.” She sighed. “As Dave and Raven aren’t back yet, I’ll walk into town and see what’s delaying them.” She headed for the door.
On the way she collected their bloodhound, Duke, from under Maggie’s desk and headed back along Main.
She moved through people trying to put things straight on their displays.
One older man sat on a pile of hay bales carving a pumpkin and around him he’d scattered corn husks.
A line of pumpkins at his feet grinned at her.
After the disturbance everything was returning to normal.
She found no sign of Kane or Raven on Main, but Raven’s truck was still parked where he’d left it.
When she reached Aunt Betty’s Café, Duke did a happy dance and ran around her legs.
As a patrol dog he was allowed inside and the manager spoiled him.
She pushed open the door and swept her gaze over the room.
Kane and Raven sat at their reserved table drinking coffee.
“There you are. I figured you’d show sooner or later. We’re starving and couldn’t wait.” Kane stood and pulled out a chair for her. “You need to eat too. Do you want the special? Pulled pork sandwiches and apple pie. I’ll go and order.”
Jenna nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine and something for Duke.” She looked at Raven. “Is Ben allowed to have something to eat?”
“Sure.” Raven smiled at her. “He eats anything.”
“Okay, three specials and two dog meals.” Kane headed for the counter.
Needing to know what they’d discovered, Jenna looked at Raven. “Did you find anything interesting?”
“Nope.” Raven leaned forward. His hands loosely gripped the table.
“No one saw anything. We spoke to the assistant manager, Wendy, and the coffin has been there since Friday last. It’s an automaton, with motion sensors.
The door opens to display a vampire with red glowing eyes.
She didn’t notice anything unusual until about half an hour before the shooting started. She figures she smelled something bad.”
Jenna pushed her hair from her eyes and retied it at the nape of her neck.
“Most of the displays remain outside all night. They’re too heavy for one person to move.
I can’t imagine someone carrying a body along the sidewalk, removing the mannequin, and replacing it with a corpse without being seen. ”
“They might have been seen.” Kane dropped into the chair beside her.
“The thing is, no one would pay much attention to someone setting up a display. I saw someone carrying a headless body just before and went to check it out but no one was taking any notice. It’s Halloween and people are setting up their displays.
We all know they do this the week before.
In this town the Halloween festival lasts about ten days. ”
“Yeah, they like to make it last.” Raven chuckled. “Although, I can’t buy enough of the pumpkin pies from the bake-off. I’m first in line every year.”
Jenna smiled at Wendy when she delivered the meals. “This looks great. Thanks.”
“If I’d come in the front door when I arrived this morning, I’d have noticed something was wrong with the display.
” Wendy’s brow creased into a frown. “I wonder how long she’s been there.
It gives me the shivers knowing that poor woman has been there all morning.
” She looked at Kane. “I’ve checked the CCTV footage for last night right through until nine this morning.
I see shadows moving, is all.” She pulled a thumb drive from her pocket and handed it to Kane.
“I saved it for you just in case you can get anything from it.”
“Thanks.” Kane slid the drive into his jacket pocket.
When Wendy headed back to the counter, Jenna turned to Kane and Raven. “We need to check the displays and make sure there are no other surprises.”
“Already done.” Kane bit into a sandwich and moaned. “Aw, man, this is amazing. Mine has a honey glaze sauce with apples in it.”
“Mine too.” Raven chewed slowly. “I could become addicted to this.”
Looking from one to the other, Jenna laughed. “You two will be moving in here soon.”
“Nah.” Kane grinned. “I’m addicted to you.”