“Is there anyone in Black Rock Falls who is not ex-military?” Carter raised both eyebrows.
Kane glanced at him in his rearview mirror. “Rowley and Rio, as far as I know. I figure the rest of us all came here for a quiet life. You know, a nice peaceful backwoods town set in the mountains. Who could want for anything better?”
“Uh-huh.” Carter smiled around his toothpick. “Y’all came looking for paradise and found Serial Killer Central.”
Nodding, Kane slid the Beast into a small clearing on the edge of the fire road. The black vehicle would be totally hidden once the snow had coated its exterior. The other vehicles would be concealed in different positions. He checked his watch and then contacted the members of the team through his com. “The delivery is due in approximately ten minutes. Kalo will have a drone up by now and will feed information to us about the truck’s location. I’m moving into position now. Move out.” He slid out of the Beast with Wolfe and Carter at his side. He slapped Carter on the back. “Go get ’em, cowboy.”
As Carter slipped away, Wolfe snorted beside him. He looked at him. “What?”
“I’d like to shoot that toothpick out of his mouth.” Wolfe grinned at him, his teeth white in the dark. “Then he’d know I can handle a rifle.”
Kane smiled back. “Come on, I have a nice ice-covered boulder to watch the action. It gives me a clear line of sight to the barn where the deliveries are unloaded.”
“You’ve played this mission very close to the vest.” Wolfe moved beside him, their boots hardly making a sound in the snow. “I drove past getting here and noticed the securitycameras. How are the men going to get into position without being seen?”
Keeping to the edge of the fire road to avoid detection, Kane scanned ahead for any movement, but all appeared to be quiet. They reached the large boulder and climbed up the slippery surface until they reached the top. As he set up his sniper rifle, he glanced at Wolfe, who lay down peering at the BW Ranch through field glasses. “They’ll be coming in from behind, apart from Carter and Styles. They’ll be using the outbuildings for cover. Kalo hacked into Withers’ CCTV setup and has looped footage running through the system on all cameras. The moment Carter sees proof of fentanyl tablets in the delivery, they’ll move in. We were lucky and have six DEA agents working alongside us. Rio and Rowley are with them, coming in from behind. Five minutes away, we have enough prison buses to carry all these men to County. If luck goes our way, I’m hoping it will be a clean bust.”
“Not with all the firepower I see. It’s gonna be a bloodbath.” Wolfe didn’t lift his eyes from his field glasses. “The snow isn’t helping but the deep shadows around the buildings are shielding Carter and Styles because I can’t see them and I know they’re there.”
“Showtime.” Kalo’s voice came through the com.
Kane dropped into position. His sniper rifle had all the gadgets necessary not to need a spotter. He peered down the scope and moved it from one of Withers’ men to the other. One move in the wrong direction and he’d be able to take them down before they pulled the trigger. Wolfe had insisted on coming along to watch his back. That’s what Wolfe did and there would be no arguing with him.
“The truck’s turning in now.” Wolfe moved his field glasses across the view. He tapped his com. “I can confirm the flatbed contains horse pellets. It’s heading along the drivewaynow. Withers’ men are in position. I can see men in hazmat suits just inside the barn.”
Kane slowed his heartbeat as adrenaline pumped through his veins. Remaining calm meant he never missed his target. Right now, one mistake could cost a member of the team their life. He took a few deep breaths and dropped into the zone. As Withers’ men unloaded the horse pellets from the truck and exposed the rainbow-colored fentanyl pills, men in hazmat suits came forward carrying large plastic containers. The shouts of “federal agents” and “sheriff’s department” came through the night as the team moved forward to make arrests.
Without warning, one of Withers’ men fired into the air, spraying the driveway with bullets. They weren’t going down without a fight. Kane held his breath as the team shrank back and took cover, but Withers’ men raised their rifles. Shots rang out and Withers’ men scattered, using the truck for cover. All would be easy targets for Kane.
“Kane, we’re directly in the line of fire with no escape.”Carter’s voice came through Kane’s com.“Have you got eyes on the targets?”
Kane had expected they wouldn’t go easy, considering the value of the shipment. The decision had been taken out of his hands. He tapped his com. “Copy. Keep your heads down.”
If he didn’t act right away, his team would be slaughtered. Carter and Styles would be the first to die. He took aim. A few seconds later, five men lay dead and the remaining members of Withers’ team had laid down their weapons. Before he could blink, agents and deputies moved in to disarm them. Scanning the area and keeping vigilant, he remained in position until every last one of Withers’ men had been secured. As Carter and Styles cuffed Withers, Kane rose to his knees, scooped up handfuls of snow, and rubbed them into his face. He didn’t enjoy killing and wanted to wash away the memory.
“You’ve saved hundreds of thousands of lives tonight—notto mention your friends.” Wolfe sat beside him, his face chiseled in the moonlight. “The mission is a success. Your team looks up to you and Jenna. You lead by example and never take a life unless it’s absolutely necessary.” He slapped Kane on the back. “Put this behind you and hold your head high like you always do or I’m going to start believing that being a father is making you soft.” He shouldered his rifle and slid off the boulder.
Kane dismantled his rifle and stared into the peaceful forest. He pushed away doubts and jumped down beside him. He smiled. “Come on, old man, I’ll race you back to the Beast.”
THIRTY-THREE
Thursday
A cold crisp morning greeted Beth and Rio as they headed toward the Cattleman’s Hotel to interview Ethan Rourke. Beth had spent the night with everyone at Jenna’s ranch and Styles had talked nonstop about the mission the previous night. The takedown had uncovered a massive hoard of fentanyl within the BW Ranch. The success of the mission had made the FBI director very happy. The agents had filed their reports and been given two weeks’ vacation. They would, of course, be remaining on Jenna’s ranch for Christmas, and she couldn’t believe she would actually enjoy the company. Something strange had happened to her since she arrived at Rattlesnake Creek. Working with Styles had made her human again. It had started with his dog. She really loved Bear and found that she trusted Styles with her life, which had been something she’d never experienced before. Being the Tarot Killer, and using her own brand of justice to rid the world of serial killers that had escaped the net, meant she’d been a loner all her life. She still wanted to rid the world of unstoppable serial killers, but day by day she’dchanged. She had friends and people who trusted her. This had become a phenomenon that took a lot of getting used to.
Meeting Rio at Jenna’s office and heading out with him seemed surreal. Having Styles around all the time, she’d gotten used to him, but Rio had been totally different. She found him professional but way too observant. To keep her cover, she’d need to be very careful around him. She turned her mind to the current homicide cases. They had two solid suspects, and in her opinion, either of them could have murdered both women. Rio had asked her to take the lead in the Ethan Rourke interview. As the suspect’s specialty involved working with anything to do with IT, he figured she would be able to understand any technical jargon he might come up with. Beth formed some questions in her mind to ask him. He moved around everywhere. From what she’d read about his qualifications, he could easily hack into security systems and CCTV cameras. This knowledge, if used correctly, caused no harm to anyone and was vital for anyone in the security business. It also provided a perfect cover for a serial killer. It meant they could move around under a cloak of invisibility. She would need to be very specific with her questions before deciding if he qualified as a viable suspect or just a hardworking Joe.
Snowflakes spiraled down around Beth as she led the way into the Cattleman’s Hotel. A wave of warm air hit her cheeks as she stepped through the doors and into the reception. Astonished by the opulence, she gazed at the huge picture of stampeding cattle above the check-in counter. It dominated the room. Large open fireplaces blazed with wooden logs and the snapping and crackling of pine cones. Earlier, she’d spoken to the manager and arranged to meet Ethan Rourke in the staff break room. She followed Rio into the room and checked out the man seated at the table with one hand wrapped around a cup of coffee. When Rourke stood and looked from one to the other apprehensively, Beth met his gaze. “I’m Agent Katz andI’m sure you know Chief Deputy Rio. We’re interviewing possible witnesses in the timeline of two homicide victims. Laney Prescott and Ellie McBride.” She took two photos from a folder and laid them on the table. “Do you know these women?” She placed her phone beside them, waited for him to drop into a chair, and sat down opposite him.
“I met Ms. McBride when I installed the interactive screen in her classroom.” Rourke tapped at Ellie’s photograph. “The name Laney Prescott rings a bell. Do you mind if I check my phone?”
“Go right ahead.” Rio remained standing, one shoulder leaning against the doorframe. One hand rested on his weapon.
“Ah, yes, she has a place on the outskirts of town. She called me for a quote about home security. I’d planned to drop by and see her tomorrow.” Rourke shook his head slowly. “It seems I didn’t get there in time.”
Beth narrowed her gaze. “I didn’t mention that someone murdered Ms. Prescott in her home?”
“I assume that being stuck out there all alone, something must have happened to her.” Rourke lifted his gaze from the photograph of Laney. “She mentioned hearing noises outside her house and was afraid that someone was stalking her. She told me she worked as a social worker and needed to deal with all different types of people.” His attention lifted to Beth’s face and then back to his cup. “Maybe you should be looking at one of her clients.”
