Experiment in Terror (Koehler Brothers Book 1) (14 page)

“It’s a definite possibility. I’ve got several plain clothes men patrolling the path. Now that we know what he looks like, it’s going to make it easier to spot him.”

Matt’s heart jumped into his throat at the chief’s words. Knowing the killer was on the loose, he felt stark fear at the thought of Amanda riding her bike on the Creek Path. He must get in touch with her immediately and tell her not to ride the Boulder Creek Path until Griswold was caught. He dialed her store first, but Jenessa told him she had left for home. This information caused him even more panic.

Next he tried her cell phone, but it went directly to voicemail. She must be talking on it, he decided. He waited a few minutes and then tried again. Again it went to voice mail.

Feeling frustrated, he tried her home phone. After a few rings, that one also went to voicemail. Now he was not only extremely upset, but worried. He would try to be patient and call back in thirty minutes. He was anxious to reach her and tell her not to ride the Creek Path at all, day or night, until Griswold was caught.

Matt went into a meeting with two of the policeman on the force in Colorado Springs, so he wasn’t able to call Amanda until an hour later. Both cell and home phone went to voicemail. He was starting to worry.

This is ridiculous
.
Maybe she is out with friends. Maybe she has a boyfriend and she’s out with him.

He hoped not. If that were the reason she wasn’t picking up on her home or cell phone, it would put paid to his plans for the two of them. He felt that was highly unlikely. In his panic, he wasn’t thinking clearly. Hadn’t she said, he was the first man she had dated in five years?

The Police Chief wanted him to go out to dinner, so he decided he would give her a try around nine that evening and if she still hadn’t picked up, he would call her first thing in the morning. He knew she didn’t open her store until ten so he would give her a call at home around eight-thirty or nine the next day if he were unable to reach her tonight.

When Aaron instructed Amanda to pull into the parking lot for the trailheads near NCAR and park, she was more mystified than ever. Only one car sat by the entrance to the building, and it was too late in the day for anyone to be hiking.

“Out,” he said, motioning with the knife. “I have some things in the trunk that we’re going to need and you’ll have to help me carry them.”

Reaching over, he took the key out of the ignition and stepped out. He moved to the back of the car, motioning her to follow and opened the trunk. Inside, she saw two backpacks. He handed her one and he took the other one.

“We’re going to have to get a move on us or we won’t reach Mallory Cave before it gets dark.”

“Mallory Cave?” she exclaimed. “But I heard on the news the other day it was closed to the public because of the bats.”

“That’s why we’re going there.” He smiled. “No one will ever think to look for us there.”

She stared at him.

“What’s the matter? You’re not afraid of bats, are you?”

“As a matter of fact, the thought of them does make me nervous,” she admitted. She had actually been thinking that it was going to be impossible for anyone to find her, but her answer appeared to satisfy him.

“They won’t hurt you. Do you know how supportive
they are of our ecological system?”

“No, I’ve never done any reading on the subject.”

“Let’s go, and I’ll explain it after we get to the cave and get settled in.”

Who will ever find me now?

Her chances appeared more hopeless all the time and she clenched her hands until her nails dug into her palms. Maybe her only hope was to keep Aaron talking. She was desperate to find a way to leave some kind of clue behind without him seeing her.

“Just a minute,” she said. “If we’re going to walk up that trail, I need to retie the laces on my shoes. They’re a little loose.”

Before he could object, she set the backpack he had given her on the ground and knelt down beside it. He gave her an impatient look, but then turned to survey the foothills in front of them.

Quickly she slipped off one of her bracelets and placed it slightly in front of the rear tire she was kneeling next to. She could only hope the piece of turquoise set into the silver band would be distinctive enough to catch someone’s eye. It had been a gift from her father and she hated to lose it, but it was the only thing she had that might remotely be a clue for anyone looking for her.

As she stood and picked up the backpack, she walked toward Aaron, knowing she couldn’t prolong the inevitable. Glancing at the plates on the car, she noticed they were registered in Illinois.

“Is this your car?” she asked..

“Yes, why?”

“It’s a very nice one. I enjoyed driving it.”

“We’ve wasted enough time. Let’s go,” he said, his expression darkening.

Amanda noticed as he waved his hand at her that he was no longer holding the knife. Instead, he was carrying a large flashlight. She swung the backpack over her shoulders and started up the path in front of Aaron, fear overtaking her as she wondered what was in store for her.

Chapter 14

What if Griswold did go back to the Boulder Creek Path? Once again, the thought caused Matt such panic he immediately called Heller.

When Heller picked up the phone, he was relieved when the Chief of Police said, “We’ve heard nothing on Griswold. As I told you previously, we’ve staked out the Boulder Creek Path. Nothing so far. It’s as though he’s disappeared into thin air.”

“Do you think he’s left town?”

“That would seem the logical thing for him to do since we now know what he looks like. We’ve handed out flyers all over town and as bad as I hated to, we ran an article in the paper with his picture. This can cause a panic in Boulder. No one likes to think there is a serial killer loose in their town. We’re on the tail end of our tourist season, but it will put paid to the rest of it. We’ve asked to be called should anyone see him. So far, there’s been nothing.”

“Sounds like he might have left town.”

“That’s what we’re hoping. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted and I’ll let you know if we hear anything the least bit suspicious.”

When Matt hung up after his conversation with Heller, he had to admit he did feel somewhat better. But that feeling evaporated immediately when his phone rang about noon the next day and he heard Heller’s voice.

“Matt, I promised to call you if anything came up. This morning I received a call from the manager of a store on the mall. It seems the owner who always opens the store failed to do so this morning. In addition, both her cell phone and home phone are not being answered, but go directly to voicemail. But the worrisome fact is, she rides her bike to and from work on the Boulder Creek Path.”

Matt had a terrible sinking feeling and he knew the answer to his question before he asked it. “What is the name of the owner of the store?”

“Amanda Barton. She’s the owner of Creations For You
.
In addition, the manager called her parents who have heard nothing from her. Needless, to say, now
they’re
in a panic.”

Matt knew exactly how they were feeling. “Have you checked along the Creek Path for clues?”

“I have some men out there scouring the bushes along the sides of the path.”

“Call me as soon as they get back to you. One way or another, I’m heading back to Boulder as soon as I can work out something with the police here.”

Matt had just finished explaining why it was necessary for him to leave, when his phone rang. The group of policemen had totally understood. The caller ID read ‘Heller.’

Sliding his finger across the screen to answer it, he said, “Koehler.”

“Matt, we don’t have a body, but we did find a bike that has been identified by the manager as the one Amanda Barton was riding.”

“Where was it?”

“It had been placed back under some bushes, not easily spotted. There was also her helmet.”

“I’m leaving here right now,” Matt said, grabbing up his briefcase from a nearby table and heading for the door of the conference room they had been working in. “I’ll be up there in a couple of hours.”

As he headed for his car, Matt didn’t know why he hadn’t told Heller he knew Amanda. He was almost certain if he had, Heller would have thought he was too close to the case to be working it. There was no way he was going to let anyone else take over at this point.

As he left Colorado Springs he connected with the I-25 and settled back for the two-hour drive to Denver. He decided not to stop by his office or his house, but drive straight to Boulder. Heller had told him he would be working late that evening.

He was about halfway between Colorado Springs and Denver when his phone rang. He pushed the speaker on his phone and was relieved to hear Heller on the other end of the line. He hoped he would have some good news.

“Well, we got a small break, not a big one, but every little thing could be of help in finding Griswold.”

“What is it?” Matt asked.

“We found a car registered to Aaron Griswold in Illinois and we have the plate numbers. We have put out an all-points bulletin for the car along with the information that the driver is dangerous, so use caution if apprehending him.”

“Sounds like a good break to me,” Matt said.

“I’ve alerted my men to be on the lookout for the car, in case he hasn’t left town.”

“If you still plan to work late, I’m heading straight to Boulder. I won’t be making any stops in Denver. I’m anxious to start looking for Griswold myself.”

“Any ideas?”

“Not really. I have a feeling he won’t be hanging around the Boulder Creek Path since that’s where we apprehended him.” He swallowed with difficulty before he said, “I just hope he hasn’t left town with Amanda Barton.”

“That’s too awful to even consider,” Heller replied. “If he leaves town with her, we may never find her in time.” He was quiet for a minute. “I’ll see you when you get here and maybe we can put our heads together and do some strategic planning.”

Matt agreed and cut the connection. His phone rang almost immediately and when he punched into the speaker, he was surprised when Mr. Barton identified himself.

“Matt, hope you don’t mind, but I got your cell phone number from your office. Have you heard about Amanda?”

“Yes. I just spoke to Heller and I’m on my way from Colorado Springs. I hope to be in Boulder in another hour.”

“You’ve got to find her.” His voice choked up and he was quiet for a minute, obviously struggling for control. “Her mother and I won’t be able to deal with it if anything happens to her.”

“I totally understand,” Matt said. “You must know I love your daughter. I promise to do everything I can to find her.”

“I know you will,” Mr. Barton said. “Her mother and I are counting on you.”

“I’ll let you know as soon as I find out anything.”

After he hung up from talking to Mr. Barton, he racked his brains trying to think of something other than what the Chief had already done. His stomach churned with anxiety and frustration. They had to catch Griswold. He was sure he had kidnapped Amanda.

All the evidence led to it. The bike and helmet under the bushes. No answer at her home or cell phones. The fact she hadn’t shown up to open her store. Her manager said in all the years she had worked for Amanda that had never occurred.

If anything happened to her, life would never be the same for him. He loved the fact that she had been so attracted to him that she had hired an investigator to find out about him. He loved biking and dancing with her. He loved the fact that she was close to her parents.

In spite of the short time he had known her, he knew he was in love with her. In fact, he had whispered as much in her ear when they were dancing. She hadn’t replied, so he wasn’t sure she had heard him, much less how she might feel about him.

Amanda knew they would be heading out on the Walter Orr Trail until it ran into the Mallory Cave Trail. The hiking trails were well marked with signs. The Mallory Cave Trail wasn’t a long one, but it was steep and Amanda was out of breath when she and Griswold reached the red rock staircase, which signaled the last few feet of the hike.

By that time, it was getting dark and Aaron had turned on the flashlight. He kept the rays shining in front of her.

“Be careful,” Aaron warned her. “Those steps can be treacherous. Fortunately, they are dry so you shouldn’t slip. But I’m right behind you if you need help.”

Even though she was tempted to throw herself over the side of the steps, Amanda tried to be as careful as she could. Although she knew she would rather fall and be badly injured than be raped by Griswold, she had a feeling he wouldn’t call for help, but would probably leave her there to die. The backpack wasn’t helping any. Sometimes it bumped against her back as she moved up the steps, causing her to feel off balance.

When they made the final ascent, she turned to look back. The lights of Boulder spread out below them.

“Why is this cave closed to the public?” she asked.

“Because of an epidemic of white-nosed syndrome.”

“White-nosed syndrome. What on earth is that?”

“A fungal disease that has destroyed bat populations across the country. It’s believed people are the main reason for the spread of this disease, because it is found only in the recreational caves that people visit,” Griswold explained.

“Interesting,” she commented, hoping to keep him talking. “What else do you know about bats?”

“Let’s get settled in and then we’ll talk.”

She wondered what he met by “settling in.” What was there to do in a cave? She set her backpack down beside his and watched with interest as he began to unpack them.

First he removed two sweatshirts and threw one at her, with a warning that it would be cool in the cave. After shrugging into his sweatshirt, he motioned her to go inside. He took out several bottles of water and some packaged food, which he sat on a nearby rock. From his pack, which was much larger than the one she had carried, he hauled out two down sleeping bags, shook them out, and spread them on the ground.

“Sit down,” he said, “while I build a fire.”

She was surprised when Aaron went to a shadowy corner of the cave where there was a stack of wood. He picked up a few pieces and laid them on the ground between them. Wadding up some newspaper that he took from one of the backpacks, he stuffed it between the pieces of wood, and then lit them with a cigarette lighter.

Amanda grabbed a bottle of water as she sat down on one of the sleeping bags. The climb up to the cave had made her thirsty.

“So tell me about the bats,” Amanda said as Aaron sat down on the other sleeping bag.

“People don’t realize how much bats contribute, not only to our eco-system, but in giving us a healthy environment. They are necessary to our rainforests and other ecological habitats. They perform essential services such as pollination, seed distribution, and insect control.”

“I had no idea,” Amanda said as Griswold paused.

She moved closer to the mouth of the cave. It was totally dark. Stars twinkled in the distant sky. Soon there was a nice fire with flames dispersing the darkness of the cave and removing the chill from the air. Amanda wondered what they were going to do with the evening that stretched before them. It was obvious he had no plans to kill her or why had he bothered to bring two sleeping bags.

Maybe she could keep him talking and distract him from any plans he might have for approaching her in a physical way. She wracked her brains for a subject that might be of interest to him. Despite her outward show of confidence, she was more frightened than she had ever been in her life and her mind refused to work.

Finally she said, “Your car had Illinois license plates on it. Is that where you’re from?”

His glasses glinted in the fire light, as he turned to look at her.

“I grew up in a small town in Illinois. My parents are both dead. They died one night in a fire when a faulty gas line in our house blew up.” He paused, and Amanda saw a strange look cross his features. Almost a look of satisfaction.

“I was an only child,” he continued. “After the fire, I went to live with my grandparents and worked on their farm. Then when my grandparents died, they left me the farm. I sold it and haven’t worked since. Just traveled around seeing the country.”

Amanda couldn’t help but shiver as she wondered if he had been responsible for his parents’ death. Something in his face as he talked about the fire which had killed them. She realized more and more what a dangerous man he was and she prayed she would somehow find a way to escape. She decided her best hope would be to keep him talking.

“In your travels, what place have you enjoyed the most?”

“I believe I would have to say Boulder,” he replied instantly. “The college campus is beautiful and there are a lot of pretty girls. I love the mountains, too.”

“The mountains would be a change coming from Illinois. Have you driven up in them? Visited some of the ski resorts?”

“Not yet. Maybe that’s something we could do,” he said thoughtfully. “You’ve lived here all your life, you could be my tour guide.”

“I’d be happy to,” Amanda replied, thinking it might give her a chance to escape.

“I’ve neglected to ask your name,” he said. “If we’re going to be traveling together we should know each other’s name. I’m Aaron and you are . . .?”

“Amanda.”

“So, Amanda, tell me something about yourself.”

“You already know I grew up here in Boulder. Both my father and my mother are professors at the university.”

“What do you do for a living?”

“I own a store on the Mall.”

“What kind of store?”

“It’s a store that sells the artwork of local artists. I wish you could see it. It’s really fascinating. I got the idea for it when I was in college and realized how many talented people there were living in the area. After I graduated, my father put up the money for me to open the store.”

Amanda went on to tell Aaron how it worked and what kind of artists she represented. She went into great detail, hoping to fill up the time until she could crawl into the sleeping bag.

“Some night after the mall closes down, we should go to my store and I could show you around,” she suggested.

She wished she knew his plans for her. It didn’t sound like he planned to kill her anytime soon. But she desperately hoped his plans didn’t include rape. She shuddered at the thought.

As though he had read her mind, Aaaron said, “I suppose you are wondering what my plans are. I want to try an experiment.”

What was that to be? Some kind of experiment in terror
?

When she said nothing, he continued, “Usually I rape and kill the girls who catch my attention. But you’re different from the college students. More mature. I’ve never had a friend, so I would like to see if it would be possible to have a friendship with you.”