His Garden of Bones (Skye Cree Book 4) (3 page)

“Would I be out here wandering the streets in the middle of the night looking for you if I was just making it up?”

“I guess not. You saved me.”

“I’ll kick his ass again if you want me to,” Skye offered with a wink. She lifted Gwen’s chin so she could look into the girl’s eyes. “Or just say the word and I’ll hold him down while you give him something to whine about while he’s waiting for his bail hearing. It’ll be fun. I’ll tell the cops he provoked us,” she added with a smile to lighten the somber mood.

But when Skye saw the fear come into the teen’s eyes at the words “bail hearing,” she tabled the snarky veneer and opted for solace instead. “Don’t worry. The judge will keep this loser in jail and deny his bail. He’s headed for a cozy cell in County.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive. Look, I need to get over to this guy now and make sure he doesn’t try to take off before he makes a move on Kiya and I have to watch my wolf tear him to shreds. Not a bad idea but I promised to give up excessive force. Besides, I’ll keep him as far away from you as I can while I’m making sure he doesn’t get his throat ripped out. How’s that?”

“I don’t want you to leave me but I don’t want him to get away either.” When Skye let her go, the girl quickly huddled into another ball.

But by that time an ambulance rolled up and then a squad car followed. Harry Drummond’s city-issued, unmarked SUV pulled to a stop behind the police cruiser.

“Ain’t that just like the cops?” Skye kidded. “You sit here and wait for one, and then they all show up at once.”

Skye felt Gwen tense up as Harry dragged the suspect up off the pavement and put him in cuffs. The paramedics swarmed and with some reluctance, Skye handed Gwen over to their care. “I’ll be right over here while they take a look at you.”

“Ride with me to the hospital, okay?”

“You bet.”

Skye left Gwen temporarily to meet up with Harry on the sidewalk. “How’s it going?”

“Better now. Nice work. His driver’s license says his name is Mark Brantley. He keeps going on and on about a white wolf practically sitting on his chest and attacking his jugular.”

Skye rolled her eyes, flicked a glance at the spot where Brantley stood. “I don’t see a pool of blood or a wolf, do you? The only canine here is Atka and she’s obviously a dog. Besides, you know how these criminal types are so delusional that they make stuff up when they get nabbed. It’s actually very scary. You should do something about that.”

Harry chuckled, tossing Brantley a look of disdain. “Yeah. Right. Just so you know, I got a call right after yours. A jogger found the body of another young woman tonight, dumped in an alleyway behind a retail shop in University Village. I’m afraid this one’s a real bad guy, Skye.”

“They’re all really bad guys, Harry. How young is this victim? Does she fall into the age group of the others?”

“Don’t know yet. I’m reserving judgment until I see for myself.”

“Isn’t U-Village a little too trendy and upscale for the guy who cut up those other two victims? Damn, I was having such a great night, too. Sounds like he might be trying to get your attention.”

“Or yours.”

That had her mouth creasing into a frown. “Could be. What is that, the third one this month? As I recall, the others were found near The Jungle. You sure this is the same guy? Why use The Jungle twice but switch to a highly visible mall now?”

“You know as well as I do these assholes often change things up. Maybe tonight The Jungle was too crowded. Or maybe he wanted something more high profile. We’ll know soon enough. But I’d say based on the description of the cut marks, it’s the same killer. And get this, the RCMP in Vancouver, British Columbia, report they have another three missing girls there. That info came in this afternoon when we sent out the BOLO on Gwen.”

“Damn. And we’re still playing defense trying to figure out where he kept Carrie Montague and Taylor Dinsmore for two years before they both showed up dead last week.”

“With breast implants cut out.”

“Yeah, that detail’s been bothering me. Neither girl had implants when she went missing. That had to happen during their confinement. What kind of plastic surgeon does augmentation on fifteen-year-olds anyway?”

“Some guy who takes the money and sleeps just fine at night because he doesn’t give a damn about ethics.”

“But even a reputable doc needs parental consent for plastic surgery performed on anyone under the age of eighteen. If I remember correctly from the files, Carrie and Taylor were only fifteen when they went missing.”

Harry sent her a knowing look. “That’s right. Not only that, but we’re dealing with someone who gave them belly rings, tongue studs, and tattoos they didn’t have when they disappeared.”

“Which might indicate that we’re dealing with a sex trafficker who sold them to a buyer. In turn, the buyer used them during the years they were gone, kept them in captivity, and then discarded them when he got tired of whatever they were doing to aggravate him. The bastard obviously wanted his girls to sport bigger boobs. What I can’t figure out is why insist they get the implants in the first place and then cut them out? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Carrie and Taylor went missing a week apart. And then two years go by before they turn up dead a week apart. It’s odd.”

“Odd is an understatement. It makes no sense,” Skye repeated.

“But then what about this business ever does? When you figure it out, be sure to let me know. As soon as I get this piece of shit that took Gwen booked and caged, I’m heading straight to U-Village. Meet me there.”

Skye’s shoulders drooped with fatigue. She’d been picturing her king-size bed back at home and how much she wanted to get to know it better. “And you’re telling me this why? I have a bad feeling I already know.”

“I want you there to see the crime scene firsthand this time around instead of just studying the photos.”

Reluctantly she conceded it was true. “It’s always better to see the real thing instead of photographs after the fact. Sure, I’ll do it, but I promised Gwen I’d go with her to—”

“Then you should stay with her. While I’m doing the paperwork on Brantley, you spend some time with Gwen. Make her feel as comfortable as possible until her family gets to Harborview. Then we’ll meet up at the crime scene. Here’s the location.” Harry held out his phone with the map already displayed onscreen.

Skye peered over, keyed in the info into her own phone for later. “Why not? With Josh out of town I’ve got nothing better to do than walk the streets at night and stay up twenty-four/seven without getting my beauty sleep.”

Harry smiled again. “Josh must hate missing all this fun. When’s the hubby due back anyway?”

“End of the week. These gamer conventions are a pain sometimes. This one’s in New York, downtown Manhattan at the ritzy Belmont.”

“Has the fact that you’re married to an oversized kid escaped you?”

“Hardly.”

“Isn’t his new game featuring the hot, female, crime-fighting warrior debuting for real at this swanky event?”

Skye stifled a chuckle and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, for some reason it’s his pride and joy. You and Elizabeth are coming to our Christmas party, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. The wife’s already bought a fancy dress. You know I’m giving up my badge for good at the end of the month. The thirty-first is officially my last day.”

“So you’ve been saying for the last two years. If it’s for real this time think of the party as a retirement bash. What will you do with all that time on your hands? Have you thought of that?”

“Sleep late, eat regular meals, maybe exercise. The wife’s been bugging me about getting on the treadmill again. Maybe I’ll try to eliminate the stress in my life.”

This time, Skye laughed out loud. “Yeah. Right. Maybe in your dreams. Something tells me you have a very skewed view of retirement. I don’t see you sitting around collecting a pension.”

“I’m tired, Skye, fed up with the job.”

“I hear ya. Oh look, the paramedics are loading Gwen up. I gotta go. See you in a couple hours.”

Almost two hours
later, Skye walked out of the ER and headed for her Subaru. Kiya and Atka were waiting for her next to the car.

She gave Kiya a stern look and said, “Nice trick, but you guys were supposed to go home. I’ll be fine.”

Kiya responded by nudging Skye’s hand while Atka simply began licking all ten fingers. “Food and treats are at home, guys. Go home.” When both animals refused to budge, Skye added, “Okay, okay, you’re both trying to tell me something. I get it. But I’m headed to a secure area where cops will be everywhere. There’s no point overreacting and worrying about me for no reason.”

Her cell phone dinged. The readout let her know it was Josh. She shook her head at the timing certain it wasn’t a coincidence—another worrywart to deal with. At times his innate connection to Kiya could be eerie at most, exasperating at the very least. But then what did she expect after his life-changing transformation? After putting him in harm’s way, she couldn’t really complain about his link to Kiya.

On the other end of the line Josh warned his wife as if he’d been eavesdropping on her debate with Kiya and Atka. “Hey beautiful, listen to the mutts. They’re usually right.”

“It’s maddening to know you heard that conversation from three thousand miles away.”

“I wouldn’t go that far but I worry. Besides, I find it incredibly sexy. Now if I could only see what you’re wearing. I’m working on that. Although I have this tendency to picture you naked.”

She burst out laughing, the tension of the day falling away. “I can’t not go to the crime scene, Josh. Harry wants me to check it out for myself, give him my take. I said I’d do it. I can’t back out now.”

“You’ve got to be exhausted after searching all day for the DeLargo girl. The abduction made the Seattle newscast, which I make a habit of checking any time I go out of town. Finding Gwen, your rescue story, it already hit the Internet.”

“How do they do that, upload the story so fast? If you read about it then you know I took care of the guy by myself. I’m just glad it’s over and Gwen’s alive. The upside is that finding Gwen made her parents elated with relief.”

“You handled the guy like I would have. Look, I miss you. I should’ve let Todd try his hand at a presentation and stayed put in Seattle.”

“Yeah. Right. I can see Todd standing up on stage in front of nine hundred people doing just that. Not. You did the right thing to go and take care of Ander All Games.”

“Maybe I’ll come home early and we can celebrate the phenomenal success of the new game. It is, you know, incredibly successful.”

“With you at the helm of course it is. But don’t leave your fun on my account. I’m fine despite what Kiya and Atka are trying to tell you from a distance. I can always call Travis, even though he does have a new woman in his life.”

“Your father is seeing someone? When did that happen? Have you met her yet?”

“He is, and no, I haven’t met her yet but we’re invited to the ranch on Sunday. I suspect she’ll be there. Her name’s Chenoa Starr.”

“Pretty name.”

“Really? You think so? You don’t think it sounds like it belongs to a stripper?”

“Maybe a little. How’d they meet? Travis never goes anywhere much unless it concerns business, you, or his horses.”

“Bingo. Chenoa bought one of his mares. I think he’s smitten, Josh. For the past week, he never shuts up about the woman.”

“Ah. Don’t worry. We’ll meet her, grill her for any ulterior motives and then decide if we like her enough to let her near Travis.”

She laughed again, beginning to miss him even more. “I guess I had this hope in the back of my mind that one day he’d hook up with Lena Bowers.”

“Lena? I know she’s been like a mom to you since you came to Seattle. I’m sorry. I guess we don’t always get what we want.”

“I know. I love you. I gotta go.”

“I love you, too. I’ll say it again… Listen to the mutts. They must be picking up on something. I’m able to do the same all the way from here. They’re wary of the situation for a reason.”

“Stop worrying about me. It has to be five a.m. there in New York. You might think of yourself as part wolf but you still require sleep like a human before the big demo in the morning.”