Chapter 44

FORTY-FOUR

Kane stopped to collect Wolfe and they hurtled along the pathway following the snowmobile tracks. "This must be the man hunting down Julie. Are you armed?"

"Yeah, and so is Em. She went down the other track. If Jenna went after her, she would have found her by now."

"Dave, do you copy?" Jenna's voice came through his com.

Kane tapped his com. "Copy. I've found Wolfe. We're following the tracks."

"A man wearing a skull helmet attacked Em, but then a guy jumped out of the forest and saved her. His name is Johnny Raven, the guy Carter mentioned. The helmet guy took off. I heard a snowmobile starting, and I figure he's heading back your way. Julie is fine. Raven says he has her in his cabin. She's safe but has a broken leg. The man called Emily by the name, Carolyn. He must have mistaken her for Carolyn Stubbs, the other missing woman. She is blonde too and about the same size. I bet Carolyn is the woman who showed up at the cabin looking for help. Everyone assumed she was Julie."

Dammit. That's all I need. Kane frowned and pushed the snowmobile along as fast as possible. "Copy. Stay where you are with Em. I don't want either of you in the crossfire. Stay with the snowmobile so we can see you."

"Copy. I love you." Jenna closed her com.

If this was the killer, they didn't have much time. Kane stared ahead at the tracks where they crisscrossed, so which way should he go? He stopped and removed his helmet, listening. The forest was eerily quiet and then came a piercing scream. He turned to Wolfe. "Julie is safe. This guy attacked Em, but she's okay. Some guy saved her. That scream is from the next victim."

"Well, let's take him down." Wolfe's face was grim as he pulled back the slide on his Glock.

Nodding, Kane hung his helmet from the handlebars and turned to Wolfe. "We'll run in the snowmobile tracks. I don't want to give him notice we're coming for him. He might kill the girl. We know he likes to cut off their hair and strip them, so we'll have time to sneak up on him." He pointed through the forest. "That way." He pulled his M18 pistol and took off through the trees.

As he ran, adrenaline flooded his muscles. No longer cold or tired, Kane increased his speed and Wolfe kept up beside him as they moved through the forest. He tapped his com. "Jenna, we're on foot heading toward the screams. Take cover. We don't know if he's armed."

"Copy. I so want to be there when you take him down."

That was so like Jenna, wanting to be slap bang in the middle of danger. Anything to take down a killer. Kane smiled to himself. He admired that about her. "Emily needs you, and you have no idea why the guy who saved Julie is holed up in the forest. You could be in more danger than us. Stay sharp."

"You too."

"I see them on the edge of the river." Wolfe pointed ahead. "What the heck is he doing?"

Taking in the situation, Kane kept his voice low. "We'll circle around and come in from both sides." He indicated with his hand for Wolfe to go right.

The snow crunched under his boots, and branches cracked as he moved between frozen limbs, but the man in the skull helmet was so engrossed in what he was doing he didn't notice them approaching. The man had gaffer-taped a woman's mouth and wrapped both arms around the tree. Tears ran down her face but she was taking in air through her nose and still screaming behind the tape, but the sound was little more than a muffled squeak. With her back to the tree, she could see Kane coming, and he pressed a finger to his lips. As the killer secured her waist and then went down to her legs, she went quiet and stood still. Her eyes fixed on Kane pleading for help.

"That's better. You know you can't do a thing to stop me. I'm going to strip back your mask and show the world what's really underneath." The man looked up at her and lifted his visor. "Now this is done, those awful clothes must go." He pulled a knife from his belt and went to slide it under the arm of her jacket.

Close by, Wolfe emerged from the trees weapon drawn. A twig snapped under his boots and the killer's head spun in his direction. Kane froze midstride. Now the girl was in mortal danger. He'd try and use her life as a bargaining chip. It was a classic move.

"Stop right there or I'll slice her throat." The killer's voice was conversational. "Can you imagine hot blood spurting over the snow? The steam rising, the smell as she dies? Do you want to know how that makes you feel? The sight will stay with you for a lifetime and haunt your dreams. I'll do it. Drop your weapon. This one is mine."

"You'll be dead before you hit the ground." Wolfe took aim. "You don't know me. I might enjoy blowing a guy's brains out. You wanna risk it?"

"You don't have the guts." The killer waved the knife, indicating toward the woman. "We can share her. What do you say?"

"I like my idea better." Wolfe smiled. "I'll have you and the girl. It's a win-win."

Shifting his weapon to his left hand, Kane walked silently up behind the man with the knife. He grabbed the wrist holding the blade and pushed the barrel of his gun hard into the man's spine. "Sheriff's department. He's with me. You lose. Drop the knife."

"Not now. I'm not finished." The man threw back his head to headbutt Kane.

Moving away just in time, Kane bent back the man's hand until it snapped. The man wailed in agony as the knife tumbled from his trembling fingers. The next instant, Wolfe was beside him and aimed his gun at the man's face.

"Just give me an excuse." Wolfe's aim was steady. "No one lays hands on my girls. No one."

After holstering his weapon, Kane dragged off the man's helmet. "Try headbutting me again and I'll break your neck." He pulled zip ties out of his pocket and cuffed him.

"You've broken my wrist. You can't cuff me." The man's knees buckled. "Oh, that hurts. You can't do that. Stop."

Shrugging, Kane pulled him upright. "Seems that I can."

When he spun him around, the identity of the man surprised him. This man was on the bottom of his list. "Well, if it's not Steven Oberg. What a twisted individual you are." He looked at Wolfe. "Maybe we should tie him to a tree and leave him out here. Poetic justice, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it is, but if you keep on talking that way, people are gonna start believing you're the Tarot Killer." Wolfe was referring to a mysterious criminal who killed serial killers that escaped justice. He holstered his weapon and went about cutting the woman free. "One vigilante is more than we need right now."