Part 39 (2/2)
Kiku tipped her head up, but Jack already saw the cruiser on the side of the road.
”Pull up behind it.” Jack pointed.
Kiku put her hazards on and stopped behind the cruiser.
”This time I'm not asking. Stay in the car.” He grabbed a flashlight from the glove compartment and hopped out.
”As you wish, Officer.”
As Jack approached the cruiser, Tom Kempy walked around the police car. ”Hey, Jack. Great to see you-”
”Hi, Tom. Looks like you're babysitting until the ME arrives.”
”Jack, Sheriff Collins gave me one order. One direct order.” Tom swallowed.
”I just need a quick look.” Jack held up his hand with his index finger and thumb close together.
Tom shook his head. ”I can't, Jack. Did you hear about Donald and Kendra?”
”We'll be one second. Just look the other way.” Jack smiled and hurried around Tom and the cruiser.
The car was a four-door sedan parked at an angle just off the road. It was now just a sh.e.l.l after being completely engulfed by fire. The trees nearby were blackened from the flames.
Jack pulled back the tarp draped over the car. He flipped on the flashlight and shone it on the corpse in the backseat.
The fire must have been intense. All the clothes had been seared off the body, and it was hard to see where the corpse left off and the remains of the backseat started. He tried to breathe as little as possible as he viewed the remains. He looked at the man's shoulder and the broken teeth in his mouth.
As Jack focused the light on the man's chest, a golden twinkle flashed. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the small blob of gold.
Jewelry. It melted.
He aimed the light above the glob of gold and it gleamed off a two-inch piece of white ivory shaped like a curled horn. Jack held the light on the man's chest and slowly nodded.
”Italian,” he muttered.
Flicking off the light, he pulled the tarp down and walked back.
Tom Kempy shuffled over to him with his hands in his pockets. ”Sorry about everything.” He cleared his throat. ”If you need anything, just ask.”
”Thanks, Tom.” Jack patted his shoulder as he pa.s.sed by. ”I appreciate it.”
”See you around, Jack.” Tom nodded and waved.
Kiku looked up as Jack jumped in. He didn't say anything as he started the car and turned it around. As the flas.h.i.+ng lights from the cruiser faded in the distance, Jack turned to her.
”It must be the guy Paolo shot. It looks like the shot almost took off his shoulder. Someone smashed his teeth out. They wanted to delay identification.”
”Could you determine anything else?”
Jack nodded. ”The body was in really bad shape, but he was Italian.”
Kiku's lip pouted and one eyebrow went up. ”I saw the car. With a fire that hot, even you couldn't tell if he was Italian.”
”He was wearing an Italian horn. It was gold plated. The gold melted, but the ivory didn't.”
Her eyes widened, and he knew she understood. ”A cornicello.” The corners of her mouth turned up.
”The guy's not Swedish.”
Jack stopped at the main road and continued on.
”The way back to town is south. North is Big Blue. It's a huge hiking mountain with a single ski run. There are plenty of houses and cabins all over it. They could have taken her anywhere around here but it has to be close.”
”How can you be sure?”
”Paolo ran into the kidnappers. I think it was by chance, and Replacement may have been right.”
”About what?” Kiku interrupted.
Jack exhaled. ”The Italian restaurant.”
”You think they went and got something to eat?” Kiku scoffed.
”We're not dealing with soldiers. I don't know why they went into town, but Paolo ran into someone he recognized and got into a shootout. He hit the guy with that cannon and the kidnappers took off. When people are scared, they run in a direction they know. They ran this way.”
”The man dies and they burned the car. So you think they're probably not far from here?” Kiku asked.
”I don't think they would ditch their ride if they still had a long way to go.”
”There are lots of places to hide around here. Lots of cabins.” She frowned.
”That's the problem. Too many. But we won't have to check them all out. We're going to Hometown Suites.”
”Can you clue me in on the why?”
He held up the GPS device.
”I need to plant this. We'll stick to the back roads. We'll be-”
”Stop,” Kiku shouted, and Jack hit the brakes as his headlights reflected off the eyes of a deer on the side of the road.
Kiku opened the door and jumped out.
”What the h.e.l.l? Kiku?” He threw the car in park and walked over to her.
There was a bright moon, and Kiku stood with one hand on a tree and looked down into a small clearing.
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