Her Broken Wings by D.K. Hood
Twenty-Nine
A strange excitement descended on Jenna, but deep down she understood the danger, and becoming a victim was a sobering reality. The adrenalin pumping a mixture of dread and uncertainty triggered her flee response each time she chased down a felon. Her heart pounded, and relying on her years of training to bolster her, she headed into danger with her head screaming at her to run away. Her mind filled with the ghastly scene on the front porch of the old home, the blood spatter on the steps and empty sightless eyes. She slowed for just a second before pushing the images away and increasing her stride. Having Kane and Rowley to watch her back gave her courage as she bolted along the trail toward the barn overlooking the house. The thick covering of leaves dampened their footfalls as they moved swiftly without making a sound. As they came to the tree line, her com crackled.
“Jenna, we’re coming up on the ranch house now.”Wolfe’s voice came in her ear. “It’s almost too quiet and I can smell death. Moving in now. There are swarms of flies crawling over the side of the house beside the back door. We may have more victims inside.”
Cold fingers of unease slid down Jenna’s back. She ignored the warning screaming in her head not to move forward and glanced at Kane beside her. He’d heard Wolfe through his com and winced. Jenna pressed her mic. “Stay in position. We’re coming up alongside the barn and will have eyes on the front porch in five.”
“Roger that.”
Jenna looked over at Kane to give him an order, but he was already scanning the area with his binoculars. “All clear?”
“We’re good to go but the undergrowth is at least waist-high.” Kane glanced at her then his attention went back to the barn. “Do you want me to go first and open up a path?”
“Okay.” Jenna nodded. “Single file once we leave the cover of the trees. You and Rowley go first, I’ll watch your backs.”
They scurried through the trees and she waited as Kane made a dash to the side of the barn. He peeked around the corner and waved Rowley over, and Jenna followed close behind. She moved up behind Kane. “What do you see?”
“Nothing moving.” Kane leaned his back against the wall and looked at her. “I can’t see inside the trailers. We could have a shooter waiting to pick us off one by one.”
Jenna nodded and dropped into her combat zone. “We’ll clear the barn first—we can gain access by the side door.” She pressed her com. “Wolfe. Hold your position. We’ll clear the barn. Wait for my signal. When we have eyes on the front of the house and the trailers, you can go inside and clear the house. Be aware of IEDs; we don’t know who we’re dealing with right now.”
“Roger that. No sound from inside, and the back door is open. No explosive devices or tripwires in sight.”
“We’re entering the side door of the barn now.” Jenna nodded at Kane. “Go.”
“Wait!” Kane handed her his rifle and bent to examine the ground. “No soil disturbance.” He checked all around the doorframe before standing to one side to ease the door open and turkey-peek inside. He pulled back and then looked again, using his binoculars. “Damn Halloween.”
Jenna stared at his annoyed expression. “What is it?”
“They’ve recreated the Mitcham hanging scene inside.” Kane shook his head. “It’s going to be a nightmare sorting out what’s real.” He pulled his weapon and moved inside. “Clear.”
Jenna followed and waved Rowley into the barn. She scanned the area. The new owners had made changes for Halloween by adding false cobwebs with huge fat black spiders and eerie lighting. A mannequin of a man swung back and forth from the rafters, making a creaking sound that would set anyone’s nerves on edge if they’d heard the ghost stories surrounding the place. Many years ago, Mitcham had murdered his wife and committed suicide. Later, people claimed to have heard him swinging back and forth in his death throes.
“This place is every kid’s nightmare.” Rowley paled. “It seems wrong to commercialize the murders committed here.”
Jenna shook her head. “I can’t believe the mayor allowed this.” She handed Kane the rifle.
“It happens all over.” Kane shrugged and pressed his mic. “Wolfe. We’ve found re-enactments of crimes here. You may be facing the same inside the house.”
“Copy.”
Jenna pulled her weapon and moved to the barn door, trying to ignore the entrance to the root cellar. She could see the bolt secured over the hatch and wondered if the new owners had recreated the brutal murder of a young woman who’d died there. She swallowed hard, trying unsuccessfully to push the murder, that had even stunned Kane, from her mind. With Kane and Rowley in position, she turned to them. “Kane, keep your rifle on the first two trailers, Rowley take the third, I’ll watch the house.” She pressed her mic. “Wolfe, we have you covered. Move in.”
“Roger that.”
The smell blowing in from the house had intensified, and the congealing blood appeared black in the sunlight. The killer had staged the macabre scene on the porch to gain maximum effect. Jenna shuddered and froze on the spot as something brushed against her leg. She’d seen prairie rattle-snakes on her ranch and dare not move. She lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “Kane, something touched me. Is it a snake?”
Her eyes moved to meet his and she bit her lip as he looked down. When he grunted and aimed his rifle out the door, she glared at him. Panic rose in her throat as the sensation came again. “There’s something here. I can feel it.”
“It’s that darn cat again.” Kane was using his rifle to scope the trailers. “It’s rubbing around your legs.”
She glanced down and a pair of big copper eyes looked up at her. The cat let out a contented purr. “Not now, pussycat.”
A loud bang broke the silence. Startled, Jenna swung her weapon up and down and side to side, searching. “Where did that come from?” She hit her mic. “Wolfe. Come in.”
Nothing.
Another bang and Kane moved forward through the barn door and took a position behind a tree. Jenna tried again. “Wolfe.”
Nothing.