Her Broken Wings by D.K. Hood
Forty-One
The wind had picked up again, piling multicolored leaves in the gutters and bringing the promise of snow. Kane stared down the street and had the strange feeling he’d stepped onto the set of a supernatural movie. The Halloween bunting on Main danced around and made strange howling noises. The plastic skeletons hanging from the streetlights appeared to be waving and grinning at the constant flow of traffic. Witches with long white hair sitting around a cauldron outside the general store seemed to come to life as their clothes flapped. Strings of plastic jack-o’-lanterns swung back and forth above the storefronts, making a clattering sound. Kane tossed his Stetson on the back seat, dug in his jacket pocket for his black woolen hat, and pulled it down over his ears. He wondered what Duke was doing all alone at home and slid behind the wheel. “Duke would’ve enjoyed a trip to the res.”
“Maybe we won’t have to go to the res.” Jenna pulled out her phone. “I’ll call Atohi. He might be in town.”
Kane smiled at her. “Good thinking.”
“Atohi, it’s Jenna. We need a chat, where are you?”
“I’m close to town. Do you want me to come into the office?”
“No, how about meeting us at Aunt Betty’s?”
“Sure.”
“Is Brad with you?” Jenna flicked a glance at Kane.
“Nope, he’s parked outside the mortician’s as far as I know. I’ve been with the team searching the forest for Scott’s remains.”
“Okay, we’ll see you soon.” She disconnected and looked at Kane. “Do we have time to do a drive-by and see if he’s there?”
Kane started the engine and backed out. “Sure. Are you planning on speaking to him?” He headed down Main toward the funeral parlor.
“No, right now all we have is suspicion. We’ll need more evidence. Maybe after we’ve spoken to Atohi. If he can verify Brad’s whereabouts and they check out, we’re going to have to look elsewhere for a suspect.”
The idea of seeing the funeral parlor decked out for Halloween amused Kane, and he chuckled under his breath. “I hope the mortician didn’t go all out for Halloween.”
“Oh…” Jenna snorted and covered her mouth but the giggle still escaped. “That would be in terribly bad taste.” She gathered herself and looked at Kane. “I couldn’t help picturing it… sorry. I don’t know where these thoughts come from. You are such a bad influence on me, Dave.”
Kane turned the corner and they slowed to drive past an old truck parked on the side of the road. Inside they could plainly see Kelly in the driver’s seat, looking at his phone. “Hmm, well at least he’s where he said he would be.” He turned into the mortician’s driveway. “Wait here, I’ll go ask how long he’s been out there.”
He slid out the truck. Inside, it was as cold as the morgue and had the smell of embalming fluid mixed with the scent of flowers that always seemed to hang around funeral parlors. He rang the bell on the front counter and waited. A man walked through a door and closed it behind him; he looked familiar but wasn’t Max Weems.
“I’m looking for Mr. Weems.”
“I’m Weems, unless you want my pa, Max Weems.” The young man met his gaze. “He’s busy right now. How can I help you?”
Kane recalled Max Weems had a son and smiled. “Have you noticed the truck parked outside?”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it. It belongs to a guy by the name of Brad Kelly. He figures his mom’s remains are here and he needs to be close by. My pa reckons we just let him be.”
“Yeah, it would be best.” Kane nodded in agreement. “How long has he been there this time?”
“I have no idea. He comes and goes.” Weems shrugged. “I’m far too busy to watch his movements.”
“I understand.” Kane pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to him. “If he causes a problem, give me a call.”
“I will.” Weems glanced at the card. “Thanks, Deputy Kane.”
Kane hustled back to his truck and they sped off toward Aunt Betty’s Café. “We lucked out. Weems’ son knows Kelly’s name, but he hasn’t been keeping tabs on him.”
“Uh-huh.” Jenna was looking at her phone. “I just ran his plates. He only purchased that truck ten days ago.” She looked at him. “So, he came here by air or bus.”
“Atohi will know.” Kane slid his truck into a parking space outside Aunt Betty’s and turned to look at her. “How do you want to play this, Jenna?”
“You talk to him, he likes you.” Jenna bit her bottom lip. “It won’t seem so formal either. I’ve always trusted him. I hope he doesn’t prove me wrong.”
Concerned, Kane frowned. “I like him too, he’s a good guy. I’m rarely wrong about people.”
Inside the café, they ordered a meal at the counter and went to their table at the back. It was cozy inside Aunt Betty’s, and Kane removed his hat, gloves, and jacket before sitting down. He inhaled the delicious aroma of freshly baked pie and grinned at Jenna. “Can you smell that? Hmm, Saturday’s special, peach pie.”
“So I gathered when you ordered two for now and six to go.” Jenna shook her head slowly. “You planning on hibernating over winter?”
Kane leaned back in his chair and flicked his gaze over her. “It wouldn’t hurt you to eat more. We burn so many more calories in the cold and you’re getting skinny.”
“I am not!” Jenna’s cheeks pinked. “I gave Jo my jeans because I’ve put on so much weight since I arrived here.”
Kane shook his head. “Then you must have been skin and bones… Not surprising after what you went through. I’ve known you for a couple of years now and you’ve created an entirely different body shape since we started working out.” He smiled up at Susie Hartwig as she arrived with their coffee. “Trust me, with our workload, not eating will make you ill.”
“Ah… you wanted to see me?” Atohi Blackhawk looked from one to the other.
Astonished by his silent entrance, Kane looked up at him. No one ever managed to sneak up on him, and he’d let his guard down with a serial killer in town. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, pull up a chair. Can I get you something to eat?”
“I have a slice of peach pie coming.” Atohi smiled. “Best pie in town.”
“Don’t start him on pie again.” Jenna laughed. “All he thinks about is his next meal.”
“I’m much the same.” Atohi frowned. “How can I help you?”
Kane took a sip of his coffee and noticed Susie coming back with a cup and a tray. He waited for her to pass the plates around and pour Atohi’s coffee before looking at him. “We’ve had a number of murders this week, eight so far—”
“What?” Atohi’s horrified expression met his. “You’re joking, right?”
Kane shook his head slowly. “Nope, and nobody knows any details, but we trust you and need some information. Can you tell me the significance of feathers in your culture?”
“Okay.” Atohi’s large hands slid around his coffee cup and he raised his gaze to look at Jenna. “You believe the killer is one of my people?”
“The two suspects we have are both Caucasian but the feather seems significant. One has been left at the crime scene.”
“Then it is not one of my people. A feather isn’t something you stuff your pillows with; to us they symbolize honor, power, and wisdom, to name a few things. If a chief gives one, it means the person is very special; it is like a medal of honor. Finding an eagle feather is an amazing gift as they have a special connection to the heavens.”
Kane nodded. “So, what significance would it mean to leave one at a crime scene?”
“Let me ask you.” Atohi raised one eyebrow. “If you found something precious, would you taint it with blood?”
“No, I wouldn’t, but whoever is doing this is leaving a message.” Kane leaned back in his chair. “The crow feathers mean something to him.”
“Crow?” Atohi sipped his coffee, his pie forgotten. “Young warriors used turkey feathers in their hair; boys, not men worthy of wearing an eagle’s feather. Such feathers are earned for bravery not given out like candy.” He thought for a long moment. “Crows mean wisdom. They speak the truth, and some say they lead the hunter. Perhaps this killer is on a mission to find the truth, but throwing a feather on the ground is disrespectful. Feathers are displayed not hidden away.” He looked at Kane with a deeply troubled expression. “This killer, if he is one of my people, is lost in his own mind.”
Kane looked him straight in the eye. He hated asking the next question but he had no choice. “I have to ask you something and I don’t want you to take offense because I’m asking as a deputy.”
“You want to know about Brad?” Atohi sighed. “He isn’t the same person as the cousin I grew up with; he’s changed. He was silent for so many years, we never really understood what had happened to him. When he returned, he had so much rage inside, he blamed himself for not returning to the forest.” He lifted his chin. “Honestly, I don’t know him anymore, but since they took his mother’s remains to the funeral home, he’s calmed some.”
The remorse from Atohi washed over Kane and he swallowed hard. “Could the crow feathers be significant to him?”
“Yeah, the Crow raised his mother; her father was Crow. She came back to us with her mother when he died. It is possible Brad is aware of his heritage.”
Kane refilled his coffee cup from the pot on the table and then added cream and sugar. “When did Brad get to the res, and was he driving the truck then?”
“He arrived maybe a couple of weeks ago. I was away working when he showed up, and as far as I know he came in his truck.” Atohi shrugged. “He’s not a freeloader; he brought plenty of supplies with him and gave them to my mother, cash as well. He was grateful for all the years she cared for him.”
“Okay.” Kane moved to the next step. “Do you remember speaking to a waitress in here by the name of Ruby Evans?”
“Yeah, Brad asked her out for a coffee last night but she was a no-show.” Atohi looked from one to the other. “How do you know about her?”
“Ruby mentioned the date to Susie Hartwig. The problem is, someone murdered her on Thursday night.” Kane watched his shocked reaction. “Out at the Old Mitcham Ranch.”
“What!” Atohi shook his head. “I can’t believe it. She was so nice, Brad didn’t think he had a chance. He was shocked when she agreed to go out with him.”
Kane took a sip of his coffee. “Did Brad mention ever going out to the Old Mitcham Ranch?”
“Nope.” Atohi pulled his plate close and lifted his fork. “I can only account for his whereabouts when I was with him. Outside that, I don’t know where he went. Same as since we found the bones. I left him to camp in the forest on Thursday night and took food out to him on Friday around nine. We talked about his date, and he was looking forward to it.” He met Kane’s gaze. “He didn’t sound like a person who’d just murdered her. As far as I know, he’s camped out there since we found the remains and only moved when the forensic team took the remains to the funeral parlor. I can’t imagine him leaving his mom alone to go off and murder people. Yeah, he’s acting a little crazy right now, but everything in his past has just come crashing down on him. But killing people? I don’t think so.”