Lenora Worth - Lone Star Protector

“It looks like The Boss is killing people so they won’t talk.”

Jackson Worth spoke up. “Not to mention the infamous code we’ve tried to break and Daniel Jones’s grave being dug up. And we did find that brick of cocaine. But two or so pounds of cocaine wouldn’t bring about this much crime.”

Not long after setting up surveillance in the Lost Woods, Parker Adams and his K-9 partner Sherlock had helped Slade find a small amount of cocaine, heavily scented to disguise it, in the woods.

Slade went back over that find. “You’re right about that, Worth. It wasn’t enough to cause this amount of secrecy and criminal intent. I believe there must be something else buried out in those woods.”

“A body, maybe?” someone suggested.

Slade nodded. “That...or something worth much more than that small amount of cocaine we found.”

Jackson spoke again. “Makes sense that we need to keep searching. They dug up that kid’s grave, but they’re still looking, too.”

“Agreed, but we have to be careful,” Slade replied. “The chief has given us special permission to stay on top of this, but let’s keep in mind we have to continue to follow procedure and the chain of command.”

Everyone nodded on that.

Parker again reported on how Detective Melody Zachary had solved part of a cold case that involved her sister Sierra and her nephew Daniel Jones. She’d found evidence that proved Jim Wheaton had killed Daniel and that her sister had not committed suicide. She’d been murdered. Did it all tie back to this case?

“No answers there. Dead men—and women—tell no tales,” Parker said.

The body count kept rising. And so did Slade’s blood pressure.

“Let’s go back to that cocaine find,” Slade said, a nagging feeling centered in his gut. “It wasn’t enough to create this kind of violence.”

“More like a smoke screen,” Jackson said. “There has to be something else, something bigger out there.”

“We’ll have to find a reason to have another look,” Slade replied, jotting notes on the board. “We’ll set up more surveillance, too.”

He believed the answers to this case were buried somewhere in those woods. He also believed that one of their highly trained K-9 officers would help him find whatever or whoever was out there. Now Kaitlin was training Warrior as just such a K-9.

“This brings us to Kaitlin Mathers. We’re pretty sure they have Rio, but why try to kidnap a trainer?”

Valerie Salgado raised her hand. “Because they know she’s smart and capable of handling a dog and they know she’s been involved with you and your son. Hit us where it’ll hurt.”

Slade nodded. “I’m afraid that’s it. Which means we have to put a tail on Kaitlin 24/7, for her own protection. And hopefully to find a pattern—someone following her, watching her. She’ll go about her business and continue to train Warrior.”

“I’ll be glad to help with surveillance,” Valerie offered. “And I don’t mind hanging with Kaitlin.”

They talked some more about recent events.

Then Slade stated the obvious. “I think Ski Mask Man might be more than your basic low-level thug.” He glanced around the room then wrote on the board. “The Boss? Is he Ski Mask Man?”

While everyone chewed on that, Slade took one more sweeping look at the pictures and notes on the board.

“I’m pretty sure this whole setup has been aimed at me.” He went back over the facts again, starting with the car bomb. “The Boss wants something that’s buried in those woods, but he wants to make me suffer until he finds it. He’s getting desperate, and that means we’re all in jeopardy. So be on the alert at all times. We can’t rest right now. It’s too dangerous.”

After everyone filed out, Slade turned to stare at the board again. Who was The Boss? And when would he make his next move?

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