Grabbing her gun from the safe, Rachel turns and says, "Let's go."
"You're not going anywhere, Sergeant."
"I'm not in any danger now that the kidnapper is dead." She argues.
Joe points to her bandage. "You were just released from the hospital yesterday."
"I'm fine Joe, really I am."
"But the doctor said."
"I know what he said, Joe, but I have a case to close and that's just what I'm going to do."
Grabbing an item from the closet, Joe hands it to Rachel. "Fine, but you're wearing this."
Jerry looks over and Jeanie, chuckles and says, "I don't know who's more bull headed him or her."
She glances at her daughter glaring at the vest. "I'd say they're evenly matched."
"Coming Jerr?" Joe asks.
"On my way, boss."
******
The captain and his two detectives arrive at the crime scene to find the deceased tied to a wooden chair in the center of the abandoned chicken plant. A swarm of flies hovering all around him, while the remaining feast on his decaying flesh. A large pool of blood is seeping through the cracked cement around him with an immense amount of blood splatter covering the ceiling and walls. His dismembered appendages are neatly arranged on a silver tray a short distance away.
Sharon walks over shaking her head. Eyes the scene, turns and says, "In my twenty-five years in law enforcement I don't ever recall seeing a crime scene as horrific as this."
"What can you tell us, Sharon?"
"My initial COD is blood loss pending an autopsy of course. Seeing the significant amount and the types of insects present, and with his body in full rigor, discoloration of skin, and bloating, I'd say he died sometime early yesterday morning, I should be able to narrow down the timeline once I get him to the lab."
"Any forensics, Kirk?"
"We believe the struggle began at the back door." He points to the victim's head and adds," A blitz attack." Motioning toward the back of the room he continues, "There's a trail of blood from there all the way over to here. According to the DNA it all appears to be his."
"Hopefully he remained unconscious for the better part of this."
"Unlikely, Rachel, given the severity of the wounds and the amount of blood, I'd say he probably regained consciousness almost immediately and probably suffered through the majority of it. And I believe the attack had a personal vendetta behind it." Sharon points to the photo board and adds, "Maybe one of the victim's families is seeking revenge?"
"Or a vigilante trying to do right by the world."
"You know who did this, Rachel? Sharon asks.
"Her boyfriend."
Rachel smacks his arm rolls her eyes and says, "He's hardly my boyfriend Joe."
"Maybe from your side of things, but he sure is sweet on you. Sending you flowers, buying you expensive perfume."
"So you believe the same guy who killed those women did this too?"
"He told me as much."
"He even apologized for not taking care of him sooner for her."
"You don't know who he is?"
"Not yet."
Joe turns towards his crew. "You three, start canvassing the area to see if anyone saw or heard anything. Kirk, Jerry I want you to check for any cameras. And I want you to pull the traffic cams from the intersection of 62 and Freeman and Freeman and Main."
"We're on it, Sir."
"Did you hear that Joe?"
"What is it?"
"It sounds like a child crying."
He listens, but with all the chatter going on behind him, he couldn't hear a thing. "Shut up." Joe commands, trying again.
"Over here." Rachel motions, running towards the noise. Putting her ear to the door she listens for a second, and then exclaims ,"Someone is in there." She tries to open the heavy metal door, but it wouldn't budge. "I can't get it Joe."
"Step back." Pushing her aside, Joe tries, but like Rachel he couldn't get it to budge. "Kirk, Jeff, give me a hand with this thing."
Jerry taps the captain on the shoulder, points further up, chuckles and says, "It might help to unlock it, boss."
"Smartass." Unfastening the lock, Joe pulls the door open. Rachel dashes inside to find four frightened girls huddled in the corner. Their clothes are disheveled, their bodies are filthy and their hair a frightful mess.
Seeing a figure walking towards them they cling on to each other tight." Please don't. We'll be quiet, we swear." the oldest child promises.
Stopping, Rachel squats down, shows them her badge. "I'm with the police, honey, and we're here to take you home."
The oldest glances towards the door, with a terrified look on her face, she shakes her head. 'We, we can't go. The, the man. He said he'd kill our families if we try to escape."
"Your kidnapper is dead."
***
"Reunions like this make it all worthwhile." Rachel smiles, stepping into the cool evening air. She'd just reached the cruiser when her phone rings. "Sergeant Bower"
"Sergeant, it's Jerry, Joe wanted me to give you a quick update, and to tell you he's making the notifications now."
"What did you find, Jerr?"
We've retrieved trophies from all of his victims, and dozens of tapes of him and others committing sexual acts with the girls. We also found a list of names and places where the bodies are buried Joe plans to start searching in the morning seeing how it's so late and all."
"Thanks for keeping me in the loop, Jerr." She no sooner hangs up when her cell rings again. "Sergeant Bower."
"I'm so glad to see you back, pipsqueak."
" Not half as happy as I am. Guess I owe you one for doing what you did for me."
"I'd do anything for you, darling, even if it comes at a personal cost to myself." He touches his swollen face. and adds, "He didn't go down without a fight, but it was all worth it in the end. Seeing you back on the job and the little girls reunited with their families once again."
"So you knew he was holding his victim's there?"
"Why do you think I did what I did where I did, knowing you'd find and save them? You're a great detective, sergeant, one of the best, second only to me."
"You were on the force?"
"A lifetime ago, sergeant, a lifetime ago. I'm sure by now, all my files have all been deleted from the system and my existence wiped clean. That's what happens when you've been blacklisted. They even tried to dispose of me in the jungle, an inevitable death for most, but being a trained survivalist I managed to come out of it alive. Now that I'm back, I'm doing what I was meant to do, clean the streets, and my adversaries." Thinking back to what he did he chuckles then adds, "Lets just say their remains will never be found."
"What did you do to get blacklisted?"
"I exposed all the corruption taking place in this town. Mayor, governor, commissioner and over half the Berryville PD had their hand in that pot. So I did what had to be done. Don't bother looking it up. Like me, I'm sure it's all been white washed. Politicians are good at covering their tracks."
"I'm sorry that happened to you."
"I knew the consequences when I did what I did. Anyway, great job out there today, sergeant. The town can rest a little easy knowing you're hard at work." The call disconnects.
She starts to climb in her car when her cell rings again. I'll never get home at this rate, she sighs "Sergeant Bower."
"Rachel, it's dad. I found a place for us to go. A small town in Idaho over a thousand miles away. A team should be there to pick you all up in the morning, so be ready."
"There's no need for all of that dad. "
"What do you mean there is no need?"
"The kidnapper is dead."
"You're sure it's him?"
"We just found evidence linking the deceased to the kidnappings at his house."
"So you're back at work I take it?"
"I'm fine, dad."
"But Rachel you…"
Taking the phone away, Bonnie asks, "Who is it Rachel?"
"Jason Jenkins. Joe is making the notification now."
"This will probably do Roy in with his health being as poor as it is." Roy was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly after his wife left him for another man.
"I'll stop by later, see if he needs anything."
Hearing a beep, she glances at her phone and then says, "I got a call on the other line."
"You take care of yourself Rachel, ok? Don't do too much."
She rolls her eyes "I won't." "What's up, Joe?" she asks, switching lines.
"You need to get over to Jenkins place as soon as you can."