His Garden of Bones (Skye Cree Book 4) (18 page)

“Doesn’t mean someone wasn’t lurking nearby and followed her out of the lot once she got the car started,” Josh pointed out.

Skye nodded in agreement as she continued to read Harry’s scribbled description of the crime scene. “Wait a minute. Harry noted there was no baby seat found in Ashley’s car. The guy must’ve thought he needed it for Kiki. So let’s say he took the diapers and wipes as a necessity. If you’re gonna keep the baby you have to be willing to change diapers.” She turned to Josh. “You said it earlier. The unsub didn’t plan on kidnapping the baby, but after he saw her, he wanted her.”

“That indicates he wants to keep the baby long term, which is either a good thing because Kiki’s alive or a sickening fact for down the road.” Josh automatically reached his hand out to touch the stroller. As soon as he made contact, white flashes speared his vision, going off like multiple rockets.

With her back to Josh, Skye was still deep in analytical mode. She busied herself going through Ashley’s stuff and rambled on, “Tell me again why we think this fits our guy’s profile. Our monster mutilator kidnaps a baby? Because I’m not seeing it, Josh. Not at all. Yes, we need to find mother and baby. Yes, we’re dealing with abduction here, no argument. But is this really connected to the same guy who murdered and mutilated our three victims?”

For an answer, Josh unexpectedly doubled over at the waist as if he’d been hit with a baseball bat. His breath hitched. He forced out each word in agony. “The guy used the stroller to get Ashley and the baby to the car and then brought it back so no one would see it in the parking lot.”

Skye turned to look at him, saw his body bent in pain. She closed the distance, grabbed the nearest chair and helped him into it. “What’s the matter with you?”

“Massive headache from hell, excruciating stomach pain,” Josh answered, rubbing a hand through his hair, which throbbed at the slightest touch of his fingers. “This is our guy. That’s the one thing I’m sure of,” he tumbled out, right before blood began to gush from his nose.

Skye dashed down the hallway and into Ashley’s bathroom to get a towel. By the time she came back, she found Josh had slipped out of the chair, clinging to it, still in terrible pain.

While she pressed the damp cloth to his head, she rubbed his back. But then an instinct kicked in, a sense that they were near something evil. “It’s being here in Ashley’s apartment, this close to the person who abducted her and the baby that’s overwhelming to you. I’m calling Travis. This guy is obviously dabbling in some sort of black magic that’s making you sick. But I don’t think it’s Native. There’s a chance he thinks it is, though, which is just as powerful.”

“Son of a bitch. I’ll be all right, just give me a minute.”

Skye used speed dial to reach Travis at the ranch. Once she got an answer she stumbled through the details about Josh’s sudden, declining health. “Do you have any idea what our killer could be using to eliminate Josh’s power to this extent so quickly?”

“Has he pissed off any ancient magicians lately?”

“Come on, cut the jokes. Josh is in pain here. This is really serious.”

“So am I. This sounds exactly like a deadly version of one of the fifty-five ancient katares, or curses that originated in the Mediterranean thousands of years ago. Reciting the words to one is supposed to bring on extreme pain, various types of medical issues, coma, and in certain cases even death to its intended target.”

“Well, there’s good news. So this guy is using some type of ancient spell to get us to back off? What do we do about it? And why did he go after Josh and not me?”

“I thought Emmett Cannavale explained that the other day at the house. This guy believes a woman is an inferior being. You don’t make a worthy enough opponent to mess with.”

“I guess I forgot that part. Okay, well, whatever this thing is, round up the elders. Josh needs a cleansing and fast. You’ll set it up, right? I gotta go catch this asshole and find a young mother and her little girl before he decides to cut them up for kicks. Did you make all the calls I requested?”

“I have everyone lined up like always. In fact, I’m headed to the foundation now to meet with Lena and Zoe, and Velma and Judy to formulate a plan.”

“Fine. You rally the infantry. I’ll take care of the recon.”

“Skye?”

“What?”

“You and Josh be careful out there.”

“I’m always careful.”

After disconnecting the call, she turned to Josh, laid her hand on his forehead. “You’re temp is beginning to spike. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go out tonight.”

“Stop trying to ditch me. We have to go. Look around you. Somewhere out there this bastard is holding a mother and a baby. We don’t know for how long. We’re running out of time.”

“Then we should get moving.”

As Skye helped Josh down to ground level, they began to go over scenarios. “So what do you think happened here? Did Ashley allow someone in that she knew and that’s why there’s no sign of forced entry or a struggle?”

“Or maybe she didn’t perceive the person she let in as much of a threat,” Josh surmised. “Why would that be, though? Was it someone Ashley recognized, who looked familiar from the neighborhood? Was he or she wearing a uniform she trusted? Was he posing as a security guard or maybe worse, a cop?”

“A frightening thought. Keep in mind a mother will likely comply with anyone and do anything to keep her child safe from harm.”

“He no doubt used the baby to get her to go with him.”

When they reached the car, an excited, tail-wagging Atka greeted them with a series of boisterous yips. Freedom from confinement had the dog sniffing the air.

Before setting off on foot, they relied on Kiya to pick up Ashley’s and the baby’s scent from the adjacent parking lot. Standing at the corner, the pack—Skye, Josh, and the two canines—began to roam through the neighborhood, winding their way past Volunteer Park, following the white wolf due west.

The Sunday afternoon was coming to an end by the time Kiya trotted past Thai food places, taco shops, and shoe barns, her entourage dutifully in tow. Buses rumbled down Tenth Avenue in an effort to keep to the regular weekend routes and places like University Village, UDub, and touristy destination points that were always popular on Saturdays and Sundays.

As the sun dipped in the west, Skye noted the direction they’d taken. “Why are we headed toward Lake Union and the waterfront? Kiya, where are you taking us?” she muttered as she followed along. Skye turned back, noticed Josh sweating profusely and more out of breath than before. She stopped and waited for him to catch up. “This can’t be right. Why would a kidnapper keep his victims in the middle of the city? This is way too out in the open, too many people, too many neighbors, too many distractions around to be where a serial killer might set up shop.”

Feeling worse with each step, Josh shook his head. “No, leave it to Kiya to find him. She knows where she’s going. You’ve always trusted her instincts before, do it now. The area might be high density and busy with boat traffic, but keep in mind this guy probably doesn’t stand out in a crowd so no one notices him much.”

“Okay, I’ll take your word for it along with Kiya’s nose. You can’t both be wrong.”

The pack hiked over terrain that sloped down to the harbor. Once under the I-5 greenbelt, the wind kicked up. Skye noted a storm moving in over Puget Sound.

The four kept moving, eventually dumping out onto Fairview. But Kiya abruptly headed southward as the clouds opened up in a deluge. Pouring rain obstructed their view to a line of yachts and houseboats floating on the water.

Kiya left the pathway and crossed the street into a busy parking lot. The sloops beyond bobbed in the distance, beckoning the wolf to veer farther into the marina. Atka suddenly tugged on her leash and took off toward Kiya until the canines were side by side. They left the pavement and circled into a private dock to an unassuming two-story houseboat painted a bright blue.

“The property looks vacant.”

“Looks are deceiving.”

Together Josh and Skye stepped onto the wooden mooring following Kiya’s lead. Skye heard what sounded like a baby’s wail. The canines broke away and ran to the front door. Both began to paw and scratch at the wood.

Fearing he wasn’t up for a fight physically, she turned to Josh. Whispering in a low voice, she asked, “Are you okay with kicking it in then going around back when he bolts?”

Josh nodded. “We both know he’ll take off.”

Without further discussion, he promptly picked up his foot and smashed it into the door. Splintered pieces of wood went flying as they burst through the doorway, prepared for anything. But all they saw in the small room was a screaming toddler on the sofa, sitting next to a very still female form. 

That’s when they heard an engine start up and roar off, the noise coming from the parking lot they’d walked through earlier.

At the sound, Kiya and Atka skidded through the back door, Josh running behind them in pursuit leaving Skye to deal with the baby and her unconscious mom.

But Skye needed to make sure the house was clear before dealing with the victims. Taking out her nightstick, she tiptoed through the rest of the first floor. Once each room checked out, she made her way to the steps going up to the next level.

The galley was the first room at the top of the stairs. When the smell of gas hit her nose she took the stairs back down two at a time. Scooping up the sobbing little girl, she yelled for Josh.

“We have to get out of here. Now!” The terrified child kept reaching back for her mother, all the while screaming at the top of her lungs.

“Shhh, its okay, baby. Let’s get you and your mommy out of here.”

Josh came back in through the back door with Atka. Winded, he rested his hands on his knees trying to get his breath back. “He’s gone. I couldn’t catch up. I called 911. Cops are on their way.”

“We have to get out of here. There’s a gas smell coming from upstairs. This place could blow any minute.”

“Go. Take the baby. I’ve got Ashley,” Josh offered.

“Are you sure? You barely look like you can stand.”

“I don’t have a choice,” he wheezed out as he hauled the mother up and into his arms. Together they followed Atka out of the floating house and into the rain. They took off—Skye holding Kiki, Josh toting Ashley—down the dock ramp and back to the safety of the parking lot.

Behind them, the explosion shook the ground as they dropped on one knee to the wet pavement. The fiery blast caused flames to shoot up so high they lit up the night sky for blocks.

Skye stood back watching, clutching the toddler—rocking her back and forth, trying to comfort her enough to settle down. But the chaos around them did little to help. Sirens went off. People were screaming. A crowd began to gather around the marina.

And the four of them were getting drenched as the skies opened up and the rain came down harder. The drops hit Ashley’s face. As the water began causing the teen mom to stir, Josh lost his grip on Ashley. As she slipped out of his grasp, he sat her upright, held her in place while he tried to rally his own strength.

“Are you able to walk?” Skye shouted over the storm. “If so, we need to move to the corner of the lot and as far away as we can get from the smoke.”

“Good idea,” Josh choked out, helping Ashley move through the rain. They’d just reached the grassy strip near the street when a van came out of nowhere. It jumped the curb and barreled straight for them.

Josh glanced up, saw the van without headlights swerving into their path. Despite stumbling over his own feet, he managed to shove Skye and the girl out of the way with his body, in time to take the brunt of the force full on.

Still clutching Kiki to her chest, Skye looked up and saw Josh sprawled out ten feet away on the concrete—blood oozing from his nose and mouth.

T
ravis rushed into the waiting room at Harborview and spotted Skye, head bowed, her fingers rubbing her own temples. “Is Josh gonna be okay?”

Looking up and staring into her dad’s eyes, she bit her lip, trembled a little. “I don’t know. The ER doctors sent him up here to X-ray for his shoulder and to Imaging for the brain scan. They want to make sure he didn’t suffer a head trauma. He’s still in there. They’re keeping him tonight regardless so they can do another brain scan tomorrow and check for internal bleeding.”

“What happened?”

“We’d gotten out of the houseboat, Josh carrying Ashley and me holding the baby. We were a safe distance back when Josh had to sit down. Ashley started coming to and Josh helped her get to her feet. So I suggested since she could walk, we head to the far corner of the parking lot, next to the street and put some distance between us and the blast. Out of the blue this delivery van jumps the curb. Not one of those paneled jobs either but the bigger kind that carries major cargo around town.”

“Like the postal trucks?”

“Almost but not quite. Anyway, Josh shoved Ashley out of the way just in time to keep them both from taking the blow full on. The driver headed right for Josh. If Josh hadn’t jumped in the air when he did, the van would’ve hit him straight on, full body impact. Instead, he came down on the driver’s side and bounced off the side mirror. I’m pretty sure the van grazed his left shoulder. That wasn’t what did the damage though. It was making contact with the pavement that caused him to hit his head. He lost consciousness and hasn’t come around yet. He could be… He might be dead right now.” Her voice broke off as the waterworks flowed.

Between sobs, she continued, “The bastard took off at a high rate of speed heading east toward the I-5. By now he could be pulling into Canada.” She scrubbed her hands over her face before adding, “It was all such a blur I didn’t even have time to get a plate number.”

“Not even a partial? That’s not like you.”

Skye glowered at her father. “It all happened too fast. I was focused on Ashley, who could barely walk because she’d obviously spent hours drugged out of her mind, and an eighteen-month-old toddler who wouldn’t stop crying. I let Josh take the lead. I should’ve been in front. I knew he was struggling and I let him take point.”

“Cut it out,” Travis urged, sliding his hand in hers. “Like Josh would’ve wanted you in jeopardy. You know better than that.” Travis sat down next to her, wrapped her up in his arms. “He’ll be fine. You’ll see. He’s tough. Didn’t he come through the transformation without losing his mind? A lesser man would’ve had major issues with all the changes to his body. Not Josh.”

Travis leaned in to kiss her forehead and lowered his voice. “The elders are on their way. They’ll gather here later tonight, perform the cleansing ceremony we talked about. We’ll get Josh back on track. You’ll see. But first we have to find a way to sneak them all past the night nurses.”

For the first time in hours, she smiled at her dad. “I’ll see what I can do. Thanks for coming.”

“That’s what family’s for.” When a doctor showed up, Travis nudged her in the ribs.

“Mrs. Ander, I’m Dr. Lynch, the neurosurgeon called in to assess your husband’s condition. If you’ll come with me I’ll go over the results of his MRI.”

“Did he wake up yet?”

“That’s what I want to talk to you about. He took a hit to his head and has a mild concussion. But he hasn’t regained consciousness yet. We aren’t sure exactly why.”

Skye slanted a glance back at Travis as if to say, “the elders need to get to work and fast.” But she said nothing about ancient curses or Native remedies as she followed Dr. Lynch into a small room off the nurses’ station, where the doctor already had Josh’s x-rays lit up on the display for viewing.

“So, are you saying his brain’s okay and there’s no obvious bleeding to worry about? Because the guy in the ER said that might be a problem. And if he’s not awake yet…”

Dr. Lynch pointed to the MRI. “As you can see there’s no indication of bleeding so far from the tests we ran. Your husband shows contusions and bruising though, here along the temporal lobe. So far, swelling hasn’t occurred. If it should, there are ways to handle the pressure without being too invasive. But let’s not worry about something that hasn’t happened yet.”

When they were joined by another physician, Skye narrowed her eyes. “If there’s more, I need to call Josh’s mom and dad. They’ll want to be here with him.”

Dr. Lynch nodded. “That’s a good idea. Right now, I’m going to hand you off to the orthopedist, Dr. Vollmer, who’ll talk to you about your husband’s shoulder, which is dislocated. He also has two cracked ribs.”

As he turned to go, Dr. Lynch patted Skye’s hand. “Don’t worry. Your husband is in good hands here. I’m sure they already mentioned downstairs that we’ll keep him until everything checks out from head to toe.”

“About that, do you have any idea why he’s still out?”

“After viewing his test results, I don’t have a reasonable explanation for it. He shouldn’t be out for this long based on what I saw on the MRI. But if there’s more injury, it’ll surface soon enough. We’ll know by morning if it’s more serious than what we first thought.”

After Dr. Vollmer went through the injuries to Josh’s shoulder and ribcage, Skye asked to see him.

“Sure. Give us ten minutes and we’ll have him in a room by then up on the eighth floor.”

Skye took advantage of the time to make the call she’d been dreading to Josh’s parents.

She spent the next ten minutes reassuring Phyllis and Douglas Ander as best she could that Josh was receiving the best care possible. She’d see to it. Knowing the couple wouldn’t understand Native customs or ritual cleansing ceremonies, she encouraged them to get to the hospital now to see their son, hoping they might be gone by midnight. It wouldn’t do for them to cross paths with a group of Nez Perce shamans, let alone go into an account of what Josh had kept hidden from them for two years. In Skye’s mind it was hardly the time to disclose what had happened to their son that day in the woods—a metal pipe to the head tended to do irreparable damage.

She doubted the Anders would put much faith in legends, spirit guides, or Kiya’s role in the whole transformation process. Instead of full disclosure, Skye bypassed all that. “You don’t have to spend the night with him because I’m staying put until he wakes up. They’re taking him up to a room on the eighth floor now so we’ll meet me up there.”

When Doug questioned her over the phone about the hit and run she confirmed what had happened. “But don’t worry. I intend to find the son of a bitch who did this to him.”

After ending the call and heading back to the waiting room, Skye bumped into Harry in the hallway. “I hope Ashley gave you enough of a detailed description to get a decent composite.”

“Ashley didn’t see much, Skye. How’s Josh doing?”

“Unconscious. They’re moving him upstairs. How are Ashley and the little girl?”

“Will he be okay?”

“I hope so. I’m not leaving him alone until I know he’s okay.”

“I know you have your hands full right now and I don’t want to monopolize your time but… I need to talk to you about Ashley’s ordeal.”

“Let’s hear it,” she said wearily.

Harry took her through the teen’s version of what happened. “When she reached her apartment and got out of the car, Ashley was followed up the stairs by a female with long dark hair.”

“What? This guy has an accomplice?” Skye shook her head. “I’m beginning to think this isn’t the same guy who mutilated the others.”

“Maybe not but I learned just now that the doctor took a rape kit. The results were negative. She was drugged for most of the time he had her, I doubt she’d remember it anyway if she had been.”

Skye aimed a disbelieving look in Harry’s direction. “This might be a first. Why kidnap her if not for sex? To sell her for later? That’s the only thing that makes sense. I don’t get it, Harry.” She marched off a few steps and then turned back. “What about Kiki? Did they complete a rape kit on the baby?”

Harry nodded. “Results turned out the same, negative.”

“So if this wasn’t about rape, then what? Our guy keeps both mom and baby at this houseboat for almost twenty hours, but doesn’t beat her, mutilate her in anyway, or take advantage of her. He leaves them alive all that time. Come to think of it, the lab didn’t find any semen on the other victims either. Why is that?”

“Maybe this guy’s impotent.”

“Maybe. But then why go to the trouble to abduct young women if he doesn’t plan to use them sexually? Sex trafficking would be a good reason to do that. Maybe twenty hours wasn’t enough time to complete the transaction.”

“That’s what I’m thinking.”

“How about Kiki, how is she doing through all this?”

“Kiki checks out fine… Medically. Emotionally she seems terrified and traumatized.”

“Bastard,” Skye muttered. “Hopefully, Kiki will get back home to the Kendrows and her mommy soon and life will smooth out some. At some point, both of them will eventually forget what happened altogether. Okay, so maybe that’s optimistic.”

“We have survivors. I’d say that’s more than reason for optimism.”

Skye rocked back on her heels, beginning to feel better. “So let’s move on to the owner of that houseboat.”

“Some guy named John Stockman. He says someone must’ve picked the lock and broken in, and must’ve brought the girl and baby in there to hide out. Stockman says he doesn’t use the houseboat all that often, mostly for entertaining. It’s a second home for him. The last time he was there was about two weeks ago.”

“Hmm, and you believe him?”

“So far his alibi checks. He’s a local businessman with ties to the city council and mayor.”

“Yeah? Well, so far I’ve got a husband who’s losing ground by the hour, no answers as to who ran him down, a houseboat that blew up with us within feet of it, and I’m not real happy about any of it. So, I’m sure you won’t mind if I choose to remain skeptical at this point about a guy with ‘political ties’ when two kidnapped victims are found in a house he owns.”

“I’m right there with you. How about we keep tabs on Stockman? He might have a connection to our unknown subject.”

“Or subjects. Fine. You keep an eye on him because as you can see, for the next couple days, I’ve got my hands full. Josh is staying put until he wakes up. And I’m not budging until he does.”

“He’s in a coma?”

Skye stabbed a finger in the detective’s chest. “Do not use that word.”

Just then, Lena and Zoe hurried up to them. The stylishly dressed woman wrapped Skye up in a bear hug, swaying back and forth. “I’m here now, honey. It’ll be all right. You’ll see.”

Skye stared at the woman, she’d known for years. Lena wore a pair of black pants with a teal blouse under a festive red jacket. Skye noted she’d lopped off her dark brown hair into a spikey cut that made her look far younger than her fiftyish years. “What are you doing here?”

“Travis alerted us to what’s going on. Zoe and I got here as soon as we could. How’s Josh?”

“We were just getting to that,” Harry said.

They all four turned to stare when Travis appeared with a band of Skye’s fellow tribesmen trailing behind him. Travis pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “They’ll wait for as long as it takes until the coast is clear to get access to Josh’s room. Whenever you say the word, we’re ready to go.”

Lena looked confused. “Why do all these people need to get into Josh’s room?”

Skye explained the situation, and hopefully, the solution.

After listening to the reasoning, instead of doubting Skye’s judgment or the ritual itself, Lena simply replied, “Zoe and I want to be in there for support.”

Skye smiled at the lady she considered a substitute mom. “We could be planning an exorcism for all you know and you want in?”

Lena grinned back. “If there’s a chance it might make Josh better, absolutely. I mean what could it hurt to send healing vibes out into his space?”

“My sentiments exactly. Besides, I don’t like it that the asshole we’re chasing is using Josh like this. So let’s do this thing.”