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“Seems like it started last night and ended sometime this morning. I was going to head over there, but I knew you’d want to know.”

Wexler pushed up from his chair and pulled at his pants that were sticking to him. “Let’s go.”

When they arrived at Linda Salinas’s house, all the curtains were pulled, and she sat on one of the straight-backed dining room chairs staring at the floor. Since Mesa County was small, and Alina even smaller, there was no provision for a victim advocate program; it was up to him and Rhoades to try their best in helping her out with the aftermath of a rape.

After giving the victim some names of local counselors and a program St. Joseph Hospital offered for coping with violent crime, the sheriff left the other two deputies to finish investigating the crime scene. Even though the perpetrator had her bathe, Wexler held out hope that the rape kit would turn up some DNA. He knew it was a long shot, but he had to explore all the possibilities.

This is the third one in two months. The last one was only ten days ago. Shit. We’re in over our heads.

Knowing when to call for experienced detectives who could help find the guy responsible for the attacks was part of the sheriff’s strength. Taking out his phone, he dialed Detective Contreras to see if he could offer any help. He knew the detective worked in the homicide division of the Durango police department, but he hoped he could offer some insight, or at least recommend someone to help him and his deputies.

“How’re you doing, Doug?” Contreras said.

“Shitty. It’s hotter than hell and the AC’s been out for a few days. Typical county bullshit. And we got what seems like a serial rapist in our town. How’re you?” Wexler walked over to the oak tree and stood under its leafy branches for some much-needed shade.

The detective chuckled. “Cool in our air-conditioned office, but up to my neck in shootings. The hot weather brings out the worst in people. The homicide rate always goes up in the summer. So all the rapes have the same markings?”

“Yeah. The bastard enters late at night, wears a ski mask, brutalizes the women for several hours, takes pictures of them, makes them bathe, and takes all the bedsheets and clothes before leaving. It’s the same fucker. We haven’t had a rape in Alina in years, and not any for the last year in the county. I don’t have the manpower and my deputies don’t have the expertise to handle this one. You got someone who can help us out?”

“Sounds like you have an experienced perpetrator. Jack Barnard is the one you want. He’s in our Sex Crimes Unit, and he never gives up until he gets a case solved. He’s been with the department for about six years. Before coming on-board, he lived in Los Angeles and did eleven years with LAPD. Jack knows his stuff. I’ll e-mail you his chief’s number and you can talk to him to see if he can spare him. It sounds like your perp isn’t going to stop.”

“Fuck no. He’s actually kicking it up. We haven’t released anything to the media because I don’t want to cause a panic.” Wexler leaned against the tree.

“You need to. Even though the town council will be up your ass daily, the women need to know there’s a sexual predator out there. Maybe someone saw or heard something. You never know.”

The sheriff’s stomach churned. “You’re right. I’ll give the chief a call when I get back to the office. You got any plans to take your family on vacation?”

Contreras laughed. “I always have plans. The trouble is they always change. I want to take the family to Disneyland, but I haven’t let them know in case it doesn’t materialize. What about you?”

“Not any time soon. With these rapes and some other problems, I’ll be lucky if I can take a day off.”

“I hear you, man. Let me know how things go. If you need my help with anything, give me a call.”

Before going to the office, Wexler decided to stop by the office of theAlina Post. He’d have to brace himself for the pressure his department would experience from the town council and the residents. His life would soon be hell after the evening paper came out.

He shoved a stick of gum into his mouth, cranked up the patrol car’s AC, and headed to the newspaper office.

Chapter Fifteen

Goldie sat inthe recliner, his eyes fixed on the hallway in front of him as his grandma slept. For the past half hour, he’d hoped to catch a glimpse of Hailey. Earlier he’d gone to Patty’s room to check in on her and find out whether Hailey was coming by for a visit. Patty had told him Hailey said she’d be by around three o’clock. It was now four o’clock. He had no intention of leaving until he saw her.

Each time the nurse came in, he seemed surprised to find Goldie still in the room. Goldie’s habit was to leave once his grandmother fell asleep, but he couldn’t risk not seeing Hailey. As he waited, sparks of anger zapped his nerves. Why the hell did she have to be so damn hot? The way she looked at him with her innocent eyes and the way she brushed against him drove him wild. What was it with her? The only woman who’d ever messed with his head happened to be his best friend’s little sister.Is that ever fucked.He was supposed to be watching over her. He’d promised Ryan he would, and all he could think about was kissing, touching, and licking her. He wanted to make her beg him to let her come, then watch her as she did.Fuck!

Blue orbs caught his and Hailey smiled weakly before darting her eyes away as she walked past the door. Like a jack-in-the-box, he sprang up and dashed to the door. “Hailey,” he said to her departing back.

Stopping, she looked over her shoulder. “Goldie. I didn’t know you were here.”

Bullshit, but if that’s how you want to play it, I’m in.“Yeah. I looked in on Patty when my grandma went down for her nap. Come on in. I want to talk to you.”

Frowning slightly, she shook her head. “I have to see my aunt. I’ll come by later. How late are you staying?”

He shrugged. “What about you?”

“An hour or so. I have to get back to the shop. I’ll be by in a bit. If you’re there, I’ll stop in.”

Goldie went back into the room and debated about leaving. If it were any other chick, he never would’ve hung around hoping to run into her, and then she acted like it was no big fucking deal.I should go now and show her I don’t give a shit.But the problem was he did give a shit, and he didn’t know why. There was something about her that gnawed at him, made him do silly stuff like wait around for her. He shook his head; he was going to go.

“Is she still sleeping?” Dan, the nurse, asked.