Be Mine Forever

Book 11: Detectives Kane and Alton

by D.K. Hood

Genres: Police Procedurals; Crime Fiction; Vigilante Thrillers

Synopsis

Gray clouds gather overhead as she runs along the dark road. Not a soul is out in the storm, or so she thinks. As the vehicle pulls up alongside her, she sees a familiar face behind the wheel and thinks she's safe. Little does she know, she has just put herself in unthinkable danger...

When local cheerleader, Laurie Turner, goes missing after practice and her bright red pick-up truck is found abandoned by the side of a quiet road, Detective Jenna Alton fears the worst.

Visiting Laurie's family house, Jenna senses that the teenager's home life isn't as perfect as her father would have people believe. Quick to temper and full of hatred towards Laurie's mother, Dr Turner doesn't seem to know the first thing about his own daughter, let alone how long she's been missing for.

With the clock ticking, the whole town takes to the streets to find the missing girl and, after a frantic search, a terrible discovery is made at the bottom of an old mine shaft on the outskirts of town. Laurie's pale body is totally still and Jenna is sure somebody in the local community is her killer.

When another cheerleader goes missing, Jenna thinks that someone close to the school is picking the teenagers off one by one. As she talks to the other students, it becomes clear that there are plenty of people who'd like to silence the girls forever.

Then her own deputy David Kane comes face to face with the murderer, and Jenna has to race to save him. Can she do so before it's too late? Or will another young life be taken?

If you enjoy Lisa Regan, Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot, you will love this unputdownable crime thriller from The Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author D.K. Hood.

**Each Kane and Alton book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone**

What readers are saying about Be Mine Forever:

“I absolutely love this series!!!... The story is fabulous and grabs you right from the beginning... Fab, fab, fab.” Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars

“Wow, what an absolutely fantastic read! I sat and read this on in one sitting. I loved it. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“This book kept me hooked from the off.” NetGalley reviewer

“Another amazing read that kept me wanting more!!!!” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

“Fantastic with plenty of mystery and twists and I am still in awe of the ending.” The Enthusiastic Book Worm, 5 stars

“Another great book! I can stay up until 2am reading these books.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“There is a heart-stopping ending that will have you holding your breath.” Mandy Loves To Read

What readers are saying about D.K. Hood:

“Oh my, oh my God... This is another cracking story!!!... This author really deserves the title of Queen of Suspense... She had chills running down my spine and I just couldn't stop reading. Incredibly, mind-blowingly brilliant!” B for Bookreview, 5 stars

“What a fantastic book it is. Totally addictive. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“Excellent... Had me captivated the whole way through... I had a couple of wow moments that took my breath away. A bloody brilliant book that totally deserves 5 stars.” Bonnie's Book Talk, 5 stars

“Hold on to your hats for the surprise ending!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“Absolutely terrific read.” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

“Phenomenal... Some scenes had my heart threatening to burst out of my chest.” NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

“Whew!... Thanks for the twist. I never saw it coming!” Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

Release date: February 24, 2021

Publisher: Bookouture

Print pages: 377

Sample

Saturday

Fear gripped Laurie Turner in a rush of panic, and wrapping her coat around her, she hastened her step along Stanton Road. Night dropped like a curtain, plunging her into darkness in the middle of nowhere. A storm rumbled in the distance and the first splashes of rain brushed her cheeks. As thunder rolled across the midnight sky, the forest, so beautiful during the day, had become a threatening menace. Within the intermittent flashes of lightning, shadows moved through the trees like faceless men in long black coats.

She dashed on into the night stumbling on the uneven sidewalk. The cut-through to Ravens Way was only a few more yards away. As the ground shook and lightning zig-zagged the sky, she glanced over one shoulder at the empty street. Not a soul was out in the storm, not a single vehicle rode the blacktop. But was she alone? Consumed by the creepy second sense that someone was behind her, she turned into the dark alleyway and hustled along. With each step, tree branches reached out with long witch-like fingers to drag her into the murky depths. An unfamiliar noise came close by and she stopped mid-stride to listen but the only sound came from the wind rushing down the alleyway. A gust whipped up the fall leaves and they swirled around her, mixed with twigs and dirt.

Ahead, she made out the dim glow of streetlights and hurried on. Panic had her by the throat as footsteps sounded on the gravel. Was someone behind her, hidden in the dark? Heart pounding, she took off at a run, burst onto the sidewalk, and headed in the direction of her home. She slowed at the corner and glanced behind her once more at the empty road. As she turned back, the headlights of a vehicle blinded her as it rounded the corner and slowed beside her. Nerves at breaking point, she grasped her backpack to use as a weapon and then sighed with relief at the sight of a familiar face.

“Wanna ride?”

Looking all around, she fumbled with the door handle and then climbed inside. “I’m sure glad to see you. My car wouldn’t start and I dropped my phone so I had to walk.” She fastened her seatbelt and leaned back, closing her eyes. “It’s kinda spooky tonight with the storm and all.”

“Uh-huh.” He turned up a tune on the radio and accelerated at speed.

As he flew past her turn, and headed back to Stanton, she swallowed hard. Where was he taking her? Unease crawled up her spine. “I live out of Ravens Way.”

“Uh-huh.” His eyes remained fixed on the road. “I saw a deer in the forest a ways back, I wanna go see if it’s dead.” He stopped the vehicle and pointed into the trees. “Over there.”

As thunder rolled and rain splattered the windshield, she turned to stare into the dark forest. “I can’t see anything.”

“Surprise.” A singsong voice came from the back seat.

The next instant, a band slid around Laurie’s neck and tightened with force, dragging her up and back in the seat. Pinned by the seatbelt and helpless, Laurie grabbed at her throat, and fighting for one precious breath of air, opened her mouth in a silent scream. A wad of cloth hit her tongue and filled her mouth with a rancid taste and then someone dragged her hands away; she couldn’t fight.

Heart bursting, pain shot through her head and as her sight moved in and out of focus, she heard a deranged giggle. As the next flash of lightning filled the interior, she stared into the contorted grinning face of pure evil.

Sunday

“He’s perfect—maybe too perfect.” Sheriff Jenna Alton had been scrolling through the applications for a new deputy and had finally found someone suitable. “Well, I asked you all to help me find a suitable deputy and out of the six applicants, this one sure looks interesting. Who found Zac Rio?”

“I asked him to apply.” Shane Wolfe smiled at her. “I’m glad he did.”

Jenna lifted her gaze to her good friend and Black Rock Falls Medical Examiner, Shane Wolfe. “How did you find him?”

She eyed her friend across the outdoor table she’d set up for a Sunday cookout with her friends. It was a beautiful fall day and they’d spent a relaxing time enjoying each other’s company. Dr. Shane Wolfe was a man wearing many hats. As handler for Deputy Dave Kane an off the grid special forces sniper, he had contacts that went to the Oval Office. The proud Texan, who resembled a Viking marauder, was a widower father of three girls. His daughters and his role of medical examiner over three counties in Montana kept him busy.

“Well, it was Julie.” Wolfe was referring to his daughter. “She met a couple of new kids at the school who mentioned their brother was a LAPD detective. He’s been working as a teacher’s aide at the high school. Hardly a fitting occupation for a man with his skill set. I checked him out, introduced myself, and asked him if he’d be interested in applying.” Wolfe smiled at her and sipped his beer. “He’d fit in your team just fine and you have that big house with separate accommodation for a housekeeper or nanny sitting empty.”

Jenna peered at the image of the young man, Zac Rio: twenty-five, six-three, dark curly hair and with skills far beyond what she required in a deputy. She shook her head. “I’m not sure. He has a ton of degrees. How did he do all that by twenty-five?” She handed the iPad to Dave Kane, her second in command and close friend. “What do you think, Dave? He sounds too good to be true and he’s overqualified for the job. Why would someone like that want to live in Black Rock Falls?”

“The background check on him revealed a few more details.” Kane shrugged. “He’s the genuine article. Maybe he wants to rest his mind. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have a memory like his or his IQ. He would have been a child prodigy if someone had recognized his intelligence. He finished a law degree but didn’t sit the bar exam because of problems at home but by that time he had a few other degrees under his belt. He joined the LAPD and made detective but after his parents died in a plane crash, things went downhill fast family wise. So, he decided to care for the sixteen-year-old twins, one of each by the names of Cade, and Piper. They were pretty wild and he needed to get them settled in a different environment.” He scratched his cheek and then met Jenna’s eyes. “A contender for my job, huh? He’s also a sharpshooter.”

“Never.” Jenna laughed. “His hobbies are everything and anything to do with media. He’d be an asset at crime scenes and be able to handle the dreaded media releases.”

“That doesn’t explain why he wanted to leave the sunshine and come here. California is a big state, with plenty of room to move around.” Deputy Jake Rowley handed his wife Sandy a plate of food from the grill and dropped into a chair.

“The kids were staying with their grandma.” Wolfe leaned back and crossed his legs at the ankles. “Well, step-grandma and they’d never gotten along with her. They started getting into trouble at school.” He frowned. “It often happens after a tragedy; kids feel lost and take their aggression out on everyone. Zac tried keeping them in the big smoke but it didn’t work out. He figured a complete break and a new start in a backwoods town would straighten them out. He’s been here a month now.”

“In Black Rock Falls?” Kane pressed two fingers to his forehead. “Does he know about this town’s reputation?”

“He does now.” Wolfe shrugged. “I’ve spoken to him and he’d welcome the challenge. He figures he can keep his siblings safe.”

“We’ve had an influx of twins of late.” Sandy, Rowley’s wife, passed a bowl of salad to her husband. “This will make three sets of new twins in town, all around the same age and all fraternal. Susie Hartwig at Aunt Betty’s mentioned it yesterday.”

“Rio sounds interesting.” Suddenly starving, Jenna piled food on her plate. “Do you think he’ll cope? It’s nothing like Los Angeles.”

“Yeah, I do. He’ll prefer the slower pace and there’s plenty for him to do around here on his downtime. We have great schools and he can get involved with the local drama society. I hear he writes plays and directs as well.” Wolfe glanced around as his daughters emerged from Jenna’s ranch house.

Surprised, Jenna stared at him. “So, he’s a man of many talents? I like that he has a cultured background.”

“Are you saying we’re not cultured?” Kane grinned at her and raised a glass of pinot noir in a toast. “I figure we’re doing okay. Look at Julie, she’s had her artwork displayed in the town hall. Can’t get more cultured than that.”

Jenna chuckled. “I didn’t mean to suggest y’all aren’t cultured. Now getting back to discussing a new deputy, I want this to be a team decision, and if you all agree, then we’ll take him.”

“We need the help and he’s solid.” Kane helped himself to a steak and added the trimmings. “And we do have a spare SUV cruiser just sitting in the parking lot.”

“It’s a yes, from me.” Rowley grinned. “I’ll be glad to show him around.”

“Great. I’ll contact him later.” Jenna looked up as Emily, Wolfe’s eldest and a fine ME in the making, sat down at the table along with sixteen-year-old Julie and Anna, the baby of the family. She looked at the girls. “Grab some food before it gets cold.”

She’d barely finished her meal when the 911 ringtone sounded on her phone. She pushed to her feet and walked away from the table, heading to the house to take notes if necessary. As she climbed the steps, she accepted the call. “911, what is your emergency?”

“My daughter is missing.” The man sounded frantic and his voice quivered as he spoke. “She went to cheerleader practice last night and wasn’t in her bed this morning. I figured she’d left early and I’d missed her but she’s not answering her phone.”

Jenna walked inside the house and heard footsteps behind her, Kane had followed her and dashed past her to the kitchen, his boots clattering on the wooden floor. As she walked through the door, he had a pen and notebook waiting for her on the table. She put the phone on speaker. “Okay, I’ll need to take down some details. Who am I speaking to?”

“Dr. Bob Turner out of Ravens Way.” His breath was coming fast as if he’d been running. “My daughter is Laurie, Laurie Turner.”

Jenna sat down and placed the phone on the table. “Okay Dr. Turner, you’re speaking with Sheriff Alton. I’ll need your full details and Laurie’s. How old is she?”

“Sixteen.” Turner gave his details. “I’ve been calling her friends and nobody has seen her since she left practice at the school gym last night.”

The all too familiar shiver of uneasiness slipped down Jenna’s spine and she exchanged a meaningful look with Kane. “Okay, and what time was this?”

“Around nine, nine-thirty last night.” Turner heaved a long sigh. “I didn’t notice her missing until this morning. I called her phone and it’s not responding. I went out to hunt her down this morning in case she’d slipped out before I woke. I went to Aunt Betty’s Café and then I checked around town again but I couldn’t find her.”

With her mind running down her list of the necessary procedures in a missing person’s case, Jenna stared into space for a beat. “Does she own a vehicle?”

“Yeah, but that’s not here either.” Dr. Turner sounded frantic. “No one has seen it and it’s distinctive, it’s a 1950 Ford pickup, and painted fire-engine-red.”

Jenna made notes. “Okay, we can put out a BOLO for the truck. Does she have a boyfriend she might be with?”

“Nope, she broke up with a boy by the name of Wyatt Cooper a couple of weeks ago. I called him and he hasn’t spoken with her since.”

It had been such a relaxing Sunday. Jenna stared at Kane and his face was grim. She gave herself a mental shake. “Okay, Dr. Turner. I’m on my way.” She disconnected and pushed the phone into her pocket.

“I’ll go grab my jacket and weapon.” Kane hurried from the house.

“What’s happened?” Wolfe came into the room loaded up with dirty plates.

Jenna explained. “We’ll head out now. Sorry to ruin the cookout.”

“We all had a relaxing afternoon. It was great!” Wolfe smiled at her. “Don’t worry about anything. I’ll explain what’s happened to the others and get these in the dishwasher. I’ll be sure to set the alarm before we leave.”

Relieved, Jenna smiled at him. “Thanks, Shane. I’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll tend the horses to save you time when you get home.” Rowley appeared at the kitchen door, carrying plates of food. “Sandy will store the leftovers in the refrigerator.”

Grateful for such wonderful friends, Jenna squeezed his arm. “Thanks, Jake.”

She rushed to her room to collect her duty belt and sheriff’s department jacket. Giving her friends a wave, she hurried out the door as Kane drove up in his black unmarked truck, affectionately known as the Beast. Climbing inside, she fastened her seatbelt and entered the address into the GPS. A thought came to her. “Just how many glasses of wine have you had, Dave?”

“One.” Kane gave her a long stare. “Have you ever known me to drink more than two glasses of wine, like ever?”

Jenna shook her head as they headed out the gate and hit the blacktop. “No, can’t say that I have. Why is that?”

“Living in Black Rock Falls is a delight as well as a curse.” Kane flicked her a glance. “I’m never sure what’s going to happen in any given hour, and I like to be clear-headed and ready for anything.”

Still damp after a late storm the previous night, the lowlands and mountain vistas surrounding Jenna’s ranch appeared to have received a new coat of paint. Dressed in an artist’s palette of fall colors, they sparkled under the late afternoon sun and gave off a fresh aroma. It had been good to see rain after a dry spell had muted the lush green landscape, although the storm had been loud. She had discovered apart from the fear of the vet and baths, Duke, Kane’s bloodhound, had added loud storms to his repertoire of fear. Her enjoyable Saturday evening with Kane watching movies had been disturbed by howls loud enough to wake the dead. The noise had sent her black cat, Pumpkin, climbing the drapes and hissing like a leaky furnace. When Kane, finding it amusing, had howled along with his dog, it had taken her forever to untangle Pumpkin and calm her down.

Such were the changes in personality happening to Dave Kane of late. After his wife had died in a car bombing, he’d withdrawn into himself but as the years slipped by, he’d slowly come to terms with his loss. He was still the same, lean, mean fighting machine, ex-special forces sniper, who’d arrived in town some years ago but somehow now, he laughed more and seemed to be living his life to the full. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders and seeing him happy made her smile. They’d taken the first tentative steps toward a relationship but the decision to keep it strictly private had been unanimous. Being sheriff had responsibilities and if things didn’t work out between them, they’d remain friends and no one would be the wiser.

They headed into the town of Black Rock Falls, Jenna’s gaze moved over the crowd of people making repairs to the rain-soaked Fall Festival banners. As Kane slowed the Beast to negotiate the people spilling onto Main, Jenna waved back at the cheery greetings of the townsfolk, who’d voted for her to protect them for an extended five-year term. The festival ran from Tuesday through Saturday and was a much-anticipated tourist attraction. Apart from the popular white-water rapids, and hiking or riding in the forest, this year the town was hosting the chainsaw wood carving championships at the showgrounds, an art competition in the town hall, and a farmer’s market in the parklands. All this along with the normal street vendors and performers who swarmed to the festivals throughout the year, left Jenna hoping the violent crime side of her profession would slip into obscurity.

She glanced at Kane. “I’ll call the media as soon as we’ve spoken to Dr. Turner. I’m going to need people to man the hotline phones.”

“Yeah, Maggie and Walters might be able to do the first shift.” Kane looked over at her. “We could have the calls diverted to our phones for the night shift and sort out better arrangements for the morning?”

Jenna considered asking their secretary, Magnolia Brewster, or Maggie, as everyone called her, and the semi-retired deputy Walters to do a Sunday shift and sighed. “Yeah, Rowley’s had a few beers, he’ll be okay for the morning. I’m glad Sandy can drive him home. Although, the way she’s expanding, she won’t be able to fit behind the wheel for much longer. She is what? Only five months or so by now?”

“She might be having twins.” Kane shrugged. “Although, they went for an ultrasound last week and Rowley hasn’t mentioned anything.”

Jenna smiled. “Yes, Sandy is playing her cards close to the vest. Most new moms can’t wait to show off the images.”

“I guess they want to keep things private.” Kane winked at her. “Sometimes it’s for the best.”

“Oh, absolutely.” Jenna scanned the GPS. “Ravens Way lies parallel to Stanton. I call this the creepy part of town. I wouldn’t go near those alleyways after dark. I wonder why there are no streetlights on this stretch of Stanton?”

“I guess the town council hasn’t caught up with the growth of the town.” Kane turned right and then instructed by the GPS, took the first left. “There are streetlights here. It’s a newer area.” He pulled up outside a brick house with a white picket fence. “This must be the place.”

Jenna led the way through the gate and along the driveway. She knocked on the door and it flew open straight away. She stared at the disheveled man, his eyes wild and with his comb over hair hanging over one ear. “Dr. Turner?”

“Yes, that’s me.” Turner scowled at her, obviously agitated. “What took you so long?”

Ignoring the smell of alcohol on his breath, Jenna lowered her voice and used a calming tone. “My ranch is out on the other side of town and I had visitors. I left the moment you called. May we come inside and talk to you?”

“I guess.” Turner eyed Kane suspiciously.

Jenna followed his gaze. She had to admit, dressed all in black, with his Stetson pulled down low over his eyes and wearing his weapon on one hip like a gunslinger, Kane at six-five and over two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle, didn’t resemble a law officer. “Ah, this is Deputy Kane.”

“Okay, come in but you should be out looking for Laurie.” Turner walked down a short passageway and into a family room. “Someone might have kidnapped her.”

“Why would someone want to kidnap her? Has anyone contacted you?” Kane pulled out a notebook and pen.

“No, no one has called.” Turner’s eyes flashed with anger. “I’d tell you if they had.”

“Is there any chance she just ran away? Have you had any arguments lately?” Kane was pushing the man hard.

“Only the usual things.” Turner sat on a sofa and held his head in his hands, staring at the floral carpet. “She’s only had her driver’s license for a few months and she drives way too fast. I should never have given her the Ford for her birthday. She could be lying in a ditch somewhere.”

The poor man was beside himself with worry and Jenna exchanged a look and a shake of the head with Kane to make him back off a little. “Do you have a photograph of Laurie we could use?”

“Yeah.” Turner stood and took a framed picture of a girl standing beside an old red Ford pickup from the mantle. He looked at it for a beat and then handed it to Jenna. “I took this on her birthday.”

Jenna took out her phone and used her camera to capture the image. “Is this her vehicle? Was she driving last night?”

“Yeah.” Turner sighed. “It’s not a long drive to the school from here.” He attempted to correct his hair, running his fingers through the oily strands. “As there was no game on this week, the cheerleaders decided to practice. They use the school gym and usually finish around eight-thirty or nine at the latest.”

“How come you didn’t notice she hadn’t come home?” Kane lifted his head from his notes. “She should have been here by at least ten.”

“I fell asleep in front of the TV.” Turner couldn’t sit still and rocked back and forth. “I’ve fallen asleep before and she usually leaves me here. I’m bad-tempered when woken sudden.”

“I see.” Kane dropped his gaze back to the notebook. “Do you like a few drinks before bedtime?”

“Yeah, I’ve taken to drinking more than I should since my wife left me.” Turner avoided meeting Jenna’s eyes. “But I’m stone cold sober now.”

“Okay.” Jenna leaned forward. “So, what time did you notice she was missing?” She frowned. “It was a little after three when you called me.”

“I figured she’d gone out before I came down for breakfast.” Turner looked at her, his eyes red-rimmed. “I called her to bring home milk and she didn’t pick up. I’ve been calling all day. Then I called her friends.”

“What time was this?” Kane sat, pen raised, looking at him.

“Around eleven.” Turner picked up a cushion and held it to his chest, squeezing it. “When I called her friends, no one had seen her since she left the school. One of the girls mentioned she sometimes hangs out at Aunt Betty’s Café so I went there and asked the manager if she’d seen her. The nice woman took me to the back room to show me the CCTV footage and there was no sign of Laurie. It’s as if she’s vanished.”

“It would be hard to hide a 1950 red Ford pickup.” Kane raised both eyebrows. “Maybe she went to visit her mom?”

“We don’t know where she is living.” Turner clasped his hands in front of him. “I came home from work and Jeanette was gone, no note. She cleaned out our bank account and vanished. That was six years ago. I obtained full custody of Laurie and since then, we haven’t heard a word from her.”

“You didn’t report her as a missing person?” Kane’s gaze hardened. “Aren’t you worried about her safety?”

“No! She’s not missing.” Turner became agitated. “She told me if I didn’t quit drinking, she’d leave me and never contact me again. She took her clothes, her car, and our money.” He glared at Kane. “I’d say she’s just fine.”

“Did you hit her?” Kane’s face showed no sign of emotion. “Or your daughter?”

“I don’t remember much when I drink.” Turner started to rock again. “But she was always complaining I did this or that.”

“I see.” Kane gave him a long, considering stare. “Is there anything you need to tell us about, Dr. Turner? You’re a psychologist and still practicing, so I assume your wife never had you charged with abuse?”

“She wouldn’t dare.” Dr. Turner gave a smug smile. “The court ruled her as an unfit mother and if anything happened to me, Laurie would be placed in foster care. She wouldn’t want that, now would she?”

“I guess we’ll have to find her and ask her.” Kane turned his attention to Jenna. “Laurie could have broken down along the highway. Maybe we should head out to the high school and retrace her steps?”

“Yeah.” Jenna nodded. “Would you mind if we take a look at her room? Does she have a laptop?”

“Okay but her bed hasn’t been slept in.” Turner stood. “She changed the linen yesterday and it’s in the wash. Her room is as neat as a pin.”

How convenient. Jenna frowned. “So, the laptop then, it gives us a better idea of who she’s in contact with on social media.” She forced her lips into a small, calming smile. “You sit down and direct me to her room.”

“Up the stairs, first on the left.” Turner dropped onto the chair. “Take whatever you want.”

Jenna stood. “Thank you. I’ll need permission from you in writing to check her phone records as well. Deputy Kane will give you some paperwork to sign. I’ll need you to complete a missing person’s report and sign a brief statement about your circumstances. Including the fact you don’t have contact with your wife or know her whereabouts.”

“Is all this necessary, Sheriff?”

Jenna wanted to roll her eyes at his lack of cooperation. “What information you give us now, means we can concentrate on finding Laurie rather than chasing down people who are no longer involved in her life.”

“Oh, very well.” Dr. Turner’s nostrils flared with a snort of anger. “Give me the paperwork.”

She headed up the stairs and found the room. It was spotless. She checked through the bedside drawers and found photographs of cheerleaders, with Laurie front and center, but no journal. She slid the laptop into an evidence bag and was heading back down the stairs when she noticed the bolt on the inside of the door. Taking out her phone, she took a few images of the door and room before hurrying downstairs.

As she walked into the family room, she tucked the laptop under one arm and turned to Dr. Turner. “Before we go, I’ll need the contact details of her ex-boyfriend and does she have a best friend? If so, I’ll need her details as well.” She looked at the distraught man and handed him her card. “If you hear from her call me. I’ll be contacting the media and putting out a BOLO on the pickup. As soon as we have any news, I’ll call you. Just sit tight, Dr. Turner. We’ll do our very best to locate your daughter.”

They climbed into the Beast, and Jenna looked at Kane. “This is going to go two ways, if we can’t find the truck, I figure she’s run away or heard from her mom and went to see her. If the truck shows up then something has happened to her because from the look in her eyes in that picture, the truck means one hell of a lot to her. She wouldn’t leave it behind.”

“My gut tells me something’s not right.” Kane stared at the house.

Jenna held out her phone toward him to show him the image of the bedroom. “She has a heavy-duty bolt on her bedroom door.”

“If he was violent, I’m not surprised.” Kane snorted. “I can’t tolerate men who hit women.”

Jenna clicked in her seatbelt. “What’s your take on him? His mood changed from distraught to angry like flipping a switch and it’s always a red flag when a person won’t look you in the eyes, right?”

“Yeah and I’m seeing a ton of reasons why a kid would want to get out of a situation like that. Her father drinks and beats on his wife and maybe her as well.” Kane rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Giving a decked-out hotrod to a sixteen-year-old, when he just admitted his wife cleaned him out, seems a little overindulgent.” He sighed. “Most parents start out with a safe but less expensive choice. It seems like a pay-off to me. Nothing he said is sitting well with me right now.”

Concerned, Jenna turned in her seat toward him. “I figure he might be involved but if so, why call us and rep. . .