Soul Eater by Lorraine Kennedy Read Free Book Online

nightstand, she grabbed the phone. “Hello."
    "Agent Claremont?” It was a male voice.
    "Yes, it's me, Banks,” she told her partner. The nightmare was still fresh in her mind, making it impossible to still her shaking hands.
    "Hey, I'll be there in a couple of days. I just have a few things to wrap up here in D.C.. Will you be okay?"
    "I can handle it solo for a day or two,’ she assured him. Jenna was just about to fill him in on the bizarre way the police were handling the investigation when someone rang the doorbell.
    "Did you get the computer I'd the Denver office send over?” he asked.
    "I think that's what's at the door. Can I call you right back?"
    "Yeah, sure, talk to you later,” he told her before hanging up.
    Throwing her robe on, Jenna rushed to the door and swung it open. Outside, a uniformed deliveryman stood with a clipboard in his hand.
    "Delivery for Jenna Claremont."
    "That's me,” she told him as he was handing her the clipboard.
    "I just need a signature, please."
    Jenna signed quickly and pointed to the room that had been her father's study. “Just put the boxes in there, please."
    A police car up the street caught her attention. Brody had been right. They were watching her house.
    Why?
    Don't trust anyone. Both Brody and old man Hessler had warned her of this same thing.
    What was going on in Sinister?
    After bringing in two big boxes, the man stepped past her back onto the porch. “Good day,” he told her as he was heading to his truck.
    "Wait!” she called to him. “What about this box?” Jenna pointed to a big box that sat on the porch.
    "Don't know ma'am. I didn't deliver that box.” With that he got into his truck and drove away.
    Jenna examined the box, wondering where it had come from. It had her name on it but there was no return address nor the name of a shipping company. Picking the box up, she was surprised at how light it was. Curiosity getting the best of her, she immediately took it into the kitchen to open it.
    On closer examination, she became sure that this box hadn't been shipped. There was barely any tape on it to keep it closed. Ripping the tape off, she opened the box. Choking back a scream, Jenna jumped back as if a rattlesnake had bitten her. Inside was her father's uniform, neatly folded. Lying on top was his badge. On closer inspection she could make out traces of blood on the shiny metal.
    Without touching the contents, she closed the box back up and ran toward the bedroom to dress. She didn't trust the local police, so she would have to take this into Riverton and have it shipped to the DCI crime lab in Cheyenne.
    Jenna knew that the contents of the box were meant to be a warning, but she wasn't the least bit intimidated. After the first initial shock, all she could feel was anger. She was furious at the fiend who had stolen her family and angry at the Sinister Police Department for allowing the crime to go unpunished. Just maybe the killer had slipped up this time.
    * * * *
    Jenna examined the files that sat in front of her at Detective Jordan's desk. The detective's dark, hawk-like eyes watched her curiously. She had to admit that the Tribal Police in Riverton had been a great deal more helpful than the police in Sinister.
    "Is this every report of a missing person?” she asked him.
    "Yes, for the past 15 years. These are the cases we could never solve,” he told her.
    "What about unsolved homicides that could have taken place in the vicinity of Eerie Mountain? Have you included copies of those, too?” she asked, flashing the young detective a smile.
    "Yes, I figured you'd want them, as well, but I have to tell you Agent Claremont, we've been over these cases hundreds of time.” He lifted his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
    "I know, and I'm sure your department has done a thorough job, but you never know what a new set of eyes might come up with."
    Just then a uniformed officer walked in with a file, handing it to Jenna. It was the preliminary autopsy