Read Online Bucking Bronc Lodge 04 - Cowboy Cop by Rita Herron - Free Book Online
Authors: Rita Herron
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stores or gyms. Their computers hadn’t turned up anything either—they weren’t friends on Facebook, no business or prior school connection. None of them belonged to a singles group or dating service online either. Even their Twitter accounts, which only two of them had, did not cross.
Dugan had to have met them the old-fashioned way—randomly at their jobs. Which meant something about that first meeting had triggered his interest. Then he’d focused his obsession on them.
Miles took another moment to scan the notes he and Blackpaw had taken on each woman. Of course they’d first looked at ex-spouses, boyfriends, lovers, and although there definitely had been some animosity between Sandra and Eileen and their exes, both due to alleged affairs the women had had, both men had alibis. Gwen’s husband had insisted that he had asked for the separation because he’d found a younger woman, but one of Gwen’s friends had implied that Gwen had hooked up with another man the day after the separation.
He flipped to the page detailing the FBI profiler’s statement. According to their specialist, the killer was narcissistic, had an inflated ego, was charming, handsome and could easily persuade a woman into going with him.
Which fit Dugan to the T.
Most serial killers took a trophy from their victim, creating their own signature. The Slasher had done so by not only cutting the women’s throats, but he had taken their wedding and engagement rings.
That in itself implied that infidelity was part of the pattern the killer used in choosing his victims.
Although Ruth was engaged, so far they had uncovered no affair. Of course, Dugan could have perceived her friendliness as flirtation and read her wrong.
Either that, or the fiancé was in the dark.
He massaged the base of his neck where tension knotted his shoulders and shot down his spine as he read further.
None of the friends or family of any of the victims had recognized Dugan or admitted to seeing him with the four victims, and Dugan’s name hadn’t appeared on a rental car agreement or motel registry. Which didn’t mean he hadn’t used the services, only that he’d been smart enough to pay cash or use a different name. He had paid for dinner at the steak house where Gwen worked, but buying dinner didn’t constitute a crime.
Frustrated, he pulled the file on the fifth victim, the woman who had died while Dugan was in prison.
June Kelly. The same physical characteristics—dark hair, brown eyes.
June apparently lived with her boyfriend, Wally Carlton, who was in the marines and currently deployed. She’d been a single mom, the only victim with children so far—well, other than Marie—and worked at a coffee shop outside of Austin.
According to friends, she had been faithful to her husband while he was overseas, but one of her husband’s friends who had recently returned from Iraq had been spending a lot of time with her and her little girl.
Maybe they had passed the friendly stage to something more?
Dugan had certainly traveled around. He probably thought choosing victims from different counties would slow the lawmen down from connecting the crimes, but computers made communication between departments easy.
Still, Dugan hadn’t physically murdered June. Someone else had.
Because they’d been impressed with Dugan’s work and wanted to win his approval? Because they were working together? Or because he wanted the same glory and fame the press had dolled onto the Slasher?
If the men were partners, the murders could have been a game. They might have even taken turns committing the crimes, establishing alibis for some to throw off the cops, then showing off their kills to one another.
The last file made him lose his breath.
Marie...
His hands shook as he flipped it open and looked at the photo. The crime scene photos were gruesome, almost identical to the other victims.
But the M.O. didn’t fit—he and Marie hadn’t been married. And she hadn’t
Dugan had to have met them the old-fashioned way—randomly at their jobs. Which meant something about that first meeting had triggered his interest. Then he’d focused his obsession on them.
Miles took another moment to scan the notes he and Blackpaw had taken on each woman. Of course they’d first looked at ex-spouses, boyfriends, lovers, and although there definitely had been some animosity between Sandra and Eileen and their exes, both due to alleged affairs the women had had, both men had alibis. Gwen’s husband had insisted that he had asked for the separation because he’d found a younger woman, but one of Gwen’s friends had implied that Gwen had hooked up with another man the day after the separation.
He flipped to the page detailing the FBI profiler’s statement. According to their specialist, the killer was narcissistic, had an inflated ego, was charming, handsome and could easily persuade a woman into going with him.
Which fit Dugan to the T.
Most serial killers took a trophy from their victim, creating their own signature. The Slasher had done so by not only cutting the women’s throats, but he had taken their wedding and engagement rings.
That in itself implied that infidelity was part of the pattern the killer used in choosing his victims.
Although Ruth was engaged, so far they had uncovered no affair. Of course, Dugan could have perceived her friendliness as flirtation and read her wrong.
Either that, or the fiancé was in the dark.
He massaged the base of his neck where tension knotted his shoulders and shot down his spine as he read further.
None of the friends or family of any of the victims had recognized Dugan or admitted to seeing him with the four victims, and Dugan’s name hadn’t appeared on a rental car agreement or motel registry. Which didn’t mean he hadn’t used the services, only that he’d been smart enough to pay cash or use a different name. He had paid for dinner at the steak house where Gwen worked, but buying dinner didn’t constitute a crime.
Frustrated, he pulled the file on the fifth victim, the woman who had died while Dugan was in prison.
June Kelly. The same physical characteristics—dark hair, brown eyes.
June apparently lived with her boyfriend, Wally Carlton, who was in the marines and currently deployed. She’d been a single mom, the only victim with children so far—well, other than Marie—and worked at a coffee shop outside of Austin.
According to friends, she had been faithful to her husband while he was overseas, but one of her husband’s friends who had recently returned from Iraq had been spending a lot of time with her and her little girl.
Maybe they had passed the friendly stage to something more?
Dugan had certainly traveled around. He probably thought choosing victims from different counties would slow the lawmen down from connecting the crimes, but computers made communication between departments easy.
Still, Dugan hadn’t physically murdered June. Someone else had.
Because they’d been impressed with Dugan’s work and wanted to win his approval? Because they were working together? Or because he wanted the same glory and fame the press had dolled onto the Slasher?
If the men were partners, the murders could have been a game. They might have even taken turns committing the crimes, establishing alibis for some to throw off the cops, then showing off their kills to one another.
The last file made him lose his breath.
Marie...
His hands shook as he flipped it open and looked at the photo. The crime scene photos were gruesome, almost identical to the other victims.
But the M.O. didn’t fit—he and Marie hadn’t been married. And she hadn’t
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