Page 97 of Solid as Steele
“Not before I do a thorough interview with her.”
Owen didn’t like the answer, but Wheeler was in charge. “This will likely be the biggest investigation your county has faced, and we need the best in forensic sciences to process this truck and property.”
Wheeler fisted his hands. “Wouldn’t doubt if the feds will want to get in on it.”
“Likely,” Owen said. “And it would be good if we had those forensics in hand before they do so you can retain control.”
Wheeler arched an eyebrow. “Who says I want it?”
“You do. You’re guaranteed a reelection landslide if it’s handled properly.”
“If not, it’s career suicide.” He lifted his shoulders into a hard line “But I can handle it. Call your forensics dream team in.”
Owen eyed Wheeler. “Same deal. I get information from them once you have it?”
“Same deal.”
Owen resisted shooting a hand up in victory and headed for Mackenzie to make the call to Veritas. He wasn’t going to waste a moment before finding proof that Cassie might have been here before she was murdered.
Anticipating interviewing Tovar, Mackenzie looked ahead from the passenger seat of Owen’s truck and gritted her teeth. He parked between a pair of fading lines in the deserted lot of the Grant County Jail located in Canyon City. The front sign stated the jail had been built in the late nineties, and the county had painted the box of a single-story building a drab beige. Mackenzie had looked up the jail details on the way over to learn the place held forty-one beds. Not a large detention facility by any means.
Owen tapped a code into his gun safe located in the console of his truck. He stowed his sidearm inside the small box and gave her a pointed look. “I’d have to surrender my weapon once I get inside anyway. You can’t carry inside a government building.”
She got the not-so-veiled hint and unclipped her holster to set it in the box. He secured the safe and double-checked the lock.
He studied her face. “Ready?”
“As one ever is to go inside a correctional facility.”
“At least this one isn’t terribly old and falling apart.” He pulled his key from the ignition.
They got out. The chirp of his alarm activated by his fob was the only sound breaking the quiet.
Faces of the broken women hounded her on the walk across the lot. The medic said Valeria would be fine after she received enough fluids, as would the other women. At least physically fine. Regaining mental health would be a struggle Mackenzie couldn’t begin to comprehend.
How did they come back from being treated so horribly? Sure, they were happy to be free, but that would soon pass, and the grim reality of how cruel man could be would settle in. Something they already knew from the conditions they’d been held in before Tovar bought them.
As Owen opened the door, she prayed for the women and kept praying until they reached the desk.
Owen flashed his badge at the deputy sitting behind bulletproof glass, and they signed in. The deputy asked Mackenzie for ID. She wouldn’t be allowed in the interview, but the sheriff approved her to watch a live feed in a nearby room. She wanted to be able to personally grill Tovar, but they had to follow strong legal practices to make sure this guy didn’t skate on these charges, and she would do whatever it took to put him away for life.
Sheriff Wheeler opened the door leading to the jail. “Right this way.”
He led them down a narrow but well-lit hallway to an interview room and unlocked the door.
“You can watch in here.” He stared at Mackenzie as if he thought she planned to argue with him. “Please don’t try to leave and make me regret my decision to allow you in here.”
“I won’t. And thank you.” She pushed open the door and crossed the room to the computer sitting on the table. She pulled back her shoulders, steeling herself for seeing the man who’d taken twenty-one women against their will.
In a word, he was a monster. A brutal, unfeeling monster. She hoped she could contain her anger when his face appeared on her screen, and she prayed that Wheeler and Owen could do that same thing when they came face-to-face with a living, breathing monster.
21
Owen paused before reaching Tovar’s interview room and faced Wheeler. “Are you willing to turn over Tovar’s DNA sample and prints taken in booking to the Veritas center?”
Wheeler narrowed his eyes. “Why would I want to do that?”
“They can turn around the DNA much faster than the state, who I assume you will send it to.”
