Jenna pulled out her phone, called the paramedics, and then contacted Rowley and Webber for backup. “If you can manage here, I’ll go and see what I can do for the men outside.”
“You should leave them to freeze.” Kim had the woman sitting up. “The guy they left with me was rushing around like a lunatic flushing drugs down the toilet. These guys are doing more than partying.” She pointed to a packet on the floor under the bed. “I kicked it out of sight when the deputy gave his name. I wanted to make sure the cops know who is responsible for this woman’s overdose.”
Jenna nodded. “Thanks, don’t touch anything. I’ll take some photos. Kane will be back with the kit soon and we’ll get it into an evidence bag.” She snapped a few shots and hustled outside pulling her weapon.
The men outside looked at her, dazed and confused, as they tried to get to their feet. Around them, blood stained the pristine snow and Red Jacket’s continual screams of pain were upsetting. What had he done to make Kane inflict so much damage? From the angle of the man’s leg Kane had shattered his kneecap. She had a duty of care to these men and cleared her throat. “I’m Sheriff Jenna Alton. Those of you who can walk, help the others inside the cabin before you all die of exposure.” She waved her Glock at them. “Then maybe you’ll be able to explain what is going on here and why you attacked my unarmed deputy.”
“Trust me.” One of the men staggered to his feet. “That guy don’t need no weapon. He is a weapon.”
Six
By the time Kane waded through the snowdrifts to his truck and then turned back running with his medical kit in hand, sweat trickled down his back. In stark contrast, each breath of the subzero air sawed at his throat and the howling gale sent daggers of ice from the forest into his wind-burned cheeks. In the distance he could hear sirens—help was on the way. He reached the cabin, noting the injured men had vanished, and placed the medical kit on the floor before lifting the broken door away from the entrance. In the small room, Jenna held her weapon on the six men. They all seemed to shrink away from him as he gave her a nod and hurried into the bedroom. He dropped down beside the waxen-faced woman, located the Naloxone nasal spray from his kit, and administered the drug to the woman. He looked at Kim. “I hope we’re not too late.”
“She was awake before.” Kim was staring at the woman. “There, look she’s coming out of it now.”
The woman’s eyes fluttered and she dragged in a deep breath. Blinking, she stared at Kane. “Oh, I’m in trouble. You’re Deputy Kane, huh? I recognize you from town.”
Kane stood. “And you are?”
“Amy Fleming.” Her mouth turned down. “I met Dean at the lodge, we came back here, had a few drinks and then his friends arrived. That’s all I know.”
Kane shook his head. “You’ll be going to the ER. I won’t be charging you with anything.” He stood. “I have bigger fish to fry.” He headed back to the other room.
“These men said you attacked them without provocation.” Jenna had an expressionless face but her eyes danced. “Kim states one of these men flushed a large number of drugs but they’ve left enough behind to charge them with drug offenses.”
Kane glanced around the room meeting each man’s eye. “Well, the guy in the red jacket and the one in the blue kidnapped Kim and I caught them dragging her from their truck.”
“He wouldn’t let me go.” Kim appeared at the door. “Deputy Kane identified himself and they threatened to hurt him so bad, he’d be found dead in the morning. They attacked him and he defended himself. If he hadn’t intervened, Amy back there would be dead by now.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll wait with her until the paramedics arrive.” She turned back to the bedroom.
“Hmm.” Jenna read them their rights. “You’re all going to be held in custody in a secure hospital ward overnight. Once I have the arrest warrants, you’ll be moved to the county jail.”
“On what charges?” Blue Jacket held a rag to his broken nose.
“Kidnapping, drug offenses, and assaulting an officer will do for a start.” Jenna glanced toward the door as sirens approached. “Ah, the paramedics have arrived and my deputies.” She looked at Kane. “I’ll go and give Rowley and Webber a rundown of the case and they can do a follow up at the hospital.” She offered him her weapon. “Keep an eye on the prisoners.”
Kane smiled at her and waved it away. “These boys aren’t going anywhere. I’ll see them safely onto the ambulances.”
The first team of paramedics had Amy Fleming whisked away in seconds and to Kane’s surprise, Wolfe appeared at the door with more paramedics close behind. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I figured if Jenna called out Webber for backup, you’d need boots on the ground.” Wolfe pulled a pile of flexicuffs from his pocket and handed them to him. “I’ll prioritize the injuries for transport.”
“Thanks.” Kane followed him to each man. “We have a ton of people to interview on the other case. Jenna will get Rowley to process the paperwork and obtain the arrest warrants. She needed Webber to escort the prisoners to the hospital and get them tucked up in the secure ward.”
“That sounds like a plan.” Wolfe examined each man, spoke to the paramedics, and then walked back to Kane and lowered his voice. “You haven’t lost your edge, I see.”
“Not until I’m eighty, I hope.” Kane secured the less injured men’s hands behind their backs and Red Jacket—who’d given his name as Dean James—and Blue Jacket, he cuffed to the gurneys.
The prisoners fitted into two ambulances, which sped away with Webber in pursuit. Kane turned to Wolfe. “How did you find out we called for backup?”
“Webber called me.” Wolfe shrugged. “He thought it was a need to know.”
Kane nodded. “Well, he followed procedure. You are his superior.” He turned as Jenna came back into the room.
“Ah Wolfe, I’m glad you came by.” Jenna indicated to the bedroom. “Do you have an evidence bag? There’s a quantity of drugs in there, under the bed. I’ll need to know what we have here.”
“I’m on it.” Wolfe headed into the bedroom and returned in minutes waving an evidence bag. “I’ll take this back to the lab and then head off home. I’ll send you the results.” He gave them a wave and hurried to his truck.
As Rowley walked through the door, Kane opened his mouth to speak to him when Kim grabbed his arm. He looked down at her. She was quite beautiful and had to be close to five-ten. “Ah, is there something I can do for you?”
“Yeah, my head’s a bit muddled. If I think of anything else, who do I call?” Kim frowned at him. “Do you have a card or anything?”
Kane always carried his cards and, pulling off a glove with his teeth, fished one out of his inside pocket and handed it to her. “The department is here and this is my private cell number.”
“Okay and thanks for saving me.” Kim’s cheeks flushed. “Can you walk me to my room? Maybe stay for a drink? I just want to thank you for saving me.”