Free Wylde by Jan Irving

of personal failure, though he knew it was irrational. But damn it, this was his town, and people were getting hurt. And worse, he kept seeing Noah’s face when he asked Kell if he thought it was safe.
Kell wanted to make it safe, for Noah, for Josh.
    “I need to know who killed him, Daniel,” he said quietly, taking his hat off and wiping the sweat from his forehead. “It looks like an animal but…?” Unease moved through his broad shoulders. He’d spent a fair bit of time in woods, in jungles, hunting animals, hunting men. There was something wrong here.
    “But why just the skin and bones left like that… and the legs?” one of the deputies demanded. He’d finished puking in Jade’s rose bushes and was avoiding looking at the hanging ruin.
    “Oh, that’s simple,” Daniel said, suddenly enthusiastic. “Presumably whatever took him removed all the best parts: heart, lungs, and all the juicy organs. Yum yum! Good eats.”
“Jesus, Daniel!” The deputy grimaced, looking like he’d like to visit the bushes again.
     
“So it was done to resemble a kill for food?” Kell said, hands worrying his hat.
    “Yep, done by a very sophisticated animal, Kell.” Daniel’s lips twisted. “I’d say a skillful hunter who knew just how to butcher Morley efficiently. Slit him open here”—Daniel pointed to Morley’s throat. “And all the way down. Cracked open the ribs and clawed out the goodies.” He bent closer, plastic gloved hands touching one red-stained rib. “Left the legs and arms virtually intact. Huh, but there is some odd scoring of the bones; I’m not sure what cut him, looks like a primitive kind of knife. I’ll have a better idea when I do the post-mortem.”
    “But why bring Morley down here and peg him up on a sharp branch?” Kell demanded, his back itching like ants were crawling over his skin.
    “ Scarecrow…. ” Alec muttered. “Maybe it was a warning to someone, an assertion of territory.”
Kell turned to Alec, brows lowered, and waited, giving him time. He’d learned to trust his friend’s instincts, which were a little unconventional but pretty on the money.
    “I mean… Chief, when I first saw Morley, I was reminded in old times people used to hang up wolves’ skulls as a warning. Keep out. This is my place. ”
    “A warning…?” Kell crushed his hat under frustrated hands. “Someone warning us to stay out of the woods? Naw, this feels less nebulous, more personal….”
    Daniel climbed down Jade’s borrowed ladder. “The scoring suggests some kind of handmade blade.”
“So no way it was an animal kill that someone just… found and strung up here.”
    “I think an animal would have finished eating Morley. There’s some good protein and fat left on the limbs. Only thing I can tell you for sure is this is an efficient and experienced killer.” Daniel removed his gloves with a decisive snap. “Look like you boys got yourselves a problem.”
    Jade marched out, smoking. She showed no sign that Morley’s corpse bothered her, though Alec had seen her face turn white when she’d first insisted on seeing what all was in her front yard.
“Any sign of Beau?” she asked Alec in a subdued tone, dark eyes clouded with weariness… and worry.
     
Alec shook his head. He offered softly, “I’ll go lookin’ for him after.”
     
Kell gave Alec a sharp look. “Don’t go alone. I want everyone going into the woods in pairs from now on.”
    Alec hesitated, holding Kell’s gaze, but then nodded. “So then I’ll go with you,” Jade offered.
    “Jade….” Alec looked so unhappy that Kell felt a spike of bleak amusement. Alec had been in love with Jade forever, and everyone knew it, including Jade. Poor man, holding feelings for her was like grabbing a cat by the tail.
    “I’m not afraid!” she burst out, looking pissed.
Alec raised a brow.
“Okay, I am , but damn it, this is my place and… and I want my
    dog back. He’s old, but I’m used to him.” Jade pursed her