He wanted to experience the conditions encountered by the killer: see the terrain, move through the campgrounds, drive the roads, time his movement along the route, and get a feel for the killer's efficiency.
His cell phone rang.
"I got your message that you weren't coming," Sara said lightheartedly. "Does this mean our romance has soured?"
The sound of Sara's voice made Kerney smile. "That's the last thing I need to have happen."
"Bad day?"
"Worse than bad."
"Want to tell me about it?"
"Have you got the time?"
"Now that I have all weekend to work on it, my stunning analysis of military operations in Haiti since its independence from France can wait a few more minutes."
Kerney walked away from the command trailer. "I killed a cop today, Sara."
"Was it an accident?"
"No, I had to shoot him."
"Tell me what happened."
Kerney walked to the lawn that bordered the walkway to the district office, stood under a tree that had yet to shed its leaves, and started talking to his wife.
At first light, Kerney entered the command trailer. The core of the trailer, a rectangular space with built-in workstations, communications equipment, computer terminals, and office machines, was crowded with agents who looked as sleep-deprived as Kerney felt. He found Lee Sedillo in the small office, hand on his chin, staring blankly at some papers.
The FBI and ATF files had arrived, and Kerney wanted a briefing before starting out for Ruidoso.
Sedillo filled Kerney in. The letter bomb matched no signature of any other, either before or after the event. Reconstruction experts had determined the device was similar to, but not identical with, several that had been mailed to abortion clinics in the Southwest. Postal inspectors had intercepted those devices before delivery, but no suspects were ever identified. Nothing in Langsford's court docket over a ten-year period showed any rulings that could be connected to an anti-abortion issue.
"Have all the victims' next of kin been notified?" Kerney asked. "All but Langsford's," Lee said. "His only living relatives are a daughter and son. Son's name is Eric, the daughter is Linda Langsford. Eric is single and thirty-two years old. His last known address is in Cloudcroft, twenty miles away. I sent an agent up there last night.
He moved a month ago with no forwarding address. We're checking with his last employer."
"And the daughter?"
"The daughter is thirty-five, divorced, with no children. She practices law in Roswell, specializing in oil and gas leases and litigation. Her law partner said she started a vacation two days ago.
He doesn't know where she is, exactly. She took off on a road trip to Colorado. I've asked all Colorado law enforcement agencies to keep an eye out for her."
"Have you found any connection between Langsford and the other victims?"
"So far, we've struck out, Chief, and it looks like we're not getting anywhere on a motive for any of the other killings."
"Have the public information officer release all the victims' names, except Langsford's," Kerney said, "and tell him to keep emphasizing the spree-killing theme."
The fairways at the Ruidoso golf course were still green, and several foursomes were out on the links in spite of the cool morning.
Langsford's home, a pitched-roof, single-story ranch-style house, was on the back nine with a nice view of the tenth hole and the heavily forested peak behind the course. The house looked closed up and no one answered Kerney's knock at the front door. He walked around the exterior noting the burglary alarm system on the windows and the miniature TV security cameras above the entrances and the garage door.
A new Ford Explorer pulled into the driveway as Kerney came around the side of the house, and a leggy woman wearing jeans and a lightweight wool turtleneck got out and hurried toward him.
"Can I help you?" the woman asked.
Somewhere in her thirties, she had long brown hair and an aura of sexuality that showed in her blue green eyes and the ease of her carriage.
Kerney showed his shield and introduced himself. "Has there been a break-in?" the woman asked.
"Nothing like that. Please tell me your name."
"Kay Murray. I work for Judge Langsford."
"Can we talk inside?"
Murray hesitated, then nodded. "Let me get my things."
Kerney watched as the woman returned to the Explorer, retrieved a large purse, an overnight bag, and a leather-covered day planner, then locked the car. Not tall, she gave the impression of height, and had a very shapely rump. She unlocked the front door and turned to Kerney. "Give me a minute to turn off the alarm."
"Of course."
Inside, she dropped her bag and purse on the couch and placed the day planner on an end table. The living room, a deep space with a fireplace along one wall and a large picture window with a view of the tenth hole, was decorated in expensive leather furniture accented by bulky dark oak side tables, which held handsome pottery lamps. Two beautifully framed Remington prints were nicely hung on either side of the fireplace, reinforcing the strong masculine feel of the room.
Kerney looked closer at the prints and decided they were original oils, not reproductions.
"What is this all about?" Kay Murray asked.
"Judge Langsford has been murdered."
Murray pressed a hand against her mouth. "Oh, dear, that can't be."
"I take it you haven't spoken to the local police."
"No, I've been in Albuquerque for the last two days. I just got back. What happened?"
"I can't go into the specifics. I'm trying to contact either his son or his daughter."
"Vernon has very little to do with either of them. You could say he's estranged from his children. I don't think he's spoken to Eric or seen him since I've been working for him, and about the only communication he has with his daughter is an exchange of cards during the holidays."
"How long have you worked for him?"
"Five years."
"Do you know why he's estranged from his children?"
"Eric and Linda hold him responsible for the death of their mother."
"Why would they do that?"
"You know about the letter bomb?"
"I do."
"The only reason Marsha Langsford was killed instead of the judge was because Vernon was supposedly away at a legal convention, while in fact he was spending time with another woman."
"How did you come to learn this?"
Murray dropped her gaze from Kerney's face. "Vernon told me. He's never stopped feeling guilty about it."
"Did his children know about this woman?"
"Oh, yes. He'd already told Marsha he was going to leave her, and of course she told Eric and Linda."
"None of this ever came out during the investigation."
"It was hushed up by the family. But it cost the judge a good bit of money."
"He bribed Eric' and Linda to keep silent?"
"I wouldn't put it that way. He gave Eric fifty thousand dollars. Linda's husband had just filed for divorce when it happened, after discovering that she'd been having an affair. I guess she didn't think she could cast the first stone."
"Who was the woman in Judge Langsford's life?"
"Is that important?"
"It could be."
"Penelope Gibben. She works for Ranchers' Exploration and Development in Roswell. Vernon broke off the relationship immediately after Marsha's death."