“Yeah. There’s going to be traffic going in and out of the power station, and that means roads. He could have left a car in the power station parking lot. If so, he’ll be long gone by now and there won’t be anything to track.”
Meg drummed her fingers on the platform in frustration. “Flying back and forth isn’t working. It puts us behind and we’re taking risks because we’re trying to fast-track the searches. Craig and I are going to have a talk when we’re done with this search. I mentioned it to him before, but it’s time to bring it up again.” She took another bite of her bar.
Brian jammed his wrapper in his bag and pushed off the platform to stand, marching in place for a few steps as if testing new legs. “Okay, I’m warmer now and don’t feel so stiff.” As Meg stood, he met her eyes, his glinting with a stubborn determination. “Let’s go get this son of a bitch.”
CHAPTER 10
Jistu: Trickster Rabbit is the central character of many Southeastern Indian tribal legends.
Wednesday, April 10, 2:15 PM
Ocoee Flume
Turtletown, Tennessee
Meg had a few moments of terror when they hit their highest bridge yet.
They’d passed over several sections where the flume builders had supported the structure over the span of a valley, and the rock wall on Meg’s side dropped away. She gritted her teeth and pushed on through those sections, but they’d been blessedly short.
This one was not.
The flume rose high in the air on spindly-looking metal legs, although logically she knew they supported several tons of wood and water, and the weight of two handlers and two dogs wouldn’t add any significant strain. But she’d found security knowing the rock face was on her left side, even as the water raged to her right. Now there was death to the left with a 250-foot drop, as well as death to the right. She knew Brian had been contending with that scenario for a while, but Brian didn’t mind heights.
Meg hated heights, as her knotted stomach and flop sweat attested.
“Brian, I need to slow down a little.” She kept her eyes fixed on her feet and her grip white-knuckled on the railing. Her heart rate was back up where it was when she was trying to pry Brian out of the water, and she was fighting to keep from hyperventilating.
“That’s okay,” he called back. “Take your time. Keep your eyes on the boards.”
“Trust me, I’m not looking anywhere else.”
When the rock finally closed in on her left side, Meg relaxed somewhat. Now it’s just the death trap of the flume.
They went about fifteen feet farther when Hawk’s pace slowed and he whined.
Meg’s head snapped up to stare first at Hawk, then over to Lacey. Lacey’s head was up, scenting the air. Trying to find the trail?
“They’ve lost it,” she called to Brian. “Hawk, stop.” As her dog froze in place in front of her, she looked around. “The scent has been uninterrupted so far, but now it’s gone?” Clamping both hands on the railing, she turned to look behind them. There was only one possibility. “He went over the side?”
Brian peered down over the railing on his side. “Not this way, he didn’t. Not unless he was suicidal. There’s nowhere to go on this side. Your side?”
“Let me look. Hawk, sit. Stay.” Reversing direction, she walked back along the flume, carefully studying the rock wall beside her until she found a section that came close to the flume in a sequence of rocky steps. The rocky outcrop led backward, toward the crevasse they’d just crossed, and from there, out of sight. “We’re going to have to bring the dogs to confirm, but I think he went over the railing here and climbed down.”
“He must have known that as soon as the body was discovered, the authorities would be out looking for him. And, just like we requested, officers would be sent to the power station end of the flume. He must have had another way down in mind right from the start.”
“We need to make sure. Let’s take the dogs to the next platform, turn them around, and bring them both back on this side. See if they confirm the theory.”
It took them a few minutes to cover the distance, rearrange themselves, and get back, Hawk followed by Meg, then Lacey followed by Brian. The handlers could tell the minute the dogs walked into the scent cone and, with a grim nod of acknowledgment, leaned over to look at the rocky getaway.
“There is no way in hell to get the dogs down this slope,” Brian stated. “It’s going to be a climb even for us. It may be a waste of time, but I’ll follow him.”
“You? On your own?”
Brian’s look was pointed. “That’s a damned steep slope, a lot of it rocky, going down a few hundred feet. How are you going to feel about that?”
Meg’s shoulders slumped “Crappy.”
“And we both can’t go or we’re abandoning the dogs. Can you manage them both?”
“Of course. Lacey will listen to me, and they’ll work together like the pros they are.”
“Then you take both dogs and continue on to the power house. It’s maybe another half mile or so. Then when you’re back on terra firma, call my sat phone. If I have a hand free, I’ll answer. If I don’t, I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
“I don’t like the idea of you dealing with that climb alone. What if you fall? Accidents happen.”
“They do. If I don’t appear from under that big-ass bridge, you’ll know the path I was taking and will send help up to retrieve my broken body.”
“Brian . . .” The word was a growl.
“Kidding, babe. We’ve only got the two choices. We either both head for the powerhouse, or we split up here. There’s a very good chance that without the dogs following his scent, I won’t have a hope in hell of tracking him, but I have to try. Chasing him down put me in the goddamn drink. And nearly in the morgue.”
Meg recognized that Brian wanted a little of his own back and respected him for it. “Okay. But be careful. You kill yourself down there, you’re going to answer to me.”
He flashed a grin at her nonsensical statement. “I’ll keep that in mind, although you may have to get in line behind Ryan.” He pulled Lacey’s leash out of his bag and passed it to Meg. “You’ll need this later, but I’ll hold on to my pack. You won’t be able to manage two packs, and you’ve still got the rest of the flume to navigate. You be careful. What you’re doing isn’t without risk, either.”
“I know.”
“How are you going to manage the two dogs?”
“We’ll stay on the same side. I’ll send Hawk through first, then Lacey, then me. We’ll go slowly and carefully. We’re not following any specific trail now and can opt for the safest route. Off you go.”
“Yes, boss.” Brian carefully climbed over the railing and then stepped off the outside wall of the flume onto the rocky ledge.
“See any boot prints? Any sign he went through here?” Meg asked.
“Nothing. Too rocky. Okay, here I go.”
Meg waited for several minutes as Brian negotiated the rocky outcrops and trunks of stubborn trees that somehow managed to take root in the minimal soil. With a final wave, he disappeared, dropping below her sight line.
She faced the dogs. “Okay, team. It’s just us. Back to the next platform so you can turn around, then it’s forward ho to the powerhouse.”
It was another twenty minutes before she got to a maintenance platform, complete with outbuildings on the hill to her right, and she and the dogs could step off the flume. Several Polk County Sheriff’s vehicles were parked nearby, and she could see more down below at the power station. Farther along the hill, the flume navigated its final path before its contents were split between two massive blue-green pipes that ran straight downhill into the power house and from there back into the Ocoee River.
She called Brian, who didn’t pick up but called three minutes later. He was down at river level and there was no sign of the suspect.
“How did he get away?” Meg asked. “There’s no bridge across the river until here at the powerhouse.”
“No, but there are a couple of places where the river was narrow enough and shallow enough to ford.”
“You think? Even after the spring rains?”
“It looks like most of that water is diverted into the flume. If anyone ever uses this area for white-water rafting, they could only do it by opening the spillway and putting power generation on hold. Right now, there are some definite shallow areas. Shallow being relative. It’s maybe mid-thigh. And since I’m already wet, I’m going to go through myself.”
“Cross and then stay where you are. I’ll get one of the deputies to pick you up; then we’ll meet with Torres.”
“I’ll be here. Just look for the wet, muddy hitchhiker standing by the side of the road.”
One quick phone conversation later, one of the sheriff’s deputies loaded Meg and the dogs into his SUV and they were driving down the hill to the bridge leading to US-74 and Brian.
Meg sat back in the passenger seat as the river came closer, her mind racing.
It was time to call Craig.
They needed a new plan of attack.
CHAPTER 11
Unicoi: Comes from the Cherokee word meaning “white,” and refers to the low-lying clouds and fog that often drape the Southern Appalachians in the early morning or on humid days. The Turnpike was part of the infamous Trail of Tears, where over 3,000 Cherokee people were forced to march from Butler near Murphy, North Carolina across the mountains to Fort Cass at Charleston, Tennessee.
Thursday, April 11, 11:31 AM
Lake View Cabins
Blue Ridge, Georgia
“Did I hear a door slam?” Brian called from the balcony overlooking the great room.
Seated on the couch, Meg tipped her head up to find him above. “I sure hope so. The only thing we’re expecting is the FedEx truck, and it better be that. I’m past needing a change of clothes. These could practically stand on their own.”
“Luckily mine got a quick rinse yesterday.” With a roll of his eyes, Brian disappeared.
Yesterday, Meg had convinced Craig they needed to stay on-site in Georgia. Whatever the killer’s motive, Meg was convinced he wasn’t finished, and they were consistently losing the suspect because there was simply too much time between the crime and their arrival on scene. After two fruitless attempts, Craig was now in agreement that the only way the searches were going to work was if they could start as soon as the crime was discovered. Then they might have a hope of tracking the suspect while he was still on the move. Torres was working the case from standard investigatory angles, but the suspect pool was so large, he wasn’t making significant headway. As a result, they needed to rely more on the searches, which meant those searches needed to be optimized.
Lying on the couch beside her, Hawk raised his head, ears perked and at attention; he’d clearly heard something, too. Then he was up and off the couch, running for the front door to meet Lacey on her way down the stairs in front of Brian.
“If this is our clothes, I’m calling dibs on the shower,” Meg said. “I want a shower, then clean clothes. Then I can deal with the rest of the day.”
“There are enough bathrooms in this place, there’s no need to call dibs. We can both shower at the same time and I don’t think it will make a dent in the hot water.” Brian stepped off the stairs to join her in the front hallway as three sharp raps sounded at the front door.
With help of a recommendation from the Blue Ridge Police Chief, Craig had booked them into a large, shared cabin in the mountains for a song. The ski season in nearby North Carolina and Tennessee was over for the winter, and the summer water and climbing season had yet to begin, so rental prices were rock bottom. This way they could stay together instead of booking individual rooms. Also, the cabin had the added advantage of having the outdoor space the dogs required between searches for exercising and the constant training reinforcement needed to keep their skills razor-sharp. Meg was thrilled with the accommodations and had spent ten minutes walking around the cabin, finally stopping on the wide porch to take in the breathtaking mountain and lake views.
If she only had fresh clothes, the place would be perfect.
Meg opened the front door of the cabin with Brian at her heels. “Good morning. Are we ever—” Her greeting for the FedEx driver died on her lips.
Clay McCord stood on the doorstep, flanked by suitcases, with Todd Webb behind him, a duffel bag in his good hand and another suitcase at his feet. His left arm was out of the sling, and the previous white gauze bandage on his forehead was replaced by one with a more subtle flesh tone.
Meg blinked twice to ensure she wasn’t seeing things. “What are you two doing here?”
“Well, hello to you, too.” McCord grinned, picked up a bag in each hand, and walked right in, leaving Webb behind.
“Hey.” Webb stepped forward, the lower step putting them eye-to-eye as he gave her a warm smile. “I wasn’t sure you’d want us strolling in on you like this on a case. If you’re mad, say so, and we’ll scram.”
“I’m not mad. Just totally surprised. And good luck getting McCord to scram when he has his teeth into a story.” Meg laid a hand on Webb’s chest and leaned in for a kiss. She pulled away, searching his face, looking for any sign of strain, pain, or exhaustion. She ran her thumb over the lower edge of his bandage. “How are you feeling?”
“I was feeling cooped up before McCord decided we both needed an adventure. Otherwise, I’m okay. Granted, when the shirt comes off, I look like an Arizona sunset, but that’ll fade. Give me a hand with your bag? I carried it this far but don’t want to push it.” He pointed at the suitcase still sitting on the step. “Cara packed that one for you.”
Meg stepped past him and picked up the suitcase, needing to give it a solid jerk to lift it. “My God, this is heavy. What did Cara pack?”
“That’s why I didn’t want to push it. And pretty much everything but the kitchen sink from the conversation she and McCord had last night. She wanted to make sure you and Hawk had everything you needed, especially when you weren’t sure how long you’d be here. We had to pay extra for the bag because it was overweight.”
“I get that. Go on in.”
She let him precede her into the foyer and then closed the door behind them. They found McCord had already gone through to the back porch and stood, hands on the railing, taking in the breathtaking view. They put down their bags beside the couch and followed him outside.
He turned his head as they came out. “This is amazing. How does Beaumont justify spending this much money on your accommodations to the brass?”
“Apparently he doesn’t have to. This is low season, and they’re willing to have anyone stay for minimal payment to keep the place occupied.”
“We’d be happy to occupy it with you if there’s room.” McCord turned back to the view. “I’d enjoy working with this view.”
“I figured that’s why you were here.”
“ ‘If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain.’ Once Cara told me you were going to be staying in Georgia to be in place for the next hit, I knew I needed to come down. And Sykes is one hundred percent behind it. When Cara told me she and Ryan were supposed to be packing and shipping clothes and supplies for you, I offered to fly down with it. And since Webb was at loose ends—”
“Getting stir-crazy from cabin fever, you mean,” Webb muttered.
“I brought him with me. He can do all his resting and icing and exercises from here as easily as in DC. Cara was happy to take Cody for me while I was gone, so we hopped on a plane this morning and here we are. I’m a simple man; I’ll sleep on the couch if need be.”
“There are three bedrooms, so you can have the last one,” Brian called. He had his suitcase open on the couch and was searching through the contents. He pulled out a small, square green tin and held it up. “I totally forgot to put the Bag Balm for Lacey’s paws on the packing list. Leave it to Ryan to know exactly what I need. The man is a miracle.” He tossed
the tin in the suitcase, flipped the lid closed, and walked through the open French doors to join them on the veranda.
Meg gave Webb’s good arm a tug, pulling him toward a pair of wide Adirondack chairs. “Come and sit down. You look tired. But at least the sling is gone.”
“Everything is better, but traveling took a little more out of me than I anticipated. Just proof that I still have a way to go.” He stroked his fingertips down her arm. “Worth it to see you, though. And McCord is right. It would be nicer to recuperate looking out over mountains and a lake.”
“As long as you don’t push it.” She looked over at Brian. “We only laid in supplies for the two of us.”
“That’s easily fixed. McCord, vittles run?”
“You’re on.”
“Don’t you want to get settled first?” Meg asked.
“Show me my room and then we’ll do a vittles run.” McCord rubbed his belly. “Lunchtime is fast approaching, and the breakfast I had at six this morning is a faint memory.”
“Grab your bag then, and I’ll show you to your room.” Brian took one step through the doors and then leaned back out again. “Meg, can I leave Lacey with you? The grocery store might not appreciate her the way I do.”
Meg chuckled. “No, probably not. And of course.”
After Brian and McCord left, Meg opened her suitcase, unpacked Hawk’s things—Cara had included everything from food to favorite toys—and then took Webb and the bags to her room to get settled.
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