Riley pressed her body close to his side and stroked his arm. “Don’t go there,” she said softly, her warm breath bathing his ear.
“Too easy to do.” Thayne’s shoulders tightened. A familiar, dark foreboding settled deep inside, that metallic, sour taste in his mouth when a mission just felt wrong. He’d survived them all, but they’d never ended well. Damn it to hell. “I’m used to causing the surprise ambush. I don’t like being on the receiving end.”
He bit out the words. Riley pressed closer and gripped his upper arm. “This wasn’t your fault.”
He studied the broken doorjamb. “We made it easy, though. A big house. Too many entrances.” He jerked away from her, and the frustration boiled in his gut. He forced it down when all he wanted to do was slug the side of the house with his fist. “We knew they were coming here.”
“We knew that they might.” She folded her fingers through his and squeezed. “Until now, I never considered this a two-man operation. It’s a complete shift in his MO. He’s been subtle up until now.”
“A pipe bomb isn’t subtle. It’s a message.”
“Exactly. Up until now, his attacks have been anonymous, hidden. Labeled an accident. This is different. They left an obvious message.”
Thayne rubbed his temple. “I can almost understand Chloe, but why take Pops and Gram? They’ll only slow him down.” He tried to take comfort in Riley’s touch, but how could he? The three most vulnerable people he should have been able to protect were in the hands of two men who’d killed at least two and, according to Riley, probably many, many more.
“Enough dwelling. We need action.” Thayne faced Ironcloud. “We need search teams, as many as we can get.”
“Already in the works.” Brett Riverton stood just to the other side of the destroyed door, holding Cheyenne’s hand with one hand and leaning on his cane with the other.
“I’ll head to the sheriff’s office and help coordinate there,” Ironcloud said, holding the reins with an easy grip. “We’ll find them.”
He flicked the reins and guided his horse away. Thayne hoped his deputy was right.
Brett tucked Cheyenne’s hand in his arm. “I’ve placed all my hands on alert. When they’re needed, they’ll be there. The plane is gassed and ready to search. Mac’s standing by to fly a search grid as long as it’s daylight.”
“Thanks, Brett.” Thayne kneaded the tightening muscles at the back of his neck.
“You and Riley rescued Cheyenne last month.” He squeezed his wife’s hand. “I owe you more than I can ever repay.”
They disappeared into the house, leaving Thayne and Riley alone. He stepped away from her and picked at the splintered wood. “Pops will protect them as long as he can. He’s tough as nails, but he can’t win a battle with a bullet. And if they threaten Gram . . . he’d give his life for her. Without hesitation. Chloe, too.”
“I know.”
Thayne made a fist; his knuckles whitened. “I should never have left them alone.”
“Hudson was in danger. Your grandfather is still a good shot. There were two of them.”
“If one of us had stayed with them—”
She tugged him away from the door and pulled him close. She grabbed both of his hands and stared up into his face. “If one of us had stayed, maybe Hudson wouldn’t have made it. Maybe we’d both be dead. If someone’s determined, they’ll eventually succeed. You know that.”
“I should’ve been able to do something.”
Riley gripped him even tighter. “I’ve spent every day since Madison was kidnapped living with that thought. I was in the room. I should’ve screamed. I should’ve fought him. I could’ve done something. It ate at my soul. It still eats at me.” She leaned into him. “Even after we found Madison, I can’t shake that little voice. The ‘should haves’ drove me back to DC. Almost convinced me not to come back to Singing River. And you.”
He focused on her face, but she averted her gaze. He wasn’t surprised. He’d known in his heart, in his soul. “I know. I was surprised you came back. I still don’t know if you’ll stay.”
She shook her head slightly, and Thayne tried to avoid the hurt welling up inside him. He’d wanted a denial. Riley had given him nothing.
A hawk sailed overhead, swooping toward the ground, then soaring back into the blue sky. He flew, claws empty, and glided, searching for prey.
“Do you know what changed my mind?” Riley’s voice was quiet, soft.
Thayne had heard enough. He simply shrugged.
“You did. This case has been a nightmare from the beginning. Even when you doubted, you listened. You trusted that I could help. You believed in me.”
“I still do. I’m the one who failed. My grandparents and a twelve-year-old girl are out there somewhere.” He threw his arm toward the far horizon. “They may be dead, and my decisions made them vulnerable. There’s no way around the truth. I did this.”
“We still have a chance, Thayne. This isn’t over. These guys are determined to prove they’re one step ahead. They want us to realize they’re smarter and better than we are. If this was about the Jordans, they’d have simply killed Chloe. They took your grandparents, your family. This is personal. They’re not done yet. Which means we have a chance.”
Thayne lifted his gaze to hers. “You believe that?”
He focused on her eyes, searching them for the truth. She stared, unblinking. “I have to believe.”
The SUV bounced along a dirt road. They’d been driving forever. Chloe squinted toward the seat in front of her. Gram was sobbing, leaning against Pops. Chloe liked calling them that. She’d never had grandparents, at least not that she remembered.
“Everything will be fine, Helen,” Pops said, whispering to her. He kissed her forehead.
Poor Gram. She really couldn’t remember anything. Chloe wished she weren’t ill. She’d always liked Gram. She’d brought Chloe these amazing cookies that her mom hadn’t ever figured out how to bake.
Her mom. Her dad. Her eyes burned. She hadn’t been able to cry since it happened. She’d been afraid. Afraid her biological father would find her and take her away. Afraid the police or a judge would force her to go with her father.
Maybe she should’ve just died with her family. It would have been easier. Gram and Pops wouldn’t have been taken by these creeps.
The more Chloe thought about what the men driving had done, the more the anger within built until she wanted to scream.
She had to do something. Madison had told her there were always options when bad stuff happened. Madison thought about life a lot like Chloe’s mom had, actually. They had both survived.
The front of the car tilted down, and a huge bump threw Chloe into the air. She slammed down onto the floorboard, jarring her shoulder. She couldn’t stop the grunt from escaping.
Gram stopped crying and looked behind her. Her eyes widened when she met Chloe’s gaze. “You have to let that poor girl go,” she said. “Hey, there up front. I’m speaking to you.”
“Shh, Helen,” Pops pleaded, his voice low and urgent.
The man with the ski mask turned around. “Shut up or I’ll finish you off now. Is that what you want? To die.”
Gram’s mouth opened in shock.
“Helen, you need to be quiet. Please.” Pops scooted closer. “For me.”
“Okay, but he’s not very nice,” Gram huffed, but she didn’t say anything more. “He doesn’t get any cookies when I make them.”
Chloe almost laughed out loud. Gram was too funny. She shifted her body to peek out the back. She couldn’t see much, just a lot of wilderness and a dirt road behind them.
“How far?” one of the men asked.
“RV is coming up,” the obvious leader muttered. “Just near the creek.”
“How’d you find this place? It’s in the middle of nowhere.”
“I’ve been exploring Singing River for months.”
“Why? There’s nothing in this town but a bunch of ranches and that bar.
And even that place is lame.”
“I found a few people of interest,” the leader said. “The Jordans were a very interesting couple. Not at all what they seemed.”
“You’re talking loony again, boss.”
“Shut up. I don’t need you that bad.”
Chloe swallowed and her head sagged. She pulled at the plastic on her wrists. They were all going to die.
Pops glanced over the back seat. Chloe met his gaze. He nodded at the floor, toward the back. “Metal. Hands,” he mouthed.
She followed his line of sight. Sure enough, poking from the side of the worn carpet was some sort of metal latch.
The SUV hit a large bump, and she scooted toward the metal. “Rub,” he mouthed.
“What are you doing, old man?” A click sounded from the front seat. “Face forward or I blow you away in front of your crazy wife.”
“She’s not crazy,” he growled. “Show some respect.”
“Just as crazy as that old man I overdosed. A waste of time. His brain is half gone. He won’t remember seeing me at the Jordans’ anyway. He’s a witness and doesn’t even know it.”
The men in the front seat laughed. Pops didn’t turn around again, but Chloe knew what he was trying to say to her. She pulled her wrists as far apart as she could and began to rub the zip tie against the metal latch. She didn’t know if it would work, but she had to try.
Her mom would never have given up. Neither would she.
The midafternoon sun streamed through the window shield. Riley flipped the visor down and slipped on her sunglasses. The days were getting shorter, but they still had plenty of daylight.
Thayne drove only a few miles per hour, his door propped open as he followed the SUV’s tracks. He stopped just shy of the highway and turned off the ignition.
“I’m walking it,” he said.
She nodded and followed. It was hard to watch when she couldn’t help. So unlike the last time he’d asked for her assistance. It may have taken a while to find his sister, but they’d had so much more to go on.
He paused and knelt, fingering the tire mark. “Ironcloud was right. It looks as if they turned away from town.”
“But . . . ?”
“They backed up here. I think they turned around and headed east, toward the Wind River Mountains.” He glanced over at her. “You were right. They’re staying nearby.”
He grasped his phone and tapped a number.
“You find them?” his father barked through the speakerphone. “Tell me they’re okay.”
“Sorry, Dad. I wish I had better news, but we think they’re headed toward the mountains. See if Brett can’t have Mac fly a grid over the foothills. Maybe he’ll see something out of place.”
Thayne leaned back against the hood and peered along the majestic mountain range. Riley had never seen anything like the landscape out here. She’d fallen in love with Wyoming, with the Blackwoods, at the same time she’d resisted staying. Both stark and beautiful at the same time. Isolated and calming.
Unforgiving.
“How about the dogs?” Carson asked.
“Search and rescue’s bringing them in, but they won’t arrive until dark. It’ll be tough going.”
“We can’t wait until tomorrow,” Thayne’s father said. “We need to find them today.”
“I know. We will.”
Riley recognized the determination in Thayne’s eyes. She had no doubts he’d do whatever it took to bring them home safely.
“Oh, and Willow called. She couldn’t get through to you. Call her. She said she has new information.”
Thayne ended the call and immediately tapped in Willow’s number. Riley hoped the woman could provide them a break. Maybe figure out where to look.
The phone rang once, twice, and a third time.
“Thayne?” Willow’s breathless voice carried through the speakerphone. “Did you find them?”
“No.”
A sailor’s curse exploded through the line. “Pardon me, but I’d like to get hold of this guy by his bits and pieces and make him sing until he leads us to them. Then I’d use my knife and—”
“Remind me never to upset you, Willow.” Thayne’s gaze twinkled with a flicker of humor. “What have you got?”
“A name.”
The brief amusement melted from Thayne’s expression and Riley’s breath caught.
“Do you know a man named Earnhardt? Was in your jail a few nights ago.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Thayne shook his head. “I wouldn’t have pegged him for the brains to do any of this. He’s an obnoxious drunk.”
“Well, I pulled employee records from each of the crimes you gave me, including the Jordans. Guess who was working an oil job within a hundred miles of all of them?”
“Earnhardt.” Thayne met Riley’s gaze.
What was she supposed to say? They had one name, but not a location.
“Willow, it’s Riley. Does he show any credit card charges in Singing River? Maybe a cabin in the mountains, something like that.”
“Give me a moment, hon.” Keys tapped through the phone. “Just a pretty hefty bill at Clive’s from a couple nights ago. Otherwise, just standard gas and grocery charges in Pinedale.”
Nothing about this case was easy.
“Thanks, Willow, but there were two of them. Can you run the list again? See if you can’t find someone else. I suppose Earnhardt could use locals to help him, but I want to be sure.”
“It’ll take some time. Anything else?”
“Can you compile a record of employment over the last decade? If we have all the locations where he worked, it may help us identify any other victims.”
“You got it.” Willow paused. “Thayne. Find them, will you? They deserve more time with each other. They’ve earned it.”
Her voice was hesitant, small.
“Everyone’s out in force. We’ll find them,” Thayne said with a frown.
Riley recognized the doubts reemerging. A chilly breeze from the east brushed through her jacket, and she shivered.
“Guess we head to the mountains.” Thayne slid into the front seat.
With a quick snap of her seat belt, Riley buckled up. “You can’t give up.”
“I’m not, but if we’re going to save them, someone’s going to have to help, because I have a feeling we can’t do it on our own.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Trees lined the car on both sides of the road. Chloe had given up trying to remember which way they’d turned a long time ago. She had no idea how much time they’d spent driving. It felt like forever, but she needed more.
Please don’t stop. Please keep going.
She hoped someone heard her prayer. She rubbed the plastic of the zip tie against the metal. Even though the edge wasn’t very sharp, she’d worked through a bit of the heavy plastic. Every so often she pulled her arms apart as far as they’d go. Ridges dug into her wrists. Drops of blood trickled to the carpet, staining it.
They’d notice the moment they pulled her out of the van. Chloe pressed harder and harder.
She bit down so tight her jaws ached. The tie gave way just a tad. Back and forth, back and forth. She shifted onto her knees and pressed all her weight down. The skin on her wrists burned. She wanted to cry out. Instead, she allowed herself a small whimper.
Pops glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw her wrists, but they also gleamed with approval.
“Keep going,” he mouthed. “You can do it.”
He turned around before their kidnappers noticed. Chloe shivered. He couldn’t do anything from his seat. Their escape was all on her.
She had to focus. She had to break free.
Her mind pushed aside the pain and the hurt. Back and forth, back and forth. The friction burned. Again, she pressed her hands apart as hard as she could, but the plastic still wouldn’t give.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She wanted to curl up and sleep. She didn’t want to hurt anymore. Shaking, she b
ent her elbows. Her hands throbbed; a circle of red ensnared her wrists.
“RV’s right up there,” the leader said. “Final resting place.”
He chuckled at the words, but Chloe didn’t get what was funny. And she definitely didn’t want to rest.
The vehicle rumbled to a stop.
Was this it? Were they going to die here?
She rubbed even harder.
“Earnhardt, get out. We’ve got preparations to make.”
A door opened.
“Lock it up,” the leader said.
They slammed the door shut.
“Chloe?” Pops asked under his breath.
“Yes.” Her voice was a whimper.
“Are they off?” he asked.
“N . . . no.” She choked back a sob. She sucked in a breath and grunted, pressing the worst side one last time.
The zip tie gave way, and she hit her head against the side window.
“I . . . I did it.”
“Stay down,” Pops whispered.
“Lincoln, I don’t want to go camping. It’s too cold.”
“I know, dear.” Pops’s voice was choked. “Chloe . . . we’ve got one shot at this. They’re heading into the RV. I have a knife in my pocket. You need to grab it and cut Helen’s ties and then mine. We’re making a run for it.”
“O . . . okay. Is he looking?”
“Now,” Pops ordered.
Chloe launched herself toward the seat. She dived over the side. Pops leaned to his left, and Chloe dug into his loose front pocket. She tugged out the knife.
“Helen first,” he said softly.
She plunged into the back seat and hid on the floor.
“Hurry!” Pops said. “Oh God. Just cut.”
Chloe pressed the knife against the plastic. It didn’t slice through immediately, but within a half dozen strokes, the tie split. She turned to Pops.
“Head down!” he ordered.
A gunshot, loud and terrifying.
“Hand me the knife,” Pops said, his voice gruff. She gazed up at him. His face was pale, but he had that look of her mom when she knew she had to do something important.
“You’re going to open that door, and you and Gram are going to go through the trees just a few feet away. There’s a large rock maybe ten feet away. Head for it. Get behind it as fast as you can. You won’t have much time. Hold tight. Don’t stop. There’s a river not far. Follow it and it’ll lead you to a road. They’re looking for you. They’ll find you soon.”
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