There. Her blue-green eyes focused on him. He swallowed against the tightness in his throat. Liam had thought he hadn’t wanted to see this woman again, but she was here now in his home, and he knew this moment was meant to be—proof that things happened for a reason, after all. Their interactions in this life weren’t over.
Could they resurrect what they’d shared before?
Rae covered her face, then quickly dropped her hands. “What can we do about any of it tonight?”
“Snowmobiles.”
“Snowmobiles?”
Liam grinned. “Heath has six of them. We’re trying to gear up for opening in the winter.”
Rae arched a brow.
“That forest road where we saw Astor and his buddy go—I want to see if I can get up there from another angle instead of taking that road—because after we were there, someone tried to kill us.”
“The sheriff said the state was also looking into it.”
“Of course they are, but as far as what Astor was doing on the forest service road today, Taggart might have called a ranger about it. I’m doubtful the ranger will even go in and check it out. Even if they do, that doesn’t mean they’re going to look at things the way we are.” Funny that he was now trying to persuade her to cooperate in the investigation for which she’d asked for his help. “Sheriff Taggart knows we’re on this, and that frees me up to look deeper. Plus, I have you, Rae. Nobody is going to dig as deep as you will to find Zoey. Are you with me?”
“Did you have any doubt?” Her eyes brightened with hope.
That Liam had put that sparkle there both thrilled him and scared him to death. He didn’t want to let her down. But he had hope too. Maybe they made a good team, after all. But this was far from over.
“When are we going to do this?” She studied him. “Wait. You’re not saying we’re snowmobiling tonight, are you?”
He nodded. “Evelyn is snowshoeing tonight. People ski at night, and they snowmobile too. We just have to take precautions. Be careful.”
“Won’t we tip someone off? Won’t they hear us?”
He stuck his finger on the map. “That’s a popular snowmobile spot. It’s a few miles up from the forest service road.”
“Well, that’s probably where these guys were going.”
“Maybe. But I think if they had planned to snowmobile for fun, they would have taken a different road. We can get to that road from this snowmobiling spot without raising too much suspicion. We’re just out having fun.”
She snorted a laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“We’re going to pretend we’re having fun as we approach a potential danger zone. For some reason that made me think about my father and the lengths he went to in order to get into war zones.”
Rae studied the map, then continued. “He loved us, we knew that, but even when he was back home, his mind was always somewhere else. In some war zone on the other side of the planet. He suffered from severe PTSD but didn’t let that stop him. I laughed because he was never in situations where he could just pretend he was out having fun.” She blew out a breath. “In the end, he got trapped in a small town under siege. It was being bombed. Civilians getting bombed. There was literally no reason for it other than the powers that be wanted to exert authority. Children died. People had no access to food or water or electricity. Dad was right there in the middle of it, suffering with them. Reporting so he could ask the world when they would send help.”
Liam was mesmerized as Rae shared the story, admiration for her father glowing on her face. “He called in. Did a phone interview to tell the world. Mom suspected that he somehow had a feeling he wasn’t going to make it out that time. So he’d arranged for that interview. I remember watching the news, listening along with her and Alan. Listening to his voice as images played across the screen. We were all crying as we watched.” Rae hung her head for a few moments and then lifted it, her eyes closed. “Sure enough, a bomb hit the house where he and some other journalists were staying, killing three of them. Dad included.”
Liam said nothing. He waited to see if she would say more.
She drew in a long breath, then opened her eyes.
“So . . . I see nothing wrong with following Enzo Astor’s movements tonight in our search for Zoey. This operation is nothing in comparison.”
Rae somehow wanted to fill her father’s big shoes, but she’d chosen a different, and thankless, path. Liam had a feeling that her perspective was the catalyst that often put her in harm’s way. He’d have to take extra precautions with her, a tough gig. “I’m sorry, Rae.”
“Don’t be.” She sipped on her coffee. “What are we looking for specifically?”
“Someone could be using a cabin accessible only by snowmobile this time of year. It’s not uncommon, but we’re looking for suspicious usages.”
“Our chances of seeing that activity might be better at night, too, since it might actually increase once it’s dark out. Plus, we can watch from the shadows and more easily see inside. I like it.”
“Good.” For some unknown reason, he reached across the counter and took her hand.
“But you don’t have a truck.”
“No, but Heath does. I have the keys. I’ll use his until the insurance replaces mine.” He relaxed, now that she was on board. “I can’t sit around the house and do nothing. Even researching gets tedious. If we were in the city, we wouldn’t think twice about doing a drive-by in the evening. So think outside the box a little bit.”
“I think you and I are in sync. I won’t sleep tonight anyway. This keeps us working, and it’ll just be another stakeout.”
“I’ll say it again, you’d make a good private investigator.”
“And you’d make a good journalist.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
10:27 p.m.
Denver, Colorado
Alan wanted to collapse on his bed, but Mom had come to help and was staying in the house. Providing encouragement and support. At this moment, she was still fiddling in the kitchen, making herself tea like she did every night, and he felt obligated to sit with her for a few moments.
Barefoot, he strolled into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of milk—the real stuff, compliments of Mom.
He did everything by rote now.
His Zoey. He’d lost his Zoey.
He’d been a fool to love her and marry her, but if he could go back, he’d do it all over again. Because he could never give her up. And Callie. She was all he had left.
“Alan.” His mother’s soft words couldn’t pull him out of his daze.
Oh. Right. Time to sit and talk while she drank tea. More like listen. He could only listen. He had nothing more to say to anyone, especially to the police who were eyeing him closer than ever now. He and Zoey had argued the day she disappeared. The police knew about that now. A neighbor had shared. Alan hadn’t thought of it as an argument. Just a disagreement. Didn’t every married couple have disagreements?
He slouched in the chair at the table and chugged his glass of milk. “Yeah?”
He looked at Mom, then just as quickly looked away. He couldn’t bear to see the agonizing emotions in her gaze. Sympathy and pity, regret and sorrow. She hadn’t thought Zoey was good enough for him, though she never said so. He knew. No one would ever be good enough for him. Mom had been there, of course, when Rae brought her college roommate home for spring break, the purple bruises still visible. No one had said anything. They’d all welcomed Zoey, fully knowing she needed comfort, safety, security, and most of all . . . love.
Alan had fallen, and he had never looked back.
“Alan, I took the liberty of going through the mail you haven’t looked at since . . .”
He pressed his head into his folded arms on the table.
“Alan, pay attention.”
“I’m here.”
“Sit up. You need to see this.�
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He lifted his head. “What could be so important?”
Mom shoved an envelope toward him. “This came for Zoey. It has no return address. The postmark date says it was sent the day she disappeared—and from a post office in Wyoming.”
Hope surged at first, then died just as quickly.
He eyed the yellow padded envelope. A million possibilities raced through his mind, none of them good.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
11:54 p.m.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Geared up in a snowmobile suit, Rae assisted Liam in getting the snowmobiles off the trailer.
This is what I would call an extreme stakeout.
But given DEA agent/cowboy Liam McKade, she shouldn’t expect anything less. And in truth, she hadn’t been surprised when he’d laid out his plan.
In fact, his idea had confirmed she’d made the right decision in coming to him in the first place. He was fully invested in finding Zoey. Her friend’s disappearance had many tangled layers. Now, if Rae could somehow separate those layers. She had a feeling about tonight. Her reporter’s instinct? Dad had nudged her to pay attention to that. But even if they found nothing, that would tell her to move to another lead.
She couldn’t recall participating in anything so adventurous before. Liam had made her practice riding the snowmobile in front of the house at Emerald M, and they’d left tracks all through the snow. The main concern was to keep from getting stuck in the deepest snow.
After the traumatic experiences of the day, she needed this midnight ride to draw her thoughts away from that terror, and so far it was working. Adrenaline pulsed through her.
He put on his helmet and paused. “Don’t worry, Rae.”
“Do I look worried? I’m not worried.”
“Listen. Do you hear that? Other snowmobilers are out. The moon is out, and the sky is clear. Groomers like to clean up the trails at night to avoid higher snowmobiling traffic, but there are pockets of snowmobilers here and there. I knew someone would be out here tonight.”
“Is there a thrill-seekers anonymous group they can attend?”
“Ha. Funny. Seriously, are you sure you’re up for this?”
“If you’re going, I’m going. End of story.”
“I hope you’re right and this is the end of the story. I hope we find answers.”
She pulled on her helmet and secured it, then hopped on the snowmobile and turned it on. Piece of cake. She was glad she’d practiced riding the snowmobile at his ranch before they tackled the ungroomed areas.
Liam positioned his snowmobile on the road in front of her. The snow was packed down a bit from activity earlier in the day. His snowmobile lurched forward, and Rae’s full concentration remained on the red lights at the back of his machine. Her goal was to keep him a few yards ahead of her, but not too close.
On a treeless, snow-covered hill in the distance, snowmobile lights buzzed around. Fireflies in a synchronized dancing light show.
They continued along the road, passing the hill as Liam led them deeper into the woods. He slowed his machine a bit as the forest grew denser and the road narrowed, and they traveled at a slower pace until he stopped in the middle of the road. When Liam got off, she did too. He gestured at the wall of snow up ahead. “I think it’s too risky. I don’t want to get stuck. I just want to get in and out.”
“In and out? Where are we going?”
“Time to put on the snowshoes.”
“We’re hiking the rest of the way?” Though her tone sounded incredulous, the scenery at night—the brilliant moon creating an entirely different kind of snowy landscape—captivated her. This was some kind of crazy beautiful that she’d never experienced.
Plus, she was in this with Liam, of all people.
She focused on donning her snowshoes. He finished putting his on and waited for her. Finally, she was ready to go. Her heart drummed as she hiked behind him.
“The snow’s deep enough that most of the forest floor—tree trunks, branches, and shrubs—are covered. But you could still trip.”
Liam paused and held up his hand. “Let’s keep it down from here on out. I just want to see what’s in these woods, if anything. Find a cabin while staying on public lands. See what’s what.”
They continued hiking. Exhaustion contended with the adrenaline that had gotten her this far. Up ahead, faint light from windows drew them closer. Liam kept to the shadows in the trees, and Rae followed his example. “Whose house is this?” she whispered.
Liam pressed a finger against his lips.
Several snowmobiles were parked around the house. A man with a gun lingered outside the sprawling cabin.
Liam crouched behind a tree. Rae did the same.
A man with a gun. What could that mean? Wealthy people often had bodyguards and security.
Liam tugged his ever-ready binoculars from his coat pocket and peered at the home. No blinds or heavy drapes hid what was going on inside. They apparently didn’t expect anyone to be out in this part of the woods at night in the dead of winter.
Rae was dying to look through Liam’s binoculars. She wanted to know what he saw. She held out her hand, and he ducked and slid close enough to hand them off. In the distance, the whir of snowmobiles approached, coming from the opposite direction from which they’d hiked. Liam had been right to take this route. But if it didn’t snow tonight, their tracks would give them away, and they would not be able to do this again.
Peering through the binoculars, she saw a couple of older men and much younger women in the house. While she looked, Liam took a few pictures with his cell phone—not optimal, but better than nothing.
One young woman appeared to be sleeping, her head tilted against the sofa back.
“Zoey . . .” Rae said. Had she spoken out loud?
The woman lifted her head. It wasn’t Zoey. Hope whooshed from Rae.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The guy with the gun tossed his cigarette and perked up.
Had he heard Rae?
Liam doubted it. Even from here, he could hear voices and music from inside the house, which would have covered the sound of Rae’s voice.
Was this simply a private party? It was an inconvenient place to have one, but they were guaranteed to remain undisturbed. So why the security detail? He’d seen a lot of different setups while working with the DEA, and just about any scenario was possible and would be used for criminal purposes.
He had a bad feeling about what was going on in that house.
Drugs? Or . . . human trafficking? While looking through the binoculars, he’d spotted Astor’s sidekick inside, but not the man himself. So this must be where they’d been headed to earlier in the day.
Rae had pressed herself into the shadow of the tree trunk, so Liam did the same. If the guy decided to explore beyond the near perimeter of the house, he and Rae were in trouble. Their tracks were visible. They couldn’t simply hide.
This was unfolding much differently than he’d imagined. He peered around the tree. The guy had become interested in the woods and was starting forward.
Liam’s heart pounded. How was he going to get them out of this?
A shout resounded.
“Let’s go!” he whispered.
Rae shook her head and gestured toward the house. Liam looked at the house again. Someone inside had called to the guy standing guard. He headed toward a side door, probably welcoming the relief from the cold.
Liam shoved from the tree and grabbed Rae’s hand. “Time to go.” While they had the chance.
He led her back through the woods along the path they’d already taken. He wanted to sag with relief when they made it to their snowmobiles. Adrenaline pumped through him. Rae took off her snowshoes and stored them, then straddled her machine like an old pro.
He couldn’t help but smile. She would go to any lengths to save another human. Take crazy
risks because sitting at home nice and comfy when others were suffering didn’t suit her. He liked that about her. It was how he felt once, and he realized that he’d lost himself. Rae was helping him find himself again.
He started up his machine and worked it around, then led her past the hill that had grown quiet. Crazy snowmobilers had called it a night. Once they made it to Heath’s truck, they loaded up the snowmobiles and climbed into the cab. He started the engine and cranked the heat as she pulled off her gloves. When she glanced at him, she was breathless and her cheeks were rosy, but she said nothing.
Rae was probably thinking it through like he was.
“Let’s get out of here.” He backed out as far as he could, then turned the truck around to head home.
He wished he was working DEA again. He wished he could somehow go in undercover and figure this out. And in the process find Zoey for Rae.
“I thought . . . I thought it was Zoey. I guess I want to see her so badly that I thought that girl was her.”
“It’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up.”
“But I almost got us caught. If that guy hadn’t been called back inside . . .”
“He wasn’t a great security guard, which worked out for us,” Liam said. “But I have to wonder why they need a man with a big gun to stand around outside.” He’d let Sheriff Taggart know. They’d agreed to keep each other informed.
“To keep people out?” Rae asked.
“Or to keep them in.” Even though the threat of a family member being killed or harmed was often enough to keep trafficked people enslaved, a deadly weapon could work just as well.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Friday, 1:02 a.m.
As Liam drove, Rae peered out the window at the stunning night. The beauty could almost make her forget her search for Zoey. Adrenaline seemed to drain out of her as warmth filled the cab and the smooth hum of the truck threatened to lull her to sleep. But those women at that house—were they there against their will? Trafficked, as Liam suggested with his comment? How could they find out?
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