Cold Case

by Susan Sleeman

  Time rushed past, and Trey was nearly out of his mind with panic and worry. He paced the conference room floor waiting for Piper to return his call. The only way he could think to locate Eryn was to talk to Velichko’s prison cellmate and maybe learn something about Velichko that only the cellmate knew. Piper was trying to get permission for Trey to have a conversation via the telephone, but an hour had passed without a word from her.

  Hannah entered the room, carrying a basket. A tangy spice emanated from under the fabric covering, but even the idea of eating something left Trey ready to hurl.

  “I figured by now you all must be tired of snacks and want some real food. So I made a breakfast casserole.” Hannah set the basket on the table and came over to him. “How are you holding up?”

  “Not good, and I can’t even think of food.”

  “But you didn’t have breakfast. You have to keep your strength up.” She rested a hand on his arm. “Please try to eat. For Eryn, so when you do get word on how to find her, you’ll have the energy to help her.”

  He appreciated Hannah’s positive take on finding Eryn so he sat in the chair she pulled out, but honestly, he didn’t know if he could eat.

  She put a scoop of egg casserole and a golden-brown biscuit on a paper plate and handed it to him. The others sat, too, and dug in. He took a bite of the casserole. If Hannah made it, it had to be delicious, but it tasted like mush. Still, he forced himself to chew and swallow. To rinse and repeat until he consumed every bite. Took him a good thirty minutes to accomplish the task, but he did it.

  His phone rang, and seeing Piper’s name, he grabbed it from the table.

  “Tell me you have permission,” he snapped.

  “Sorry, no.”

  His heart dropped.

  “But I was able to talk to him.”

  “He tell you anything we can use?”

  “Maybe, but it’s a longshot.”

  “I don’t care. We don’t have anything else.”

  “As I mentioned, Velichko’s father abused him. He told his cellmate that his dad worked nights so Velichko took refuge during the day in a cave near their house when he wasn’t in school.”

  A spark of hope burgeoned in Trey’s heart. “And you think he could’ve taken Eryn to this cave?”

  “It’s possible. At least it’s not some place that we’ve checked.”

  Trey shot to his feet. “The house he sold. Was that his childhood home?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll check it out.” Trey hung up and relayed the information to the team. “When we walked down to the beach, we must’ve been near that cave. Eryn could be in there, and we were right by her.”

  Riley looked up at the clock. “High tide’s in less than an hour.”

  “Then let’s move,” Trey said already on his way to the door.

  He could easily imagine Eryn in the cave, the water rushing in. She’d told him at the pool about her unease around water. She played if off as nothing much, but he could tell it ran deeper than she let on.

  He imagined her in the cave. The water coming in. Lapping closer and closer. Hearing him and the guys talking outside when they’d taken a trip down to the beach. Then walking away.

  His heart ached with the thought. She had to be terrified. Simply terrified. And he’d failed her in a way for which he might never be able to forgive himself.

  The thunderous roar of waves rushed into the cave. The water splashed against Eryn’s chest, and a deep shiver shook her body. The water was cold. So cold, even in August. She knew if she didn’t drown, once most of her body was submerged, she would die of hypothermia in less than an hour. But she didn’t think that would likely happen as she could see the water line marks on the wall. The highest level was clear over her head even if she was standing. She would drown before hypothermia took her life.

  Tears filled her eyes. She would pray again, but she’d been praying for hours, and she didn’t know what else to say. Other than to ask to die as peacefully as possible. She’d held out hope for so long. Believing Trey and the team would come back to find her. They rarely failed in anything they did, but in this case, Velichko left them nothing to go on.

  And why would they go looking in some cave on the beach? It didn’t make sense. If she was at the compound helping them out, she would be searching for a building of some sort, not a cave.

  She peered up at the rock above her head. It looked smooth from years of water rushing in and out. She had to admit God’s amazing creation and power was evident in her little cave. And if He could create such an awesome sight, He could rescue her. If He wanted to.

  Maybe He didn’t want to. There was still time, and she should keep hoping. Believing. For Bekah’s sake. Her precious child couldn’t lose her mother, too. The loss would so devastate her. Maybe scar her for life.

  Please, Father. For her. For my child. Let me live.

  And what about Trey?

  Yes, for Trey, too. I don’t want him to know the pain I endured when losing Rich.

  She held her breath and waited for something to happen. But the only thing that followed was the water creeping higher, wetting her shoulders.

  Not long now.

  She heard a sound outside the cave and hope blossomed again.

  How many times had that happened today, and it turned out to be the waves crashing a bit harder?

  Still, she listened. Were those footsteps?

  “Hurry,” a male voice said.

  “Trey!” she screamed, but it came out muffled.

  Was she hearing things, like being stranded in a desert and seeing a mirage, or was he really here?

  She thrashed around in the water. At least as much as she was able. Her legs were stiff from the frigid water now, her arms cramped and inflexible. Her whole body ached with the cold.

  A light shone into the cave from the ocean side, illuminating the space. It glistened off the water that now reached her chin.

  “See anything?” Gage asked.

  “No,” Trey replied.

  “I’m here! Here!” She pushed up to make herself taller. Barely an inch higher, but higher. “Trey. Please Trey. I’m here!”

  “Maybe we were wrong,” Gage said.

  The light went out.

  “No. No. Please keep looking. Go to the other side. Please!”

  Waves rolled in, and she couldn’t hear if they’d departed or not.

  Salty water lapped into her mouth, and she choked. She lifted her head higher and coughed around the soggy rag.

  Oh, dear God. Is this it? Is it the end?

  27

  “There could be another entrance,” Trey said. “I’ll head south. Riley you go north. And Gage west.”

  They split up, and Trey moved as fast as he could, sloshing through the water and over the slippery rocks to climb the steep berm. Prepared in case she was handcuffed, he held bolt cutters firmly in his hand and braced his injured arm against his body to lessen the pain.

  Please don’t let it be too late. Let me find Eryn.

  Frantic now, he climbed higher. Spotted a hole in the rocks. Did it lead into the cave?

  He barreled ahead. Reached the opening and knelt to turn on his light.

  He barely took time to take in the details. All he needed to see was that she was alive with water lapping at her gagged mouth. “Eryn! Thank God I found you.”

  He turned and cupped his hands around his mouth against the wind.

  “I’ve got Eryn!” he called out. “She is in the cave. Going in now.”

  He slipped into the cave. Into the cold water. How could she stand being submerged like that?

  He had to get her out quickly before she couldn’t breathe or hypothermia took her.

  “I’m here, honey. Everything’s going to be fine.” He cooed in a soft voice as he waded over to her. “I have to pocket the flashlight to free your hands.”

  She peered up at him, her eyes big and terrified. He wanted to release the gag and hold her for a moment, bu
t a wave crashed in and covered her face.

  She tried to cough, but it was pitiful with the gag in place.

  He shoved the flashlight in his pocket and reached down to find her hands. Salt water licked at his wounded arm, the pain nearly taking him down, but he couldn’t fail her again. He felt a pair of handcuffs and slid his fingers down to the chain holding them together. He positioned the cutters in place. Metal firmly in the jaws, he let go with his hand to grasp the cutter and make the cut. Another wave crashed in before he was ready, tipping him over.

  He tumbled into the water. Held firm on the cutters but came up coughing. Eryn was trying to cough, too. Anger surged through his body. At the man who put her here. At himself.

  He planted his feet. Repeated his steps. Snapped the bolt. Dropped the cutters. Lifted Eryn from the water and saw zip ties float free, a deep gash in her wrist.

  His anger swirled inside, and he lifted her into his arms. She moaned in pain. He ripped the gag free.

  “You came,” was all she said.

  “I’m so sorry it took so long. Are you hurt anywhere?”

  “I’m fine.”

  She wasn’t fine, but he accepted that she didn’t have a serious injury other than the cold threatening her body.

  A wave hit them, and his leg muscles strained to keep them upright. He waited for it to subside and stepped toward the exit. “I’m going to slide you through. I know your arms are likely weak and the muscles stiff, but I’ll need you to move free of the opening so I can get out, too.” He looked deep into her shell-shocked eyes. “Can you do that for me, honey?”

  “Yes.” Her teeth chattered, and her whole body convulsed with the cold.

  “Okay, here we go.” He hated to let her go, but he carefully slid her out.

  “My arms,” she said. “I can’t lift them.”

  “Give it a minute.”

  If she couldn’t move soon, he would have to crawl out on top of her, but he didn’t want to do that with the sharp rocks under her body.

  “Eryn!” Gage called out, and Trey heard footsteps pounding closer.

  “Help,” she said. “I have to move so Trey can get out before the cave fills with water.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” he said. “I have plenty of time.”

  It was her he was worried about. The cold. The shock.

  Gage bent down and lifted her away from the opening. Trey surged against the water and pushed out. Once on his feet, he took Eryn from Gage’s arms.

  “I’ll get blankets ready,” Gage said and he took off, calling out to Riley on the way.

  “I thought I was going to die,” Eryn whispered through blue lips.

  “I wish I’d found you sooner. Better yet, that I’d never left you alone.”

  “Not your fault.” She snuggled closer, her arms limp.

  He moved as fast as he could toward the SUV without taking a tumble. At the vehicle, Gage had emergency blankets out, the heater running on high, and he was on the phone telling everyone at the compound that they’d located Eryn.

  Trey settled into the backseat with Eryn on his lap and wrapped her in the blanket. Gage and Riley climbed in.

  “To the ER. Fast,” Trey called out.

  “No! I want to go home. Have to go home. Must see Bekah. Now!”

  “We should get you warmed up first.”

  “I’ll be okay. Just take me home.”

  Trey didn’t want to agree, but he also didn’t want to cause her more anguish. “You heard her.”

  Gage nodded, but the look he gave Trey in the mirror said he didn’t like it. Still, he got them moving, and once on the highway, he floored it.

  “I was afraid I’d lost you,” Trey whispered against her wet hair. “And I’d never have the chance to tell you that I love you.”

  She shifted to look at him. “You do?”

  “Yes. Totally and completely.”

  “Me too,” she said. “I mean, I love you, too.”

  His heart blazed like a roaring fire. He never expected this. Never believed she could change her mind. “When I thought I might lose you, I understood how you felt about not getting involved again. At least more than I did before.”

  “I’m ready now.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Honestly, no. Maybe I’m reacting to the near-death experience. But I want to try with you if you’re willing to move forward without a commitment.”

  “Are you kidding?” He smiled. “Gage. Does that job offer still stand?”

  Eryn spent the rest of the drive snuggled against Trey’s chest. His clothes were wet and cold, but the blanket covered them both, and the heat pouring from the vents had warmed her to the point where she stopped shivering.

  Trey and Gage talked about the logistics of Trey starting on the Blackwell Tactical team, and Eryn only hoped she didn’t end up breaking his heart. She loved him. That much was clear, but had she truly let go of her fear?

  She hadn’t done so well at trusting God in the cave. She’d cried out so many times. Doubted. Feared. But it all worked out in the end. She was safe. With the man she loved. What more could she ask for?

  Maybe that Velichko was caught.

  “I heard you mention Piper,” she said to Trey. “How did you find her?”

  “She left a message on your answering machine. She talked to Velichko’s cellmate, and she was the one who gave us the lead on the cave.”

  “Glad I insisted on everyone having a landline,” Gage said.

  “No one is happier about that than me.” Eryn smiled up at the mirror.

  “I should call Piper and let her know you’re okay.” Trey shifted around to get out his phone. “Wait. No. I’ll bet my phone is toast.”

  “I should be able to fix it for you, and we can call Piper the minute we get home.”

  “I like having my very own techie.” He nuzzled her neck. “My very own woman to love.”

  She grinned at him and snuggled back against his chest until they pulled up to Gage’s house. She pushed off Trey’s lap and stifled a groan at the raging pain in her arm muscles. No matter. Once she had them wrapped around Bekah, she would forget all about the pain.

  Trey held the door for her, and she stepped inside. Her mother and Hannah were sitting on the sofa. Bekah was playing on the carpet with Mia.

  Eryn’s mother shot to her feet and charged across the room. She swept Eryn into a hug. “Our prayers have been answered.”

  “Yes,” Eryn said. “God sent Trey to my exact location.”

  Her mother pushed back. “You’re all wet.”

  “A cave at the beach,” was all she was willing to say near Bekah.

  “Then you must’ve been very brave.”

  Eryn felt tears coming, so she looked away and called out to her daughter.

  Bekah looked up. “Mommy, did you go swimming with your clothes on?”

  “Something like that.” Eryn knelt and held out her arms, the pain nearly taking them down.

  Bekah came running. “I had the bestest day. I got to play with Mia and David all day. And Gammy and Hannah played, too. We swinged and played with Barkley. And built with Legos and played Candyland and Chutes and Ladders, and I won.”

  Eryn laughed with joy over having her chatterbox of a child in her arms and tightened her hold.

  “You’re squishing me, Mommy.”

  “Sorry. I just missed you so much.”

  “But you got to go swimming. We didn’t.” She pushed free and pouted. “Can we go swimming now?”

  “I was thinking,” Hannah said as she got up. “Bekah’s had such a fun day here, why don’t we make it an all-day event and have a sleepover?”

  Bekah’s eyes lit up. “Can I, Mommy?”

  As much as Eryn would like to be near her child, a good soak in a hot bath and a long sleep was exactly what she needed tonight. And maybe some alone time with Trey, too. To talk about the future and what it held for them.

  She kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Of course, you
can.”

  “Yay.” Bekah went cheering back into the family room and dropped down on the carpet.

  Eryn gave Hannah a thankful look and before she could manage to get up, Trey was there gently helping her. “You should get out of these wet clothes.”

  “You, too,” she said.

  “Then let’s go,” her mother said. “I hoped you’d be home for dinner so I made clam chowder in the crock pot.”

  Eryn was glad for her mother’s nurturing, but she honestly wanted to send her home so she could be alone with Trey.

  Hannah came over and gave Eryn a gentle hug. “I’m so glad to be able to hug you.”

  “Good news,” Gage said. “Trey’s going to start working for us in two weeks.”

  Hannah pulled back and gaped at Eryn. “I’ll let you go tonight, but you will tell me all about this tomorrow.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Eryn raised her arm to salute, but the pain was still too great, and she let her arm drop.

  Outside, they climbed into her mother’s car. She shifted into drive. “I’ll stay long enough to run you a bath, Eryn, and hear about what happened today, but then I’ll leave the two of you to have dinner on your own. Especially since it sounds like I’m going to be seeing more of Trey.”

  She winked, and Eryn finally realized that Trey—her Trey, the man she loved—would be living at the compound. Excitement churned in her stomach and mixed with a hint of anxiety, but the excitement won out.

  At her cabin, Trey held the door again and gave her a look that made her toes curl.

  “Oh, my,” her mother said and blushed as she rushed into the house. “I’ll get that bath running.”

  “I better put that filter back in place.” Trey laughed.

  Eryn chuckled. “I’ll call Piper while my mom runs the bath.”

  Eryn went to the landline phone and dialed.

  “Eryn is that you?” Piper’s anxious voice asked.

  “Yes. Trey found me and I’m home.”

  “The cave?”

  “The cave.”

  “I’m sorry, sweetie. I know how hard that must’ve been for you.” As Eryn’s good friend, Piper knew all about Eryn’s fear of water.