Rock Harbor Series - 04 - Abomination

by Colleen Coble

  They were all from the nursing home. Her pulse hammered in her throat. Something had happened to her dad.

  Bree’s cell phone rang before she could call the nursing home back. She answered it, but the call dropped. Driving back into the open air where rain rattled the roof of the car, she scrolled through her menus again to see who had called.

  The nursing home showed again. Before she could return the call, the phone rang again. “Hello, this is Bree,” she said.

  Ruby’s voice spoke. “Bree, I’m so sorry, but your father has gone missing again.”

  Bree tensed. “Are you sure?”

  “We’ve checked everywhere. He’s gone.”

  “It’s nearly one in the morning, and it’s been raining for hours. When did he go missing?”

  “About two hours ago. I called the sheriff already. He sent a deputy over, but he said everyone else is out searching for a missing woman.”

  “I’m searching for her too,” Bree said. “But I’ll be right there.” She closed the phone and told Naomi what had happened. “I have to trust that everyone’s doing their best to help Eve. But I’ve got to help Dad. He’s in danger too.”

  “Of course you do,” Naomi said. “We’ll find him fast and get back here. We’re not doing much good for Eve at the moment. Maybe someone else is having better luck.”

  “Call Montgomery and check in,” Bree said. She accelerated down the wet road to the highway and listened with half an ear while Naomi talked to the deputy. From this side of the conversation, it was clear that no one had found Eve.

  She tried not to think what that might mean.

  All the lights were on in the nursing home when she parked and got out. She let the dogs out and snatched the end of Samson’s leash while Naomi corralled Charley. They jogged through the rain to the entrance.

  Deputy Montgomery met them at the front door. Rain dripped from his wide-brimmed hat, and his yellow slicker deposited more moisture on the floor. The corners of his eyes drooped with exhaustion, and mud streaked his pale face.

  “Sorry about this, Bree,” he said. “I couldn’t pick up a trail on him at all. The dogs will locate him fast, eh?”

  “You bet,” she assured him. Without wasting any time, she led Samson down the hall to her father’s room. What a sense of déjà vu. She’d just done this. The dogs sniffed around the room, then took off down the hall when given the order to search. She quickly dialed Kade’s cell phone and left a message when he didn’t answer.

  Bree expected them to go out the back door to the yard again, but they went straight for the front door. How could he have slipped out past the nurses’ station again? Her gaze touched Ruby’s face, and the woman looked down with red creeping into her cheeks.

  Montgomery held the door open for them. The dogs ran across the road and disappeared into the trees. Their frantic barking grew fainter, then louder again as they circled back to let the women catch up. Then they were off again.

  She’d hoped to find him quickly, but when she stopped to catch her breath and call Samson to her, her watch showed over an hour had passed. She shivered in the cool, wet air. Exhaustion slowed her movements, and she found it hard to think, to reason through where he might have gone.

  Was he wandering aimlessly, or did he have a destination in mind? There was nothing out this way that she’d ever seen but a deserted cabin deep in the forest. He’d never make it that far. It was another ten or fifteen miles into the forest at least.

  Bree stood. “Let’s keep going.” They were wandering in a dark maze with no end in sight, but giving up wasn’t an option.

  29

  NICK HUNG WITH KADE AS HE HELPED ORGANIZE SEARCHERS to go door-to-door throughout Rock Harbor. Not that he thought Gideon would have kept Eve somewhere here in town. But someone might have seen something.

  The men had been walking for hours. Nick’s feet throbbed, and his back ached. It was nearly two in the morning. “Has anyone checked Job’s Children?” he asked Kade.

  “We probably should,” Kade said.

  “I thought about it earlier, but I made an assumption about Gideon once and didn’t want to make the same mistake again.” Nick turned and walked back down the sidewalk in the direction of the lighthouse. The beacon flashed and illuminated his SUV where he’d left it along the side of the road.

  “I’ll go with you. We’re getting nowhere here,” Kade said.

  The men climbed into the vehicle and drove out of town. Rain sluiced over the windshield so fast the wipers could barely keep up. He eased up on the accelerator when the tires slid on the wet pavement.

  Kade glanced at Nick. “There’s something you should know. Will is Keri’s father.”

  Nick slammed on the brakes, and the SUV fishtailed. He brought the vehicle under control, then turned his head to stare at Kade. “And you’re just now telling me this?”

  “Sorry. I was focused on finding Eve, and it slipped my mind. We just found out tonight for sure.”

  “There has to be a connection.” Nick tried to pick up his speed a little, but it was impossible with the road conditions. He eased off on the accelerator again and concentrated on peering through the windshield.

  “Maybe Gideon didn’t take her. Maybe Will is going to hold her and demand I hand over our daughter.”

  “But why kidnap Eve before the judge even makes a custody ruling? And Fraser is dead too. The trouble coming down on his head would be huge.” Kade took a napkin from the dash and wiped the moisture from the inside of the windshield. “Of course, maybe he’s arrogant enough to think no one can pin anything on him.”

  Nick reached the turnoff into the compound. The place was as dark as an underwater cave and about as wet. The tires sank into muddy holes, and he had to fight the wheel to stay on the lane. “Any idea where to go?” He peered through the window and could barely make out a building.

  “That’s the church. They all live back in the copper mine.” Kade reached into the backseat and grabbed a battery-powered lantern and a flashlight. He handed the Maglite to Nick. “I’ll show you.”

  Nick flipped on the flashlight and got out into the driving rain. The beam barely pushed back the shadows enough to see where to put his feet. Cold rain from his wet hair trickled into his yellow slicker. Kade struck off through the driving rain like he knew where he was going, and Nick followed.

  Kade stopped in front of the mine’s mouth and lifted the lantern he carried so it shone into the darkness. “Follow me.” He disappeared into the dark opening.

  Nick focused his flashlight beam after him and stepped into the dark, dry space. The cessation of rain was a relief. He followed Kade, who was moving through an opening to the right.

  Moans filtered to their ears.

  “Something’s wrong,” Nick said. The stink of sickness burned his nose.

  “This way.” Kade led the way down a corridor to the right. The lantern illuminated a sleeping bag and the face of the man who thrashed on it.

  Will Donaldson. And Patti beside him.

  “Help me, man,” Will whispered. His voice sounded hoarse and weak, and his words were slurred. His eyelids drooped, and it was clear he was having trouble focusing.

  “What’s happening here?” Nick knelt by the couple. He could hear other people crying out farther back in the mine.

  “Bad food,” Will whispered.

  “Water, need water.” Patti licked her lips.

  Nick found a bottle of water and started to give her a sip, but Kade stopped him.

  “We don’t know what’s caused this,” Kade said. “The water could be contaminated.” He scratched his head. “Bree saw them earlier. She said Will acted like he had a headache, and Patti was sweating and looked pale.” He knelt by Will. “How long have you been sick?”

  “Since nightfall,” he slurred.

  “I’ll call an ambulance,” Nick told Kade. He ran down the corridor back into the rain and placed a call to 911 before going back inside.

  “Is Eve her
e?” he asked Will as soon as he got inside the mine again.

  Will mumbled and tossed but didn’t answer.

  “He’s out of it,” Kade said. “I looked around while you were outside. Everyone in here is sick.”

  “Any idea what it is? Or if it’s contagious?”

  “Will said bad food. It could be botulism. Paralysis is one of the main symptoms. They’re slurring their words and their eyes are drooping.”

  Nick knelt by Patti. “Patti, where is Eve?”

  She blinked and tried to rise, then fell back onto the sleeping bag. Her eyes weren’t focusing on Nick.

  “Where’s your sister, Patti?”

  She shook her head. “Not here,” she managed to get out.

  Nick stood. “Is there anything we can do?”

  “Pray they hang on until help arrives.”

  “Eve too,” Nick whispered. If his wife wasn’t here, where was she?

  A THICK SUBSTANCE GLUED HER LIPS TOGETHER. EVE SWAM UP out of unconsciousness that only reluctantly released her. She rubbed something stiff and dry from her face and pried her eyes open. The dim light of early morning showed the small cabin she thought she’d escaped.

  She choked back a sob and struggled into a sitting position. Every muscle ached. Her mouth tasted like mud.

  She was alone.

  Handcuffs still chained her wrists together, but at least Gideon wasn’t here. Dried mud coated her arms and clothing. Running her hand over her face, she realized mud caked every bit of her skin.

  She staggered to her feet and tottered to the window. The van was gone. Maybe she could get out again. Rushing to the door, she twisted the handle, but it wouldn’t open. He’d probably dropped a bar into place on the outside. She glanced around to see if there was anything she could use as a battering ram.

  Her gaze lit on the chair. Battered and old, the wood was strong, but it was no match for the massive door. The cot was too heavy for her to lift. There was nothing. She went back to the window. It was barred. How had she not noticed that last night?

  There was a second window on the opposite wall that she hadn’t seen last night. It was barred too. Through the glass, she could see the swans on the pond. There was a shack on an island of dirt in the middle of the water. She leaned her forehead against the cold glass and let the tears moisten the dry mud on her cheeks. It was hopeless. This prison was as tight as any the government had erected.

  A sound came to her ears. Some kind of scratching or pecking. She turned around to see a face peering back at her through the front window. She yelped in surprise. The old man looked familiar, and she realized it was Bree’s father, Bernard.

  Eve sprinted to the window and looked past the old man to an empty yard.

  He was alone.

  “Did you wander off again?” she asked. “Where’s Bree?”

  “I caught the biggest fish in the record of the state here,” he said. “My father was so proud of me.”

  “Bernard, where is Bree? Do you remember me? I’m Eve, Bree’s friend.”

  “I still have that fish mounted over my fireplace.”

  “Bernard, can you unlock the door?” Eve pointed. “See the bar on the door? Can you lift it?”

  The old man shuffled to the door and fumbled with the wooden bar. Eve heard it scrape across the wood as he lifted it. “Can you unlock the door?” she called.

  The knob twisted, but the door didn’t open. It probably took a key. Maybe Oliver left it somewhere out there. “See if there’s a mat,” she called. “There might be a key under it.”

  She heard more movement, but the door stayed closed. When she went back to the window, she heard the sound of an engine, and Oliver’s van came down the narrow lane.

  She put her hands on the window. “Bernard, run! Go hide!”

  The old man shuffled back to the window. “I caught the biggest fish right out back of this cabin. We should go fishing.”

  The van stopped, and Oliver got out. He smiled when he saw Bernard. “Good to see you, my friend. Would you like to fish today? Come inside, sir.” He tugged the old man toward the door.

  Eve heard the key slide into the lock, then the door opened and Oliver shoved Bernard into the cabin.

  “Sit,” Oliver ordered, pointing to the chair.

  Bernard sat on the chair with his hands on his knees and looked up with an expectant smile. When Oliver said nothing more, the old man glanced around and picked up one of Eve’s flip-flops, which she’d kicked off.

  “Don’t move.” Oliver left the cabin. The bar on the door clanged into place.

  Eve turned to see what he was doing. Jogging to the van, he opened the side door. A handicap access ramp came out, and he stepped in only to emerge a few moments later with a woman lying on a gurney.

  Eve couldn’t make out much detail, only straggly blonde hair at the top of the sheet. Oliver wheeled the bed to the cabin, then placed a piece of plywood over the steps in front of the door. After the scrape of the bar being lifted again, the door opened, and he pushed her up the jerry-rigged ramp inside.

  When he rolled the gurney past Bernard, the old man walked out the door while Oliver’s back was turned.

  Eve turned her face away, hoping Oliver wouldn’t notice. Now all she could do was pray Bernard remembered where they were and lead someone back to help.

  “HE’S JUST DISAPPEARED.” BREE LEANED HER HEAD AGAINST THE rough bark of an oak tree. At least the rain had stopped, but slogging through the mud had left her muscles sore and wobbly.

  Naomi looked as bedraggled as Bree felt. Her hair had dried, plastered to her head, and twigs sprouted from her scalp. She was breathing hard as she selected a spot on the downed tree near where Bree sat.

  “We need to rest,” Bree said, though her nerves strummed with the urgency to keep going.

  “Maybe we could just climb in the Jeep and sleep an hour,” Naomi said.

  “The Jeep is miles behind us,” Bree said, shading her eyes to help focus on the truck that rattled up the fire lane. “It’s Kade.” He must have tracked her GPS unit. Though she was tired, she stood and went to meet him.

  He strode to meet her, and she went into his arms, the safe haven she’d craved.

  “No luck?” he whispered into her hair.

  “No.” Lifting her head, she searched his face. “He’s been gone all night, Kade. Eve too.”

  “It wasn’t that cold last night. He’s probably fine.”

  “Samson still seems to have a trail. We just can’t go fast enough. Everyone is tired, including the dogs.”

  “I brought them some food.” Kade kept his arm around her, and they walked back to his truck, where he lifted a bag of dog food from the back.

  Bree caught a glimpse of Nick in the truck. He was talking on his cell phone. “Hard night for you guys too.”

  “Yeah. Nick is sick with worry. Just like you.”

  “Nothing on Eve at all? Any leads?”

  “Nope. We even checked out the Job’s Children compound.” He hesitated.

  “What is it?”

  “They were all sick. We think it’s botulism. Patti was with them. Since the food was in them so long before help arrived, they may all die.”

  “Oh no,” she whispered. “You know, they both looked a little pale when we saw them.”

  “Yeah, they were in a bad way when we got out there. Patti is already on a respirator. Will too. They seem the sickest.”

  Eve would hate to hear this. In spite of the trouble Patti had caused, she was still Eve’s sister. “What about Eve? Have the dogs gotten a scent?”

  Kade shook his head. “She’s vanished. None of the other dog teams have gotten a whiff of her scent either. He must have hauled her out of town with the windows shut.” Kade carried the bag to where Naomi lay on the fallen tree with her eyes closed.

  The dogs got up and stretched when he dumped some food for them. The truck door slammed, and Bree turned to see Nick walking toward them with slow steps.

  �
��You didn’t find your dad?” he asked.

  “No.”

  Nick handed her a bag. “Here’s some food for you two.”

  Bree pulled out a beef pasty. Even though it was lukewarm when she bit into it, it was the most delicious thing she’d ever eaten. The beef juice exploded on her tongue with flavor, and her fatigue began to fall away.

  “I needed that,” she said. “I was even out of pistachios.”

  “I brought you more of those too.” Kade smiled and handed over another bag.

  “A man after my heart,” she said, tucking them into her ready pack.

  “That’s the idea.”

  Naomi was still sleeping, but Bree knew her friend needed food. She poked Naomi’s leg with the toe of her shoe. “Hey, sleepyhead, grub’s here.”

  Naomi opened one bleary eye. “Food? Do I smell food?”

  “You do indeed.” Bree shoved the bag into Naomi’s hand. “Kade and Nick are here.”

  “They found Eve?” Naomi asked, sitting up with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

  “No.”

  The light in Naomi’s face faded. She opened the bag and took out her food. “Bliss,” she said when she took her first bite. “What time is it?”

  “Nine,” Nick said.

  “The geocachers should be out in force by now,” Bree said. Maybe they’d stumble across evidence of Eve’s or Bernard’s whereabouts. Bree was beginning to worry that her dad was lying dead under a bush somewhere. She didn’t want to even think about what was happening to Eve.

  “I think I’m going to go talk to Oliver,” Nick said. “He knows a lot about the criminal mind. Just maybe he’ll have an idea of where Gideon would think to take Eve.”

  Bree nodded. “How are the kids?” she asked Kade.

  “I called Anu on the way out here. They’re doing fine.”

  “They don’t know what’s going on, do they?”

  Kade shook his head. “She’s kept the TV off.”

  That was a relief. Bree had been afraid Davy and Keri would see Eve’s face on the morning news. Kade kissed her. “I’ll stay with Nick. We’re praying for you. Call me when you find him.”