Under Devil's Snare (Under Series Book 2)

by S. Y. Thompson

  Stepping onto the platform provided them with some concealment, giving Lindsay a sense of security. Mira’s concerns seemed to focus on more tangible things than the inexplicable noises in the night. Lindsay worried about an entirely different type of predator.

  “Look out for snakes.”

  “There aren’t any,” Lindsay said. “Snakes are cold-blooded and most likely holed up somewhere staying warm.”

  Lindsay heard gravel crunch under a booted foot and turned toward the sound. With her back to Mira, she tried to control the shift to adjust only her eyes. Remembering all the warnings drilled into her by her parents and other Panthera over the years, she couldn’t allow Mira to see anything unusual, though she doubted Mira would notice if she sprouted wings. Lindsay could hear her loud footsteps as Mira endeavored to explore the platform through the weak glow of the Buick’s headlights.

  She felt a shiver travel throughout her body as she strained to contain the transformation. Bursting into a fully formed jaguar adolescent was easier, barely requiring a thought. Controlling her body to alter a single feature required tremendous concentration, something hard to attain considering the situation. While she had to hide her nature from Mira, Lindsay’s instincts were screaming that danger approached and she needed to see.

  “Oh man, I just remembered that Dylan went to New York this weekend to watch the Jets play. Let me try to call my dad.”

  Lindsay barely heard her. Her eyes narrowed, the pupils elongating as her vision expanded outward. She quickly scanned their immediate area but didn’t see anyone approaching the station. Belatedly, she realized the platform and old building actually prevented her from fully assessing any threat. If there was a predator, they could hide anywhere. Something caught her eye and Lindsay squinted back down the dirt road leading back toward town. Surprise caused her breath to hitch in her chest, but there was no mistake. Almost a quarter of a mile away and concealed beneath a tree sat the same white panel truck she’d noticed sitting in front of her house.

  “I think you should call the sheriff’s department.”

  Mira snapped her phone closed and drifted over to stand beside Lindsay. She glanced around trying to see what had garnered Lindsay’s attention. “My dad’s not picking up either. Why should I call Sheriff Macke?”

  “Because I think there’s someone out there.”

  “Really, that’s great. Maybe they’ll give us a ride.” Before Lindsay could stop her, Mira shouted, “Hey, is someone there? We have a flat.”

  “Stop,” Lindsay hissed, making a chopping motion with her hand. Her eyes converted back to human as she whirled toward Mira. “Don’t you think whoever that is would have already said something if they were in the mood to help us?”

  “You’re being paranoid. There’s probably not anyone there anyway. Let’s just walk back to town.”

  “It’s two miles away,” Lindsay shot back, stung by the paranoid comment.

  “Well, I’m not going to stand here all night. I’m going. You can come with me or you can stay here. It’s your choice.” Mira stepped off the platform and into the high weeds without a backward glance. Lindsay couldn’t let her go alone, but hesitated to follow. Finally she decided that if someone did attack them, she would shift and defend Mira regardless of the Panthera Council and her parents. She’d be grounded for the rest of her life, but at least they’d still be alive. Lindsay hopped off the station steps and hurried after Mira. She caught up to her as they passed the Buick.

  Even as a bead of fear-induced sweat trickled from her hairline, Lindsay hugged her heavy coat closer. Mira wasn’t completely wrong in accusing her of being overly suspicious. Lindsay hadn’t any proof that someone lurked behind them with nefarious intent, only her instincts. For several minutes nothing unusual happened. They tramped down the road, their feet sinking into the dirt slightly with each step. Lindsay spotted the turn up ahead that would lead them back into town and felt the tension in her shoulders ease.

  A metallic thump sounded from behind them, back toward the abandoned train station. Lindsay recognized the noise as metal striking metal. She thought something had struck the side of Mira’s car. The fact that Mira’s eyes widened and she twisted her head around to look back the way they’d come told her Mira heard the noise, too.

  “Maybe you should call Sheriff Macke now.”

  Mira’s iPhone display glowed brightly in the darkness as she complied without discussion. “I only have one bar.”

  “Try it,” Lindsay hissed. She looked back over her shoulder, but still didn’t see anyone. Her augmented abilities allowed her to hear a woman on the other end of the connection answer.

  “Nine-one-one, what is the nature of your emergency?”

  “This is Mira Pye. I’m on Old Mill Road with Lindsay Drake. We had a flat and someone’s following us.”

  Lindsay turned again and forgot to listen to the ongoing attempts of the emergency services operator trying to calm Mira when she finally saw movement. The Buick’s headlights backlit a figure creeping toward them. Lindsay had the impression of bushy hair, but her attention centered on the large rifle aimed in their direction.

  “Mira, he’s going to shoot us. Run!”

  Heeding her own advice, Lindsay sprinted down the road. Mira took off beside her but they hadn’t taken half a dozen steps before Lindsay heard a hissing sound followed closely by a sharp sting in the back of her neck. She gasped and slapped a hand to the wound, surprised to discover a barb sticking out of her skin. Lindsay stumbled a few more steps before stopping to stare dumbly at the needle. Orange feathers decorated the end of the dart. Lindsay’s vision swam and she shook her head.

  “Come on, what are you stopping for?” Mira ran back and Lindsay felt her arms grasped and shaken. “We need to go.”

  Lindsay heard another zipping sound and watched numbly as an identical needle struck Mira in the left shoulder. Unlike Lindsay, Mira’s eyes rolled back in her head and she crumpled into the dirt. Lindsay’s tongue felt thick and she wondered why Mira was sleeping in the road. She must really be tired. A nap sounded like a really good idea. She sank to one knee, aware that she needed to stay awake. Something bad was happening, but her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and she couldn’t remember what.

  A foot in her back shoved her to the ground. Lindsay felt the coolness of dirt against her fevered cheek. Still, she fought to keep her eyes open. The only thing she could focus on was a pair of dark, thick trousers and heavy black boots. Their attacker didn’t speak, which seemed like the most eerie thing of all.

  When next she opened her eyes, Lindsay thought she must have lost consciousness for a few minutes. She was lying in the back of a vehicle with her arms immobilized behind her back. She thought they were moving, but not very fast. A warm body bumped into her when the vehicle turned.

  Mira.

  Where were they and why were they in the back of a vehicle? Weren’t they supposed to go see a movie? She should remember the answers to these questions, but it was too hard to think. Her head was pounding.

  The vehicle stopped suddenly and Lindsay slid forward a few inches. Mira’s head butted into her chin. She heard a muffled curse from the front and then a phone rang. For a second she thought Mira managed to hang onto her phone, but then realized their abductor was getting a call. Lindsay tried to shout that they were being kidnapped. Her mouth wouldn’t obey her commands and all she managed to do was mumble incoherently. The effort proved too much and her head swam.

  Minutes later, Lindsay realized the truck wasn’t moving anymore. She heard a panel slide open and strong arms lifted her from the vehicle. Then she was sitting upright in a hard-backed chair. Cruel hands tied her in place. Lindsay smelled dirt and old, crusty oil, but couldn’t see. No lights burned and her vision still blurred. Her thoughts had cleared slightly and she tried to keep calm. Lee had once advised her that in a crisis Lindsay needed to take note of details. She remembered the sight of trousers and heavy boots, what else?

/>   Sniffing carefully, she couldn’t detect cologne or perfume. The kidnapper had never spoken. Sweat. She smelled sour sweat. She heard a snarl of frustration and an object flew through the air toward her. Lindsay felt the air displacement as whatever it was narrowly missed her face and ricocheted off the wall behind her. Lindsay flinched, expecting an attack. It never came. A door slammed and her senses informed her she was alone.

  Where was Mira? Lindsay struggled to pull her hands free but the bonds were too strong. With every effort her headache pounded more. With the assailant gone, Lindsay no longer felt an imminent threat. Her chin sank toward her chest and she slept.

  Chapter Nine

  “COME ON, PICK up,” Jamison muttered.

  Just as she thought the call would go to voicemail, Ranger Thomas answered. She sounded out of breath but Jamison was far too angry to worry that she might have interrupted something.

  “This is Kessler. Where are you?”

  “Uh...”

  “Never mind, it isn’t important. I need you to get over to Old Mill Road ASAP.”

  A startled pause ensued before Brenda said, “Okay, but I’m not exactly dressed for work.”

  So she had interrupted. Jamison couldn’t help that. “I don’t care. We have a situation. Two kids are missing and we need people to help us search.”

  “I understand, Chief. I can be there in about ten minutes.”

  Jamison wanted to throw her phone into the windshield. Ten minutes could mean the difference between finding the girls alive or dead. “Get there as fast as you can.”

  She hung up without waiting for an answer. A few minutes later she turned onto a dirt lane. Squad car light bars and headlights made the area almost as bright as midday. From the crowd assembled down by the train tracks, Jamison figured any evidence was already obliterated by trampling feet. Even more aggravated, Jamison pulled her truck to the side of the road and headed toward the horde of wellintentioned volunteers and law enforcement officials on foot.

  Jamison smelled snow on the wind. She tucked her chin into the collar of her fur lined jacket, trying to ignore the chill seeping into her bones. The cold she felt was caused by more than just the weather. Two girls were missing, one of whom shared a close relationship with Jamison’s partner. No less disturbing was the fact that Lindsay also shared Lee’s general physical characteristics, the same as the two dead women who’d most recently occupied the local morgue. Determined the teenagers wouldn’t share the same fate, Jamison strode up to the troop of law enforcement officials standing near a late model Buick. Sheriff Macke held court there, apparently accompanied by Detectives Hex and Chase. Deputies milled around the area, boasting suitably somber expressions. Detective Seaver hovered near the back, trying to remain inconspicuous while taking pictures of those in attendance. Jamison remembered that suspects often tried to interject themselves into any investigation, sometimes just to see how much the police really knew.

  She noticed several prominent Panthera present, most notably elder Marie Tristan. Tristan stood near the sheriff and Jamison felt her hackles rise. The elder was far too ambitious as far as Jamison was concerned. As second to the Council of Elders, Tristan continuously challenged Darlene Kessler’s authority. Jamison tried to forget all that for now. Lindsay and Mira were the priorities. At least Tristan brought others to help search. A small crowd of volunteers stood a short distance away including Marie’s brother-in-law, Tim North. Jamison wondered if Marie would prove so helpful if one of the missing weren’t a Panthera cub.

  Sheriff Macke noticed Jamison’s arrival and that appeared to be the cue she was waiting for. “All right people, gather around. We’ve got two missing teenagers. Right now we’re not ruling out foul play so I want everyone to be careful. All search teams will have a minimum of two people. No one goes out alone and no one tries to be a hero. Each team will have a radio. Make sure you’re on channel two.”

  “Who are the kids, Sheriff?” A young woman asked.

  “Lindsay Drake and Mira Pye. Deputy Gomez will distribute pictures of the girls. If anyone sees them, radio me. If you see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, radio me.”

  Jamison lost patience with the sheriff, tired of the posturing. “How do you want us to break up?”

  Macke shot her an exasperated look. “Detective Hex, since your people don’t really know the town I’d like for you to search the train station and surrounding area for anything that might tell us where the girls are.”

  The sheriff went on to say that all major arteries in and out of Harmon had already been shut down with roadblocks. She assigned deputies to the search teams and sent them to scour the surrounding woods. Jamison didn’t miss the scent of fear emanating off the stalwart woman, which troubled her even more. Macke turned to Jamison as soon as the searchers headed off on their various assignments.

  “What?” Jamison demanded.

  “Don’t start with me, Kessler. I’m having a pretty bad night as it is.”

  “Tell me what you know.”

  Macke rolled her eyes. “I plan to do just that. Hex and her team already know, but I didn’t want this made public knowledge.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “My office received a nine-one-one call from Mira Pye. She said someone was following them. Then the dispatcher heard another girl’s voice saying someone was about to shoot them.”

  “Lindsay.”

  Sam nodded. “That’s the assumption. Their parents said the girls were headed into Lake Placid, but I guess they had a flat.”

  “So they really are in trouble.”

  “Now we don’t know that,” Sam argued. “They could have just gotten spooked and walked back toward town. Maybe they got turned around in the dark. I’m sure you noticed the street lights aren’t working.”

  Jamison knew that wasn’t what happened. Mira might get confused in the dark since she was fully human, but not Lindsay. She didn’t feel the need to point that out. “I’ll take some of the Panthera and head into the park.”

  “Then you think this is related to our killer?” Sam asked in a low voice so others wouldn’t overhear.

  “The timeline is right,” Jamison said, shaking her head sadly. “And Lindsay is a young blonde. Not only that but she’s Lee’s apprentice.”

  “Apprentice for what?” Sam quickly raised a hand. “Belay that. I don’t want to know, but I should point out that’s another link back to Grayson. Even you can’t deny the obvious anymore, Kessler.”

  “Trust me, I wish I could. Unfortunately, burying my head in the sand isn’t going to change the facts.”

  Macke nodded. “Turn your radio to channel two.”

  Jamison turned to walk away from Macke and felt something twist under the sole of her boot. At first she thought it was a rock, but the object rolled too precisely. Frowning, Jamison knelt down. Although covered with sand, she could clearly make out the feathered end of a tranquilizer dart. A shiver raced down her spine.

  She felt Sheriff Macke step up behind her. “What did you find?”

  “Do you have any latex gloves?”

  Sam stepped away and returned a few moments later. She passed the gloves over Jamison’s shoulder. Rather than don the latex, Jamison dropped a glove over the dart and picked it up. The feathers were attached to a one c.c. syringe. She held it up for the sheriff to see.

  “Damn. Who the hell carries a tranquilizer gun around?”

  “Someone hunting specific prey.”

  Sheriff Macke held out an open evidence bag and Jamison dropped the dart inside. “I’ll get this over to the lab. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find a print.”

  “I hope so. We need a break in this case.”

  “We may have just gotten one. Mira was on the phone with us when all this happened. I seriously doubt whoever took them planned for such a quick response.”

  Jamison stood up. “Regardless, he still has them. As far as I’m concerned, this just proves it’s our guy.”

  “Should I cal
l off the search here and send the other teams into the Park? That is where we found the other victims.”

  “No, we still don’t know where those women were killed, even though we know their deaths were almost instantaneous. That didn’t happen where they were found so there has to be another explanation. If our killer did make a mistake, you’ll find the signs of it here.”

  “Because he didn’t have time to clean up after himself?”

  Jamison nodded, glancing at the dart Macke held. “That’s the theory.”

  “From your lips to God’s ears.”

  “There’s something else, Sheriff. The killer has always taken his victims when they were alone, with no witnesses. Why the change? Was Mira an accident?”

  “Or has our psycho escalated to taking two victims now?”

  “It’s happened before, but I just don’t know. Too many things aren’t adding up. The first two crimes were well executed and there wasn’t any evidence left behind. Why would he suddenly do something like cutting Lee’s brakes or taking two victims in such a sloppy way? It’s almost like he’s becoming unhinged.”

  “I hate to say it, Kessler, but if he is devolving, this could be the start of a spree.”

  The throb of a helicopter sounded overhead and they both looked upward. Dinah’s craft came into view and her searchlight winked on, scouring the ground. Jamison felt the heat generated by the strong light as it passed over her skin. More optimistic with the air support, she decided to leave Sheriff Macke to her work.

  “For what it’s worth, I don’t think that’s it. We just don’t have enough answers yet. I’d better get moving, but please let me know if you find something with the dart.” Jamison glanced away from the helicopter and caught Marie’s eye. She gestured for Marie, Tim and the others to follow her.

  She saw Marie shoulder her way to the front of the group and didn’t look forward to what would happen next. Assigning the elder to search the woods along with the rest of the volunteers was liable to backfire in her face. No doubt Marie would deem such a task beneath her and take over the operation. Jamison waited near her pickup, sizing up the group of about fifteen as they approached. If they’d been human, she’d have worried the force wasn’t large enough. However, more than a dozen Panthera were a formidable force. Too bad the Adirondack Park was so huge. Still, Jamison realized she needed to utilize her resources to the best advantage.