by Val Welch
“How the fuck do you know that?”
“Those tire tracks are from a special off-road tire called a Swamper, the same kind Troy runs on his jeep.”
Carson called Morgan with the information as Frank moved the jeep forward.
They followed the trail, all three men intently watching the fresh tire tracks in the soft dusty soil. The trail wound behind the dozen or so high-end custom homes in Doc’s neighborhood and toward a small range of mountains to the south. Frank, the deputy, dropped the jeep into low-range four-wheel drive and started creeping up the side of the first ridge on the barely visible, overgrown trail. Half an hour later they broke over the top of the ridge and were faced with a fork in the road.
Gabe and the deputy climbed out the jeep and split off. Each started walking down one of the trails.
Carson followed Gabe. “What are you doing? We don’t have time for this shit.”
Gabe continued to walk along the trail intent on the deeply rutted roadway. “We’re trying to pick up the tire tracks. We lost them in the shale on the ridge.”
Carson took a deep breath. Calm down, losing it is not going to help her now. He followed along, watching the roadway and keeping pace with Gabe. “Tell me about Troy.”
Gabe gestured toward the thick pine forest spread endlessly out below them. “That’s the Sitgreaves National Forest. It goes on for a couple hundred miles. Troy grew up out there. Hunting. Fishing. He knows it like the back of his hand. He can live out there indefinitely. We’ve got to find them in the next couple of hours or we’ll have to play their game.”
“What is their game? Why are they doing this?”
Gabe sighed and looked across the roadway at Carson. “These people have a whole different mindset. They hate what progress has done to their lifestyle. Troy was born a generation too late. Nothing would make him happier than to move to Alaska and homestead a few hundred acres in the wilderness.”
“Why didn’t he?”
“Because his wife, Anna, is sick and needs constant medical attention.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Cancer.”
They heard the unmistakable whir of the chopper and looked around to locate it. It burst over the ridge just a couple hundred feet over the tree tops. Carson waved as he saw Morgan riding shotgun next to the pilot.
Morgan waved and pointed on down the trail as they spun off down the ridgeline. Gabe turned around. “Let’s go back to the jeep and see if Frank picked up the trail.”
“So, what do you think they’re going to do to Shelby?”
Gabe looked at him and shook his head. “I wish the hell I knew. I’m still trying to figure it out. Maybe Anna can give us some answers. I hope they picked her up.”
“Yeah, we had surveillance set up for the kidnapping exchange. I’m sure they did a sweep and picked up the entire family. Do you think they’re going to try to ransom Shelby, since the scam with Joaquin fell apart?”
Gabe bent over, braced his good hand on his knee and took a deep breath. “Maybe, or maybe it’s the last big hurrah for them. You know, going out with guns blazing.”
Carson saw the grimace on Gabe’s face as he slowly stood. “God, I hope not. Are you okay? You look like shit.”
“I’m fine. Dammit, we’ve got to find her now,” Gabe said, clenching his one good fist.
Carson glumly shook his head and saw Frank standing in the road ahead. “There’s Frank. Maybe he found the tracks.”
Gabe broke into a trot. “Frank, what do you got?”
Frank shrugged and shook his head. “Nothing. I even went back down the ridge to see if we missed them cutting off the trail and going overland. It’s like the tracks just disappeared into thin air about halfway up the ridge.”
They climbed up to the summit of the ridge and stood scanning the miles of endless forest. Then Gabe took his cell phone and dialed. “Helen, it’s Gabe. Call Walter. Get him and his hounds out to Doc Ryan’s place as soon as possible.”
Carson tore his eyes from the forest below them and looked at Gabe. “Who’s Walter?”
“He’s the best tracker in the southwest. We’ve used him and his hounds more than once to find people lost in the forest.”
“Can they follow a vehicle?”
“Yeah, if all the conditions are right. I’m hoping we pick them up at a roadblock. Because if we have to go out there,” he said, nodding toward the forest, “we’re going to need everything we’ve got and a whole lot of luck too.”
Frank gently touched Gabe’s good arm. “Come on, Gabe. There’s nothing else we can do here. Let’s head back and set up a command center.”
Gabe nodded and wordlessly the three of them walked back to the jeep.
Two hours later the rescue operation was in full swing. The FBI mobile command unit was parked in Doc’s driveway and his garage had been transformed into a command center.
Carson, Gabe, Morgan and SAC Reynolds were all focused on finding Shelby and finding her fast. The roadblocks had come up empty so far. The group gathered around a large topographical map of the area talking with Ben Hawkins of the forest service.
“I think our best bet is to focus on this area, south of highway seventy-three and north of the Rim Road. There are several old mining operations and line shacks in that area where they could hide out,” Ben said, making a circle on the map with his finger.
Gabe chewed on his lip and traced the faint outline of the old logging road on the map. “I’m not so sure they didn’t do the opposite. They could have gone cross country through the forest at the base of this ridge line and dropped down off the rim in this draw and be high and dry in any number of places by now.”
He turned toward SAC Reynolds. “Any luck with Anna? Are you sure you don’t want me to talk to her?”
“No, she’s still maintaining she knows nothing. Let’s give my guys a couple more hours with her, and then decide if you should get involved,” she said, looking around the group for agreement.
Morgan glared over at Gabe. “If you hadn’t compromised your professional ethics for your relatives, we wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
“You’re absolutely one hundred percent right. I should have hauled them both in the minute Eden told me Joaquin and Troy had recruited William Malone into the group.”
SAC Reynolds pushed off from the edge of the table she’d been leaning against. “I think recriminations at this point are a waste of precious resources. We need to stay focused on our mission.” She moved into the center of the group. “Effective immediately, I’m evoking my right to take the lead on this investigation. The three of you are all too emotionally involved with the victim.”
“I agree,” Carson said. “What would you like me to do?”
“You’re the technology guy here, use it. Find out everything you can about our suspects and get with the profilers to develop their profiles. Chief Navarro, I want the Pine Ridge Police Department to take the lead in conducting the ground search. Your people are the most familiar with the terrain. SAC Morgan, I’ll expect you to continue to coordinate and facilitate a professional inter-agency investigation. Your people need to re-interview all the EFA suspects for information regarding any pre-established hiding areas or exit plans from the area. I want you to lean on them all real fucking hard. Got it?” she said vehemently as she stood in the middle of the group.
“Yeah, I’ve got it,” Morgan nodded, still glaring at Gabe.
SAC Reynolds checked her watch. “Let’s meet back here at sixteen hundred hours,” she said before briskly walking from the room.
Gabe turned back to the map with Ben Hawkins. “I think we should turn Walter loose on the trail as soon as he gets here.”
Ben shrugged. “It’s your call, but I don’t see him and that old broken-down hound of his doing any good in this situation.”
Gabe looked at Hawkins for a long moment before replying. “Yeah, you’re right, it’s my call. Do me a favor and broadcast a description of the three
of them and the jeep to all of the forest service personnel in the district. The more eyes we have out there the better.”
Morgan nudged Carson and nodded toward the door to the house. The two of them left the garage together and started down the long hallway to the kitchen. “Keep close to Navarro. I’m still not convinced he isn’t involved in the EFA in some way. I’m seriously considering pulling him off this case.”
Carson’s hard won control evaporated. He grabbed Morgan, pinned him up against the wall. “Don’t you fucking go macho on me. I don’t trust him anymore than you do. But, he loves her and he’s our best bet for getting her back,” he yelled into his face before slowly letting him slide down the wall and regain his feet.
Morgan shook his head and glared at him as he straightened his clothes. “Carson, I’m going to let that go, but …” he started, looked over Carson’s shoulder and then just walked away.
Carson turned around. Doc was standing in the doorway of his bedroom. Carson walked down the hall toward him. Doc stood aside as Carson walked into the room and then he closed the door. Lydia was sitting on the edge of the still unmade bed and Doc sat down next to her. “Carson, buddy, we’ve got to hold it together. You’re right. Gabe does love her, but whatever happens between the three of you after this is over, you have to let Gabe find her.”
Carson sank down onto the chair across from the bed. “Are you okay, Doc?”
Doc nodded, obviously struggling to hold on. Lydia took his hand in hers and looked up at Carson. “Gabriel is truly a good person, too good. He loves his family deeply and made a grave error by not arresting Joaquin and Troy as soon as he learned they were involved with this awful group,” she said, slowly shaking her head. “However, he will do everything in his power to find Shelby, we must all trust in that.”
Carson leaned forward, put his hands on the arms of the chair and forced himself to his feet. “I know. I’m going to go talk to Gabe now. He’s got a tracker coming in and I need to find some of Shelby’s clothes for the dogs.”
“Walter? He’s bringing Walter in?” Doc jumped up, swayed on his feet and fought to keep his balance.
“Sit down.” Carson grabbed him and guided him back to the bed. “You’ve probably got a concussion and definitely need some stitches.”
Doc pushed his hands away. “I’ve got to talk to Gabe. Get him in here now.”
Carson refused to budge. “Why, Doc? What’s the deal with Walter?”
“If he’s bringing Walter in, he thinks they’re going to kill her. Walter runs cadaver dogs.”
Carson turned and bolted from the room.
Gabe was still in the garage talking to Ben Hawkins and two of his deputies. Carson crossed the room in a couple of quick strides, grabbed Gabe by the shoulder and spun him around. “We need to talk now, Navarro. Why didn’t you tell me Walter runs cadaver dogs?”
Gabe grimaced as Carson’s hand remained on his injured shoulder. The men surrounding him stepped forward to intervene and Gabe waved them off. “Look, I don’t have time to babysit you through this. Walter is the best we have and he’s bringing Moses out of retirement. Moses is the best tracking hound in history. Carson, just let us do what we do best.”
Carson stepped back, put his palms up. “Okay, I’m sorry. Doc needs to see you when you’re finished here. Should I be getting some of Shelby’s clothes for the dogs?”
“Yeah, he’ll need something dirty. Maybe some of her running clothes. Get a few things and put them in a plastic bag,” Gabe said, turning back to the topographical map they had spread on the table.
Carson left the room and went to his and Shelby’s room. He went through the hamper and retrieved her running sweats from the previous day and put them in a garbage bag from under the vanity. He sat on her bed, picked up her pillow and lifted it to his face, deeply inhaling the scent of her. He was still holding it a couple of minutes later when someone knocked on the door. Carson stood, wiped the tears from his face and turned as Gabe walked into the room.
Gabe glanced around the room and flinched when he saw Shelby’s black lace teddy laying on the bed. “Walter is waiting, do you have the clothes?”
Carson handed him the bag of clothes and picked up his jacket from the chair. “I’m coming with you.”
“Suit yourself. We could be out there for days. Is that all you want to bring?”
Carson opened the dresser, pulled out a few things, threw them into his backpack and walked back across the room.
Gabe looked down at his sneakers clad feet. “Do you have boots?”
“No I don’t.”
Gabe turned and walked out of the room. “Size twelve?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Yeah.”
Gabe continued through the house and out to a group of deputies and posse members standing in the driveway in front of the FBI mobile unit. “Who’s a size twelve boot out here?” Gabe asked, nodding toward Carson.
Frank stepped forward. “I am, and I’ve got an extra pair in the back of my jeep.” He led Carson over to his jeep and retrieved a pair of boots and a couple pairs of thick wool socks. “Are you going out with Walter and Gabe?”
“Yeah,” Carson said as he leaned against the jeep and started changing into the boots.
“You seem like a nice enough guy for a fed. Let me give you a little advice,” Frank said. He pulled out a can of snuff from his back pocket and put a pinch between his gum and lip. “Stay away from the back end of the mules and never pet the dogs. Walter will shoot you. The best way to deal with Walter is to stay up wind, watch your back and never rise to the bait. Failing that, follow Gabe’s lead and heaven help you if you slow them up. They already have several hours to make up.”
Carson stood, tested the fit of the boots and looked at Frank. “Is that your usual scare the tin horn speech?”
Frank pulled his battered cowboy hat lower on his forehead. “Nope, it’s some advice from a fellow who’s seen more come back dead than alive from being lost out there. You should know that we could be knee deep in snow in the next couple of days. I’ll be praying for you.”
Carson hung his head. “Sorry, I’m barely holding on here.”
“I know, son. Come on, they’re ready over there.” He went back to the backseat of the truck and pulled out a small duffel bag. “Here’s some foul weather gear, put it in your pack too.”
Carson took it, stuffed it into his backpack and said, “Thanks, Frank, I’ll get this all back to you.”
“Yep, I know you will,” Frank said. They walked back to Doc’s house where Gabe stood waiting next to his 4x4.
Gabe checked out the boots, pointed at the truck and said. “You drive. We’re going to meet Walter up on the trail where they went into the jeep.”
Carson climbed in the truck as Doc came out of the house and hurried over to them. He stuffed a sleeping bag through the window at Carson and stuck his head in the window. “Bring my girl home,” he said, glaring at the two of them.
“Don’t worry, Doc,” Gabe said. “We’re going to get her.”
Carson grasped Doc’s shoulder. “Hang in there.”
Doc blew out a long breath and stepped back. He looked like he’d aged twenty years in the last couple of hours. Lydia wrapped her arm around his waist as Carson backed the SUV down the long driveway and turned toward the road.
Gabe leaned back in the seat, cradling his injured arm. “You can pick up the trail at the end of the block.”
Thirty
Shelby came to in the back of a jeep. She grabbed onto the thick black roll bar and pulled herself into a sitting position as the jeep bounced over a deeply rutted trail. She was carefully probing the goose egg on the back of her head when Joaquin Navarro turned in the front passenger seat and said, “Good morning, Shelby. Sorry about the headache. I didn’t want you to shoot us.”
Shelby glared at him. “Do you know the penalty for kidnapping a federal agent?”
Joaquin laughed. “Not exactly, but I’m sure you’re about t
o enlighten us.”
“Shelby, just relax,” Troy Abbott said, glancing over his shoulder from the driver’s seat. “We’re not going to hurt you. We need you to help us.”
“Help you do what?” She grabbed the roll bar to avoid sliding across the bare metal floor of the cargo area as the jeep continued slowly inching its way up a steep incline.
“Keep our families safe from Dante. This is the only way out we can see,” Joaquin said.
Troy drove the jeep into a clearing at the top of the hill they’d just climbed, turned the jeep off and turned around in his seat toward her. “Shelby, some really bad shit is about to go down and we want nothing to do with it. But, Dante will kill our families if we turn ourselves in or go to the police. Gabe left us no choice, we had to do this.”
“What’s Gabe got to do with it?”
“He had to go fall in love with you, dump Eden and spoil the whole kidnapping scam. So, now Dante has decided that you’re our plan B.”
“You’re taking me to Dante?”
“We have no choice,” Joaquin said. “They have someone watching our families twenty-four/seven. If we don’t do this …”
“Okay, I get it. You need passage out of the country for you and your families. Give me my cell phone. I can do that.”
Joaquin shook his head. “No Shelby, you don’t understand, it’s not that easy. We have to deliver you to Dante today or else.”
“I can’t help you save your families if I’m dead.”
“You won’t be dead. We have a plan,” Troy said. “After we deliver you to Dante, he’ll think we’re back onboard and call his dogs off. We can get our families out of the country and then we’ll bust you out and you can call in the feds to pickup Dante and the rest of the EFA leaders.”
She leaned back against the tailgate. “Ah … well, that sounds like a really bad idea to me.”
“Come on, Shelby,” Joaquin said. “We just need you to go along with it long enough to get our families safe.”
“You tried to kill Gabe and now you’ve kidnapped me. That’s not the way you ask for help.”