The impact sent the man tilting toward the windshield, where his head bounced off the steering wheel. Clyne roared with fury and tried to return the punch, but since he had to twist to reach into the back seat, Leo still had the advantage. A second swing caught Clyne in the jaw.
“Get out, Ellen!” Leo shouted, but Ellen was already tugging on the door handle. It didn’t budge.
“He’s locked us inside.”
“Of course he has,” Leo growled. “I should have figured. This is a patrol car. Hang on and get ready to go as soon as I give the signal. Pull your feet up on the seat—we might have to go through the front.”
She did as instructed, but Clyne had nearly shaken off the effects of Leo’s fist connecting with his skull. The man made a grab for Leo, but since Leo had the position of advantage, he allowed Clyne to grab him and try to pull him forward. Ellen gasped as Leo used the leverage to propel himself into Clyne with force, slamming the staff sergeant’s forehead into the center of the car’s dashboard.
The impact made a horrible, cracking noise as pieces of police equipment collided with the man’s face. As Clyne bounced off and flopped back into the seat, Ellen noticed a cracked screen and several buttons covered in blood. She thought she might be sick.
Leo pointed to the passenger door in the front. “He’s out, but I don’t know for how long. We need to move. Climb into the front seat and get out the passenger side. Go! I’ll hold him off if he wakes up, go!”
Ellen couldn’t move.
The thump. The sound of a skull on a hard surface.
Not again.
She couldn’t catch her breath. Visions of her mother began to swim behind her eyes, images of Rod hitting the ground.
Strong hands gripped her shoulders and her vision refocused. Leo stared at her with—not pity. Not frustration. With confidence.
“You can do this. Ellen, I need you to do this. It’s going to be hard, but if we don’t get out of this car right now, we’re going to die. You will never see Jamie again. My brother’s wedding will be a funeral instead of a celebration. This is reality. We have to go, now.”
You can do this. A voice inside told her she could. She didn’t know where it came from or why, but a surge of energy welled up inside of her, and she knew they were going to make it out. God was looking out for them. Leo believed in her. She believed in herself.
She dove over the front seat and opened the passenger door, throwing herself out into the warm night air. Leo emerged right behind her, keys jingling in his hands.
“Should we get his phone?” she asked.
A low moan came from inside the car.
“No time,” Leo said. “Grabbed his walkie and keys, but we’ve got to get out of here.”
They faced the darkened road and ran.
* * *
By the time they reached the end of the road, they were both spent and out of breath. Again. Leo rested his hands on his hips and leaned over, trying to regather his strength. The road had long since curved and taken them out of view of the staff sergeant’s patrol car, but Leo didn’t want to take their temporary evasion for granted. The man could be on the move either on foot or in the car—though he hoped that taking the keys had delayed or eliminated the latter option.
Beside him, Ellen was studying the crossroad they’d emerged onto.
“Any ideas?”
She jogged a few meters in one direction, looked around, then doubled back. “We’re heading back toward Schroeder Lake. I don’t know what Clyne thought he’d do with our bodies after shooting us, but maybe he planned to dump us in the lake? Or in somebody’s trash and hope we wouldn’t be discovered until the residents returned? It makes no sense.”
“I agree,” he said, surprised at her casual discussion of their deaths. “But I think the man has reached a breaking point. From the sound of things, he’s got a personal crisis happening and thinks that silencing us is the only way to solve his problem. If we had any idea what that problem is, maybe we’d have been better able to deal with him.”
“Let’s go this way.” She waved him forward and they hurried down the road, though they both continued to breathe heavily from the exertion. “I don’t want to run into a repeat of yesterday, but I’m not sure what else to do but find a phone and call for help.”
He held up the walkie-talkie. “You don’t think I should use this?”
She shrugged. “Is it even safe? How do we know that there’s not someone else in the detachment who’s working with him? Or what if Clyne has come to and is listening with the car radio somehow?”
“That’s a good point.” He sighed and shoved the device back into his pocket. “We need to get to a real phone and call your brother. Let him know what’s happening.”
“Agreed. And like I said, I don’t want to repeat yesterday’s incident, but...”
“You know how to get into the Schroeder Lake cottages, and our best option is calling from one of those landlines.”
She pressed her lips together, almost apologetic. “Exactly.”
“Clyne’s not stupid. He’ll anticipate that being our next move, so what we need to do is get there before he does or before he sends his people after us again. We’d better hustle.”
Whether they’d make it to a cottage before their strength finally gave out was another matter entirely, so it was with an overwhelming sense of relief that they approached a green stake by the side of the road, the standard demarcation of the end of a driveway. But Ellen passed this one by, continuing onto the next. By the time they reached it, Leo was certain his legs would buckle under him, but they both found the strength to approach the house with caution.
The driveway was empty and the house dark. After checking several windows and seeing no shifting shadows inside, Leo decided that they needed to make a move rather than allow paranoia to prevent them from taking advantage of a possible lifeline.
Ellen entered the security code on the house and they slipped inside, closing the door behind them.
“Do we need to lock it with the code, too?” Leo asked as the door clicked into place. “Or does it auto-lock?”
“The system auto-locks it after two minutes,” she said. “So unless someone breaks a window, we’re good. I think there’s a phone in the kitchen and one in the upstairs office.”
“Let’s go upstairs. There’ll be less visibility from the outside.”
Ellen led the way to the phone. Leo’s legs burned at the effort of ascending the stairs to the second floor, and he was reminded that this cottage had been her second choice.
“Hey, why did we pass the first cottage? I’m not questioning your judgment, just curious. And exhausted.”
“Because if Clyne anticipated our next move like you suspected he might, wouldn’t he think we’d head to the nearest house?” She sighed and dropped into the desk chair, grabbing the phone receiver. “And I’d have gone farther if I thought we could both make it. I got worried that he’d be lying in wait outside the first house for sure and didn’t want to risk it. Just in case.”
“Wise move.”
She dialed her brother and put the phone on speaker.
“Hello? Who’s calling?” It sounded as though they’d woken him up.
“Jamie? It’s me.” Ellen’s voice suddenly shook with emotion, her shoulders drooping at the sound of her brother’s voice. Leo slipped around the back of the chair and placed his hands across her shoulders, gently kneading the knotted muscles there.
“Ellen? What’s going on?” Jamie sounded instantly awake. “Where’s Leo? Is he with you? Clyne said he had you in a secure place, but wouldn’t tell me where—”
Leo leaned over the speaker. “I’m here with Ellen. Clyne is dirty. He’s behind all of this. I don’t know if there are other dirty cops in your detachment, but you need to grab some of the men you trust and get down to, uh—”
“The Dualas’ place,” said Ellen. “You know where that is? It’s house number one-twenty-seven.”
“Yes, I know where it is, but... Clyne? Are you sure?”
Leo laughed bitterly. “If you consider driving us down a dark road, pulling a gun and confessing to everything enough evidence to be sure, then yes. We’re safe for now, holed up in this cottage, but there’s no telling where Clyne is at the present. We left him knocked out in his patrol car, but he’s not going to be too happy when he wakes up. And I don’t want to risk running into him on the road.”
“Okay.” Jamie exhaled heavily. “Thank God you’re all right. Hang tight. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll mobilize the cavalry and get there as fast as I can.”
Ellen’s finger hovered over the button to hang up, but another question sprang to mind and Leo jumped in, blurting it out before either Biers disconnected. “Hey, Jamie, do you know if the staff sergeant is having any personal issues? Family members or loved ones in trouble? Debt or legal problems that he’s hinted at recently?”
Silence stretched on the other end of the line. When Jamie answered, he sounded uncertain. “I honestly don’t know a lot about Clyne’s personal life. He keeps work and home life extremely separate. Almost fanatically so. I did hear a rumor about a year and a half ago about his sister getting sick, though. Something about her husband taking off and leaving her with three kids to take care of while dealing with a life-threatening condition. I know Clyne had to unexpectedly take a week of his vacation time to visit her, and I got the impression that whatever she was going through, the Canadian health care system wasn’t going to cover it. I don’t know specifics or if that’s even an ongoing issue, though. Like I said, he doesn’t talk about his life outside of work, and what I know is through hearsay.”
“Thanks. See you soon.” He ended the call. Ellen looked at him quizzically. “That’s it. That has to be it. Why else would a man of Clyne’s position risk everything?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, though. Why the thefts? We haven’t had a chance to learn much about what was stolen, and the only information we do have is regarding a valuable piece of artwork from a local auction.”
“Which the staff sergeant may have very well known about. If it was an auction of high-value locally made goods, it stands to reason that a police presence would have been warranted. Community events can require a police presence, depending on the size and other factors. Working security at an auction would give Clyne the perfect opportunity to learn who purchased what, as well as the value of all the items. The list of expensive items to steal and resell would have been basically on display for him. And like he admitted, his team only stole items that wouldn’t matter to the residents in the long run. Local artwork...who’s going to claim that? Who’s going to make a stink about it? If someone can afford a twenty-thousand-dollar sculpture for their vacation home, it’d be hardly a drop in the bucket to buy a replacement, or even commission one from the original artist. No harm, no foul.”
“Until someone died.” Ellen pressed her hands against the sides of her head. “Why not back off? Why keep up the charade?”
Leo thought about it and shook his head in amazement. “Clyne kept up the charade, all right. Arresting one of his own men to throw us off the scent, allowing a visiting forensics expert to study the crime scenes. Showing up to rescue us and then grill us for information. Making sure to be in the right place at the right time to distance himself from the actual crew, after that incident with Rod on the first day. Ellen, if he has a sister in desperate health who can’t work to pay her medical bills and who also has three children to feed, what other motivation does he need? RCMP salaries are good, especially at his level of leadership, but if she suffers from a rare or serious condition that isn’t supported by health care, that can be a considerable amount of money out of pocket. Serious, crippling debt can become a reality.”
Ellen stood and began pacing the room. “It’s all so extreme, though! Why go to such lengths? Why risk so much?”
“How far would Jamie go for you, Ellen?” Leo kept his voice soft. Ellen’s gaze snapped to him in surprise. “Think about it. How far would Jamie go to keep you safe and healthy? What personal risks would he take? What personal risks would you take for him?”
Ellen’s features fell, her indignant scowl sliding away as she sank back into the office chair. “I guess...there’s never been a limit. And he’s already done so much. He put his life on hold. He hasn’t dated or taken any promotions, or even gone on a vacation in years. I can’t remember the last time he did something for himself. He always jumps in to help and protect me, though I’ve never asked for it. I didn’t realize...” She looked up again, a frown taking over her delicate features. “Clyne’s love for his sister and his drive to protect her has become an obsession. I don’t want that to happen with Jamie and me.”
Leo sighed and took her hands. “It won’t, but he may need to be reminded that you’re not eighteen anymore, like you said earlier. That’s a conversation you’ll need to have with Jamie yourself. It’s between the two of you. But anyone can see how much you mean to each other, and I suspect that if his sister is all Clyne has—and if she’s in such desperate need—he’s doing what he thinks he needs to in order to take care of her. It’s heartbreaking...but I understand.”
Ellen nodded and stood. “Me, too. Should we wait for Jamie downstairs? I don’t want to waste another moment getting out of this mess—”
Beeping came from downstairs, followed by the click of the door unlocking. Leo looked at Ellen, whose eyes had grown wide. “Does Jamie know the code?”
She shook her head.
His stomach began to churn. “Have the Dualas come back to town early?”
She shook her head again.
“Then who...” He felt sick. He’d overlooked something very important. In their rush to figure out why, they’d forgotten to consider how.
The thefts hadn’t been reported until weeks later, because there’d been no signs of break-ins. No evidence of forced entry.
But it made sense now. The thieves had been able to enter the homes undetected because the person leading the charge had the security codes for the houses. And who could obtain those codes via seemingly official methods, and find a way to eliminate the records of entry with a simple phone call or threat of legal action?
Clyne could. Clyne had the codes. Clyne knew how to get inside all the vacation cottages.
Including the place they were hiding in.
SIXTEEN
Ellen pressed her hands against her mouth to keep from screaming. The look of utter horror on Leo’s face told her all she needed to know. Clyne is in the house.
She took in the room—desk, chair, filing cabinet, storage closet. Could they hide in the storage closet? It looked small, but their options were few. All they needed to do was stall until Jamie arrived with help. But he was all the way back in Fort St. Jacob and they were at Schroeder Lake, which meant it would take him at least fifteen minutes to reach the cottage.
She crept to the closet and placed her hand on the door. If she opened it and they climbed inside, Clyne might hear the door slide on its tracks. In the utter silence of the house, most sounds would be heard no matter from how far away.
Footsteps clacked against the hardwood floor of the living room. The man wasn’t even making an effort to hide his presence.
“I know you’re here,” he said. There was no mistaking it—the staff sergeant was beyond angry. He was livid and out for blood. If he found them this time, they wouldn’t be escaping his clutches alive. “You might as well come out and get it over with. I promise to make this quick. Relatively so, anyway. Maybe a few surface wounds to make up for the ones you gave me.”
His heavy steps crossed the room downstairs. It sounded like he’d stopped at the base of the stairs.
“If I were a coward
ly officer and a slippery little mouse, where would I be?”
The stairs creaked. Ellen held her breath, certain that if she moved a single muscle, he’d hear it. At any minute, they’d be found.
Leo’s fingers found the side of her face, and she gazed up into his eyes. She focused on the intensity there, giving her brain something else to do besides drag up sights and sounds from her memory.
And then the stairs creaked again, but farther away. He’d taken the split-level stairs from the living room to the kitchen instead of coming up to the second floor.
Leo leaned over to whisper directly in her ear. “Is there a place to hide up here? Or an easy exit?”
“The back door is by the kitchen. There’s a large closet in the master bedroom, like the Fosters’ closet where you found me. But we’ll have to hurry. If we don’t want him to hear us opening the door and getting inside, we have to do it while he’s at the back of the house.”
Leo didn’t hesitate. He tiptoed to the office door, paused to listen, then waved her over. She didn’t hear Clyne downstairs, which she hoped meant he’d gone all the way to the back of the kitchen in search of them. If they’d been really quick, they might have been able to race out the front door, but there was no guarantee he wasn’t lying in wait for them to do just that. It could be a trap.
She took careful, light steps from the office to the master bedroom, praying to a God who she thought just might be listening after all that the floor wouldn’t creak under their weight.
They reached the master bedroom, and Ellen froze in front of the closet. The next few seconds would mean the difference between life and death. Would the closet slide open silently or rumble and squeak on its tracks? Had she used a spray lubricant on this closet the last time she was here, or not?
Leo’s hand found her forearm, lending her strength.
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