by Jen Blood
“I am sorry about this, Vivvy. It’s not you, it’s me.”
“Oh, believe me, I know,” Violet said bitterly.
“All right, ladies. On your feet,” Chase said. “Let’s get this over with.”
With no alternative that she could see, Megan got to her feet. How far away was Hogan? It seemed impossible to her that they had come all this way, were this close to going home, only to have it end like this.
Justin led the way while Chase brought up the rear, with Megan, Violet, and Recluse in between. This time, however, their journey was a lot shorter than she’d expected. Barely half an hour had passed before Chase ordered them to stop.
“What happens now?” Megan asked. Justin was just a few feet away from her, but so far Chase had kept him at a distance. Now, however, he looked at his friend. She saw him nod, ever so slightly.
“I told you you’d get your chance,” he said. “Whatever you need to do.”
“It’s about time,” Justin said. Before he made a move, he eyed Recluse. Chase had already given him his pistol back, since there was no way Justin could have handled the rifle with one good arm. Now, he lifted the gun. And aimed it at the dog.
“No!” Megan shouted. She tried to step in front of the gun, but Recluse had other plans. Before she could get in the way or call him off, the dog lunged.
Justin shrieked, but held the gun steady as the Malamute tackled him, hitting the man full force with seventy pounds of muscle and fury. Megan tried to pull him off, but she was too late.
A gunshot reverberated around her, beneath her, splitting the daylight in two.
Chapter 30
Flint K-9 Search and Rescue
February 6, 7:00 a.m.
OUTSIDE, IT LOOKED LIKE THE SUN was trying to make its way through the clouds. After I’d told my story, Jack had been quiet. Strangely, it wasn’t awkward. I kept waiting to feel exposed, pitied, for the story I had told. Instead, I just felt lighter. There were still things I hadn’t told him, but the fact that Jack knew some of the darkest parts of my history was surprisingly liberating. Nothing he might find out now could scare him away. More than that, though, I’d spoken the truth, and the world hadn’t ended. I hadn’t been struck by lightning for telling someone. Jack hadn’t shaken his head or turned away; he didn’t seem to view me as a weaker woman now that he knew what I’d been through with Brock.
“You sure you don’t want to try and get a little more sleep?” Jack asked me eventually, interrupting my thoughts. He was still seated by the fire, just a couple of feet from me.
“No, I’m all right. I want to get in touch with Hogan and get back out there.”
“Sounds good,” he agreed. “I’m just going to go out and use the facilities. I’ll be right back.”
He stood somewhat stiffly, clearly feeling the effects of the past two days. As he passed by, his hand found the top of my head and rested there for a few seconds. It was an unexpected gesture, intimate and comforting, and I let myself relax into the feel of his touch for just a moment.
“Thanks for trusting me,” he said. “I know it’s not easy.”
I said nothing, unsure how to respond. His hand lingered on my head for another second, stroking down the side with a touch so light, so gentle, that it felt almost ghostly.
“I’ll be right back,” he said.
“I’ll be here.”
He went out, leaving me alone in the cabin with Casper once more. The dog had been asleep on the bed, but got up when Jack headed out. I stood painfully, feeling the inevitable aches in muscles and joints in bones, and scratched under the pit bull’s chin before going for my things.
“You think you’re ready for another day’s work?” I asked.
The dog’s tail whipped back and forth, that happy grin back in place. Apparently, four hours was more than enough time to rejuvenate Casper. I wished I felt half so spry, but I reckoned I was in good enough shape to keep going for at least another few hours. Maybe, if luck was on our side, it wouldn’t take that long before we were able to bring Megan and Violet home safely.
I was packing up my gear and thinking about how best to structure the day when I heard someone talking outside the cabin. I froze at around the same time Casper went ballistic. There was an instant of panic before I recognized the voices: Jack and Hogan. It sounded like there were others out there, as well. A few seconds later, there was a brief knock on the door before Jack opened up.
“Look who I found,” he said, stepping aside to let Hogan cross the threshold first.
“It really is a small world,” I said.
“Ain’t it just,” Hogan said dryly. Casper was going nuts trying to reach Hogan, but I pulled him back.
Outside were three other men, all of them rangers, while a cadre of policemen skirted the perimeter.
Hogan was in dry clothes, but it was the grin on his face that held my attention.
“You’ve got them,” I said.
“We’ve got them,” he agreed. “Or we will, anyway. Megan just called. They’re safe. It’s about an hour’s hike from here, inaccessible by snowmobile or chopper. I’m going up, but I wanted to see if you’d like to come along. We don’t have a pinpoint location – we could use Casper for that, if he’s up for it.”
“Of course,” I assured him. “We were just about to come find you. How did she get to a phone?”
“Long story. Come on – let’s go. I don’t want to keep her waiting any longer. I’ll brief you while we’re moving.”
Within minutes, we were on the trail with Hogan guiding us, GPS in hand. Despite the grin and the clean clothes, he really did look like hell. It was the lightness in his step and the determination emanating from him that made him look like a different man, though.
The forest seemed lighter now, thanks in part to the sunshine. The knowledge that Megan and Violet were safe and Justin apprehended made it less foreboding than it had seemed before. I wondered whether any of that had to do with the conversation I’d had with Jack a few hours ago, difficult as it may have been at the time.
Casper seemed to sense the change himself, and ran eagerly ahead as we trekked up the mountain pass. Brock’s voice was silent, though I was sure I’d hear more from him. Justin, on the other hand, seemed to be purged. I wondered silently what would have happened if he had successfully hurt, even killed, Megan. Would I have felt it? Was this simply a one-off, some bizarre occurrence like seeing the dead girl in Glastenbury? Or were my abilities changing somehow, in ways I wasn’t sure I could handle?
“Penny for your thoughts,” Jack asked, catching up to me on a stretch of slightly more even terrain. “Or are they worth more than that?”
“A penny will do,” I said. “I’m just thinking about everything that’s happened. Glastenbury. This.”
“You mean the things you’ve seen and heard. And felt,” he added grimly.
“Yeah,” I admitted. “I’m not sure I’m ready for whatever comes next.”
“Have you considered talking to someone?”
“Like a shrink for psychics? I can only imagine the nuts who line up to put that on their business card. No thank you.”
“Give it some thought. If you’re interested, I might know a guy.”
I cast a sidelong glance to see if he was joking. It was clear he wasn’t. “I’ll let you know.”
“Pick up the pace, you two,” Hogan called back. “It should be just ahead.”
The sky was purest blue, the air clear up here. It promised to be a gorgeous day. Hogan was practically running the last stretch. Caught up in his enthusiasm, Jack and I doubled our speed. But as we approached the clearing, I felt something ominous take shape just behind me. Some product of the elements that could take us all out at will.
“Casper, come!” I called to the pit bull, who was still moving further up ahead. Casper paused. His head came up as he looked back at me, questioning.
“Yes, you. Come.”
Grudgingly, he returned to my side.
> “You’re sure this is where Megan called from?” I asked Hogan as we surveyed the snowy clearing.
“Look at the GPS,” Hogan said, showing me his screen. “Not to mention the footprints.”
He was right: upon closer inspection, I saw several scuffed boot prints. One quick pass was all it took to come up with a broken zip tie, blood coating the plastic on one side. They’d definitely been here. The next step would be to put Casper back on the trail, but we took a minute more to look around first.
“Hunter!” Hogan shouted. “What the hell? I’m too tired to play hide and seek.”
“I don’t think they’re playing a game,” Jack said. He knelt beside a downed spruce, eying something intently before he picked it up carefully in a gloved hand.
“Is this the phone you’ve been tracking?” he asked.
Hogan cursed under his breath, taking the object from Jack.
At the same time, that dark shadow I’d felt before flew directly overhead – blocking my sun, though things remained bright all around me. Though I heard no voices this time, felt nothing, there was no doubt in my mind that something had happened here.
“Where’s your scent article for Megan?” I asked. “They can’t have gone that far – you didn’t talk to her that long ago, and she was fine.”
I could hear the rest of the search team coming up the trail behind us. What would Justin do if he was cornered? Or, the better question:
What wouldn’t he do?
Hogan handed me Megan’s handkerchief, and I gave it to Casper. The dog snuffled it eagerly, tail wagging. This time, there was almost no hesitation before his nose hit the ground and he began to move.
We had them now, I was sure. But would we be too late?
Chapter 31
THE SEARCH TOOK just under half an hour, with Casper going all-out, nose to the ground. I waited for more horrible words, more angst or pain, but heard nothing. Felt nothing. Casper’s pace typically increased the closer he was to whatever he was searching for; right now, there was no holding him back. My own dread gnawed at me at the thought of what we might find.
We lost sight of the dog on a twisting stretch of trail as he bolted, ignoring me when I called after him. Jack glanced at me. Hogan was a few steps ahead of us, his own body tight with the fear I knew he must be feeling right now. Up ahead, Casper barked twice. A deep bellow of a bark answered, apparently coming from the same spot. I broke into a run.
I turned the corner with Jack keeping pace beside me, neither of us mindful of the ice or the boulders or the craggy, snow-covered path that served as a trail here.
And suddenly, there they were.
“It’s about time,” Megan said wearily. She looked up from her spot just off the trail, perched on a felled tree. Her face was bloody and cut and beyond exhausted.
The woman I assumed was Violet Carter sat beside her, looking equally ragged. I had been expecting Megan’s ex, Justin, to be there, and he was: bound and sitting on the snowy ground, his face deathly pale and one coat sleeve soaked in blood. The surprise, however, was the man beside him.
Chase Carter.
Chase looked slightly more put together than Justin, though not by much. There was a welt on his cheek, but the bigger issue was the bloodstain just above the kneecap of his right leg. Like Justin, he sat on the ground with his hands bound behind him.
A woolly mammoth of a dog stood warily to greet Casper, who wisely kept his distance. After a quick butt sniff, Casper returned to my side and looked at me expectantly.
“Good find, buddy,” I said. I didn’t have to feign enthusiasm this time around. I took his tug toy from my jacket pocket and we played a rousing game as the remainder of the search team descended.
Hogan got Justin and Chase to their feet roughly, Chase’s face growing paler with every passing second. Blood dripped from the wound in his leg, but Hogan made no attempt to go easy on either man. For which I was grateful.
“Good boy, Casper,” I said to the dog as Jack looked on. Grinning widely, Casper took the tug that I offered. He went down on his front paws, tail wagging. This time, I made no effort to cut the game short.
Epilogue
BY THAT AFTERNOON, Megan and Violet were safely in the local hospital for observation. Chase and Justin were in the same hospital, where they would remain until they were taken into custody. Their wounds were more serious than the women’s, both of whom were suffering from exposure and minor cuts and bruises. We didn’t know yet what the prognosis was for the men, but their recovery would likely take a lot longer. The physical side of things, at least. The emotional side was a whole other story.
Meanwhile, inside our homey little lodge, Michelle was already gone, and we were on our way out. We’d cleaned up and packed our gear, though the dogs were still roaming free inside and Bear and Ren seemed to be having a particularly hard time saying goodbye to our oasis. While Casper and Minion raced each other up and down the stairs, Phantom stuck close beside me, every move stiff and awkward. The coyote had definitely gotten the better of her. Time alone would tell whether she would be able to join another search with me, but I was hoping this wouldn’t mark the end of our partnership.
At just past four, Hogan showed up for a quick debrief. Bear and Ren joined us in the living room, both of them eager to hear the scoop behind the final twists and turns of the search.
“So Chase really hired Megan’s ex to kill his wife?” Bear asked. He shook his head, frowning. “What a dirt bag.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Hogan agreed. “We don’t have a lot of details beyond that, since Justin isn’t talking. Seems he’s the loyal one in the duo, since Chase is trying to lay it all at his friend’s feet. We’ve got the transponder, Megan and Violet’s testimony, and we’re working on tracking the computer glitch that got Justin out… Dollars to donuts, that whole thing was thanks to Chase. Not to mention the fact that he apparently used his credit card to buy all of Justin’s gear.”
“Not exactly criminal masterminds, are they?” Jack asked.
“Not exactly,” Hogan said. “It’s a good thing, too. If either of them had been even remotely competent, armed with something a little more effective, things might have turned out differently.”
“So what exactly happened up there?” I asked. “I still don’t understand how you have two reasonably physically capable armed men, and they wind up being taken down by a dog and two hypothermic women. Badass women, don’t get me wrong. But still…”
“There was apparently a struggle with the dog,” Hogan said. “While Recluse was tackling Justin, Chase got distracted. Violet used the opportunity to steal an unattended rifle, and she got Chase in the knee. Justin was armed, but the gun jammed.”
“So luck, a dog, and a woman quick on her feet,” I said. “That’s what saved the day.”
“Sounds about right,” Hogan agreed. “There’s another piece of good news, too – and one more nail in Chase’s coffin, hopefully. Sally Price is conscious. She’s got some short-term memory loss, but they expect her to make a full recovery. One thing she does remember, though: overhearing Chase on the phone with Justin just before she was in her accident. She was going to the WildFire base to tell Heather what was going on.”
“That’s a relief,” Jack said. “I’m glad Violet didn’t have to face losing her mother on top of everything she’s going through with Chase.”
“I think that’ll make the difference for her,” Hogan agreed. “She’s tougher than she looks. She’ll be all right.”
“How’s Megan handling everything?” I asked.
Hogan shook his head with a frown. “Time will tell, I guess. I’m not sure how to help, but I don’t plan on going anywhere until I figure it out.”
“Good,” I said. “Just give her some time. But make sure she knows you’re there – that’s important.”
“Count on it.” He paused. “Thanks.”
I shrugged. “Just make sure you invite me to the wedding.”
I exp
ected at least a faint blush. Instead, he cast a subtle sidelong glance toward Jack and grinned. “Only if you do the same.”
I could have slugged him, though Jack seemed oblivious.
We chatted for a few minutes more before Hogan announced that he was headed back to the hospital to visit Megan. I walked him to the door. As we were saying goodbye, he pulled me into an impulsive hug.
“Take care of yourself, okay?” he said quietly, still holding me. “You should be proud of what you’ve done. Who you’ve become. Don’t let anyone make you think you don’t deserve every good thing that comes your way.”
“Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you.”
I imagined Brock’s reaction to the words, but this time I heard nothing. Was he done? Had it really just taken me speaking those secrets out loud for him to lose his power? Or was he still lurking out there somewhere, waiting to pounce as soon as he found another opening?
I closed the door once more, and was plunged headfirst back into the world I knew best: Casper and Minion chasing each other over the furniture, under the table, up and down the stairs. Phantom lying peacefully on her bed by the fire. Jack, on the couch with long legs stretched out in front of him, a book in his lap.
“Why are we not ready to go?” I called up the stairs, where my teenagers seemed to have vanished once more.
“There’s cable here,” Bear called down from the top of the stairs. “Can we finish the show we were watching? It’s just twenty more minutes.”
I frowned, and looked at Jack. “Can you handle twenty more minutes?”
To my surprise, he actually looked nervous when he nodded. “Twenty minutes would be good, as a matter of fact. I had something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Of course,” I agreed.
“You mind going for a walk with me?”
“Whatever you want. Sure.”
I put on a jacket. Jack did the same. We left Casper and Minion behind, but I decided at the last minute to bring Phantom along.