Danger in Deer Ridge (Blackthorne, Inc.)

by Terry Odell

  Living lies. But wasn’t that what Elizabeth had accepted as her fate when she’d left her husband?

  Too much thinking. One step at a time.

  By the time they arrived at the cabin, the boys’ exuberance had given way to exhaustion, although they were reluctant to admit it. Grinch retrieved the key to the padlock, which had been left in a small metal mailbox attached to the wall beside the door. The ranger had explained that if someone wanted to get in, they’d do less damage if the key was easy to find. And, he’d added, there wasn’t much worth stealing.

  He slipped the key into the padlock. Elizabeth’s expression either said, “We’ll talk later,” or, “We’ll never speak again,” when he opened the door, revealing a space about five steps below rustic. However, she dug up a smile for the boys.

  Grinch found the lantern hanging inside the door and lit it. “Here we are.”

  Cheese slipped off his pack and addressed Will and Dylan. “Thank you for helping us with our training. I’m not going to tell the firemen where you are, so it might be a couple of days before they find you. You do what Grinch says, okay? He knows all about rescue operations.”

  “But they will find us, won’t they?” Dylan asked. He turned his gaze to Grinch.

  Grinch heard the tremor in his son’s voice. Saw the tears glistening in his eyes. He wrapped the boy in a hug. “Of course. And if they give up, Cheese will tell them where we are. We want to make it more real.”

  Cheese jogged off, and Grinch closed the door behind him.

  “This is going to be an adventure,” Elizabeth said with forced enthusiasm, clearly directed at the boys.

  After lighting another camp lantern, Grinch took stock of their accommodations—one large room partitioned into sleeping and living quarters by two striped wool blankets suspended from a pole. He pushed one aside.

  Bench-height wooden storage units about three feet wide and six feet long were set against three of the walls. He strode to one and lifted the lid, finding blankets. A check of the other two revealed more blankets and some thin padded mats, obviously substitutes for mattresses.

  “Here’s the bedroom,” he said.

  “Where do we sleep?” Dylan asked. “There’s no beds.”

  “These are your beds.” Grinch knocked on one of the units. “And I have sleeping bags.” He placed the padded mats on top of the storage units, then brought in two of the bags from Cheese’s pack.

  “Like a camp out?” Dylan asked.

  “But inside,” Elizabeth said.

  “So it’s a camp in,” Will said. “Cool.”

  Dylan tugged on Grinch’s sleeve. “I have to go potty.”

  “Come with me.” Grinch took his hand. “Will, you, too. I’ll show you where the head is.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes widened, as if she’d only now noticed the lack of indoor plumbing. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. She shook her head.

  It was going to be a long couple of days.

  After their nightly songfest, and the boys settled in with their teddy bears, Grinch followed Elizabeth through the blanket door. She sat on the small, rustic couch, arms folded across her chest.

  “You cold?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “Want something to drink?”

  “No.”

  He pulled her jacket from the hook by the door, along with one of the lanterns. “Lizzie, come outside with me. There are a few things I need to tell you.”

  Chapter 30

  So now Grinch was ready to talk. Elizabeth had half a mind to tell him no, but the other half knew that would be a childish thing to do, and would serve no purpose other than to give her momentary satisfaction. She needed answers, and maybe Grinch would provide them.

  But a touch of her inner child insisted on bursting forth, and she refused his offer of the jacket. “Fine.”

  He walked her to a rough-hewn wooden bench under a tree, near enough to the house to hear the boys. She sat. He set her jacket between them.

  “I’m listening,” she said.

  He faced straight ahead and spoke quietly. “What do you know about Victor’s past? His family? Especially his father?”

  She hadn’t expected that. “Victor’s mother died before he and I got married. Victor and his father didn’t get along. We hardly ever saw him. Couple times a year—holidays, things like that. I’d hoped that when Will was born, Victor might mend whatever rift there was between them, but there was always some kind of friction—tension—when they got together. And of course, rift-mending wasn’t on Victor’s approved wifely behavior list. Why are you asking?”

  “The ledger. Thad Henderson called.”

  “He decoded it?” She twisted to face him. “What did it say?”

  “He didn’t exactly decode it. Apparently your father-in-law was mixed up in some blackmail schemes. Money laundering. And maybe a little extortion. He kept track of his … transactions … in the ledger. And when he died, your husband took over.”

  “What?” Her heart leaped to her throat. “Victor? Blackmail? Extortion? I can’t believe it.”

  “If it’s any consolation, he did it reluctantly. See, your father-in-law was a collector for someone higher up the food chain. When your father-in-law died, Victor wanted nothing to do with it, but the big boss insisted. Apparently, the threat of being openly connected to someone who was a shady dealer was enough to make him go along with it.”

  “Now, that does sound like Victor. Being exposed as the son of a crook—well, that would never fly with him.” She let that stir around her brain. It explained why Victor had changed so much after his father died. Being forced into doing things that would have gotten him kicked out of every country club, every social group—that she understood.

  “Once he got started, it probably snowballed,” Grinch said. “He could have overcome any backlash at being associated with his father. Hell, most of his cohorts would probably have thought it was no big deal. Or he could have played up the ‘rose above my roots’ card. Might even have garnered him a bit of respect.”

  “Victor never did have much of a backbone,” she said. “And once he went along with it, he became his father.” She thought some more. “So you think he’s afraid I would expose him, and that’s why he wants the ledger back?”

  Grinch shook his head. “I think he’d argue that the code is something entirely different. There are no names, no key, nothing that says what it really is.”

  “So how did your guy figure it out?”

  “Oh, that was pure investigative work. Background checks on Victor and his father. Started as a hunch, but when Blackthorne investigators start digging, they usually find the buried treasure.” He chuckled softly. “Especially when it’s the boss asking for the answers.”

  “I suppose mailing Victor the ledger wouldn’t stop him. He’d assume I’d made copies.”

  “That’s another issue,” Grinch said. “There was something else in the ledger.”

  “Like what? I read it a million times. Everything was the same. Columns of letters and numbers. And only the two handwritings.”

  “No, I mean in the ledger. Inside the cover. Since it was padded, it wasn’t noticeable, and with all the code, it was natural to assume if there were any secrets, they’d be in the pages, not the binding.”

  “So that’s what he wants? Give it to him.” She covered her ears. “Don’t even tell me what it is. I don’t want to know. Send it back. Then he’ll leave us alone.”

  “Too late,” he said. “The original owner of the … item … is taking matters into his own hands. And he’s not a nice man. Hence, our precautions.”

  “Is Victor trying to get custody of Will? Or did you make that up to get me on the helicopter?”

  “No, that was the truth. Lizzie, when I tell you something, it’s the truth.”

  “So you only lie by omission, is that it? When you say something, I can believe you, but I have to wonder what you’re not telling me.”

  “Is that so di
fferent from the way we’re dealing with Will and Dylan?”

  “There is one big difference. They’re children. I’m an adult. I can make informed decisions.”

  He clasped his hands between his knees. “You’re right. But bottom line, I was afraid if you knew everything, your fear would show. And your reactions might give you away. You’re a lot better at being Elizabeth than when I first met you, but I didn’t want to risk it.”

  She blew out a deep sigh. “So, back to that same old question. Are we safe here?”

  “You think I’d have brought you two—and Dylan—if I didn’t think it was safe? Lizzie, if I’d been able to come up with anything else, I would have done it.” His sigh echoed hers. “Damn, I couldn’t leave Dylan with another stranger. He’s lost both his parents, and when I left him with a reliable sitter, he got sick. Not her fault, not his, but if I dumped him somewhere, we’d be taking three steps backward in our relationship. He’s starting to trust me, and believe me, a five-year-old doesn’t understand ‘It’s for your own good.’ I can’t violate that trust—not unless it’s a matter of life and death.”

  The emotion in his voice, not his words, cut through her. She rested her hand on his thigh. “I understand.”

  He covered her hand with his. “In the interest of full disclosure, I guess you should meet my friends.” He stood, raised the lantern, and swung it in a wide semicircle above his head. Seconds later, two shadowy shapes appeared from the darkness, solidifying into people as they got closer.

  The two men halted several feet from the bench, barely within the range of the lantern’s light. The light might have been dim, but she couldn’t help but notice they carried rifles. And handguns strapped to their sides. Headsets similar to the ones she’d used on the plane were looped around their necks.

  “I believe you’ve met Dalton,” Grinch said. “His partner is Ryan Harper. They’ll be making sure we don’t have any unexpected guests.”

  “Hello again,” Dalton said. “Good to see you. Elizabeth, is it?”

  The sound of his voice carried Elizabeth back to the time she’d spent at the Galloway House shelter. And how Dalton had appeared with Miri the night she’d been arrested, no questions asked. And that slow Texas drawl, the one that made you feel like you were sitting on the porch, sipping lemonade, not sitting out in the woods chatting with heavily armed men.

  She tried to ignore that last thought. “That’s right. I’m Elizabeth now.” She searched for a car, a jeep, another helicopter. “Don’t tell me you were just in the neighborhood.”

  The other man stepped forward. Extended his hand. “Ryan Harper, ma’am.” Reflexively, she accepted his handshake. A shade taller than Dalton, and leaner. His calloused grasp was warm and firm. And comforting.

  “We got here the same way you did,” Dalton said. “Only we were riding in the cheap seats.”

  “With the baggage. And the dog,” Ryan added.

  Elizabeth gave up trying to make sense out of any of this. Clearly, this was time to let Grinch and his friends do what they were obviously good at. “Um … would you like to come inside?”

  Grinch laughed. “Elizabeth’s the civilized one here. Lizzie, these guys wouldn’t know what to make of a roof over their heads on an op.”

  “An op? Is that what this is?” she asked.

  “A technicality. I doubt we’ll see any action,” Dalton said. “We’re here to make Grinch feel safe. You know pilots.” He turned to Ryan. “A bunch of wusses, wouldn’t you say? Always hanging around in the comfort of their aircraft.”

  Ryan shifted his gaze from Dalton, to Grinch, and then Elizabeth. He shrugged. A diplomatic response.

  “Making sure said aircraft is ready to whisk you to safety at a moment’s notice,” Grinch said. “Which has been known to come in handy on more than one occasion.”

  Elizabeth heard the affection these men shared, and if she hadn’t felt safe when she knew there were two more bodies watching out for her—and Will and Dylan—she certainly did now.

  “So, Dalton,” she said. “How’s Miri?”

  “Fine,” he said, all the bravado gone from his tone.

  “Fine?” Ryan said, elbowing Dalton in the ribs. “Fine? More than fine. A whole lot more than fine. Guy’s been carrying a damn ring in his pocket for a month.”

  The lantern light might have been just a faint glow, but she knew Dalton blushed.

  “Figured I’d pop the question the Fourth of July. There’s a shindig at Galloway House. She wouldn’t dare say no in front of all her friends, would she?” He shot a worried glance at Elizabeth. “You think I should spring for the romance angle? Fancy restaurant, candles, champagne. Hide it in her dessert?”

  She grinned. “I think the Fourth of July shindig will be perfect. Miri’s not really the candles and champagne type—at least not the Miri I remember.”

  “Hate to interrupt this moment of domesticity, but we’re on the job here,” Ryan said.

  “Right,” Grinch said. “Any updates?”

  Elizabeth didn’t miss the way Dalton and Ryan slid glances to her, then to Grinch, who nodded. The men didn’t seem to need words to communicate. So far, most of their verbal exchanges had been banter. But it was clear Grinch understood. He rested a hand on her shoulder. “Elizabeth is in the loop.”

  * * * * *

  Dalton and Ryan dropped to the ground, sitting cross-legged. Grinch leaned forward, comfortable with the familiar pre-mission briefing atmosphere. Elizabeth scooted toward him, the yellow glow of the lantern illuminating the intense concentration in her expression. Grinch hooked an arm around her waist and tugged her even closer. If Dalton or Ryan noticed the gesture, they were smart enough not to let it show.

  Dalton cleared his throat. Okay, maybe he had noticed.

  “Latest sitrep says they’ve connected Elizabeth Parker to Julie Ann,” Dalton said. “And they’re on their way. According to what our investigators were able to uncover, the PI on Victor’s end got photographs of Julie Ann and Will out here. We’re not sure how—maybe he had someone on the inside. We haven’t seen the pictures, but apparently they were good enough to convince Victor this is where his wife and son are.”

  “So, to start the ball rolling, he went to the cops with the kidnapping story,” Grinch said.

  “Technically, I did kidnap Will,” Elizabeth said, her voice subdued—almost defeated. “I should have been brave enough to stand up to Victor. To report his abuse to the authorities. To demand a divorce. To get custody of Will. I screwed things up, didn’t I?”

  Grinch gripped her waist. “You did what you had to do. A drawn-out custody hearing, with Victor’s word against yours—no telling how it would play out.”

  “He’s right,” Ryan said. “And we can only deal with what’s happening right here, right now.”

  “Which is probably nothing,” Dalton said. “Anyone’s looking for you, they’re going to find Olivia and Cheese. As for the slim chance they come up here, Harper and I have the outside covered. Grinch will be inside, and you’ve got that four-legged early warning system.”

  “Chester didn’t seem to know you were here,” Elizabeth said.

  “We made friends on the helo,” Ryan said. “He knows we’re on his team.”

  Dalton unfolded his legs and stood. “We should be going.”

  “Wait,” Elizabeth said. “Grace Ellsworth. Have you heard anything about her condition?”

  “Miri checked,” Dalton said. “She’s coming around, but her memory of the event is shaky.”

  “As in amnesia?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Sort of,” Ryan said. “It’s not unusual, and is normally short-term.”

  “Keep us in the loop on that one,” Grinch said.

  Both men gave Elizabeth a reassuring smile. “Will do. Have a good one,” Dalton said.

  “Anything you need?” Grinch asked. “We can rustle up some hot coffee. Keep you warm.”

  “Nah,” Dalton said. “We’ve got rations.”

&
nbsp; Grinch thought of typical field fare, and then the fried chicken dinner he’d enjoyed earlier. He almost felt guilty. But he knew, in the long run, things evened out.

  “Are you going to stay up all night?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Not a problem.” Ryan rose to his feet. He tilted his head upward. “Great sky—not as good as Montana, but it’ll do.”

  “We’ve already had the concert,” Dalton said. “Most enjoyable. Your new partners add a lot to your usual frog-croaks.”

  Grinch rolled his eyes. “Ribbit.”

  Elizabeth stood and brushed off the seat of her jeans. “At least let me get you some cookies. A midnight snack.”

  “No need,” Ryan said.

  “Trust me,” Grinch said. “You don’t want to say no to Elizabeth’s cookies.”

  “In that case,” Dalton said, “we’re much obliged.”

  Grinch saw her hesitate before leaving to fetch the cookies. “Don’t worry, Lizzie. We’re not going to talk behind your back while you’re gone.”

  “Of course you’re not,” she said to Grinch. “Because you’re coming with me.” She smiled at Dalton and Ryan. “We’ll be right back.”

  Grinch shrugged and grinned at Ryan and Dalton. “We’re working on that trust issue.”

  Both men nodded knowingly. They’d recently hooked up with their own women, and working for a covert ops team created domestic challenges. Of course, they had that love thing going.

  A strange feeling washed over him as Elizabeth took his hand and tugged him toward the cabin. Love? Him? Now? Couldn’t be happening. He’d already dismissed the possibility.

  And yet, when he watched Elizabeth slip a generous helping of cookies into a plastic bag, he realized dismissal wasn’t a viable option. She’d become as important to him as Dylan. And, somewhere along the line, Will had inserted himself into the mix, too.

  Damn it to hell.

  Once the cookies were delivered and Dalton and Ryan had disappeared into the darkness, Elizabeth ran her fingers along the camp stove on the narrow wooden counter. “I guess I should learn how to use this thing. You want some coffee? Since you offered it to your friends, I assume you have some.”