But there was no way to know yet if Chevy’s little escape had truly compromised her. Of course, waiting for someone to appear on the doorstep looking for her would probably mean it was too late. If Tess were Bass, she’d find a place to move her in any event, even with his hands tied. She opened her e-mail, went through it, and then realized she was hungry. She’d only gotten through half her lunch earlier. She decided to visit the coffee shop, get a cup of the house blend and maybe a cinnamon roll. She got up to leave and nearly ran into Win Yarrow.
“Oh, Agent Yarrow, what can I do for you?”
“I wanted to give you the link to my forest cams and show you how they work. They’re motion activated, but you’ll have the ability to access the feed on your desktop. I can also pull the feed up on my phone; not sure if you want that ability.”
“I’ll take a look. By the way, I noticed there haven’t been any animals poached lately, have there?”
“None that I’ve found, not since the fire, anyway. But all the activity in the forest may have forced Blakely to lay low. He’s a criminal, but he’s not stupid. If he were, I’d have caught him by now.”
Tess had to smile. She could hear her father say, “We don’t catch the smart ones.”
She returned to her desk and sat while Yarrow showed her the four trail cams and how she could view or review the feed. A thought crossed her mind that he should be explaining this to Becky Jonkey, her officer with the most computer savvy, but Becky worked nights, and Tess might as well get up to speed on new technology. It took about forty-five minutes for Yarrow to go through all the details. Tess was certain that she understood the whole process but made a note to go over everything with Jonkey as soon as possible.
“Do you have any other suspects?”
Yarrow shook his head. “No one hits my bull’s-eye like Ken Blakely,” he said as he prepared to leave. “But he fired a shot over the bow. He just filed a formal complaint accusing me of harassing him.”
“I’m afraid I saw that coming.”
“Yeah, that’s why the cams are great. I can watch, and if he shows up on a feed, he’s caught, and he’ll never know what hit him. I still can’t believe that we found nothing at his place.”
“He’s certainly smart enough to have hidden everything. Maybe that’s the key—figure out his hiding place.” Briefly Tess remembered the trailer park and Blakely loitering around there. Did it mean anything?
“I’ll try, but I can’t be obvious, at least not while internal affairs is investigating the complaint. That’s why I have high hopes about the forest cams. Thanks for your cooperation.”
“Sure. We all want the same thing. I’ll spare people to help as I’m able.”
Yarrow nodded and almost seemed ready to say something else, but he didn’t. He left the office. Tess was glad his visits lacked the edge they used to have. He hadn’t been nearly as brusque since the fire, and that was welcome.
–––
Tess continued on to the Hollow Grind, where she enjoyed an infusion of caffeine and sugar, and was on her way back to the station when her phone rang. It was Agent Bass. She answered, wondering if he’d found a new place for Chevy.
“I just don’t have any place else to put her right now.” He sounded harried and preoccupied. “What’s your opinion? Was there any damage done?”
“That’s impossible to tell. But people are talking. I was just at the coffee shop, and two people asked me about the incident. They figured out that she came from Faith’s Place. I’m sorry, but if it were up to me, I’d move her.”
“I was afraid you’d say that.”
“Is there any movement with the case?” Tess asked.
“Beck’s still trying to get all the search warrants invalidated, the charges dropped.”
“They always try stuff like that.”
“Yeah, he might have a loophole. Remember I told you this all started with a flight attendant pointing out a man traveling with two girls she thought looked hinky?”
“I do.”
“There might have been a Miranda violation there on the part of an air marshal. Beck’s lawyer is screaming that the search warrants were obtained using fruit of the poisonous tree and therefore they need to be thrown out, along with all the evidence, and his client released from any monitoring.”
“Wow.” Tess felt anger surge. It was so very important for all law enforcement officers to follow procedure to the letter. She felt sick to her stomach about the thought that a mistake at the beginning, when officers really didn’t have a complete idea about what they had, could destroy what looked like a solid, serious case.
“When will you go before a judge on the situation?”
“Soon, I hope. So far, Beck’s lawyers have been slowing things down, but with this new gambit, we may hear in a couple of days. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can move Chevy. . . . I’m just not hopeful.”
24
Gage had not yet arrived. According to the latest communication from Cyrus, he was taking care of some last-minute details. Ice didn’t care. He had high hopes that he would wrap up this assignment long before Gage got in a car and headed north.
Ice was pinning everything on his upcoming “date” with the cashier. They’d made arrangements to meet when Tami got off work. Ice arrived late, wanting to avoid any introductions to coworkers if possible. It was hard to wait because he was pumped and wanted to complete his mission. Now that he knew beyond all doubt that Chevy was there, she was as good as his. He just needed to find her hidey-hole.
As part of the cleanup work crew, he was usually picked up at his hotel every morning. When he was out and about on his own, he rode his stolen motorcycle. He had clean plates on it and knew cops would only figure it out if they looked closely to match the VIN. He would never give them an excuse to look that closely. The bike was likely to impress Tami, help her get over any miff at him being late, he hoped.
He was right. She appeared to be frowning when he pulled into the parking lot, but her face brightened when she saw him step off the bike.
“Wow, what a pretty bike,” she said, eyes raking over the machine. “Can I have a ride?”
“Love to, Tami, but I only have one helmet. Can’t take the chance. I trust my driving, but . . .” He tilted his head and gave her his best “I care about you” look.
“Still, maybe if I borrow a helmet sometime?”
“You bet.”
There was one bar in Rogue’s Hollow, a small locals’ place called The Stump. Tami wanted to go there, but Ice pulled the six-pack he’d bought in Shady Cove off the back of his bike.
“How about we go to some place more private.” Ice gave her his most seductive smile, but she hesitated.
“I hardly know you.” She tried to sound reticent, but Ice read her body language and she was anything but. “We should go to some place public.”
He turned on the charm, knowing from experience that this girl was lonely and wanted to be with him. This was what he did—he found the lonely and conned them.
“Come on, I don’t want to compete with any other guys for your attention.”
She blushed but still needed convincing.
Ice gently rubbed her shoulder. “How about this? You pick the spot and you drive—that way you’re in control. I just want a private visit with a pretty girl since I spend all day with smelly guys. No hands, I promise.” He grinned, and she blushed deeper and laughed.
“Well . . . okay. I guess we can go up to the Stairsteps. That’s a public place and a little private, especially after dark.”
“Awesome.” He grinned and moved his bike out of sight.
She had a small two-door beater car. Ice popped his first beer before they reached the destination she’d picked. He opened up the conversation asking what she knew about the girl who made the scene in the market parking lot earlier.
“Oh yeah, wasn’t that crazy? People were talking about that all day. Most of them think she ran away from the women’s shelter.”<
br />
Women’s shelter. Bingo. Ice had to fight to keep his composure. He had Chevy now.
“Women’s shelter—you mean like for homeless women?” he asked, playing dumb, sipping his beer, acting slightly interested.
She parked the car at the far end of the Stairsteps parking lot. Ice opened a beer and handed it to her.
“No, we have a shelter in town for battered women.” She took a quick drink. “I had a friend who stayed there for a few days. Her husband smacked her around.” She undid her seat belt and moved closer.
Ice did likewise, throwing his arm over her shoulder. She smelled pleasantly of freshly applied floral perfume.
“Strange that the girl would run away from a place that’s supposed to keep her safe,” he said. “It must be close to the market. I didn’t see that she had a car.”
“It’s maybe one and a half or two miles away, over on Oakwood Court. The place also rescues horses. I know the lady who runs it, Bronwyn. She’s nice, has a neat British accent.” She sipped her beer.
His mind whirring on the information about the shelter, Ice chatted, keeping his tone easy, asking her about herself and pretending to listen and care. By the time she’d finished her second beer, he knew he had all he needed and was overwhelmed with a sense of urgency to do some recon at the shelter. There was a second reason for urgency: it was likely the Feds would move the girl now since it was obvious she’d blown her cover.
“You haven’t told me anything about you, Jim. What’s up with you? I want to hear about your travels.” Tami prodded him in the ribs and smiled broadly.
“Um.” Ice forced his thoughts back to Tami. He needed to deal with her directly; she was now a loose end. But first he wanted to know a little about the police force. “I’m thinking that I like Rogue’s Hollow a lot better than many of the places I’ve been,” he said, brushing his lips across her forehead. “Besides you, what else in this place is interesting, exciting?”
She giggled and pulled her head up to look at him, scrunching her face. “This Podunk town? I’m glad I have a job, but there’s nothing to do here.”
“You can always travel. But as far as living, this place is pretty safe, huh? That cop in the market parking lot seemed to be on the ball.”
“Hmm, that was the chief. There was a big shoot-out a few months ago. She handled it, took down a big drug dealer, so I guess she’s good. There’s hardly any crime in the Hollow, no gangs. It’s boring. But you could say it’s safe.”
Tami kept talking, sharing the story of her friend and the mean husband, how the cops dealt with him, but Ice wasn’t listening anymore.
He was planning.
“Hey, you listening?” Tami shifted and looked at him.
Ice changed gears and smiled. He’d decided how to deal with Tami. The chatty woman had served her purpose. Now what would be the best way to do that and not leave any evidence? Water had worked for Ice in the past. Yeah, the girl had picked a good spot.
“You feel like a little walk, maybe to check out the falls?”
“It’s dark and cold out there.”
“I’ll keep you warm. I’d just like to see you under the stars. It’s a little cloudy, but there are bound to be a few stars up there.” He brushed her lips with his and felt her lean into him.
After a heavier kiss, he pulled back and opened his door. She followed suit, and as they met at the front of the car, he pulled her close and they walked together to the viewing platform.
“Beautiful night, beautiful girl . . . I must be in heaven,” he whispered, his voice crooning right into her ear to be heard over the loudly rushing water. But it was freezing; the temp had dropped precipitously since the sun went down and he tried hard not to shiver. She continued to lean into him and didn’t notice the change in his demeanor until they reached the railing and he pulled back.
Her brows scrunched together. “Hold me, Jim. It’s cold.”
As she turned toward him, putting her back against the railing, Ice drew the small .38 from his waistband. Shock registered on her face, but she had nowhere to go. It was over quickly, no muss, no fuss, and no emotion, just cold calculation. Ice, baby.
Ice shoved the gun in his waistband again and jogged to the car, thinking about what he’d touched. To be safe, he wiped down all the main surfaces carefully, knowing that time at this task was well spent. He also threw away all the beer cans, full as well as empty. Though he was positive the cops here were clueless, he wouldn’t leave any evidence behind.
Once he finished, he hurried away from the car and the parking lot, jogging easily back to where he’d left his bike.
25
The worst part of being chief of police was all the paperwork, Tess decided as she yawned over the pile of work she’d brought home with her. Clearly, she’d violated her own rule #11: “EOW is EOW—leave work at work.” As a beat cop, when she needed to document every little thing, often the paperwork was overwhelming. Now the need to document had multiplied for Tess as she had to review not only her day but everyone else’s as well.
It was late when she finished and laid down her pen. She stood and stretched, considering watching some TV but immediately dismissing the idea. She was tired; time for bed. A knock on the door woke her up. No one she knew ever called this late, and she was on alert.
From a side table she grabbed her .380, an off-duty weapon that she liked to keep handy. After all, a man had been murdered on her porch not too long ago, so Tess felt her caution was justified.
She approached the side of the door, flipped on the porch light. “Who is it?”
“It’s Livie Harp.”
Tess recognized the voice, but shock replaced her caution. Peering through the curtain, she saw that it was, indeed, the mystery woman. She opened the door.
“Sorry for the surprise visit, but I wanted to talk to you privately. This seemed like the best time and place.”
For a second Tess wasn’t sure what to say. She swallowed and stepped aside. “Well, okay then. Come on in.”
Harp entered. She was dressed all in black; from her cargo pants and mock turtleneck sweater to the gloves and boots, she reminded Tess of a commando.
“What can I help you with?”
“I’ve come to offer you my help.” She fixed a steely gaze on Tess.
Tess motioned for her to have a seat. “What do you think I need help with?”
“I’ll stand.” Harp glared at Tess, or right through her, Tess thought. She was wound up, and Tess didn’t have to wait long to find out why. “I know you’re sheltering a human trafficking victim.”
Tess held her tongue and refused to be shaken. After the incident at the market, why should she be? Earlier she’d already imagined that everyone now knew where Chevy was.
She cleared her throat. “What do you mean, me personally?”
Irritation washed across Harp’s features. “I’m not stupid, Chief. And I won’t beat around the bush. I know about Faith’s Place. I’m glad the house exists, but it’s not a secret. And I’ve been following the recent news stories about the arrest of Cyrus Beck. When I heard there was a witness, I went out of my way to try and find her, in order to make certain she was safe.”
“If you’re here because of what happened at the market today—”
“Market?” Harp frowned, clearly unaware of the market fiasco. “I’m here to try to save a girl’s life.”
“Wait. Let’s say you’re right, and there is a witness at Faith’s Place. Why do you believe it’s up to you to keep her safe?”
“I know a thing or two about predators. Cyrus Beck is the worst type. He has money and the air of respectability that conceals his perversity. And since his crimes supposedly occurred in Arizona, but the witness is being hidden here, I believe that says the FBI sees Beck as a threat, a serious one. To survive, the girl has to hide and hide well. I’m willing to help. It’s a cause I can get behind.”
Tess regarded Harp with an appraising eye. The woman was fired up and passi
onate. But Tess needed clarity, facts, not emotion. “You’re going to have to explain. That’s a little vague.”
“A full explanation might just send me to jail.”
Tess rocked back a bit. “Unless I know exactly why you think you can help me, I have nothing to discuss with you.”
“I’m giving you a valid warning, Chief, and you should listen. The girl you’ve hidden . . . well, her life depends on it. That should be enough.”
Tess held her hands out. “I barely know you. In fact, I’ve tried to find out about you and can find nothing. Why should I trust you?”
Harp’s eyes bored into Tess. “Beck is a monster. He hires monsters. And if I could find Roberta, so could he.”
Roberta. Harp even knew her name. Floored by Harp’s claim and trying to process how she could possibly have found Chevy even though she had no clue about what happened at the market earlier today, Tess wanted to demand the woman tell her. But this could all be a ruse; the woman could be trying to get Tess to reveal something.
“Okay, I’ll play along. Say you’re correct; your solution is . . . ?”
“Let her come and stay with me. I can keep her safe. I am completely off the grid. You’ve seen my place. No one will find her if she stays with me. And I can protect her if they do. Anyone steps foot on my property, I know exactly where and when. I know how to deal with threats to my safety.”
“We’re going in circles here. I’m not conceding that there is a girl here. But if there were, I wouldn’t trust her to someone I know nothing about.”
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