by Sara L Foust
“Quit thinking, Zach.”
He grinned. “Touché.”
Kirk cast him a sideways glance with a raised-eyebrow.
Zach shook his head. “What’s the call?”
“Lost woman in Cades Cove.”
“When did she disappear?”
“Coupla hours ago.”
“Why did they just now call?” Annalise spoke up from the rear.
“Thought surely they’d find her. A couple here with their two children. Stopped to look at a black bear up a tree, and when the husband turned around the wife was gone. No trace of her whatsoever.”
“Wow.”
Zach’s heart pounded to life. How on earth had no one seen the woman? How had they been looking for her for two hours and found no leads? Why would she vanish, just like that? He shivered. Though he couldn’t picture the details of his father’s face anymore, the feelings were as vivid as when he’d received the news as a teenager.
Your father left, Zachary. His mother had been so calm giving him the news. Had it not been for the single tear glistening in the corner of each eye, he wouldn’t have known she cared at all.
“Zach?” Annalise tapped him on the shoulder.
“Huh?”
“Did you put Sawyer water filters in the pack?”
“Oh, um, yeah.”
She chuckled. “Ironic.”
What?
“The Buchanan case. That’s what they always carried.”
“Right.”
She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “You okay?”
A chill fluttered over him as her breath brushed against his neck. He leaned toward the window and cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
HE WASN’T FINE. SHE could tell. But, with Kirk five inches away, now was the not the time to question him. Was he just still worried about her? If so, he’d have to get over it. She was the one who would be fine. Till she had to go home alone, to a dark cabin...
She shook her head. She’d have plenty of time to worry about that later.
“You have court tomorrow. Right, Annalise?”
Her gaze refocused on Kirk’s profile. “Yes, sir.”
“I hope you get some sleep tonight. No telling how long we’ll be out.”
She choked back a laugh. Sleep? Not likely, even if she was home.
The rest of the trip, they rode in silence. Each lost in their own thoughts? Apprehensions? Hopes? She certainly was.
Maybe she needed a new hobby. Something to occupy her evenings by the fire as the last of the spring chill ebbed away. Crocheting, possibly. Or whittling. Right, like she could picture herself whittling. Though it would fit her new cabin-living life.
“What’s so funny?” Zach grinned over his shoulder at her.
Oops. She hadn’t meant to actually laugh aloud. “Nothing. Trying to decide if whittling might suit me.”
Zach’s laughter filled the space.
“You know maybe for that reaction, I just might give it a try.”
His laugh intensified, until Kirk and she couldn’t help but join in.
Kirk made his way slowly around the relatively uncluttered Cades Cove loop. Around a bend, flashing lights pulled off the side marked the obvious location of the woman’s disappearance. Park rangers, several with hats in their hands, waited, their anxiety evident in the way they carried their stiff shoulders and in the grim lines of their mouths.
As they exited the vehicle, one broke from the group and approached Kirk. “I’m Blu.”
Annalise smiled. He certainly was, with those big, gorgeous eyes like a summer sky. His flawless coffee-creamer skin and curly light brown hair. Oh, my.
Zach turned to her. “You coming?”
She hadn’t realized she had stopped dead in her tracks. “Yep.” As soon as she could tear her gaze from handsome Ranger Blu.
Zach followed her gaze and frowned.
A blush flowed into her cheeks. She wanted to argue with the look on Zach’s face. The one that made her feel guilty for being too-newly single to look at a man that way. But he was probably right. It was much too soon.
They joined the in-progress update Ranger Blu was giving to the circle of officials. “Olivia Beck, age thirty-nine, missing since approximately ten this morning. We have moved all available witnesses to the amphitheater behind the general store at the beginning of the loop. I’ve been informed the Smoky Mountain Investigative Force is here, and they will be covering interviews. The rest of us, we will fan out and begin a grid search.”
Annalise leaned close to Zach. “What have they been doing for the last two hours?”
“Special Agent Baker?” Blu pinned her with a boring gaze.
“Yes?”
“You have a question to share with the rest of us?”
Was this the academy again? She cleared her throat. “Yes, actually. I was just wondering what steps you have already taken.”
He stared her through for a moment before answering. “We’ve swept the periphery, as is protocol, looking for any trace of Mrs. Beck. We have questioned her husband and both children.” He paused. “They are understandably upset, but, unfortunately, are as clueless as we are.”
Clueless? She frowned. It had only been two hours. Wasn’t it much too early to admit such a level of defeat? Her original impression of Blu fell from its pedestal a few notches.
Kirk drove them back out of the loop to the area behind the general store, where they were to begin organizing and interviewing the potential witnesses. Annalise hadn’t expected there to be so many.
Zach sighed. “Shoulda known, I suspect. Seems like everybody in the loop ends up at the black bears at the same time.”
“Yeah, I suppose. Means we have more potential leads, though, right?”
“Right,” Kirk said. “Let’s split them up in three groups and dive in.”
Annalise’s first witness was a couple from Ohio, vacationing in Gatlinburg. “Where were you when our missing person disappeared?”
“In the crowd,” the elder man said.
“And where was that?”
“At the base of the tree. We honestly didn’t see a thing, officer.” A blush climbed his cheeks.
“We were watching the bear. Fascinating creatures, aren’t they?” The wife seemed to have no embarrassment whatsoever at having been among the crowd much too close to the bear.
“You realize that there is a 300-yard radius recommended for animal viewing, right?”
They both nodded.
“We just got so excited. Never seen a black bear in person before.” The wife smiled sheepishly.
“Did you see the missing woman in the crowd?” Annalise looked to each in turn. Both of them shook their head.
“Okay, thank you. Please write your contact information on this notepad, just in case we have follow-up questions.”
The story was much the same from each of the twenty-two witnesses Annalise interviewed. All eyes had been on the bear, not the crowd, nor who was missing from it. She glanced across the picnic shelter to where Zach stood with the few witnesses he had left. By the crease in his brow, she suspected he was getting the same answers.
Kirk had disappeared at least half an hour before.
Annalise refocused on the last set of people approaching her. “I’m Special Agent Baker. How are you today?”
“What a shame! We came to enjoy this beautiful East Tennessee spring weather and now some horrible crime has happened.” The middle-aged woman twisted her hands together.
Annalise took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “We are not certain yet what happened, ma’am. If you will refrain from jumping to conclusions, we would appreciate it. Did you see anything that could be of help, ma’am?”
“No, but Gerald did.” She pointed at her husband, standing a bit behind and to the left.
Annalise’s heart skipped a beat. “Sir, can you describe exactly what you saw?”
“Charlene jumped out of the truck and ran over to the tree. I took
a moment to put in a new dip of Copenhagen. As I got out of the truck, I saw a woman with a camera and a backpack headed into the woods in the opposite direction.”
Annalise squeezed the pen in her hand tighter. This was legitimately helpful information. “Can you describe the woman?”
“She was short, maybe about five-five, long light brown hair. Wearing blue jeans, a dark hoodie sweatshirt, a dark green backpack, and a ball cap.”
Wow. This guy was observant. She quirked an eyebrow.
“I was a police officer.”
Ah. Not just helpful, but reliable information too. “This is great. Thank you.”
“I can take you back to the exact spot she went into the woods.”
Charlene patted her husband’s arm and smiled up at him, the glimmer in her eyes evidence of her pride. “I’ll wait here, dear. Might have me some of that famous soft-serve ice cream.”
Gerald pecked her on the cheek. “Ready, Special Agent?”
Annalise hadn’t even had time to tuck her pen and notepad away. “Ready. Let me radio my boss and let him know.”
She motioned Zach to a quiet corner and filled him in, then she radioed Kirk and asked him to meet them at the Jeep. It was the only viable lead they had. There was no time to waste.
Chapter Three
Zach’s stomach burned. Annalise had to stop looking at Blu that way. Period. And Blu definitely, beyond the shadow of a doubt, needed to cease, immediately, staring at her when she wasn’t looking. With a bear-like mental growl, he forced his attention back to Gerald and Kirk’s conversation.
Eight officers were out in the dense forest somewhere, combing the ground for any signs of Mrs. Beck. They hadn’t started in the right place, if Gerald remembered the details as clearly as he claimed.
“She went between these low hemlock branches.” Gerald pointed to a place fifty yards from where the search had begun. “I thought maybe she needed to sneak away and find a private tree, if you know what I mean.”
Kirk nodded.
“But once I went to join Charlene, I plumb forgot about it. Until you all showed up and corralled everyone from the loop.”
“You’re sure?” Kirk pressed.
“Positive. She separated them, paused a moment, and then vanished. The woods are so thick right now, you could hide an elephant out there and no one would know.”
The older man was right. They were fighting an uphill battle against forces of nature much stronger than they. But if they repositioned and started over, maybe they would find something—anything—to point them in the right direction.
Blu radioed the group of park rangers and asked that they return to ground zero.
“Let’s take a peek, Annalise.”
“Okay.”
“Lead the way.”
Zach followed Annalise through the foliage. It took less than thirty seconds to realize there were too many needles and leaves coating the ground for any prints. Unless Mrs. Beck dropped something, snagged a piece of fabric on a thorn, or they ran into her, there would be no way to know which way she’d gone.
“Why do you think she came this way, when everyone else went that way?” Annalise pointed behind them.
“Dunno. Maybe she saw another bear?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe she did need a ‘private tree’ like Gerald said.”
“I guess that’s always possible. It would’ve been the perfect time, I suppose, with everyone else distracted.”
Kirk’s call sailed into the forest, bidding them back to the waiting vehicles.
“This is going to be one of those cases where you never get answers.” Zach mumbled it, not even completely realizing he’d said it aloud until Annalise stopped in front of him and turned.
“We didn’t think we’d find Cody Moss either. Did we?”
He didn’t. She’d managed to hang onto an immense amount of hope considering the circumstances. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“What’s eating you today?”
How could he explain the emotions churning within him? He knew he could trust her with anything, it wasn’t that. But if he gave voice to their annoying little somersaults, jabs, and snickers, he’d awaken the same old hurts. The same ones he’d tried so hard to ignore. So hard to pretend he’d dealt with. Later. “Speaking of eating, I’m hungry.”
Annalise rolled her eyes.
He could tell by the way she studied him a moment more that he hadn’t pacified her for long.
Back at the truck, Kirk waited in the driver’s seat. “We need to go speak to Mr. Beck.”
“Where is he?” Annalise asked as she let herself into the back seat.
“Home. Blu let him and the kids go. Said it would be less stressful for the children.”
Oh, wasn’t Mr. Blu just the best? Never mind the fact the most critical witnesses had left the scene.
But an hour and a half later, when Zach saw the pained expressions on the children’s faces, some of his critical gusto melted away. These poor kids were scared and hurting. As much as he hated to admit it, Blu had probably been right in allowing their father to take them home.
“Mr. Beck,” Kirk began almost as soon as they entered the foyer, “can you tell us anything at all that might be helpful?”
“No. I have run it over and over in my mind.” Mr. Beck sank into a chair. “I have no idea what happened. One moment Olivia was there. The next she wasn’t. It’s like she just...vanished. Into thin air.”
People kept using that word. No one simply vanished. They were forced to leave or they chose to leave. Simple as that. His father had chosen. End of story. Close the book. And burn it.
“What brought you to the Cove today?”
Annalise hovered in a dimly lit corner, watching the man’s reaction.
She was better at analyzing people than Zach, and he was pretty good. He was so glad she’d joined their team.
“Olivia has been dreaming of the ‘perfect shot’ of a black bear for years. We go at least once every fall and every spring to try.”
“Shot?” Kirk’s pen stopped midair.
“She’s an amateur photographer. Stunning work. Our bedroom is lined with her favorite ones. Want to see?”
Kirk shook his head. “Not necessary.”
“I’d like to see,” Annalise spoke up.
“Andi, can you take Agent Baker to Mommy and Daddy’s room?”
The young girl nodded, swiping tears from her cheeks as she turned. Her brother followed silently.
“This has been a nightmare.” Mr. Beck’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I can’t believe it’s real. She has to be there...somewhere. Just beyond where you’ve looked. Doesn’t she?”
“We certainly won’t give up searching, Mr. Beck.”
Zach crossed his arms over his chest and leaned into the doorframe. As far as he could tell, Mr. Beck was distraught. Genuinely concerned without malicious undertones that made him a suspect in the disappearance. For the children’s sake, he hoped it stayed that way.
“WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE, Andi?” Annalise squatted next to the thin girl.
She raised a skinny arm and pointed at a dark-matted photo of a monarch butterfly perched delicately on a rhododendron.
“Oh, that is beautiful. They all are.” Annalise drew a deep breath. “Your Mommy is very talented.”
Andi nodded.
Behind her, Annalise heard Drew sigh.
“That one’s my favorite.” His quiet voice filled the space between Annalise and Andi.
Annalise turned to gaze at the one he indicated. “That one is very lovely. I especially like how the light makes the water reflect the sunset almost like a perfect mirror.”
“Are you gonna find our Mommy?” Andi stuck her hand in Annalise’s and squeezed.
Annalise squeezed back, her heart constricting in her chest to the point of near-stopping. She swallowed hard and whispered, “I’m going to try my best.”
Not every case ends like this one, Annalise. Zach�
��s pessimism rang so loudly in her mind she wanted to cover her ears.
Maybe just one more miracle-ending case, Lord? These kids need their mom.
Drew and Andi retreated softly from the room.
She quickly riffled through the nightstand drawers, flicked open and closed the medicine cabinet, and made one more thorough inspection of the photographs. When she returned to the living room, Kirk and Zach held a quiet conversation near the fireplace. Mr. Beck was nowhere to be seen.
“There are medicines for Jonah Beck in the bathroom, but there are none for Olivia. Either she was in perfect health or she took them with her.”
“Good work, Annalise.” Kirk made a note in his pad.
“She’s a talented photographer. I think that part of the story rings true, for what it’s worth.”
Kirk and Zach nodded.
“Let’s get back out there. Those guys need our help.” Zach grinned.
“I need to drive separately this trip. Just in case. Can’t miss court in the morning.”
“Oh, right. That’s fine, Annalise. I’ll drop you back at the station, and then I will feed this monster something before we go back into the loop.”
Zach pouted while Annalise and Kirk chuckled.
He was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Thankfully, even on an empty stomach, Mr. Hyde wasn’t so intolerable.
Back in her own vehicle, aimed for Cades Cove for the second time that day, Annalise dialed her mom.
“Hello, daughter!”
“Hello, mother!”
“How are you, my dear?” Rynata Baker always greeted her only child in the same manner.
It used to drive Annalise mad, but now she treasured the sound of her mother’s voice, floating an entire continent across satellite signals. Today, even more. How long had it been since she’d checked in just because? Too long, for sure. “I’m fine, Mom. How are you and Dad?”
“Oh, just dandy.”
Though her parents had moved to California somewhere along the third or fourth year of her marriage to Dave, her mother would never kick the Southern twang and country dialect. Annalise hoped not, anyway. “What’s new?”