by Mary Alford
“Can you help me up?” Noah asked the sheriff. Placing his arms around Noah’s waist, Walker brought him up to his feet.
“Noah, you need to sit down,” Rachel said. He appeared so weak.
“I’m okay.” Though his voice sounded strained, he managed a smile. He glanced behind them at the two men lying on the ground. Their faces uncovered.
“They’re both dead,” Walker told him. “If you hadn’t shot them, they would have killed you and taken Rachel.”
“Any ID?” Noah asked when Aden stopped next to them.
He shook his head. “None in the car, either. I’ve printed both of them. Hopefully, they’re in the system. Did either of you recognize them as the man from the SUV?”
“I’ve never seen either of them. Have you?” Noah asked Rachel.
She shook her head. How many people were involved in this plot?
“There’s the coroner.” Walker nodded toward an older man in a suit coming their way. Walker introduced Doctor Jenkins to Rachel before turning to Noah. “You need to go to the station and lie down for a while. Otherwise, I’m ordering Aden to take you to the hospital right now.”
Noah managed a smile. “Yes, sir.”
“I’ll go with you,” Aden said. “I’m anxious to see if either of these men’s prints are in the system. Can you make it on your own?”
“I think so,” Noah said.
Rachel stuck close as they slowly reached the station.
Janine met them at the door. “Oh, dear. I just came on duty and I hear you’ve been hurt.”
Though he tried to pretend differently, Rachel could see him fading fast.
“I’m okay, but I think I’ll lie down for a bit. Can you keep an eye out for Rachel?”
“Don’t worry about Rachel. She’s in good hands. Go rest. I’ll bring you some ice for that leg.”
“I’ll go run these prints.” Aden held up the fingerprint cards. “As soon as I have anything, I’ll come get you.”
Noah nodded, slowly easing down the hall, the swelling in his leg making each step a struggle.
As Rachel watched him disappear, she couldn’t believe how close to dying he’d come.
“He’s going to be fine,” Janine said. “Noah is tough as nails.” The woman placed her arm around Rachel’s shoulders. “Stephanie said you and Noah were on your way to get something to eat. Why don’t I order pizza from down the street and you can keep me and Stephanie company until it arrives?”
They reached the dispatch station. Stephanie glanced up from manning the phones. “Calls have been pouring in. Such a frightening thing to happen, and outside the station no less.”
Janine pulled up an extra chair for Rachel and slipped into the seat next to Stephanie.
With the food ordered, Stephanie excused herself to assist the sheriff.
Janine waited until Stephanie was out of earshot. “So, what’s going on between you and Noah?” she asked.
Rachel gaped at her. “I don’t know what you mean. Noah and I once lived close to each other. We were friends.”
“Oh, hon. I see the way he looks at you. That’s more than friendship.”
Rachel’s cheeks flamed. “I think you are mistaken.”
Janine covered her hands. “Perhaps, and I certainly don’t mean to pry. It’s just that I haven’t seen Noah show this much attention to a woman before. The poor man suffered so much with his wife passing away at such a young age. I’ve always thought something in his past was keeping him from finding the love he needed in his life. When I heard about Olivia, I figured she’d been the one for him. But now that I’ve met you, seen the way he looks at you, well, I’m positive he has feelings for you.”
Rachel ducked her head. “Noah is my gut friend, but that is all. Our worlds are very different, and I do not plan to marry again.”
Sympathy replaced the curiosity on Janine’s face. “Oh, honey, I won’t pretend to know what you’ve been through or about the differences between you and Noah, but I will tell you this. Life is too short to let anything stand in the way of finding the one you are supposed to be with.”
* * *
Noah sat up slowly. The room spun and he closed his eyes until his nausea subsided.
What happened earlier slowly crawled through the fog surrounding his brain, and he clambered to his feet. Rachel. He needed to make sure she was okay.
His feet stumbled slightly, and he clutched the sofa to catch himself. When he got his legs underneath him, Noah hobbled down the hall to where Rachel sat beside Janine.
The moment Rachel spotted him, she jumped from her seat and rushed to his side, the concern in her eyes warming his heart.
“I’m okay,” he said. Still, she stared at him, her forehead creased into a worried frown. He couldn’t imagine how bad he looked.
“Come here and sit down,” Janine ordered, and he sank to the chair she supplied him. “You need to be in a hospital bed.” Though the words came out gruff, Noah understood they were from the heart.
“I feel much better now that I rested.” He glanced out the windows in front of the station where the streetlights kept the twilight at bay. Another day drew to a close. Another day without finding Eva. “Anything new?”
Janine clearly didn’t believe him. “Cole’s trying to get some shut-eye in the break room. Ryan’s over at the Yoder place, and Aden’s working in the conference room with Walker. And you look as if you need something to eat. Rachel and I had pizza earlier. I’ll go warm you a couple of slices. It’ll help your energy level.”
Noah knew better than to argue. “Thanks,” he murmured as she headed away.
Walker and Aden stepped out into the hall.
“Glad to see you amongst the living again,” Walker told him.
“Thanks, I think.” Noah grinned. “Anything show up on the prints?”
The excitement on Aden’s face promised good news. “Oh yeah. We’ve ID’d both men from IAFIS. They’re a couple of thugs operating out of Billings.”
“Billings?” Noah didn’t hide his surprise. “That’s more than five hundred miles away. What are they doing this far north, and more important, what do they want with Rachel and Eva?”
“Good question.” Walker crooked a thumb to the conference room. “Aden and I have these guys’ records. We’ve been running through them to see if we can find some connection. So far, we’ve come up empty-handed.”
“Let me take a look. Maybe a fresh set of eyes will help,” Noah said.
Walker didn’t seem nearly as convinced. “Are you sure you’re feeling up to it? Janine is right. You should be at the hospital.”
“I’m fine,” he insisted and shifted to Rachel. “It’s been hours since you slept. You should try.”
She shook her head. “I am too keyed up. Besides, I want to help. These men are coming after Eva and me. I can’t sit around and do nothing.”
Her courage wasn’t a surprise. “All right. Let’s see if we can figure out who these men are working for.”
“Not so fast, mister. You need to eat something first.” Janine handed him a plate containing a couple of slices of pizza.
“I can eat while we work.” When she arched a brow, he made the cross my heart symbol. “I promise.”
“I’m holding you to it,” Janine tossed over her shoulder as she rounded her desk.
With a chuckle, Noah winced as he put weight on his swollen leg.
In the conference room, a couple of laptops had been set up.
“Where’s Megan?” Noah asked.
“Out on a call,” Walker said. “We may have a break on our John Doe’s case. Some hikers near the Salish Mountains on the northern side of Lake Koocanusa called to say they found a wallet on one of the more remote trails. Megan is on her way there now.”
“That’s some ways from where John Doe drove off the bridge and fro
m where we located his body. How do you think the wallet ended up there?” Noah asked.
“No idea. It could have been dragged there by an animal,” Aden suggested. “Although there was no evidence of an animal attack on John Doe’s body.”
Noah couldn’t get the feeling out of his head that John Doe’s case was somehow related to what was happening with Rachel and Eva.
Aden typed something into one of the laptops and pulled up a photo. “Meet Drew Parker.” Noah stared at the man. “He has a rap sheet as long as my arm. Mostly petty stuff. A few assaults. Nothing like this, though.”
“What about the second man?” Noah asked.
“His partner is Marvin Arnold. His rap sheet almost matches Parker’s to a tee, and get this—” Aden paused for a second “—our George Mason grew up in Billings, too. Kind of a coincidence, don’t you think?”
“So why are two, possibly three, thugs from Billings here in Eagle’s Nest?” Noah said to himself.
“That’s the question we need to answer, and soon,” Walker said. “So far, Mason isn’t talking. What about known associates? Who do these guys hang out with?”
Aden pulled up Parker’s file on the laptop. He sat back and stared at the screen. “Whoa. This guy’s involved with a heavy hitter.”
Noah glanced over Aden’s shoulder. “Holden McGraff?” Noah couldn’t believe the man had ties to a suspected crime syndicate boss.
“Who is Holden McGraff?” Rachel asked.
“One of the biggest crime bosses in Montana. He’s involved in gambling and extortion. Human trafficking. This guy is a serious criminal, and no one’s ever tied him to a single one of his crimes.”
Aden pulled up a photo of Holden. He lived on a thousand-acre ranch outside of Billings. From outward appearances, he was a polished member of the elite, but his name was tied to a lot of illegal activity. If this guy was involved, they had reason to be worried.
“Do you recognize this guy?” Noah asked Rachel. He could see from the disappointment on her face she didn’t.
“It’s okay,” he said gently. “Believe it or not, we are making progress. We just have to figure out how Holden McGraff fits into all of this.”
Walker’s cell phone rang. He answered and listened for a moment. “How did it end up so far away from the accident?” The conversation captured Noah’s attention. “All right. Let’s see if we can get in touch with this guy’s next of kin. Find out why he was out there alone.” Walker disconnected the call.
“The wallet’s our John Doe’s,” Noah said, anticipating Walker’s answer.
“It is. A man by the name of Allan Miller. Megan’s trying to find the man’s next of kin, but guess where he lives?”
Noah didn’t have to guess. “Billings,” he supplied, and Walker gave him a bingo look.
“Yep. I’m not one to believe in coincidences. Especially not ones this big.”
“Noah,” Rachel whispered in a strangled tone.
He twisted to her. “What’s wrong?”
“Allan Miller. A. Miller.” It took a second for the truth to dawn. Was it possible Allan Miller was the same man who was supposed to meet with Eva?
NINETEEN
Rachel felt the blood drain from her face.
“This could be the guy who met with Eva.” Noah shifted to Aden. “Can you get a DMV photo pulled up of Allan Miller?”
“I can.” Aden typed some words into the laptop and a driver’s license photo popped up.
Rachel stared at the photo. Something about the man seemed vaguely familiar, or perhaps was she merely grasping for straws.
“Do you recognize him?” Noah asked, searching her face.
She shook her head. “I can’t be sure. There is something familiar about him, but I don’t know why.” She squinted at the photo, but no answers came.
“Find out what you can about this man. We need answers now,” Walker told Aden and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” Aden asked as he continued typing.
“To speak with the coroner. Have him take a closer look at Allan Miller’s autopsy report. I don’t think this guy died accidentally. Not after what’s happened here today.”
Rachel sank to one of the chairs. They’d believed Allan Miller was the young man Eva had been seeing in secret, but this man was middle-aged. So why was Eva meeting with him?
“What do you think his connection is to Eva?” she asked, unable to connect her sister to the man in the photo.
Noah sat next to her. “At this point, we can’t be sure. From the time of death the coroner gave us, it’s safe to say Miller entered the lake before Eva was taken. Which seems to indicate he didn’t have anything to do with her disappearance.”
“So why did he wish to meet with her?”
The bleakness in Noah’s eyes scared her. “I’ve no idea. Maybe we should speak to Anna again. Perhaps she’s remembered something she didn’t before.”
“This is odd,” Aden murmured half to himself. “Allan Miller is the owner of one of the largest oil companies in Montana. Big Sky Oil has rigs all around the state, but get this—they’ve been drilling around the Eagle’s Nest area for a few months now.”
Rachel stared at a grainy photo from a news article written before Big Sky Oil began drilling. Miller stood in front of some drilling equipment smiling into the camera. Why did he look so familiar? There would be no reason why she would have come into contact with an oil tycoon. Still, if what they believed were true, Miller had reached out to Eva at some point. Wanted to see her. Why?
Rachel studied the photo more closely. She didn’t recognize the countryside in the background. It could be anywhere around the county, including close to the Amish community.
“If Miller came to Eagle’s Nest to run the operation, why hasn’t someone reported him missing by now?” Noah asked. “It’s been days at the very least.”
Aden shook his head. “Good question.” He glanced at his watch. “I know those rigs run twenty-four/seven most of the time. I’ll call Walker and update him on what we have. Maybe there’s someone at the rig site who can provide us with answers.”
“Good idea,” Noah said. He turned to Rachel and scanned her face. “We need to find someplace where you can get a good night’s sleep. We can’t go back to the Yoders’, since we’d be putting them in jeopardy. Hang tight for a second. I’ll be right back.”
He left the room. Rachel continued to stare at the man in the photo. How did he connect to Eva? Why hadn’t her sister mentioned anything about their meeting? And more important, why had Eva chosen to see an Englisch man when she was sure she was ready to embrace the Amish way of life?
* * *
The garage door slid closed. Noah sat up.
“I don’t believe anyone followed me,” Janine told him as she glanced into the back seat where he and Rachel had crouched out of sight.
“Thanks, Janine. To be safe, I’ll take a look around inside first.”
Janine handed him her house key.
When Janine had first suggested he and Rachel stay with her, Noah had been reluctant to put her in harm’s way. As a former deputy herself, Janine had been quick to inform him she could take care of herself and they needed someplace out of sight to stash Rachel. They’d devised a plan that kept him and Rachel hidden from view until they reached Janine’s house.
Unlocking the door, Noah slipped into Janine’s kitchen. A noise came from the living room, followed by footsteps. Janine’s Siberian husky, Elsa, ran into the kitchen to investigate.
“Hey Elsa, you remember me?” After a second’s hesitation, the dog sniffed his hand. Noah patted her head. “Good girl. Have you seen any bad guys?”
The dog wagged her tail in answer and followed Noah through the house as he checked each room.
Janine’s home was on a quiet street in Eagle’s Nest. She liv
ed alone, except for the dog.
With another pat for the dog, Noah headed out to the garage. “All’s quiet. I think Elsa is doing her job.”
Janine and Rachel got out and headed inside. In the living room, Janine clicked on the gas-powered fireplace.
“Make yourself at home. I’ll whip us up something for dinner, or do you want to rest for a bit?” she asked Rachel, who shook her head.
“That is very kind of you, but I’m fine. I’ll help you with the meal.”
Janine waved her off. “Nonsense. You stay here and warm up. I think I have some meat loaf in the freezer. I’ll thaw it out. Won’t take a minute.”
When it was just the two of them, Noah sat next to Rachel. “You’re safe here. No one followed us, and even if they did, they would have no way of knowing we were with Janine.”
She smiled into his eyes, and he lost his heart again.
“Denki, Noah. I know you are doing all you can to protect me and bring Eva home.”
The weariness of the job sank deep into his soul. He’d tried to convince himself he was doing God’s will, but more and more lately, the things he saw daily corroded his being. The simple Amish ways called to him. Had ever since he left the community behind. No matter what the future might bring, he would find Eva. He’d do that because he cared for Rachel and her sister.
“What is it?” she asked, seeing the things he couldn’t hide.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just tired,” he said, but the weariness felt much more profound than something physical.
She touched his hand. “There’s more.”
Looking deep into her eyes, he wished for so much more. “I guess I was remembering when I lived near you. Things were so much simpler. I knew what I wanted from life. How did it all go so wrong?” She drew in a breath but didn’t look away.
He’d known he loved Rachel. Knew what he wanted for his future. Then it all ended.
For so long, he’d been angry with his dad. Even though he’d been wrong to push his wishes on his son, Noah had made his share of mistakes and done his part in fracturing the relationship.