Chapter Twenty-Six
The next morning, Maya was up before her alarm. She’d come home, fed Juniper, showered and crashed. Josh had arrived home
at about the same time. Right now, he was still asleep, so she slipped out of bed. Luckily the predicted thunderstorms weren’t
as bad as they thought and the fire had died down for the night. But it wouldn’t be long before the giant smoke plume would
probably start to rise in the air again. The fire, now named Wolf Peak for the location where they thought it started, was
far from under control. Both Maya and Josh had left their go-bags in their vehicles just in case evacuation orders came in
the middle of the night.
She padded down the hall to the kitchen, started a pot of coffee and leaned against the counter. How was Hope doing? Had Abigail
fed her? Allowed her to have water? Sleep? What kind of torture was she enduring? Rubbing her temple with her fingers, Maya
let out a sigh. Juniper heard her and gave a little whine. Finn followed suit, so she let them outside.
The coffeepot beeped that it was done as Josh came into the kitchen. Maya grabbed another cup and poured him some coffee too. He looked exhausted with circles under his eyes and his hair sticking out in different directions. She figured she didn’t look much better.
“I don’t know how you get up before your alarm,” Josh said.
“It’s a marine thing,” Maya answered, teasing him, but knowing it was also true. She could sleep better now, but at times
the PTSD she dealt with still meant she had nightmares. At least she was able to manage it better. How much PTSD would Hope
have after her experience? “I also couldn’t stop thinking about Hope.”
“I figured and I understand. I kept waking up last night thinking about her too.”
Maya heard the dogs barking and figured the neighbor cat might be out torturing them again. She opened the back door and they
both came flying in, tails happily wagging. Things had really changed in twenty-four hours. Yesterday she’d thought they would
be up camping right now, relaxing and spending time together. She pointed to their kennels and both dogs gave her a disappointed
look and then complied.
“I’ll feed you soon,” Maya promised them. Then turning to Josh, “What are you doing today? Do you have to work the fire response
or will you be able to join us on the search for Abigail?”
“I’m helping with finding Abigail,” Josh said, taking a sip of coffee and adding some half-and-half. “Yesterday, when I had
to go back to the station, I took some time to go talk to Eric. Bought him dinner.”
“That was nice of you,” Maya said. “I was thinking I might bring him breakfast.”
“He’s one spoiled detainee, that’s for sure,” Josh said with a smile, then continued, “We worked some more on where this former girlfriend of Marcus O’Malley might be.
She could be the link that gives us information on Abigail’s partner.
I have a name and address. Brought up her driver license photo and Eric is certain it’s her.
I’m taking Wilson and we’re headed up to Wyoming.
It’s only about an hour to an hour and a half away.
I want to see if we can get some information.
And I agree with Eric, I think if I called her, she might get spooked.
Especially if she thought Abigail was on the loose. ”
“I’ll be curious to see if you can get anything out of her.”
“I thought I’d use my charm and good looks,” Josh said, flashing Maya a smile and showing off his dimple. “I mean, it worked
on you.”
Maya had to laugh at that. She shook her head and said, “Okay, one more cup of coffee and then I’m off to visit Eric. I have
some questions for him.”
Maya stopped at the local coffee shop and bought some breakfast sandwiches and more coffee, because there was no such thing
as too much caffeine. She knew Pops would probably already be at the station so she made sure she had food and a drink for
him too. Josh and Deputy Wilson were already headed to Wyoming. They were hoping to get answers sooner rather than later and
then get home.
Juniper was in her compartment, ready to go to work again.
She’d obviously slept well because she spent the drive to the sheriff’s office turning circles and tap-dancing with her front paws intermittently.
Maya knew the Mal would be upset when she left her in the compartment, but there was no way to carry food and hold the leash of a dog who would probably be spinning and jumping up and down in excitement to work.
Pops was on the phone and gave a wave of appreciation as Maya dropped off his java and food. Then she headed back to the holding
area where the deputy on duty opened the door for her. Eric was the only person in a cell. Because of the location of Pinecone
Junction, most detainees were transported to Fort Collins where they would get their first hearing and have bond determined.
But sometimes a judge traveled to their area too. Eric, though, was staying for now per Kessler’s orders and Maya was relieved.
It wasn’t how she wanted to see her father or have breakfast with him, but it was better than when he was on the run.
“Morning,” she said, as she approached his cell.
He was reading a book and looked up with a smile. “Good to see you.”
“Did Pops bring you some entertainment?”
“He did. Nice of him. Not very exciting here. I’ve asked a couple times now if I could be let out with an ankle monitor or
something. I’d like to help with the search for Abigail and Hope, but I don’t think anyone trusts me,” Eric said, accepting
the coffee and food from Maya.
“I wonder why,” she said with some sarcasm, but also teasing him a bit. “How many times did you escape?”
“Not that many. Once. Twice?”
“Once is one time too many,” Maya said. “Mind if I come in and join you?”
“Sure. It’s not fancy in here, but you can sit on this cold bench with me.”
“Thanks,” Maya said, walking in. The door to Eric’s cell was open and unlocked since he was the only person and there was
no way out except through the locked door guarded by the deputy on duty. Maya sat down and took a bite of her sandwich. She
really wanted to call Kessler, get an update and start working, but first, she had some questions for Eric. She knew he’d
told Kessler everything, but Maya also figured if they chatted, maybe he’d be reminded of some small detail. And small details
could break a case.
He took a bite of his sandwich too. “Delicious. And appreciated. If I’d known I would eat this well I would have turned myself
in earlier.”
“Right,” Maya said, with a chuckle. She took a sip of coffee.
“While I enjoy having breakfast with my daughter, I know you well enough to know that you don’t just come in here without
a reason,” Eric said.
“I’d like to tell you that’s not true, but you already know me well.”
“What can I help you with?” Eric asked, taking another bite of his sandwich, followed by some coffee.
Maya put her food and drink down. “What do you think Abigail’s next move will be? You saw her in action as a police officer and probably understand her better than any of us.”
Eric took another swig of coffee. “I’m not completely certain. She’s obviously gone over an edge and become unhinged. She
always pushed the line so to speak, but taking Hope and murdering those people isn’t her usual MO. Your grandfather filled
me in on that. She would usually make someone else do her dirty work for her. Although we know now that she killed your mother
and grandmother.”
“Yeah, and I’m sure that wasn’t the first time she murdered someone . . . I guess with being in the federal prison waiting
for trial, she’s realized she doesn’t have anyone to do her dirty work,” Maya said. “Except for whoever this partner is. We’re
assuming it’s a he. Any chance her partner could be a she?”
“I don’t know,” Eric said. “To be honest, she never seemed to be in a relationship with anyone unless she wanted something
from them.”
“I wonder if she actually cares for this person,” Maya said.
“I’m not sure Abigail is capable of that. You asked about Abigail’s next move . . .”
Maya stayed quiet, letting her father think.
“We all know how mad she was about the evidence your mother had. She’s the type to want revenge.
We all know that too. I think she wants to hurt you and me,” Eric said.
“Abigail knows that I pushed the line too and did things that I shouldn’t have, but not like her.
Not that it makes anything I did right. But anyway, she knows I care about my family, especially my kids.
I mean, she knew about you and that I deliberately wasn’t a part of your life because I thought it would endanger you . . .”
A flash of anger surged through Maya. Eric had told her this before. Her mother didn’t list Eric on Maya’s birth certificate
to protect her. But Abigail knew who her father was anyway and she tortured Zoey before killing her to get information out
of her. Not only did she take Maya’s mother away, she deprived her of a father too. What would her life have been like if
her mother had lived? Just add that to the list of reasons Abigail needs to be brought to justice, Maya thought.
“I was at one of your school events once when you were in grade school,” Eric said. “I drove down for the holiday pageant.
Loved every minute of it, but when I returned home, Abigail knew what I’d done and made sure I knew that she was aware of
where you lived.”
“Why?” Maya asked.
“She wanted me to do some things for her and that was her way of forcing me to do it,” Eric said, a sad look on his face.
Maya wasn’t sure how to feel knowing that her father had come to see her but was still too worried to make contact. That said
a lot about Abigail’s power over everyone and her ability to manipulate. “So what you’re saying is by taking Hope and luring
me in to rescue her, Abigail probably wants to kill us to get back at you?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. She’d rather I be alive and know what happened and to live with that every day of my life as payback for helping you find the evidence your mother hid.
I’m sure if I wasn’t in custody, she’d want me to come too, but she’s also the type to realize that I would be torn apart if anything happened to you, Hope, Isabelle or Nick.
She’s just more intent on you because of the evidence your mother collected against her.
Your mom was probably one of the first people to stand up to Abigail.
She didn’t like that and then you came along and finished off what your mom started. ”
Maya leaned back against the cold, hard wall. Would this ever be over? Abigail had built her own empire and manipulated so
many people. Who could ever be trusted? Even if Abigail was gone, would her partner then want revenge? Or someone else? It
felt like Maya’d be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life.
She had another question for Eric. “Nick has been nice. Maybe cordial is the word.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear that.”
“But,” Maya continued, “what is the chance that Nick, Aaron or Hope’s dad could be Abigail’s partner?”
“What makes you ask that?”
“John didn’t join us to look for his own daughter,” Maya said.
“I never liked that guy,” Eric muttered. “He was way older than Isabelle and by the looks of his new wife, he likes them young.”
“Nick has been really invested in the investigation, which I would normally take as him wanting to help find Hope because
he cares for her, but it seems like there’s not a lot of emotion with him.”
“Nick always held everything in,” Eric said. “He was the stoic older kid. Thought he needed to take care of his mother when she and I split. He’s a little young to be involved with Abigail.”
“But would the timing of when you felt like Abigail met a partner, fit with Nick joining the marshals?”
Eric shrugged. “I don’t think so. I think she’d met this person before he was a young officer.”
“Okay, so back to Hope’s dad and Nick’s partner. They’re both about the right age, still younger than Abigail, but would that
timing work?”
“That’s more possible,” Eric said. “I do think John likes younger women, but who knows with that guy? He is not on the up-and-up
as an officer. And I know nothing about Nick’s partner.”
“Then there’s the FBI agents,” Maya said.
“The ones I made mad by asking them to leave?”
“Yeah. They both are about the same age as Abigail.”
Eric took another drink of coffee. “I think any of them could be a possibility. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help. But I would
say don’t trust any of them. And as far as your brother and sister . . .”
“Yeah?”
“I think we learn as we get older that relationships aren’t always black and white,” Eric said. “Nick may not show much emotion,
but if he’s being cordial, then that’s a good sign. I hope you can all stay connected and it’s up to all of you as to what
kind of relationship you want, but as a father, I’d love to know you have each other.”
“I’d like to know them better. That would be nice.” She stood and leaned over, giving Eric a big hug. “Thank you for talking with me. I need to get going and see what’s happening with the search for Hope. Plus, Juniper might rip up her compartment if she has to sit around for much longer.”
Eric laughed. “She’s a good dog. Let her help you find Abigail and protect you.”
“You know it,” Maya said, heading out.
“Maya?”
“Yes?” She turned around.
“I know this is usually what you and your grandfather say to each other, but be careful, okay? Stay safe.”
Maya smiled. She decided to give him the answer she gave Pops. “Always.”