Chapter 38
Luke
Walter’s idea to switch bags had been a good one. With the smaller, lighter backpack, I could move much more easily over the rocky ground.
I was thankful it was summer. It meant long days, so even though it was late, the sun hadn’t quite set yet.
I had enough light to keep up a decent pace.
According to the GPS, from where we stopped, I had about four miles to go.
A mile-and-a-half through the woods and two-and-a-half miles on the trail.
My goal was two hours. Provided I didn’t fall or encounter a bear or a moose, that was a more than reasonable amount of time.
But I still felt the pressure to move faster. Mina needed help, and Ellis needed to be warned.
With careful but quick steps, I picked my way over the rocks and deadfall. Three-quarters of a mile into my journey, the sun dipped behind the mountains, and I had to slow down, even with the powerful flashlight I pulled out of my bag.
Darkness continued to gather as I descended toward the trail.
A steady prayer that I wouldn’t encounter a large predator played in my head like a broken record.
When I finally broke through the tree line and onto the trail, it took me several steps before the loop stopped, and I realized where I was.
I let out a quick whoop and turned toward town.
The light bobbed as I ran. My legs already ached from the six miles I’d walked this afternoon and evening, but I pushed it away, keeping Mina’s pained face in my thoughts and letting it drive me forward.
Listening to my even breathing, I ran. When lights blinked through the pine boughs as I approached the parking lot for the trailhead, I quickened my pace, sprinting the last quarter mile.
As I broke through the trees, I whipped off Walter’s backpack, eyes locked on my truck.
“Luke?”
I skidded to a halt and turned. Across the lot, Ozzie stood next to his cruiser.
“Oh, thank God!” Reversing direction, I jogged over. “We weren’t sure if you got any of our messages.”
“The last one came through just a little while ago, and I came straight here. Claire and I were on a plane; that’s why we didn’t answer. What’s going on?” He looked past me, up the trail. “Where’s Mina?”
Wiping sweat from my face, I frowned. “Your damn puppy slipped her harness. Mina fell onto a rock trying to catch her and broke some ribs. I left her and the dogs in the woods with Walter Shuman.”
“Wait. You found Walter?” Ozzie held up his hands. “Back up. Start from the beginning. Your last message was pretty vague. I alerted search and rescue, and they’re gearing up, but that’s it. I just came down here to scope things out.”
Relief punched me square in the gut. Hopefully, soon, Mina would be back in town, getting the medical attention she needed.
I took a deep breath and let it out. “Sorry about that. Character space is limited on the GPS unit. Have you called Ellis?”
“Yes. He’s at my house with Claire now.”
“Without backup?”
Ozzie’s frown deepened, and a touch of confusion entered his dark gaze. “Yeah. Claire has weapons in the house, so they’re armed. We figured that was enough until we knew more.”
“You need to send a unit over there. I don’t know what she’s got planned.”
A small frown marred Ozzie’s forehead. “She? Who are you talking about? Explain.”
I huffed and forced myself to start at the beginning. “Mina and I went hiking.” I held up my hands. “Just a normal hike. We weren’t looking for trouble or poking into anything. Our goal was to wear Pebbles and Betty out, so they’d sleep better tonight.”
Letting my hands fall, I continued. “We made it to Dupont Beach, and they still weren’t tired, so we decided to go another half mile up the trail.
We heard a boat coming into shore, which we thought was strange since the beach was so close.
Thinking, maybe, someone needed help, we ventured over in time to hear Walter and Miranda Benning bickering. ”
“They drove a boat into shore south of Dupont Beach?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know why they picked that particular spot, but they chose that area because it’s close to Sarah Cole’s land.” I tipped a finger. “And guess who showed up and ambushed us all?”
Ozzie’s eyes widened.
I nodded, confirming his suspicions. “Sarah Cole was the mastermind. Walter was the intended recipient of Edna Myers’s estate.
Not just her mansion, but all her property.
Sarah illegally had it changed. Walter used Miranda to get it changed back, and Sarah killed Moira because Moira was asking too many questions.
Oh, and Miranda is Walter’s secret daughter.
He didn’t want that fact to get out, which is why he went along with all of Sarah and Miranda’s plans. ”
This time when Ozzie’s eyes widened, they rounded so far, I wondered if they might pop out of his head.
He muttered a curse. “That explains a lot. But how is Ellis involved?”
Before I could answer, recognition dawned on his face. He held up a hand. “Ellis is asking questions. Just like Moira. He’s being public about it and stirring up the town’s memories from back then.”
“Exactly. And Sarah and Miranda have at least an hour head start on me, probably more, because they were on an ATV. They have to be in town by now.”
Ozzie backed up and opened his car door, leaning in to grab his phone. Tapping the screen a few times, he brought it to his ear.
A frown formed on his face after several moments. He lowered the device. “He didn’t answer.” Tapping the screen again, he lifted it once more. “Let’s try Claire.”
The frown on his face turned fierce when she, too, didn’t answer.
Stabbing the red circle on the screen to end the call, Ozzie tipped his head toward the cruiser. “Get in.”
I hurried around to the passenger side and hopped in.
Ozzie picked up the radio as we left the parking lot. “PL212 to dispatch, over.”
“Dispatch to PL212, go ahead, over.”
“I need you to send a unit to my house.” He stated the address. “And have all units on the lookout for two females. Miranda Benning and Sarah Cole. Standby.” He let go of the mic button and glanced at me. “What were they wearing? And what does Sarah Cole look like?”
“Miranda had on black pants, a burgundy long-sleeved shirt, and hiking shoes. Sarah was wearing olive green pants and a tan t-shirt. She had a black jacket tied around her waist. And she’s about five-five, a hundred and twenty pounds.
Graying blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail.
I’d say she and Miranda are close to the same age too. Mid-fifties.”
Ozzie relayed that information to dispatch, then in the next breath asked for an update on the search and rescue efforts underway. The dispatcher said they were staging and would roll out within the hour.
I breathed a sigh of relief. The weather was warm, and Mina had been stable when I left, but I was glad to know she would soon be out of there. She and Walter were sitting ducks for predators and had no way to defend themselves.
About seven minutes into our drive north to Parker’s Landing, dispatch came back over the radio.
“Dispatch to PL212. Officer on scene reports no one home, over.”
Ozzie’s dark eyes met mine. Worry and anger simmered side-by-side in their depths. Plastic creaked in his hand as he squeezed the radio mic. Bringing it up to his mouth to speak, he rubbed one finger over his top lip, then responded.
“Dispatch, who was the responding officer, over?”
“Chief Riggs, over.”
“Thank you. PL212 out.” He hung up the mic and picked up his phone. Unlocking it with his face, he handed it to me. “Find the chief’s number and call it. Put it on speaker.”
I scrolled, quickly finding the contact labeled “Chief Riggs,” and dialed.
It rang through the cab of the cruiser, then the chief picked up after a couple of rings.
“Riggs.”
“Was Claire’s car in the garage?” Ozzie asked without preamble.
“Yes. I knocked on every door. No one answered. What’s going on?”
“How about Ellis’s truck? He was supposed to be there.”
“It was there too. Answer my question, Quartermaine. What’s going on?”
“I found Luke. Mina’s still in the woods with Walter Shuman.
She’s hurt. Sarah Cole killed Moira and somehow roped Miranda into it.
Luke said they’re going after Ellis. Go back to my house and break in.
Make sure they’re not—” Ozzie’s words cut off.
He swallowed hard and inhaled a breath before continuing.
“Make sure they’re not in there bleeding or dead. ”
Riggs muttered a curse. “Turning around now. I’ll call you back.”
The line cut. I put the phone down.
“Sonofabitch!” Ozzie smacked the steering wheel.
I could sympathize with how he felt. If it were Mina, I’d feel helpless too.
He flipped on his lights and siren, then pressed the accelerator. “I have a bad feeling about this.”