Chapter 12
12
D oug was losing his patience. Badly. He needed these guys to tell him everything they knew. And somehow, he felt certain they were holding back.
“Who was his old friend?” he pressed.
“I dunno.” The guy with the gray greasy hair didn’t even look at him.
“Doug.” Maya yanked on his arm, hard enough to pull him off balance. “We need to go. I think I know where she is.”
“You do?” He stared at her in surprise. “Where?”
“Come with me.” She tugged on his arm again, and this time he didn’t hesitate to turn his back on the two older men. They were halfway to the door when she added, “I think Steve’s old friend is Blaine. My ex-husband.”
He frowned. “I don’t understand. I thought your ex was in Cheyenne.”
“I thought so too.” She paused before heading out into the bitter cold. “When I first noticed someone behind me two weeks ago, I called the manufacturing plant to verify he was working. They said he was.” She held his gaze. “Blaine was very bitter about money. If he was offered easy money in exchange for doing something illegal, I think he’d take it. I searched his social media and discovered Steve Beldon is listed as one of his friends. From there, I remembered that Blaine’s grandfather has a hunting cabin about halfway between Cody and Greybull.”
A wave of anticipation swept over him. “What’s his grandfather’s name?”
“Last name is Swanson. I think his first name was Herbert, and his wife was Edith. Blaine’s mother is Tanya.” She waved a hand toward the door. “Let’s go. We can get the location off the property report your tech guy ran for us.”
He pushed open the front door and was hit in the face by a swirling mass of snow that seemed to have doubled in volume during the ten minutes they were inside. The flakes were small and pelted his skin like tiny ice picks.
Ducking his head, he pushed forward creating a path for Maya who huddled behind him. He cut a path to the SUV and brushed the snow off the windows while she remotely started the engine and opened the rear hatch for Zion.
Once they were settled inside, he pulled out his laptop computer to find the address for the property. When he found it under the name of Herbert Swanson, he glanced at her. “Have you been to this cabin?”
“No.” She kept her eyes on the road as visibility was getting worse by the second. The vehicle handled the snowy roads fairly well via the four-wheel drive, but he couldn’t help but wonder how it would do if they ended up hit with six inches or more. “We may have to wait until the storm passes.”
He shook his head. “Please don’t ask me to do that. If you can get me to the area, I’ll go in on foot. You can stay in the vehicle and call for backup.”
She sighed. “And what happens if you get lost? It’s easy to get confused in the middle of a blizzard.”
“I know. I tend to have a pretty good sense of direction and can always use my phone as a compass.” He spoke with a confidence he didn’t really feel. He would rather not head out by himself, but waiting for the storm to pass wasn’t an option.
Maya didn’t say anything, just continued driving east. He looked again at the map of where the Swanson property was located. It was south of the highway rather than north, so not likely the source of the smoke he’d seen yesterday.
He’d coerced Maya into going on a wild-goose chase yesterday. Time that would have been better spent working the case. Yet investigations could be tricky. They may not have uncovered the connection between Steve Beldon and Blaine any faster. He knew better than most that investigations could be broken open by the smallest thing.
Like interviewing two old men where one mentioned how Steve had headed out to meet an old friend.
“How did you connect Steve meeting an old buddy to your ex-husband?” he asked.
“I’m pretty sure Steve and Blaine went to high school together.” She spared him a quick look. “I discovered they’re still friends on social media too. I never met Steve, but Blaine mentioned his football pals several times, referring to one of his wide receivers as Stevie. Blaine was a quarterback and went on to play football in college on a partial scholarship. That’s where we met. During our sophomore year, he blew out his knee, had surgery, and dropped out of school. Once his knee healed, he decided to work Trocar Metals manufacturing company.”
He considered that for a moment. “You really think Blaine went from being a former high school football star to being capable of murder?”
“I don’t want to believe that.” Her voice was full of regret as she continued heading east. Their pace was slow but steady, and considering the snowfall, he couldn’t ask for anything more. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if he’d changed for the worst. Blaine always wanted more. More money, more stuff, more...” Her voice trailed off.
“Greed can take over a person’s life,” he said.
“Yeah.” She was silent for a long moment. “I have to wonder if Blaine asked Stevie to follow me, maybe trying to scare me into coming back to him.”
He arched a brow. “He does know you’re a former cop, right? I don’t see you running to any man even if you were afraid.”
She let out a harsh laugh. “Funny how you know me after being together for twenty-four hours better than he does, and we were married for four years. Yes. Even if I was freaked out about being tailed, I would never go back to Blaine. For many reasons, but mostly because he cheated and blamed my job as a cop for his lack of morality and commitment.”
“Jerk,” he said, inwardly reeling from her comment about how well they’d gotten to know each other in such a short time frame. He’d felt the same way about her. Their kiss was still far too fresh in his mind. He forced himself to focus on the situation, not his growing feelings for Maya. “You’re better off without him.”
She nodded. The SUV slid sideways on the slick road. Maya was able to regain control of the vehicle without difficulty. The wind caused snowdrifts, and he felt guilty all over again about asking Maya to do this.
Consulting the laptop, he estimated they had another five miles to go. He tried to scan the landscape out his passenger window but couldn’t see much beyond the snow-covered trees.
As much as he hated to admit it, getting lost was a distinct possibility.
“There’s still time to change your mind about this,” Maya said. Her ability to read him was uncanny. “It’s not likely they’ll leave the cabin in this weather.”
“I know you’re right about that, but them being stuck on the property works in my favor. What if they take off the minute the snow stops? I’ll have missed my chance to rescue Emily.” He shook his head. “I need to try.”
She didn’t respond. He hated disappointing her, but he didn’t see that he had another option. When she slowed the SUV and edged toward the side of the road, he tensed.
This was it.
Once he headed out into the blizzard to find the cabin, there would be no turning back.
“See that narrow opening between the trees?” Maya asked. “I believe that’s a gravel road that will lead toward the driveway.”
He frowned. “It doesn’t look as if anyone has driven a vehicle down there recently.”
“Yeah, I noticed that.” She sighed. “Maybe there’s another way into the property. Or maybe they drove to a location where they picked up snow machines.” She turned in her seat to face him. “Or maybe we’re wrong about Blaine, and Emily isn’t here. I wish you would consider waiting until morning.”
“If there’s a cabin in the area, I’ll find it.” He glanced at the narrow opening again, telling himself that following the road couldn’t be that difficult. “If Emily isn’t there, I’ll build a fire and hang out until the storm passes.”
“Fine.” She pushed the gearshift into park. “We’ll come with you.”
“No!” His tone came out more vehement than he’d intended. “Please, Maya, I don’t want to risk you and Zion. I need you to head back into Cody to arrange for backup.”
“Here’s a better idea.” She jutted her chin at a stubborn angle. “We go together with Zion and make sure Emily is there. Once we verify that, we both return to the SUV and call for backup.”
“I refuse to risk your life,” he repeated. “Or Zion’s. Give me time to find the cabin. If it appears occupied, I’ll text you to call for backup.”
“We’re coming, end of story.” She waved her hand impatiently. “Sitting here and arguing is a useless waste of time. The snowstorm is growing worse by the minute.”
He held her gaze. “Please reconsider staying here.”
“Nope.” She pushed open her driver’s side door, letting in a gust of snowflakes. “Let’s move.”
As he slid out of the car into the blustery wind, he sent up a silent prayer begging God to watch over them.
If his decision to head out in this storm hurt Maya or Zion, he’d never forgive himself.
* * *
“Stay, Zion.” Maya trudged around to the back of the SUV to put a clean and dry pair of booties on Zion’s paws. The snow was already a few inches deep and coming down at a brisk pace. When the padded booties were in place, she buckled Zion’s black vest snuggly around her middle. The Sullivan K9 lettering along the side was made from reflective material that would catch the light even from a distance.
She had more faith in Zion’s nose and the dog’s ability to track Emily than in her ability to stay on course. Between her compass that was thankfully not dependent on her phone and Zion’s nose, she was confident they’d be fine.
Barring any issues like freezing to death or falling down a ravine.
Once Zion was set, she and Doug strapped on their snowshoes. She dug an extra face mask out of the compartment underneath the crated area for him. He looked grateful for the additional protection.
“We’re going to let Zion take the lead,” she said, her voice muffled by the face covering. “She’ll get us to the cabin.”
“Okay.” His green eyes reflected a sincere gratitude. “I appreciate you doing this.”
As if she could walk away and leave him to venture out alone? Yeah, no matter what he’d thought, that was never a viable option. She pulled two protein snack bars from her pocket and offered him one. “We’ll need fuel to get through this.”
“You think of everything, don’t you?” he asked as he unwrapped the bar and took a bite.
“Yep.” She ate the protein bar then turned her attention to Zion, setting the stage for their upcoming mission. The husky was always willing to play, but she liked to set the tone, revving the dog up with excitement. “Are you ready, girl? Are you?” She poured a little water into a dish and offered it to her partner. Then she switched to offering the bag containing Emily’s gloves and socks. Zion sniffed them only for a moment before looking up at her with pale-blue eyes as if anticipating the command. Maya suspected Emily’s scent was engraved in her dog’s memory. “Are you ready to work? Let’s search! Search for Emily!”
The husky trotted a few feet away, lifting her snout to the air. Maya closed the back hatch, locked the SUV, then snowshoed across the surface of the newly fallen snow.
She shouldn’t have been surprised how quickly Doug had adapted to the snowshoes. He used them with an athletic grace her ex didn’t share, despite his partial football scholarship. She wrestled with guilt over the possibility that Blaine was working with criminals who’d kidnapped Emily.
For money. With him, it was always about the money.
Zion bounded through the snow with excitement, giving her hope they were on the right track.
Catching up to Doug, she consulted her compass. She tipped her head down to keep the snow from getting in her eyes. “According to the map and my coordinates, we’ll need to head southeast for at least a mile.” She glanced up at him. “If this is the dirt or gravel road leading to the driveway, I doubt it’s a straight shot to the cabin. Most roads aren’t. Wandering Creek runs along the side of the property, so that is something we need to take into consideration. The water will be frozen and covered with snow, making it difficult to see.”
“That makes sense. I appreciate the information.” He used his poles to help propel him forward. “Zion is on the move.”
Her K9 loved the snow. Huskies were bred for this type of weather. Yet Maya noted the way Zion sniffed the area with interest. Her K9 kept her nose in the air rather than trying to scent along the ground. Falling snow inhibited scent tracking to a certain extent, but once they found the cabin, Maya was confident Zion would be able to zero in on Emily’s scent.
If the young woman was or had been there.
Following Zion’s lead, they headed across the stretch of land that led to the narrow opening between the pine trees. The heavily laden evergreens significantly reduced the impact of the wind. Not only did the temperature feel warmer, but she could see their surroundings much easier. Despite how the hour was edging toward noon, the overcast sky and swirling snow made it seem much later.
They snowshoed down between the trees at a brisk pace. As she’d anticipated, the road curved first to the right, then to the left.
The blanket of snow brought an eerie silence to the area. Other than the wind, there were no other discernible sounds. Wildlife hunkered down in this weather, burrowing deep into the snow and thick brush to stay warm.
When Doug paused at the next curve, her pulse kicked up. She caught up to him with two strides. “What is it?”
He pulled the face mask down and sniffed the air. “Am I imagining it, or is that the scent of burning wood?”
She frowned and pulled her face mask aside as well. After a long moment, she shook her head. “Sorry, but I don’t smell anything.”
“Wishful thinking,” he muttered, replacing the mask. With a muffled voice, he said, “We’re not going to see rising smoke through all this snow, are we?”
“Nope.” As they resumed their trek forward, she kept an eye on Zion who trotted from one side of the open area to the other. Her K9’s ears were pricked forward, her expression alert. “We’re only human. Zion will be able to scent burning wood from a fire, so let’s trust her to lead the way.”
“I totally trust Zion to keep us on the right track.” From the way the corners of his eyes crinkled, she assumed he was smiling.
Despite the frigid temps and the snow that was covering them now from head to foot, she caught his sense of purpose. As if just knowing they might be close to finding Emily was propelling him forward.
As they followed the bend in the road, she could only pray she wasn’t leading him down the wrong path. They’d come here based on her gut instincts. And the connection between Blaine and Stevie that couldn’t be ignored.
But if she was wrong? She swallowed hard and tried not to think about that as she leaned on her poles for balance.
Her K9 darted out of sight. “Zion!” she called as loud as she could through the face mask. “Zion, come!”
It took a few seconds for the dog to come galloping back. The snow settled on Zion’s fur, making her look bigger than normal. Zion stood for a moment, gave herself a shake to get rid of some of the snow, then wheeled and ran off again.
Zion’s footprints in the snow were the only ones marring the glistening surface before them. She and Doug were leaving tracks, but glancing back over her shoulder, she could see the snow was already filling the marks.
Hopefully, there would be enough of a path for the local and state police to follow once they verified Emily’s location and called for backup.
There was still no sign of a cabin, and when they left the shelter of the trees, the snow obscured her vision. She squinted to keep an eye on Zion, catching glimpses of her K9’s vest through the snow.
Doug suddenly lurched sideways, leaning heavily on his left pole to keep himself from falling headfirst into the snow. She cautiously made a circle around him to see what had happened.
His left pole was way down in the snow, indicating there was a dip in the ground below the layer of snow. She could just barely see the indentation and couldn’t blame him for missing it.
“You okay?” she asked, as he struggled to regain his balance.
“Yeah.” He pulled his pole free and gingerly took a few steps forward and to the right to keep away from another hidden hazard. “At least I didn’t fall.”
“Good job.” She was impressed with his ability to stay upright. “How are your ankles? No injuries?”
“Wrenched the left one a bit, but I’m good.” He blinked the snow from his eyes. “Let’s keep going.”
She nodded and turned to look for Zion. The dog was a few yards ahead, staring at them as if to say, What’s taking so long? “We’re coming,” she called. The dog turned and continued forward.
It took a solid twenty minutes for them to go one mile. And even then, she almost missed the path heading to the left.
Tire tracks. They were full of snow, but the two tracks were clearly visible. Narrowing her gaze, she realized they had come from the opposite direction. Her earlier theory of the kidnappers taking an alternate way to reach the cabin appeared to be true.
“We’re getting close,” Doug said. “The cabin can’t be too much farther.”
“Don’t bet on it,” she warned, as they followed the faint tire marks. Zion was still well ahead of them. Since the K9 didn’t alert, she figured the dog must have caught some other scent.
They trekked for another twenty yards. That’s when she smelled it too.
Burning wood.
“I think I see the side of the cabin,” Doug said, his voice low and muffled. “It’s about seventy yards ahead.”
“Zion must see it too.” She nodded toward her K9. “See how she runs ahead, then comes back to stare at me? She wants us to hurry.”
“We can’t just rush forward,” Doug protested. “We need to figure out where the windows are so we can avoid being seen.”
“I doubt they’re expecting anyone to be out in the storm.” She didn’t mention just how crazy they were for being there in the first place. “But we do need to proceed with caution. Assume they’re armed and dangerous.”
He nodded and gestured toward a cluster of trees to their right. She understood and carefully turned to head toward them. “Zion, come!” She didn’t want the dog to get close enough to attract attention.
Five minutes later, they reached the shelter of the trees. Her fingers and toes were cold, but the rest of her body wasn’t too bad. The exertion of using the snowshoes helped keep her torso warm.
The wood-burning scent was stronger here, and she could see the dark structure of the cabin up ahead. Snow blanketed the roof, and while she still couldn’t really see any smoke rising from the cabin, there was a bare patch without snow around the chimney.
Someone was there. Not only could she smell the smoke, but the faint tire tracks led to a large garage. She caught a glimpse of an orange glow from a fire through the large picture window overlooking the front yard.
“I think we should head to the back of the cabin,” Doug whispered.
“I agree.” She nodded at the garage. “If they brought Emily in there, maybe Zion will alert.”
His green eyes flared with hope. “Let’s try.”
She glanced down at Zion. “Search!” she said softly but with unmistakable enthusiasm. “Search for Emily!”
Her partner shot out from the trees, the snow covering her coat helping her blend into the environment. The dog ran straight toward the garage, sniffing along the ground, then lifting her nose to the edge of the garage door.
Then the K9 sat and turned to stare at Maya.
“She alerted,” Doug said with anticipation. “Emily is here!”
“She was here and may still be here,” she corrected. “Let’s see if we can get to a window to check for sure.”
Doug stared at her. “You think they may have killed her?”
“I didn’t say that, but we need to get a visual.” She gestured toward the cabin. “They could have brought Emily here, then left again before the snow started to fall.”
“I doubt that, but I’m all for getting closer.” Doug eased out from behind the trees and carefully headed toward the garage. His clothes were covered in snow, too, as were hers, so maybe nobody would notice.
Unless they decided to look outside and catch a glimpse of their snowshoe tracks.
She followed Doug to the garage, relieved when she reached the structure without incident. The building blocked the wind, but when they went around to the back, the wind slammed them in the face.
Lowering her head and using all her strength on the poles to push forward, she followed Doug to the back of the cabin. There were smaller windows along the side of the house closest to the garage, and she wondered if they were bedrooms.
Zion stayed close to her side. Maya hadn’t rewarded the K9 yet, but she would once they had a positive ID.
She couldn’t bear the thought that they’d come all this way during a blizzard for nothing.
Doug reached the windows first. He stayed to the side, peering cautiously around the corner. She went to the next window to do the same thing.
No blinds or curtains covered the windows, which was a blessing. Yet there weren’t lights on inside either. At first glance, she couldn’t see anything. Not even furniture, a bed, or dresser.
Then her vision adapted to the dim light, and she could see the form of someone lying on the bed. Not a woman, she noted, but a man.
Not Blaine, this guy had dark hair, and Blaine was blond. Maybe the injured bad guy? From what they’d learned from Craig Olsen, Emily had been taken because one of them was hurt.
She turned to look at Doug. He shrugged as if to say he wasn’t sure what to make of the guy, either, when she caught movement from inside.
A woman came into the room carrying a large bowl of water.
Emily! She saw Doug react, too, and knew their search was over. She needed to call for backup. It would take the local police time to get there, but they could head back to the SUV and wait for them to arrive.
Digging her phone from the inside pocket of her coat, she brought up the screen to dial 911 when she saw the words No Service .
They were out of cell range, or the tower signal was obliterated by the storm. She lifted her gaze to Doug and shook her head. He grimaced and dug his phone out, but it was no use. He quickly stuck it back into his pocket. His phone didn’t have service either.
They were on their own.