Chapter 13 #2
“I don’t know about that.” Griff dropped to one knee to examine the ground more closely. “I almost think there are two sets of prints. Yet they’re so messed up, I can’t say for sure.”
“You think the riders obliterated their prints on purpose?” Kendra asked.
“Has anyone . . . seen more than one . . . gunman?” Levy demanded between breaths. Dom hoped the older guy wasn’t about to have the big heart attack right then and there. “Are we wrong about this? Maybe we just stumbled across a couple of people out for a joyride?”
“I have not seen two people,” Kendra said firmly.
“Me either,” Dom added. “Although we haven’t really gotten a close look at the guy either.” The only one who had was Levy himself.
“There are tire tracks on the road,” Justin said, moving away from the snow machine. “But they’re crisscrossed too. There isn’t a clear set to verify they belong to a GMC Sierra.”
Griff hurried over to see for himself. “You’re right. Impossible to identify a make or model of the truck from this.”
“I agree.” Justin propped his hands on his hips. “They could belong to a GMC Sierra or something else.”
“Maybe we should call in the crime scene techs,” Levy said. “They’re the experts.”
“There hasn’t been a crime to investigate,” Raine protested. “Right now, all we have is Smoky’s alert and an abandoned snow machine left behind because it ran out of fuel. We have no idea why Smoky recognized the driver’s scent.”
“That’s true. And we can’t say for sure the scent belongs to the gunman,” Justin added. “For all we know, Smoky was just alerting us to the fact that someone was standing there, watching the place.”
Dom frowned. He trusted Smoky’s nose over just about anything or anyone.
Yet he could see Raine’s point. All they knew for sure was that someone had driven a truck here, dropped off a snow machine, and used it to cross the woods.
That same person had then gotten off the machine and walked close enough to eyeball the cabin.
Maybe the smoke wafting from the chimney had caught the snowmobiler’s attention.
When the snow machine failed, the driver called a friend or simply jumped into the truck to drive away.
A random innocent person or the gunman?
Either way, he wasn’t convinced they should stay at the log cabin moving forward. And from the dark expression on Justin’s face, Kendra’s brother shared his concern.
“Come, Smoky.” Kendra called her K9 from the snow machine. She felt bad she didn’t have the stuffed hippo, but in truth, she wasn’t sure she should reward Smoky for a job well done. At least, not when she had no idea who Smoky had alerted on.
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Justin muttered as Kendra turned to head back toward the cabin.
Kendra sighed. “I don’t either, but tell me this, why would the gunman go to all this trouble to find us just to jump into his truck and drive away?”
“I don’t know.” Justin scowled.
“If you ask me, this entire situation doesn’t make any sense.” Dom came up on her other side. She had to admit, he’d done an admirable job of keeping up. “I don’t like it.”
“That makes three of us,” Griff said.
“Four,” Raine added. She glanced over her shoulder to where Levy was trudging along several paces behind them. “May as well make it five. I know Levy doesn’t like any of this either.”
Kendra glanced at her K9. As if reading her mind, Justin nodded, and said, “Always trust your dog.”
“I do trust her,” Kendra said. “I’m just not sure what she’s trying to tell me.”
“That’s our fault, not hers.” Justin’s expression softened. “We’ll figure it out.”
“I hope so.” Kendra sighed, praying that knowledge wouldn’t come too late. “She’s never done this before.”
“That’s what Joel said back when Royal did the same thing.” Justin shrugged. “Our K9s are well trained and eager to please.”
Her brother wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know.
Griff lengthened his stride to join them, peering down at his phone. “I was able to get the VIN number off the snowmobile,” he announced. “We’ll run this through the database, see who the machine belongs to.”
“You did?” Dom looked surprised. “I didn’t know they had VIN numbers.”
“They do, same as four-wheelers and other motorized vehicles.” Griff shrugged. “Let’s hope this one wasn’t stolen. Although that may explain why there wasn’t much gas in the tank.”
“How did the guy steal a snowmobile and get it all the way out here?” Dom asked.
“Could have managed to get it into the bed of the Sierra,” Justin said.
“He’d need a ramp,” Kendra said. “Unless the two of them picked it up.”
“Not easy, but not impossible.” Griff shrugged. “It’s just a theory. We’ll know more when we get back to the log cabin.”
Kendra tried to imagine the gunman finding a snowmobile to steal, getting it into the truck, and dropping it off. “I think the machine was on a trailer.”
They all fell silent as they retraced their steps. When the snowmobile tracks gave way to the footprints, Kendra knew they were finally getting close.
“Why does it seem to take longer to get back?” Dom asked.
“Adrenaline spurred us on. Now we have nothing but sheer will to push forward.” She managed a grim smile. “At least, that’s how it works for SAR missions.”
“Makes sense.” He glanced at her. “I trust you and your dog, Kendra. I believe she alerted on the footprints and the snow machine for a reason.”
“Thanks.” She was touched by his comment considering Dom hadn’t been around the Sullivan K9s until recently.
“How much farther?” Levy’s voice was weak. Turning around, Kendra could see the older man was struggling to get through the deep snow. Having snowshoes would help, but she doubted Levy knew how to use them.
After consulting her GPS, she said, “One more mile.”
Levy groaned.
Another fifteen minutes later, Kendra slowed her pace. They’d reached the trees where Smoky had first alerted. The back of the cabin was in view, and she frowned at the light shining from the kitchen window.
“What’s wrong?” Dom asked, sensing her concern.
“I don’t remember using any of the lights.” She turned to eye Justin and Griff who were close behind her. “Did either of you leave a light on?”
“No.” Instantly, Griff had his weapon in hand. “Someone may have gone inside while we were out here.”
“Stay back,” Justin added. “Griff and I will clear the house.”
Kendra tried not to sigh. The guys were always acting as if she hadn’t a clue how to use a gun. Sure, Griff was a fed, but Justin wasn’t.
“I’m with you,” Griff said.
“What are we, chopped liver?” Raine demanded. “We’re all armed and know how to protect ourselves.”
“Dom’s not armed, although he is a good shot,” Kendra said. “No reason we all need to stay behind.”
“Just let us take the lead,” Griff insisted. “We may need you to head out to get backup.”
“Backup?” Levy finally caught up to them. “I doubt the gunman is inside. He wouldn’t be foolish enough to turn on a light.”
Kendra grabbed Dom’s arm, holding him back so the others could approach the cabin first. Dom’s frustrated expression spoke volumes. Although she was relieved he didn’t shake off her grip.
“Someone must have a spare weapon I can use,” he said in a low tone. “I hate feeling useless.”
“Not that I’m aware of.” She watched as Justin and Griff split up, one heading around to the front, the other lingering in the back.
Raine, for all her tough talk, stayed back as if to guard her and Dom.
Justin’s K9, Stone, stayed at Raine’s side, although it seemed as if the dog wanted to follow Justin.
Even Levy hung back, as if sensing the younger men were better suited to take on a threat.
A few tense minutes later, Justin went into the house through the back door. Raine took one step, as if she wanted to follow, but then stopped.
For a long moment nobody moved. Kendra imagined the two men clearing the cabin. Was she wrong about the light? Maybe they had left it on.
But she didn’t think so.
Another long minute later, Justin stepped back outside. He didn’t look happy but gestured for them to head over.
Raine and Stone led the way. Kendra, Dom, and Smoky were right behind her. Levy once again was the last one to arrive. A wave of warm air greeted Kendra as stepped across the threshold.
Smoky snaked around her, going farther inside. Then her K9 let out a sharp bark.
Kendra’s muscles went tense.
“Hey, Smoky, do you remember me?” The female voice was not what Kendra had anticipated. She hurried forward, her jaw dropping in shock when she saw Jennifer Hutchins standing in the kitchen. Her last SAR mission involved finding a lost woman not far from the Redwood Motel in Greybull.
And now Jennifer was standing in their log cabin.
“Hi, Kendra.” Jennifer looked relieved to see her as she tucked a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear.
“I’m so glad to see you. I tried to tell these guys you’d remember me, but they didn’t believe me.
At least Smoky remembered me, didn’t you, girl?
Huh?” Jennifer bent to stroke the dog’s fur.
“What are you doing here, Jennifer?” Kendra couldn’t tear her gaze from the tall dark-haired woman. “How did you know I was here?”
“I didn’t know you were here, but I need gas for my snow machine.” Jennifer cocked her head to the side. “Did you find it?”
“We did,” Griff answered. He took a step closer to Jennifer. In sync with Griff, Justin did the same from the other side. “But you need to answer Kendra’s question. How did you know she was here?”
“I didn’t!” Jennifer’s tone turned indignant. She looked from Griff to Justin, then back to Kendra. “Why is everyone acting as if I’ve done something terrible? I drove past the cabin, saw the cars, and came in to ask for help. That’s all.”
No way. Kendra couldn’t quite explain why the woman’s words didn’t ring true.
Finding Jennifer inside the safe house explained Smoky’s alert.
Her dog would have recognized Jennifer’s scent from their previous search, especially since that was only a few days ago.
Even if Kendra hadn’t given her K9 the search command.
Yet having Jennifer Hutchins show up here at a federal safe house did not make sense. She glanced at Justin who seemed to understand her concern.
“Look, if you don’t want to give me some gas to fill up the snow machine, that’s fine.” Jennifer tossed her hair, as if annoyed. “I figured since you helped find me when I was lost a few days ago, you’d help again. But I guess I was wrong.”
Jennifer’s comment only deepened her mistrust. She’d just said she didn’t know Kendra would be there. Now she was using their relationship as a reason she’d help? No way. “Griff and Justin? Grab her.”
Without hesitation, both men leaped forward to snag Jennifer’s arms. The woman’s eyes widened in alarm. “Get your hands off me! What are you doing? I came for help, nothing more.”
“She’s part of this.” Kendra gave Smoky the hand signal to come. Her dog wheeled away from Jennifer, coming to sit at the heel position. “I’m not sure how or why, but she’s involved.”
“Involved in what? What are you talking about?” Jennifer tried to sound confused, but her narrowed eyes reflected the truth.
Jennifer Hutchins was involved in the attacks against her and Dominic. But Kendra didn’t think she was the gunman. There had been two sets of prints on the ground outside, and that made her think Jennifer wasn’t working alone. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Jennifer’s shrill voice held a note of panic. “Let me go!”
“Where is he?” Kendra took a step closer. “You’re not smart enough to have done this on your own. Where is he?”
Jennifer stopped struggling, looked away, and clamped her lips together tightly. Clearly, she was done talking.
Kendra turned toward Dom. “We need to get out of here.”
Despite his dazed expression, he nodded. As he reached for the laptop computer, a loud explosion just outside the log cabin rocked the earth, sending them all tumbling to the floor.