Chapter 5
5
C linging to Chase, Wyn couldn’t hold back her tears. Sobs ripped from her chest, her tears soaking Chase’s thick denim shirt. Deep down, she agonized over the situation. Why was this happening? Who could be evil enough to do something like this? And why? There was no logical reason for her son to have been targeted by a masked man. He was an innocent boy who didn’t deserve this.
Was the kidnapping a personal vendetta against her? She didn’t want to believe that Eli had already been taken off the reservation and sold to some horrible child-trafficking ring. But the possibility was all too real.
Even worse, the hour was eleven at night. There wasn’t anything more they could do to find Eli until morning.
“Please don’t cry,” Chase whispered, his voice near her ear. “We won’t stop searching for Eli until we find him.”
“How?” Her voice came out as a croak. She struggled to wrestle her tears under control, but it wasn’t easy. “We don’t know where to look!”
He didn’t answer, just gathered her close and held her tight. She welcomed his embrace. She hated to admit how desperately she needed Chase. His strength, his determination. His reassuring presence.
And of course, Rocky’s keen ability to alert on Eli’s scent. Without Chase and Rocky’s expertise, they wouldn’t know anything at all.
But they did know something. They had a trailer house owned by a woman by the name of Julia Stone.
She pulled herself together with an effort. But it wasn’t easy. Eli wasn’t like other kids. She had no idea how the little boy was handling the ordeal of being held by strangers.
Deep down, she knew she needed to let Chase know what to expect when, not if, but when they found Eli. There were many things to discuss, but Eli was the most important. Yet she was reluctant to leave the warmth of his arms.
“Let’s sit on the sofa,” Chase whispered. “Maybe we can come up with another avenue to explore in finding Eli.”
She lifted her head and nodded. Breaking free of his embrace, she reached for the box of tissues on the table. Seeing them only made her want to cry again. She blew her nose and wiped her face. “I shouldn’t have sent Eli to his preschool program. I knew he was coming down with a cold, but I sent him anyway.” Her breath hitched, and she blew her nose again.
Chase searched her gaze. “Are you worried he’ll get sicker? Will he run a fever and need additional medical care, like antibiotics?”
“It’s not that. I don’t think he’ll need to be taken to the clinic.” She drew in a deep breath, then moved past him to sit on the sofa. “I just hate knowing how much he may be suffering through this ordeal. Bad enough to feel sick, but even worse when strangers are holding you against your will. I don’t see the men who took him being kind enough to offer any sort of comfort.”
“Maybe they will.” Chase settled beside her, resting his arm behind her on the sofa. “I wish I knew more about him.”
That was her cue to tell him about their son. She glanced over as he pulled the phone from his pocket to stare down at the photograph she’d sent. Seeing Eli’s unsmiling face brought fresh tears to her eyes. She tried to think of a way to ease into the subject. “Eli doesn’t talk much, but he’s smart. He understands everything, but he also gets easily preoccupied.”
Chase frowned. “What do you mean? Was there a problem during his birth? Is he delayed in his growth and development?”
“No, he’s not delayed. There were no problems during his birth.” She tried to think of an easy way to tell him about their son’s diagnosis. But before she could broach the subject, his phone rang.
“Hold that thought.” Chase jumped to his feet and answering the call. “Hey, Doug. Do you have good news for me?”
When she couldn’t hear the other side of his conversation, she waved to get Chase’s attention. “Please put the call on speaker. I want to know what’s going on.”
He nodded. “Hold on, Doug. I’m going to put this on speaker so Wynona, she’s Eli’s mother, can hear.” He lowered the phone, pressed the screen, then said, “Okay, go ahead. You said you spoke to FBI agent Flannery?”
“Yeah, sorry it took a while, he didn’t answer right away, so I kept calling,” Doug said. “He was irritated at first but understood the urgency when I explained what’s happened. He’s sending a team out to the trailer house at dawn.”
She looked at her watch. Dawn was at least seven hours away. “Can they hit the road sooner so that they’re here by the time it’s light outside?”
“I suggested that approach,” Doug admitted. “He said he’d try but wouldn’t make any promises.”
“What about asking the tribal police to stand guard over the residence to help preserve the evidence until the team can get here?” Chase asked. “I wish I had thought of making that call myself, but it just occurred to me now.”
Doug sighed. “I suggested that, too, but it sounds as if that request isn’t likely to be well received by the tribe. While the FBI has some authority over crimes that are committed on the reservation, the tribal police resent their interference. Sounded as if Griff didn’t want to overstep any boundaries.”
“A four-year-old’s life is at stake!” She couldn’t help lashing out anger. “I don’t care if the tribal police get stomped on as long as Eli is found safe!”
“I understand,” Doug said in a placating tone. “But don’t worry, because I’m heading out soon to take on that job myself.”
She glanced at Chase in surprise. He nodded and offered an encouraging smile. “Thanks, Doug. Like I said, I should have thought of it earlier. I’ll head back to stand guard over the trailer until you can get there.” He hesitated, then added, “I only returned to Wynona’s house because someone fired a gun at us. Bullet sliced along the top of my snowmobile trailer.”
“If that’s the case, I’m not sure you should leave her alone,” Doug said. “We don’t know what type of criminal we’re dealing with.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, even though the thought of staying there alone was nerve-racking. The shooting incident was still fresh in her mind. They also had no clue why Eli had been taken in the first place. No ransom. No nothing.
If the ultimate goal was to harm her, the kidnappers could make another attempt at any moment. She glanced out at the darkness. For all they knew, someone was watching her home now.
Yet she refused to do anything that might slow the investigation into Eli’s disappearance. If that meant sitting here alone while Chase headed back to the trailer house, then fine. She’d manage.
“I’ll leave Rocky here to keep an eye on things.” Chase’s voice broke into her thoughts. “He’s not a trained attack dog, but he’ll raise a ruckus if anyone gets too close. His bark can be quite intimidating.”
“That’s up to you,” Doug said. “Just know I’m on my way. Oh, and I looked into the DMV database. There’s nothing on Julia Stone. Either she doesn’t have a car or she didn’t bother to register it.”
“Thanks for checking,” Chase said. “It’s disappointing, but maybe the feds can find something more.”
“I hope so,” Doug agreed.
She was touched by how quickly Chase’s friend rallied around them. “Thanks, Doug. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done.”
“As you pointed out, a child is missing,” he said. “This is the least I can do.”
“See you soon, then,” Chase said. “Call when you’re close. I know you’re not familiar with the rez.”
“Will do.” Doug ended the call.
“How do you know him?” She eyed Chase curiously. “I don’t remember a friend named Doug. Your business partner was Dave, right?”
“Right. Doug Bridges is a former DEA agent from Wisconsin. Last month, he asked my sister Maya for help in finding his half sister, Emily. Their mission was successful, and now Doug and Maya are engaged to be married.” He held her gaze. “He’s a great guy, and we’re thrilled to have him become a part of our family.”
Was there a hidden meaning to his words? Was he trying to tell her that she would have been welcome in his family too? But if so, why had he stayed away for so long? By the time so many weeks had passed, she’d stubbornly blocked his number to avoid him.
She was as much to blame as he was. Yet this wasn’t the time to focus on the past. All that mattered was finding Eli. “I’m happy for Maya and Doug. He mentioned he works for the state now, but it sounds like his background has helped smooth things over with the FBI.”
“Yes, he made a point of reaching out to them after finding the guys who took Emily. I’m sure Doug’s experience will be helpful down the road too.” Chase glanced down at Rocky who was stretched out on the floor near the fire, sleeping. “I’m going to drive back to the trailer house. I wasn’t kidding about Rocky being a good guard dog. He isn’t specifically trained to attack, but I’m confident he’ll protect you.”
“I have no doubt he can scare people away.” She twisted her fingers together, trying to downplay her nervousness. “And I’m sure the kidnappers are long gone.”
Chase frowned. “Maybe I’ll take Rocky out and do a sweep of the area before I leave, just to be sure. It doesn’t make sense that anyone would hang around, but it won’t hurt to double-check.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to offer to go with him, then she realized she needed to prove she wasn’t afraid to be left alone. There was no point in telling him she was scared out of her mind because she didn’t want to stand in his way. If he wanted to go watch over the evidence, then she would support him on that.
She forced a nonchalant smile. “Sounds good. Thanks.”
Chase took a step toward her, then paused and turned away to grab his coat. When he had his coat and boots on, he called, “Come, Rocky.”
The Elkhound shot upright, then rose to his four feet and meandered to Chase’s side. As they left, she wondered if he’d been about to hug her again and wished he would have. She longed for the loving relationship they’d lost over five years ago.
After a particularly difficult argument with her father, she had sought shelter in Chase’s arms. Despite knowing better, they’d given in to temptation and subsequently created Eli. She had battled shame and guilt after that night, especially when she’d realized she’d become pregnant. The day she’d discovered she was carrying Chase’s child was the day his parents had been reported missing over the mountains and presumed dead. She should have told him, but she’d only been two months along and thought she should wait until he’d settled things with his siblings. That had taken a long time. Then her aunt had been diagnosed with end-stage cancer, so she’d gone to care for her father’s sister.
The days became weeks, then a full month. She’d been too full of pride to reach out to Chase after hearing nothing from him during that entire time. The fact that her father strongly disliked Chase didn’t help matters. She’d been torn between removing her child from his heritage and following her heart. She’d stubbornly held her silence.
Yet she had never forgotten him.
Now here they were, united in their efforts to find their son. She should have called Chase. Should have told him the truth.
Would Eli be missing now if she had contacted Chase about her pregnancy? Alone in the house, she lowered herself onto the sofa and buried her face in her hands. No, she was certain her life and Eli’s would have been very different if she hadn’t allowed her pride to stand in her way. She should have tried to meet Chase halfway. Maybe gone out to the ranch to see him.
Eli’s kidnapping may be God’s punishment for her sins. Her son didn’t deserve this agony, but she did.
She wasn’t an expert on Chase’s Christian faith, but she had a Bible tucked away in her dresser drawer. She didn’t grab it now, but she closed her eyes and silently prayed for God to forgive her. To give her a second chance to be a better parent to Eli.
And most of all, to protect her son from harm.
* * *
For once, Rocky stayed close to Chase’s side as he strode down the street scanning their surroundings. The bitter cold air slapped at his face, and his breath caused puffs of steam to form. He strode quickly, hit by a sense of urgency. Rocky trotted to keep up. Maybe the K9 could sense his unease. He wasn’t entirely convinced that leaving Wynona alone for several hours was the right thing to do.
Yet as he looked from one side of the neighborhood to the other, he didn’t see anything unusual. Most of the houses were dark; only a few had a glow from a wood-burning stove. He caught the faint scent of burning wood as he passed by.
It didn’t take long to make a loop around her neighborhood. He was struck by the haphazard locations of some of the houses. Some were on an angle; others were set really far off the road. Others were closer. They were not situated in neat rows the way most cities and towns were structured. The rez had its own rules.
Or rather, a lack of rules. There was no government overreach or specific city or state zoning laws. In some ways, it was great.
In others, not so much.
Returning to the rez after all this time was a painful reminder of the past. Not just his past relationship with Wynona, but their cultural differences. He couldn’t help but feel guilty for the way his ancestors had treated Wynona’s people. Not that he should feel the need to carry their sins as his own. Yet the truth was, the land was stolen from the Native Americans by force and violent bloodshed, reducing the proud men and women who once roamed the land to a square footage of land in the middle of Wyoming.
The eastern Shoshone and northern Arapaho tribes had been reduced to a fraction of the land they once roamed freely. Sure, big game had returned to the rez, but over the years, that hadn’t helped. From what he could tell, the poverty and crime was worse than ever.
Young people were leaving the reservation in droves, searching for a better life for themselves and their families. Chase often wondered if there would be any Native Americans living here on the Wind River Reservation fifty years from now. He did not have high hopes for the tribe’s ability to turn things around.
Yet he couldn’t change the past. And neither could Wynona. Or her father, despite his obviously derogatory feelings for the white man, as he’d referred to Chase.
“Go and leave my daughter alone!” The old man had thundered at him. His face had turned so red Chase had been concerned about his health. “Leave now, White Man! You have no business here.”
Chase had left, but now he realized he shouldn’t have caved under the old tribesman’s tactics. He should have stayed and fought for Wynona.
Then Kendra had called, sobbing about how she was certain their parents’ death wasn’t an accident, that the plane crash had been intentional. She begged Chase to keep looking for them.
So he’d turned his back on Ogima and Wynona Blackhorse and left the Wind River Reservation. Sacrificing Wynona for his family.
Only he hadn’t realized he was giving up his son too. Never in a million years would he have done that.
Six months ago, he’d failed to find Alecia alive. Now he was back, searching for a son he’d never met. He’d missed out on the first four years of Eli’s life. And if they didn’t find Eli soon, he might never be given the opportunity to know his son.
He glanced up at the starless sky, silently asking for God’s help, then turned his attention back to his surroundings. He glanced at Rocky who stood sniffing the air, his ears pricked. “Get busy.”
The dog just stood there, looking at him. With a sigh, he headed up to Wyn’s front door. “Fine, have it your way,” he said to the dog.
As if to prove his independence, Rocky strode toward a scrubby bush and lifted his leg. Chase tried the door, but it was locked.
“Wynona?” He rapped on the wood. “It’s Chase.”
The door swung open. “You’re back.” She looked relieved.
Rocky bounded forward, brushing past him to go inside. Chase stepped over the threshold, closing the door behind him. “Rocky and I did a sweep of the area and didn’t find anything alarming. Your neighbors are tucked in for the night as far as I can tell.”
“They usually are at this hour mid-workweek.” She crossed her arms over her chest, offering a crooked smile. “I appreciate you checking to make sure everything is fine. I don’t mind being here with Rocky.”
“You’re sure?” He fought the urge to pull her into his arms by patting Rocky’s fluffy head instead. “If something happens, call me. I’ll take the SUV without the added weight of the trailer, so I can be back here in a matter of minutes.”
“Nothing will happen.” She gestured to the laptop computer. “I’ll stay busy by continuing to search for information on Julia Stone.”
He nodded. “Do you mind if I take coffee to go?”
“Of course not, help yourself.” She knelt beside Rocky, running her fingers through his fluffy hair. “You’re going to be a good boy for me, aren’t you?”
Rocky nudged her with his nose, making her smile. But the brief flash of humor quickly vanished as she stood.
He filled a mug with coffee and headed for the door. Out of nowhere, Rocky rose to his feet and began to howl, a high-pitched baying sound only a hound could make.
“What in the world?” Wynona’s eyes were wide. “Why is he doing that?”
“I’m not sure.” He set the coffee aside. “What’s wrong, Rock?”
The dog crossed to the window and howled again. Then he spun and ran toward the front door.
“Maybe he needs to—how did you say it? Get busy?” Wyn said.
“No, that’s not it.” He stared at the dog for a moment. Rocky looked back at him as if willing Chase to read his mind. He reached over to open the front door. Rocky instantly bolted forward, going back outside. Concerned, he followed, trying to figure out what had caught his K9’s attention.
An intruder? He’d just walked the area, so he didn’t see how that was possible.
Rocky stood in the road and lifted his nose to the air. He let out another musical howl, as if determined to wake the entire neighborhood.
And maybe that’s exactly what his dog wanted. Chase abruptly realized the smoke scent in the air was stronger now. Obviously, many of the homes on the rez had wood-burning stoves and fireplaces like Wynona’s, but he didn’t believe that was the source of the scent. The pungent smell that wafted toward him now was different. Heavier. Thicker and not as clean smelling.
Had the wind shifted?
He turned in a circle until he caught a glimpse of an eerily orange glow in the distance. He narrowed his gaze, realizing it was north and slightly west of his current location.
A fire! He knew the fire was what caught Rocky’s attention. Wild animals were always in tune to their surroundings and would run fast and furiously from a fire. His Elkhound had years of instincts bred into him.
Chase abruptly spun toward his SUV and trailer. As he worked to disconnect the trailer from his vehicle, Wynona joined him. Beside her was Rocky, who had finally stopped howling.
“What’s burning?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. But you can see the blaze from here.” He didn’t want to voice his concern, but he worked faster on disconnecting the trailer hitch. He didn’t have his flashlight handy, and it wasn’t easy to unhook the lighting mechanism in the dark. “I’ll find out and call you with an update once I know more.”
“If that’s a fire, then I’m coming with you.” Wyn’s voice was firm. “I’ll call for help along the way.”
There wasn’t time to argue. He finally had the trailer disconnected from the SUV. He shoved it backward, then opened the rear hatch for Rocky. The dog jumped inside without hesitation, as if sensing time was of the essence.
Seconds later, he was driving toward the orange glow. Now that he was in the driver’s seat, he could see a hazy plume of smoke rising into the sky. The burning scent grew stronger, and he belatedly realized he should have rewarded Rocky for alerting them to the fire.
Next time, not that he wanted there to be another fire. He wished he’d have paid more attention to the smoky scent earlier. He’d assumed fireplaces and stoves.
Not a burning building.
As he navigated one street to the next, the ball of dread in his gut grew.
“Chase?” Wyn’s voice was a hoarse whisper. “What if the source of the fire is the trailer house where Rocky alerted on Eli’s scent?”
“It could be any house,” he said, although he, too, had a bad feeling about this. Fires didn’t just randomly start in the middle of winter.
She used her phone to call the tribal police to notify them of the fire. “Yes, I understand. Thank you.” She lowered the phone. “They’re notifying the volunteer fire department here in Riverton to respond.”
“I’m glad the city has a fire department,” Chase said. “I wasn’t sure those services were even available.”
“They’re 100 percent volunteer,” she said. “They’ll get assistance from the Fort Washakie’s paid fire department if needed, but that’s thirty to forty minutes away.” She turned to look at him. “I’m worried, Chase. I don’t think this fire is an accident. I’m afraid it was set on purpose.”
“I’m concerned too.” He kicked himself for not staying at the scene of the crime right from the start. How long had it been since they’d left the place? Thirty minutes? No, closer to an hour by the time they walked back. Then he’d called Doug, comforted Wyn, and then walked around the neighborhood as if he’d had all the time in the world.
Now they might be too late.
He hit the gas, sending the SUV surging forward. He took the turns at a dangerous speed, slowing only when they reached the location of the fire.
The flames were blinding in their brightness. And from what he could see, the entire house was engulfed in flames.
“It is!” Wyn cried. “It’s the trailer house!”
Yanking the wheel, he pulled off to the side of the road to avoid blocking access from the volunteer firefighters. He shot out of the car, heading toward the house. He couldn’t get very close because the blaze was too hot.
Even as he stood there, he knew with sick certainty that it was a lost cause. The DNA evidence left behind by Eli’s kidnapper had been destroyed.
And he had no one to blame but himself.