Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Watching those two traipse around town on a mission makes the truth clear. They discovered something and I’m pretty certain it’s connected to Pete. The old coot kept his secrets. Working on the case through the years. Refusing to let the past go.
Now, they were getting closer to me, and if I didn’t figure out what they had, it might be the end for me.
I pulled my vehicle into the trees down from where it happened. Stupid Abby. She always was so na?ve.
As I get out of the car, I walk down to the place where I’d met her that night. She’d been surprised. She hadn’t expected me. Hadn’t suspected what was to come.
Though it’s a different time of day, the woods are familiar.
Much like that night. Covered in snow muffling sound.
The storm had prevented anyone from hearing her scream.
That moment of relief when she thought she was safe was priceless.
Then, the truth became clear and she tried to escape.
I’d relived those beautiful moments dozens of times throughout the years.
They never got old. Justice never got old.
“If Abby knew the man who took her and he was a local, then maybe she got a ride with him thinking she’d be safe.
” Ryan voiced his theory aloud while he and Charlie worked together to prepare a meal of elk steaks, pasta salad and homemade Amish rolls.
“She wouldn’t know she was in danger until it was too late. ”
Charlie finished tossing the pasta and removed the rolls from the oven.
“It makes sense. You think it was Jason? Maybe he slipped up by admitting he saw Abby that day trying to cover his tracks when really it was the night she disappeared.” She shrugged.
“He was seeing Lila back then. You think it’s possible he was seeing Abby, too? ”
Ryan didn’t. “I think if his father knew about Lila, he’d have made him end it. Keeping two women secret would be next to impossible. No one in Pine Haven would be good enough to date the son of a judge.”
The arrogance Ryan had gotten off Grant Owens every time he saw him was clear. He thought he and his son were a notch above everyone else.
“You’re right. So, maybe we’re looking at the wrong person? It’s possible Jason wasn’t involved in what happened to Abby or to my uncle.”
Ryan removed the steaks and plated them before carrying them to the table. “I’d say that’s a good assumption. Still, right now, we can’t afford to eliminate anyone. Hopefully, Boone was able to speak with Grant and Jason and clear up some things.”
“Let’s hope.” Charlie brought over the bread and pasta. “Those steaks look amazing.”
Ryan smiled into her eyes. “Let’s eat.” He pulled out a chair for her.
Once Charlie was seated, he slipped into the one next to hers and hesitated. Before, when he and Charlie had dated, he hadn’t been a Christian. Praying over a meal wasn’t anything he thought about doing. Now, he never ate without saying grace.
“Do you mind if we pray?” He waited for her answer and wondered what she might be thinking.
Charlie looked at him strangely but shook her head.
He clasped her hand and bowed his head. “Father, thank You for watching over us today. We ask for Your wisdom to solve Abby’s disappearance and give her family and friends peace. Help us stop the person who hurt her and Pete before he can harm anyone else. Amen.”
He opened his eyes and realized Charlie was still watching him.
“You never used to pray.” She held his gaze without wavering.
“No, I didn’t,” he said quietly. “After what happened to your parents and when you left, well, things changed for me.” He struggled to keep any anger from his tone. This wasn’t about her leaving him. It was about God finding him.
“Anyway, I started attending church and well, it transformed my life. I accepted Jesus into my heart, and he’s been changing me. Helping me to become a better person.” He smiled. “Not nearly as quickly as I’d like, but I’m a work in progress.”
She reached over and covered his hand. “I’m so glad. If it weren’t for my faith, I’m not sure I would have survived losing them either.” She ignored the part about her leaving, but he let it go.
He pointed to her plate. “Dig in while it’s still hot.”
Charlie actually smiled. “I can’t wait. I’m starving.” She added pasta to her plate as well as a roll and passed them on.
Soon, the only sound around the table was cutlery clinking but it was okay. It reminded him of the meals they’d shared through the years.
Thinking about what might have been put a sad note to the meal.
He noticed her watching him and realized he was probably giving too much away. Would there be a time for them when the heavy past wouldn’t be standing in the way?
His cell phone rang. Ryan picked it up and noticed the number. “It’s Boone.” Abandoning all other thoughts, he answered the call and put it on speaker for Charlie. “Were you able to speak with Grant or Jason?”
Boone sighed deeply. “I was and I talked to Jason with his father present.”
Charlie, seeming unable to sit by and do nothing, cleared the table while she listened.
“According to both, they weren’t around when Pete would have been killed.”
“I don’t think that’s the truth.” Ryan told him what Lila said about connecting with Jason.
“I’ll confirm the timeframe with Lila,” Boone assured him.
Ryan still wasn’t convinced of Jason’s innocence. “He could have hired someone to administer the potassium chloride. I doubt that either man is the type to get their hands dirty.”
“It’s possible,” Boone said. “I’m checking their alibies as well as anyone connected to them who might have done the job.
I have Will checking where the drug might have been purchased.
It doesn’t appear to have been stolen from the hospital or any clinic around the area.
We’re investigating veterinary clinics as well as agricultural supply businesses.
Potassium chloride is commonly utilized in fertilizers and is also distributed to laboratories for research purposes,” Boone stated.
“Of course, there’s always the possibility it was purchased off the Dark Web. ”
“If that’s the case, it’ll be hard if not impossible to track,” Ryan added. “What did he say about Abby?”
Boone told them not much. “Only that he barely knew her and didn’t remember seeing her before she went missing.”
“That’s a lie,” Charlie interjected angrily. She told Boone what Lila said.
“Well, that’s concerning. I’ll speak with Lila and get all the details, then we’ll go back to Jason and his father with what Lila said.”
Ryan told them about what Charlie remembered. “I think we should speak with Abby’s parents again. Maybe she mentioned something about this boy she was interested in.”
“Let’s hope. We really could use a break. The one thing we know for certain is we have a killer out there somewhere who is willing to kill again to keep from being discovered. Call me if you find anything from Abby’s parents.”
“I will.” Ryan ended the call as an uneasy weight settled over him. Outside, the weather had turned ugly turning the afternoon to dusk. More snow was on the way. The weather predicted another six to eight inches overnight.
He helped Charlie with the dishes then went over to the window and cracked the curtains enough to look out. If the storm hit, the road outside the property would be unpassable until the snowplows came through. The idea didn’t sit well.
“Should we call Abby’s parents now?” Charlie stopped behind him. His attention remained on the gathering darkness outside through the slit in the curtains.
“What’s wrong? Do you see something?” She continued to search his face. “Ryan, what is it?”
He shook his head and turned to her. “I don’t know. Just the case, I guess.” He didn’t really answer her question, but it was the best he could do because that bad feeling chasing him wouldn’t go away.
“You think he’ll come here?” The fear in her eyes was real.
He couldn’t give her a positive no. “We weren’t followed, I made sure of it, but it wouldn’t take much digging for the killer to find this place.”
She visibly shivered. “Should we leave before the storm hits? In a few hours we’ll be stuck here until the road is plowed.”
Hearing her mimic his thoughts made the decision easy. “Let’s go. We’ll head to the station and figure it out from there.”
Charlie retrieved her bag from the room where she’d placed it while he extinguished the fire and checked to confirm everything was off before grabbing his things.
He met Charlie at the door. Ryan slipped into his coat and helped her into hers. “Give me a second to take a look around. Lock the door behind me. I’ll be right back.”
She didn’t argue, confirming she understood the seriousness of their situation.
Ryan grabbed his weapon and flashlight and stepped from the house waiting until she’d locked the door before clicking on the light. Normally, a darkness like this was hours away but thanks to the incoming storm it appeared like night.
He stepped from the porch flashing the light around their isolated surroundings.
Nothing moved. Still, the feeling of impending danger wouldn’t go away.
He directed the light to the ground checking for new footprints. There weren’t any.
Was he overreacting and putting Charlie in danger by taking her out again?
As he left the protection of the house, a strong wind screamed around the side of it as the sky unleashed its payload. Heavy snow began to swirl in the light’s beam. Had he waited too late?
He checked the perimeter without seeing any evidence to back up this feeling.
Still, Ryan knew better than to ignore it. He returned to the front door and knocked. “Charlie, it’s me.”
Locks disengaged. The door opened and her wide eyes were filled with fear.
He grabbed both their bags. “Let’s get out of here.” She stepped beside him and waited while Ryan locked the door. “As soon as we’re on the road, I’ll call Boone and let him know what’s happening.”
He placed the bags in the back seat and held open the passenger door for Charlie. She slipped inside. Soon they were on their way. At the gate, he made quick work of unlocking and relocking it.
Once they were heading toward town, some of his tension eased. He reached for his phone and tried to call Boone back. A fast busy signal was his only answer. “It’s not going through. The weather must be affecting the service.”
Ryan tried the radio with the same results. “I don’t like this. The sooner we reach the station the better.” He continued watching the rearview mirror.
Charlie clutched the door handle while her concern was etched on her face.
Ryan clicked on the wipers to high speed to keep up with the onslaught of snowfall bombarding them.
He leaned forward to see the road better. The headlights picked up something strange. Tire tracks.
“Someone else is out here,” Charlie whispered.
He didn’t answer. There would be no reason for another person to be down this road. Boone’s place was the last one down this far and the road wasn’t very easily found.
He pushed down on the gas because he couldn’t let go of his own misgivings.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ryan spotted a flash. A heartbeat later the crack that followed was unmistakable. A gunshot.
Someone was shooting. At them.
Charlie screamed.
“Get down,” he yelled and pushed Charlie down in her seat.
Ryan scrunched down as low as possible. The first shot missed the cruiser entirely, but the second one struck the driver’s window, shattering it instantly.
Another scream from Charlie before her fearful eyes met his looking for answers.
Over his panicked thoughts one truth became perfectly clear: the killer believed Charlie knew something that would identify him, and he wasn’t taking any chances.