Chapter Thirteen
Ryland
“What do you mean she’s not here?” I stared at Sasha as an uneasy sense of alarm took root in my gut.
“I called her from the airport. The line was busy, but I left a message. I told her I had to finish up the paperwork on the poachers, but I’d drive up here today and pick her up in time to take her to supper to celebrate breaking up the ring of poachers.
She was supposed to stay here and wait for me to come and get her. ”
Diego whined, adding to my sense of unease. This was not good. I took a deep breath. “Do you know where she went?”
Sasha shook her head. “She didn’t say, but I thought she was going to meet you somewhere. She said you texted her to meet you. I heard the text come in and saw her reading it. We thought you’d arranged a romantic tryst.”
I shook my head, hoping my suspicions were way off base. “I haven’t contacted her since last night. The cell reception sucks in these mountains.”
Unable to stand still, I started to pace, my hands clasped behind my back. “Did she say anything else before she left? Where were we supposed to meet?”
Sasha bit her lower lip, her face screwed up as she tried to remember.
“She mumbled something about out of town, but she didn’t sound worried or anything.
She just grabbed her purse and her keys and said she’d see me later.
Like I said, she sounded excited, so I didn’t think anything of it. I’m sorry.”
I shook my head. “It’s not your fault, but I need to find her.”
I pulled out my phone and hit Kimberly’s number on fast dial. It went straight to voicemail.
“Shit.” I resisted the urge to pitch the phone across the room. “Did she take her own car?”
Sasha nodded. “Yes.”
I crossed the space between us in one long stride, giving my sister a quick hug. “Don’t worry. I’ll find her.”
A worried frown wrinkled her forehead. “Call me when you have news.”
I turned on my heel and strode out the door with Diego at my heels.
I turned back. “Sorry, boy. You have to stay.” I motioned him back to the house.
Diego whined, dropping to the ground.
I pointed at the house. “Go.”
He wagged his tail and laid his head down on his front paws. I didn’t have the time or patience to argue with a dog. “Fine. But you stay in the car.”
I opened the door and he immediately jumped into the passenger seat. Shaking my head, I slid into the driver’s seat and shut the door. “You better not get in the way.”
He gave me an unfathomable look before pivoting to stare out the window.
I drove a couple of blocks, just out of sight of the house and turned into the parking lot of a strip mall. Pulling out my secure cell phone, I called the only number it connected to.
“Password please.”
I typed in the ridiculous phrase William had insisted on.
A short pause, then, “Password accepted. Please hold.”
It felt like an eternity before William came on the line.
“What’s up? I expected you to be busy celebrating with that new gal of yours.”
“I wish I were. Kimberly is missing. She got a text shortly after I left for the airport and took off. My sister said Kimberly thought it was from me. Said she was going to meet me, but she didn’t say where.”
“You think there’s a connection to the poacher case?”
“What else could it be? She got a call from a number that spoofed mine and took off. Sasha thought she was going to meet me, so she didn’t ask too many questions. Who else would do that?”
“Well.” William sounded thoughtful. “It’s not like we haven’t made a few enemies since we set up the Brotherhood of the Wild.
Sit tight while I make a few calls. Sam and Noah haven’t checked in yet but last we heard the poaching ring was apprehended by Interpol and are cooling their heels in the bowels of a somewhat unsavory jail in Asia. ”
“Check it out. Maybe they didn’t get them all.” My reply was curt. The thought of Kimberly getting hurt because of me was unbearable.
“Roger. Hang tight. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” The line went dead.
I sat in my car, clenching and unclenching my fists as I tried to force myself to calm down. Losing your cool was the easiest way to get yourself and everyone else on your team dead. Diego stared out the window and whined softly.
Maybe I was wrong, but my gut told me this was tied into the poaching case.
A couple walking past gave me a suspicious look.
I was obviously out of place here. Putting the car in gear, I headed for the outskirts of town where I’d be less conspicuous.
I parked the car at the end of a heavily treed dirt road.
A walking trail led into the bush from here, and I stuck both cell phones in my pocket before I got out of the car.
Diego jumped out behind me, padding quietly at my side.
Pacing didn’t help calm me down, but it did stop me from doing something stupid, like racing off to find Kimberly without having any idea where she might be. This wasn’t my stomping ground. I had no idea where to start looking.
How had the poachers managed to connect Kimberly to me? Did this even have anything to do with me? I could be barking up the wrong tree. As a conservation officer, she must have pissed off a few rough characters.
But they’d used me as bait. And they’d called her personal cell phone. Not the number she had for work, or one that might be found on the Internet. They had her cell number. How?
I narrowed my eyes as I considered the possibilities.
I had the number. Sasha had the number. As far as I could tell, Kimberly had very few two-legged friends, especially after the wedding fiasco, and then the boyfriend deserting her.
She had no siblings, and she’d never been close to any of her foster parents.
So how? And who? I doubted her ex had her current phone number and even if he did, he’d have no reason to contact her and no inkling of her relationship with me. It made no sense.
I resumed pacing. I must have traversed the ground from car to edge of the forested area fifty times before it hit me.
I had her phone number. And her “find the phone” data.
I’d helped her set it up. She would have taken the phone with her, and even if the poachers had taken it from her, it should still lead me straight to them.
As long as they hadn’t smashed it to pieces or tossed it out a window.
Even if the damn thing was turned off, I’d be able to track it. I’d set it up that way.
My hands shook as I pulled out my own phone, clicked on the tracking app, and input Kimberly’s phone number. I took a deep breath. What if it didn’t work?
A position pin appeared on the location app. There! I had a position, and it wasn’t moving, which was a good thing. It meant I could locate her.
The abrupt ringing of the phone made me jump. I hit the accept button.
“Ryland here.” I clipped the words out between clenched teeth.
“We have your girl. If you want to see her alive again, you need to do exactly as we tell you.” The sneer in the unknown man’s voice set my teeth on edge, but I had to play along, at least for now.
“Is she okay?”
“So far. Whether or not she stays that way depends on you.”
“Let me talk to her.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You want me to believe she’s alive and well, you need to let me talk to her.”
I heard a whispered conference taking place, the voices too low for me to make out what was being said.
I clenched my fist. It took all my willpower to keep quiet. I wanted to reach through the phone and throttle whoever was responsible for daring to threaten my woman.
“We’ll text you a picture, but we’re not giving her a chance to tip you off.
She’s fine. All you have to do is call off your buddies and she’ll stay that way.
You got a couple of our guys cooling their heels in prison to show off to the press.
Be satisfied with that. You do not want to piss off the boss man, or your little sugar baby is going to suffer. ”
I glanced down at my phone as it pinged again. A picture of Kimberly popped up but the background was blurred, and it looked like she was unconscious. I refused to consider the alternative.
This was not good. I needed to find her and fast. The GPS location of her phone said she wasn’t far away, on one of the forestry roads. Damn lucky I wasn’t driving the low-slung Mercedes convertible. It would most likely bottom out on the uneven dirt roads around here.
Diego hopped into the car as soon as I opened the door. Sliding back into the driver’s seat, I clipped the phone into its holder and started the car. Now that I had a plan, I felt calmer. Glancing at the GPS, I turned left and headed out.
I almost missed the final turn, hidden as it was by overhanging willow tree branches. Judging by the distance I’d already covered, my destination was a few miles down this side track. There was a chance the poachers had set a lookout or trail cam so I slowed down, keeping a sharp lookout.
The trees thinned out up ahead, and I stopped to consider my options.
Out in the open, I’d be a sitting duck and worse, I’d be putting Kimberly at risk.
I decided to pull off and make the rest of the way on foot.
I found a spot on the side of the road and pulled the vehicle under the cover of some overhanging branches.
Pocketing the keys and my phones, I exited the car and motioned Diego to stay close by my side as I started to make my way toward the clearing.
The underbrush was sparse and I managed to parallel the road, moving swiftly toward my target.
Now that I was closer, I could make out a small cabin in the center of the clearing.
This close, the GPS locator was pretty much useless.
It wasn’t going to pinpoint the exact location.
I reached the edge of the clearing and paused to unclip the latch on my shoulder holster. I might need my gun in a hurry.
Diego sat patiently by my side, waiting for a signal.