20
“Thor! To me!”
A hundred yards away, in the green space near her parents’ home, the dog turned on a dime and raced toward her.
As he ran, Rowan watched Thor’s GoPro feed on her phone and snorted. The image leaped and jerked and zipped from side to side as she caught occasional glimpses of herself. A blurry pink flash would enter the view for the fastest moment—his flappy tongue. Thor didn’t mind the camera mounted on the chest of his harness, and Rowan enjoyed watching the world through her dog’s eyes, pleased that the camera had been safe in her SUV instead of the house. Watching Thor’s point of view brought instant happiness. Something she needed today.
And that gets my mind off last night.
Her family had been great. They’d looked at the list of things she and Evan needed and then divided up the items between them and headed to different stores. Her sisters had been calling or texting every fifteen minutes with questions about clothes and shoes and sending pictures of things they thought she’d like. They’d tried to follow her rules, and Rowan had said yes to everything except the pink camo jacket.
She still wasn’t certain if Iris had sent that as a joke.
Now she and Thor were soaking in the fresh air as she told herself that the world had not tipped on its axis, that life still followed its routine.
My brain will eventually return to normal.
Anxiety would ripple through her at the smallest provocation. Her mother had dropped a mug in the stainless steel sink, and Rowan had almost fallen off her barstool. Which had caused Thor to leap to his feet, looking around for whatever evil had startled her. She’d reassured her dog and then taken him for a walk, needing fresh air and to be out of the house.
I’ve only been there a couple hours.
But she’d found herself sniffing the air in the home, listening for crackles, checking electrical plugs. Her fight-or-flight reaction was highly tuned to flight, and she wondered how long that would last. It was exhausting. Last night it had been fight. She’d fought for her dog and wouldn’t change a thing she had done during the fire.
She’d encouraged him to trot through the small field at first, letting him roam on his own for a bit, watching through the camera to see what caught his interest. He’d paused to view a butterfly and sniffed dozens of rocks, dirt clods, and plants. There’d been a glimpse of something small, brown, and furry, but he’d stopped and looked back at Rowan to see if she’d tell him to ignore it.
Such a good boy.
She wished she could mount the camera on top of his head to accurately see what he turned his head to look at, but she knew he’d never tolerate it. He ended his dash back to her a few feet away, his dark eyes excited and his ears at attention for her next command. Instead, she went down on a knee and held out her arms, and he rushed in, licking her cheek and neck as she hugged him and thumped his chest. He’d had a bath that morning and smelled like dog shampoo, but she still picked up faint hints of smoke.
I don’t know if I’ll ever get the scent of smoke out of my nose.
After a long moment of loving, she detached the camera. “What did you think of that?” she asked, scratching his head. He sniffed the camera and met her gaze.
/treats/
“Of course. You were a good boy to put up with that thing on your chest.” She dug out the ever-present kibble from her pants pocket. “But it was a lot of fun for me. I needed that.” Some search dogs wore them all the time, but Rowan hadn’t found it necessary. In the past when they’d tried, she’d found watching jolting video for too long nauseated her.
She was thankful that so much of her and Thor’s equipment had been in her vehicle. Rowan stored it there so she could leave on a moment’s notice if called on a search—she was even prepared to camp overnight for several nights. It’d taken years to assemble exactly what was needed, and she knew where each item was in her backpack. It would have been a pain to replace.
Her phone rang and Thor perked up, his focus on the noisy thing in her hand.
“It’s Evan,” she told him. She swore her dog brightened at the name. She answered and gave Thor an extra treat.
“How are you doing?” Evan asked, clearly in his vehicle.
“Good,” she answered honestly. “Thor and I had to get out of the house, so we’re down at the green space playing around with the GoPro. It’s exactly what I needed.”
“Your family is being helpful?”
“Yes. Driving me a little crazy with questions, but they mean well. Where are you going?”
“Sophia’s car has been found at the Todd Lake trailhead.”
Rowan straightened. “Any sign of her?”
“No. A ranger just called it in. He looked around and yelled her name for a bit but didn’t find her. I’ve got two deputies on the way to cordon off the scene and requested some explorers to start a search.”
“Do you want Thor to come check?”
“It’s not necessary.”
His tone told her he wanted Thor to help but was reluctant to ask.
Rowan pictured the popular location. It was the start of a short hike to the lake and led to other, longer hikes. “Thor and I can be there in twenty minutes. I’d appreciate the distraction. I don’t want to shop, but I’m restless sitting around the house.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel obligated. We’re both tired.”
“I want to do this,” she said. “Is there snow?” Rowan strode back toward her parents’ home. A search was just what she needed. A distraction and an opportunity to help.
“A little. The ranger said the snow is heavier up the trails, but not bad.”
“That could be helpful for footprints.”
“Well, sounds like dozens of people went hiking there over the weekend,” he said.
“Not surprised. Maybe the vehicle was simply dumped.”
“I’m not jumping to conclusions,” said Evan. “Do you need another scent article?”
“That would be best.”
“The one Thor used Saturday was turned in with the evidence. I already signed it out. I didn’t want to make assumptions, but I wanted to be prepared in case you said yes.”
“You couldn’t keep me away,” said Rowan. “See you in a bit.”
Almost a half hour later, Rowan pulled into the trailhead parking area. The graveled forest road had been a potholed and rutted mess, and she’d apologized several times to Thor as he lurched around in the back seat. She spotted Evan speaking with a deputy next to a dark-green Subaru Forester, and he waved at her. Caution tape cordoned off most of the parking lot and the beginning of the trail. There were a few civilian cars present. Probably belonging to people still out on the trails.
The trailhead was at about six thousand feet in the Deschutes National Forest. She zipped up her jacket and tugged on a knit hat, her hair in a single braid down her back. The temperature was brisk, but the sky was a lovely blue. Patches of old, crusty snow dotted the lot, and she was glad she had her warmest hiking boots. She eyed the position of the sun. There was plenty of daylight left.
She let Thor out of the back and attached his leash. He saw Evan and pulled in his direction. “Hey,” she told her dog. “You know better than that.”
Thor looked over his shoulder with a guilty expression.
/friend/
“I know you love him,” Rowan said. “He’s the best.” She shaded her eyes against the bright sun. From fifty feet away, Evan appeared tense. He gripped a plastic bag in one hand, which Rowan recognized as containing the scent articles from the search at Sophia’s house.
This has been so hard on him.
She guided Thor across the muddy gravel lot.
“Hi, good boy!” Evan squatted and gave Thor some love. The dog’s tail energetically wagged, and the deputy stepped out of its strike zone. Evan looked up at Rowan. “Hi to you too.”
Rowan met the deputy’s gaze. “I’m always second,” she said with a grin, noting his last name was Hartley.
“Look at all that thick black fur. He’s gorgeous,” said Deputy Hartley.
Rowan thought so too as she watched her dog nuzzle Evan’s armpit.
Both of them.
“Ready?” asked Evan as he stood, giving Thor a final scratch on the chin.
“Yes. Did you find anything with the car?” she asked.
“It’s locked. I don’t see any blood inside and can’t see anything else of interest through the windows. I had a clear view of all the space.” He winced. “No trunk.”
“Will you break in?”
“At some point. Depends what we find here.”
Hartley stepped away to intercept a pair of hikers coming off the trail.
Rowan stepped closer. “Are you okay?” she asked softly, studying his eyes. There were shadows there, and she didn’t think they were solely from the stress of the fire.
“Yesterday was rough.” Evan looked away, focusing on the deputy and hikers. “Between Rod’s autopsy and the fire, it was a pretty shitty day. I’m feeling drained, and I can’t get what I saw at the autopsy out of my head. I don’t ever want to do that again for someone I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
He met her eyes, determination in his gaze. “I didn’t tell you yet because we’ve had other things going on. But a bullet was found during the autopsy, and it was in good shape. If I can find the gun, I’ve got strong evidence.”
“Good!” She tried to be upbeat because the shadow in his eyes had been growing darker by the second. She could almost feel his anger and sorrow.
He dropped his gaze and fondled Thor’s ears.
There’s more.
“The ME thinks he may have been tortured,” Evan said slowly, speaking toward the dog. “He was covered in bruises and cuts.” He pressed his lips together as if to keep from saying more.
“That’s horrible,” said Rowan, shock flooding her, understanding why he hadn’t brought it up. “Do you think they wanted something from him?”
He glanced up. “I don’t know.” Evan sighed and stretched his back, exhaustion on his face. “Is Thor ready to search?”
He’s deliberately keeping something to himself. It must be awful.
“Yes.” She removed Thor’s leash, took the bag, and opened it near his face. He plunged in his nose, eager to start work. “Find it!” Thor darted to the right, immediately starting his usual sweep pattern, but quickly stopped and turned to the car. He trotted over and circled it. Rowan held her breath as he paused near the back of the car. There was nothing—and no one—in the back of the car, but that didn’t mean that there hadn’t been something there at one time.
Thor continued around the car. He stopped at the driver’s door and sat, looking at Rowan. It was logical; it was Sophia’s car. He made a chattering sound.
/here here here/
She praised him and then led the dog a short distance from the car, indicating she wanted him to search the parking lot. “Find more.” He searched, jogging back and forth, sweeping the lot. “He’s still checking, but the lot doesn’t seem to have anything,” she said to Evan after a few minutes.
“Take him up the trail.”
Rowan nodded. She let Thor finish the lot. He got a treat and praise. He’d done what she asked even though he hadn’t found anything. She led him to the trailhead and asked him to search again. He circled around the big wood sign at the starting point several times, leaving paw prints in the shallow snow as he sniffed the sign and nearby pines. She indicated for him to go up the trail, and he did.
He’s got nothing.
She followed him at least forty yards up the reddish dirt trail, Evan trailing behind. Thor searched as she asked, darting back and forth and occasionally trotting several yards off the path. Rowan watched carefully for that pause and sudden head lift that signaled he’d found something.
“I don’t think she came this way,” Rowan said over her shoulder to Evan.
Thor suddenly stopped, his head lifted and ears forward. Rowan studied him. It wasn’t the right sign for a scent. She couldn’t describe the subtle differences in his posture; she simply recognized them. After working for years with her dog, she knew what every pause and small movement meant. Right now something had distracted him. She gave him a few seconds to get back on task before she gave an order.
He looked back at her.
Something’s up.
Voices reached her. “Someone’s coming,” she told Evan. She called Thor back, and he bounded down the trail. She pulled out a toy and started a tug-of-war with him. Evan’s focus was up the trail, waiting for the people to appear. He appeared calm, but she knew he was mentally preparing to deal with the worst.
It’d taken Rowan a while to become accustomed to Evan’s always-on state of mind. He constantly scanned the people around him, their movements, their hands, and what held their focus. When they went out to eat, she’d learned to let him have the seat that gave the best view of the doors and room. It made her a little sad to think he rarely lowered his shields, but it also made her feel safe. Currently they were both armed. He with a gun—maybe two—and she with bear spray in an outside pocket of her backpack.
If she’d been alone, it would have been in hand.
Two hikers appeared around a bend in the trail, jogging slowly, women Rowan estimated to be in their early twenties. She immediately classified them as experienced hikers; they had the appropriate gear from hat to boots, and it was well used. Not fresh off the shelf from REI. She attached Thor’s leash.
“Do you have a phone?” one asked as they drew closer. “We can’t get a signal.”
The other woman wore a red cap and looked sick to her stomach. Rowan wondered if she needed medical help.
“You’re almost to the trailhead,” Evan told them. “You can probably get a signal on the road.”
Rowan noted he hadn’t answered their question.
“Don’t go up there!” moaned the ill-looking woman.
Evan grew more alert. Rowan had been looking at him and noticed the change. It reminded her of Thor when he caught a scent. She started to smile at the mental comparison, but the woman in the red hat spoke again.
“There’s a dead body back there! She’s been shot!”
The woman burst into tears.
Rowan froze, sympathy flooding her, as the crying woman stepped to the side of the path and started to dry-heave, pressing her hands against her stomach. Her friend set a hand on her back and pushed the woman’s hair out of her face. She spoke in low tones, trying to calm her down and reassure her that everything was all right. The friend shot a distressed look at Rowan. “It was horrible to come across.”
“I can understand that,” said Rowan. She’d stumbled across a few shocking things in the woods that she wished she hadn’t seen.
When the heaving stopped, Evan showed his ID to the women. “If you’ll tell me where the body is, I’ll take over from here,” he said grimly. “And get the right people up here to handle it.” He glanced at his phone. “I’ve got a bar of service. Hang on.” He stepped away to make a call, and Rowan kept her eye on the sick woman and listened to him talk to Deputy Hartley.
“Tell Sawden to call and get a medical examiner, a forensics team, and a few more deputies up here,” Evan said into his phone. “I’d like you to come walk these women back and get statements while I take a look at the scene.” He was silent for a few moments, listening to the deputy.
“What’re your names?” Rowan asked, trying to distract the two women. “I’m Rowan and this is Thor.” Thor whined softly, picking up on the anguish, and Rowan stroked his head.
“Charity,” said the calm woman. “She’s Kerrie.” The sick woman had tentatively stood straight, and Charity put her arm around Kerrie’s shoulders. “I can’t fucking believe this happened. That poor woman,” said Charity. Kerrie started a fresh round of tears.
Evan ended the call, turning back to the three women with a somber expression. “Tell me how you found her.”
Charity took a deep breath. “We were headed back to the car. We’d come up for a quick hike around the lake and to see how much snow was left.” She gestured up the trail. “It’s probably back a hundred yards where—”
“I heard a cat,” Kerrie interjected. “Well ... I thought I heard a cat. I know people dump pets up here sometimes, so I went off trail. Charity stayed, and I planned not to go out of shouting distance.” She wiped her eyes. “I didn’t hear anything else in the trees and was turning around to go back when I caught a glimpse of her shoe, so I went closer.” Kerrie’s face crumpled.
“She came tearing out of the woods,” added Charity. “Told me there was a dead woman. I asked if she was positive, and Kerrie told me she was blue and had a hole in her forehead.”
Rowan glanced at Evan. A muscle flexed at his jaw.
Just like Rod.
“I insisted on taking a look,” said Charity, giving an apologetic look to Kerrie. “I wasn’t going to call the police until I saw it for myself.” She swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. “I followed Kerrie’s footprints in the snow. The woman was on her side, facing away. It was so hard to walk all the way around her body to get a look.” Charity shuddered. “Her lips were blue and there was a hole. I touched her neck, checking for a pulse just in case , but there was nothing.”
“Charity came back and neither of us had a signal for our phones,” said Kerrie, appearing calmer, but leaning into Charity. “We marked where we went off trail and were headed out to call the police when we ran into you guys.”
“What was she wearing? Age? Hair color?” asked Evan. His face was expressionless.
Rowan ached for him.
But Thor didn’t pick up Sophia’s scent.
“Ummm. Jeans. Navy coat. Maybe late thirties or in her forties,” said Charity. “Brown hair.”
Rowan saw Evan’s jaw twitch again. Sophia was a brunette.
Sophia is younger, but age can be hard to guess. “Detective Bolton?” Deputy Hartley was walking up the path. “The ME and a forensics team are going to take some time. There’s been a few calls today.”
“Would you take these women back to the lot?” Evan asked Hartley. “I’m going to check the scene.” He looked at Charity. “How did you mark the trail?”
“I dragged a three-foot-long deep groove in the dirt with my heel. It’s on the trail’s right edge and parallel to the path, but you want to turn to the path’s left instead. I didn’t want it to look too obvious to any other hikers. Once you step off the path a few steps, look up and you’ll see I wrapped a blue scrunchie around a branch. Walk straight out for less than a minute from there. I took a picture of where I marked it.” She pulled out her phone and showed several pictures of the trail, groove, and hair tie.
“AirDrop those to me,” Evan said.
“I don’t know if I can without a signal.” Charity frowned at her phone.
“It’ll work,” said Rowan. “If you’re near, the phones can connect without anything.” She’d done it dozens of times out in the wild.
Seconds later, Evan nodded and saved the photos. “Perfect. About a hundred yards up the trail, you said?”
“I don’t know,” said Charity, looking down and pressing a palm against one eye. “I don’t know how far back it is ... we didn’t walk that long.” Their situation had sunk in, and anxiety filled her voice. She wiped away a tear.
It can affect the strongest people.
“We’ll find it,” said Evan. “Hold up a foot so I can see your boot treads,” he directed. “That way I can identify which tracks are yours.” He snapped a few views of their boots and a full-body shot of each woman and then looked at Rowan. “I want you to come with me while Hartley gets their statements.”
Rowan nodded. Not thrilled. She’d seen her share of dead bodies and really didn’t care to see more. But she wanted to be there for Evan. This could be the body of his friend. “I can keep Thor out of the way.”
“Good.”
The two women headed toward the trailhead with the deputy, and Rowan and Evan continued deeper into the national forest.
“Thor didn’t pick up Sophia’s scent,” she said quietly.
“Maybe it’s not her.” His tone said he thought it was.
Thor doesn’t make mistakes.
“What if we meet more hikers?” Rowan asked.
“We’ll smile, nod, and keep walking. Hartley or Sawden will stop them at the trailhead and get statements. If we’re discreet, Kerrie and Charity will be the only civilians who saw anything.”
They continued up the trail in silence. Rowan took his hand, giving it a little squeeze, and he turned to her with a sad smile. “I needed that.”
She stopped and pulled him to her for a long second, lightly touching her forehead to his, simply breathing. His eyes closed, and she hated that he carried so much weight on his shoulders. After a long moment she pulled back, and he opened his eyes.
So much stress there.
“What aren’t you telling me?” she asked, wondering if he’d found out something about how the fire had started. “Have you heard anything on the fire investigation?”
His face cleared a fraction. “No, it’s too soon.”
“Then what is bothering you?”
He looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. We have work to do.”
“I get it.” She did. But it still stung that he couldn’t confide in her.
Did something happen at Rod’s autopsy?
They moved up the path for several more minutes, not meeting any other hikers. Around them, snow covered more of the ground. The trail had little elevation gain, but the trees were closer together and blocked the sun from melting the snow. They walked on the dirt, trying to avoid the snow and not leave shoe prints, but plenty of other prints dotted the path. The trail had been busy over the weekend. The dirt was packed and dry, not muddy like the parking lot, and Rowan noticed their boots barely left an impression.
“There.” Evan pointed to the right of the trail. The groove where Charity had dragged her heel was readily visible—but only if you were looking for it. He moved to the left and started scanning the tree branches.
“She said you had to walk in a bit.” Rowan scanned the ground and spotted coming and going boot prints in patches of snow. “Let me see the photos of the women’s treads.” He held out his phone. She nodded. “Both sets of women’s tracks are easy to see.” Rowan stepped carefully, giving the tracks a wide berth, making sure Thor was right behind her.
His tracks won’t be confused with anyone’s.
But she wouldn’t take a chance of his disturbing other evidence.
Evan moved past her into the woods, watching his steps and taking pictures of the women’s prints. “There it is.” He’d spotted the scrunchie. A blue indicator that humans had been in the pristine forest. He photographed that too.
They moved in as straight a line as possible. They’d walked for less than a minute when Evan stopped, and Rowan saw his shoulders rise in a deep breath.
He sees her.
She looked past him and saw a glimpse of boot and denim.
Evan continued with his photos, taking pictures in every direction and then moving in closer. It was quiet except for the clicks from his phone and Thor’s quiet panting. Needing to center herself, Rowan looked up, spotting glimpses of blue sky among the pines.
It’s not a bad place to die. Peaceful. Beautiful.
They drew closer, and Rowan ordered Thor to sit and then stay. She knew he’d sit in one place for thirty minutes. He’d probably sit longer if needed. She let Evan move farther ahead. From where she stood by Thor, she could see the lower half of the woman’s body and her black Muck boots. Rowan studied the treads, packed with dark-red dirt. If there’d been snow in the treads, it’d melted.
How long has she been here?
Evan circled the body, shooting more pictures. Rowan watched his face, his emotions hidden behind his blank shield. He knew how to compartmentalize. It was part of his job.
That didn’t mean she had to like it.
Evan stopped his slow circle and lowered his camera, staring at something on the body. His shield dropped and wonder entered his eyes. He looked up and met Rowan’s gaze. “It’s not Sophia.”