Chapter Thirty-Seven
Back against the wall, Josh went back out of the office and waited before entering the kitchen. He peeked around the corner and saw a small woman standing there, determined look on her face, holding a knife expertly folded back in her hand. Although he noticed her arm was shaking.
Holding the gun in a low-ready position, finger off the trigger, Josh stepped out from his spot and said, “Drop the weapon. Drop the knife.”
Even though the woman was shaking, maybe actually shivering, she surprised Josh by saying, “You put the gun down.”
Josh didn’t move or comply. He’d seen the picture Rory found of Elena Pierce.
He was fairly certain this was her. Although her face was smudged with dirt, her pants had rips and tears, and there were mud stains and what was probably blood on her sweatshirt.
He figured he could stop her if she came at him, although he thought about the dead gang member out at the cabins.
From the way Elena held the knife, she knew what she was doing.
He could stop her, but he wouldn’t underestimate her either.
“Elena Pierce?” he asked.
“Maybe.”
“I’m Josh Colten. I think we need to talk.”
“That’s an understatement,” she said, her hand starting to quiver.
“Yes, it is. Right now, we need to get out of here. Stay on the move. If you found me, then others might be able to find us. But maybe we can chat as we hike.”
“And why should I trust you?” Elena asked.
“Good point. Look, I’ll put the gun down. You put the knife down and we can figure this out.”
“You first.”
“Fair enough,” Josh said. Normally he’d never put down his weapon, but he also figured that they were on the same team.
Hopefully he could gain her trust, and she would only see it that way if he put his weapon down first. Slowly, he went over to the kitchen island and placed the gun down, muzzle pointing away from them.
Then he raised his hands. “See? I’m willing to talk. ”
Elena continued to shake, but she didn’t put her weapon down.
“You look like you’re cold,” Josh said. “And maybe you need some fresh clothes. There’s clothes in the master bedroom. I could get you some. They might be big on you, though. If you put your weapon down, then we can go get you something to change into.”
“Do I look that dumb?”
“No,” Josh answered. “I’m just trying to help.”
“I’ll keep my knife. I don’t need your help, and I’m certainly not going to a bedroom with you. But I do need to know one thing…”
“What’s that?” Josh asked.
“Did you kill Amber?”
“No.”
“Why should I believe you?” Elena asked.
“Because, honestly, I could have shot you before I came around the corner. You were standing in the open. But I didn’t. I’ve been framed for Amber’s death and even the guy out at the cabins, but that was you who killed him, wasn’t it?”
“It was self-defense,” Elena snapped.
“I have no doubt. He was a gang member and I’m sure he was hired to kill you.
Look, I don’t think we should stay here.
We have a lot to talk about. I’ll tell you everything I know and hopefully, you’ll tell me what you know.
But we need to stay on the move. We can talk as we hike.
You can keep your knife. I will take the gun, but it’ll be holstered.
” Josh pulled up his sweatshirt to show her the holster he’d taken from Larry’s gun safe. “Are you up for hiking?”
“I’m starving and I’m really thirsty,” Elena answered.
For the first time, Josh sensed her starting to trust him.
“Then let’s get you something to eat and drink.
There’s bottled water in the pantry. I think you can rest for a little bit and when you’re ready, we’ll leave.
Let me at least find you a warmer jacket.
It’s dark now and the temperature is dropping. ”
“Where are you planning on going?” Elena asked. “There’s nothing out there.”
“Did you follow the stream down from the cabins?” Josh asked.
She nodded.
“I’m going to follow that stream back, but there’s a spot where I’m going to split away.
It’ll be before the cabins. If we hike another half mile or so from there, it’ll lead to a property that my girlfriend owns.
There’s a camper there. She’ll come there and that way I can leave her a note.
Give her something to go on and investigate. ”
“I take it your girlfriend is in law enforcement?”
“She is, and she’s a K-9 handler. If I leave an obvious track, with the help of Juniper, her K-9, she’ll guess where I’m headed,” Josh said. “But it’s going to be a long hike. I think it’s about ten miles. It might take all night. Are you up for that?”
“I can do it. I just need a quick break and then I’ll take the jacket, food, and water and come with you.”
“It’s a plan,” Josh said. He took the gun and put it in the holster.
Then he found one of Debra’s jackets in the hall closet and handed it to Elena.
The bottled water and granola bars were in the kitchen pantry.
Josh handed her a couple waters and the food.
Then he stashed the rest of the supply in his backpack.
It was going to be a long night, and he hoped she really was up for this hike. She’d been out in the wilderness for a while. But the shaking had stopped. She sat on the couch as she ate.
“Let me know when you feel up to leaving,” Josh said.
“Okay, I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
“We’ve been looking for you. I’m glad you’re still alive.”
“That makes two of us,” Elena said, for the first time cracking a small smile. “Who’s been looking for me?”
“The sheriff, my girlfriend and her K-9—they’re with the Forest Service—and some search-and-rescue teams. I think we came close to catching up with you a few times.”
“I kept wanting to find help, but it seemed like every time I could rest and start to think through how to find someone to trust, the guys would show up again.”
“Do you know what they look like? Have you been able to get a good look at them?” Josh asked.
Elena shook her head. “Not a great look. I think two of them are former cops by the way they carried themselves. The other guy I didn’t see. He was grabbing at me and I stabbed him. I didn’t even know he was a gang member.”
“Part of the Dark Angels. And I think the other guys are part of the senator’s security team. If that’s the case, then they are retired cops,” Josh said.
“But why? Why wouldn’t the senator want his daughter’s killer found? And why work with a gang when one of their members supposedly killed her? I don’t understand.”
“I don’t either,” Josh said. “My thought is that the senator had something to do with Sydney’s death and needs it to stay hidden.”
“Would he have killed her?”
“I don’t know him well. My dad actually knows him better, but Sydney told me once that he liked to slap them all around to keep them in line. Her, her brother, and her mother. Maybe he lost his temper and went too far,” Josh said.
“Wouldn’t be the first time that happened,” Elena said.
“No. It wouldn’t be.”
Josh was letting the wheels turn in his mind as they sat in the dark. Now that the sun had completely set, the only light came from the moonlight that splashed across the back deck.
Shadows appeared in the light. Two of them. And one of them was holding a shotgun.