Chapter 8
EIGHT
The next morning, after toast and a cup of coffee, Maren felt more in control of her emotions.
Though she’d been up and ready before six, because she’d had a horrible night’s sleep.
Her brain would not turn off. She’d tossed and turned with her mind whirling with thoughts of Opal and Shadow. And mostly of Colt.
She’d wanted to kiss him last night.
A lapse she could not afford.
She needed to stay focused. Keep her edge in case Shadow’s men showed up.
After heading to the task force headquarters with Colt and the dogs, a drive that took nearly two hours in rush hour traffic, she arranged to use an unmarked Tahoe in exchange for their rental SUV.
She’d elicited a promise from a fellow officer to return the vehicle to the rental agency with apologies.
Thankfully, the dogs shared the specialized compartment in the official SUV companionably.
Dev, the lead trainer for the task force, stopped by the motor pool just as they were about to head out. “I take it Haven and Rusk get along?”
Understanding his surprise that both dogs, who could be fierce in their own right, would tolerate the same enclosed space, she said, “If they were both male, or both female, it would be a different story.”
“Too true,” he said.
“How’s the search for a new trainer going?” she asked.
“I have several candidates we’re interviewing,” Dev replied. “It’s a hard decision.”
She didn’t envy him finding his replacement.
He gave her a wave and walked away. “Take care.”
They left the task force building and made their way to the Gospel Mission Recovery Center on the far side of town.
Once again, Maren was content to let Colt take the wheel.
She had no problems with him in control of the vehicle.
It gave her the opportunity to keep an eye out for danger while contemplating questions she wanted to ask Vinnie about Opal.
If Vinnie was indeed at the shelter. She prayed he would be.
Colt parked the vehicle in the center’s vast parking lot, and they released the dogs from the back compartment. They each leashed up their respective K-9 and kept them close as they approached the large, rectangular brick building.
Inside the lobby, they showed their badges and asked to speak with the woman who canvassed the houseless encampment near the highway underpass.
A few minutes later, a woman in her mid-fifties approached. “Hello, I understand you’re looking for me?”
“Yes. I’m Officer Maren Anderson and this is DEA Agent Colt Dawson,” Maren said. “And you are?”
“Cindy Gregson,” she said. “I’m the director. How can I help?”
“You brought in a homeless man from the underpass camp,” Colt said. “His name is Vinnie Homer. We’d like to speak with him.”
Maren held her breath, hoping the man was still in residence.
“I wasn’t aware that Vinnie was in trouble with the law,” Cindy said, carefully.
“He was a witness to an apparent drowning,” Colt said. “We have some follow-up questions.”
Empathy crossed Cindy’s features. “He told me about that poor young woman.” She gestured for them to follow her. “He was quite broken up. I think that’s what finally allowed him to seek help. He’s been sober for the last few months.”
Cindy led them down the hallway, past several rooms with two sets of bunk beds lining both walls. She stopped at the doorway of a room at the far end and stayed in the hallway but called out, “Vinnie, may we enter?”
Maren exchanged an interested glance with Colt. Apparently, Cindy was showing respect for Vinnie and his roommate’s space. Maren could appreciate that.
“Sure, come on in,” a thin, nasal voice came from inside the room.
Maren filed into the small space behind Cindy. The room was tidy with only one of the bunk beds occupied. A pudgy man in his late twenties sat on the edge of the bottom bunk. He had blond, curly hair that shifted over his brow as he lifted his head. His eyes widened as he caught sight of Maren.
He stood up abruptly, bonking his head on the top bunk. He sat back down and rubbed his scalp. “What’s happening here?”
“These officers have some questions for you regarding the girl who drowned,” Cindy said, gently.
Vinnie’s eyes met Maren’s. “You shouldn’t be here. What if he finds out? You’re posing as a cop?”
Cindy’s dark eyes grew round as she stared at Maren. “What is he talking about?”
Colt held up a hand. “It’s all right. Vinnie is mistaken. This is Maren Anderson. Opal’s sister.”
Vinnie visibly deflated with a noisy exhale. “Right. She mentioned a sister. But she didn’t say you look alike. I don’t understand.”
Maren’s heart bumped. “She mentioned me?”
“She did. She said you were her only family, and she didn’t want to drag you into her mess. She didn’t trust that you wouldn’t—” He clamped his lips together, cutting off the rest of his words.
Maren stepped forward and Haven kept pace.
Vinnie’s eyes grew round as he noticed the dog. He scrambled back to the wall underneath the bunk. “Are you going to hurt me?”
Taking a breath to control her upset, Maren crouched down and gestured for Haven to lie on the floor next to her. “We are not here to hurt you. But I need you to tell me everything you know about my sister. I have to find her.”
Vinnie shook his head. “She drowned. She’s dead. Nobody can hurt her anymore.”
Rage at the thought of someone hurting her sister thrummed through her blood. “Who would hurt her?”
Vinnie shook his head. “He’ll hurt me, too.”
“Are you talking about Shadow?” Colt crouched down next to Maren and peered at Vinnie. Rusk sat with his gaze trained on the man pressed against the wall.
“He’s got eyes and ears everywhere,” Vinnie said, his gaze going to Cindy.
Colt stood and cupped Cindy by the elbow. “Thank you for your help. But we have it from here. You may go.”
Cindy hesitated. “I’m not sure—”
“Out,” Maren practically growled, her impatience growing exponentially. Haven responded to the growl in Maren’s voice by scrambling to her feet.
“I’ll be just down the hall if you need me, Vinnie,” Cindy said before hurrying out of the room.
Colt shut the door behind her.
Keeping her voice as even as possible, Maren said to Vinnie, “We know my sister faked her death to get out from under Shadow’s thumb. Do you know where she would go?”
Blinking rapidly, Vinnie shook his head. “I don’t. She told me it was better if I didn’t know.”
Frustration pounded against Maren’s temples. “Do you know how to get a hold of her?”
Vinnie licked his lips but didn’t answer.
Hope rose within Maren. His hesitation had to mean he actually did know how to get a hold of her sister.
Purposefully, gentling her voice even more, she coaxed, “Please, I need to find her before Shadow does. There are bad men out there looking for her. They will kill her. And her baby.”
“A baby? I didn’t know.” A tear rolled down Vinnie’s cheek. “I can get her a message. I don’t know if she’ll respond.”
“You need to tell her that Maren is looking for her and that we can get her in a safe house,” Colt said.
Vinnie slowly eased out from under the upper bunk bed and stood.
There was a small desk wedged between the wall and the end of the bunk bed.
From the drawer he pulled out a burner phone.
“I’ll text her. If she responds, I’ll let you know.
” He clutched the phone to his chest. “That’s the best I can do for you.
My loyalty is to Opal and Georgy.” His face fell.
“Georgy is gone now. Oh man, I need a hit.”
Maren’s heart ached for the man and his struggles with addiction.
Seeing Vinnie so distraught and craving drugs brought back memories of Opal and her dependence on the poison she’d relied on to numb her emotions.
Maren reached for a tissue from the box on the bedside table and then withdrew her business card from her pocket.
She handed both to Vinnie. “Contact me at this number. You can also give it to Opal. She might prefer to reach out to me directly. Or maybe not.”
Pain twisted in her chest. Her sister had always known how to reach her.
Vinnie nodded as he took the card and the tissue. He used the tissue to wipe at his runny nose as he stared at her card as if mesmerized by the rectangular paper.
“You don’t need a hit,” Colt said to him. “You’re stronger than you believe. You’re here—that means you want to get help. There’s got to be a group, or therapist, you can talk to right now. Don’t blow this chance at recovery.”
Doubts swirled in Vinnie’s bloodshot eyes as they lifted. “I want to get better.”
“You will.” Colt’s voice held a note of certainty. “You just have to push through the hard parts.”
“The hard parts,” Vinnie repeated as if it were a mantra.
Before leaving, Colt asked, “Have you ever seen Shadow face-to-face?”
Vinnie shook his head. “Naw. Opal has, though.”
The information sent a ribbon of dread slicing through Maren, confirming why Shadow wanted her sister dead. She could identify him.
“That would definitely motivate Shadow to want her gone before she talks to the authorities,” Colt said.
“We have to find her before he does.” But where would her sister go?
“Please save her,” Vinnie whispered.
With her heart in her throat, Maren left with Colt, the dogs close at their heels.
Once they were in the Tahoe and driving away, Maren said, “I want to see where Opal went into the water. Maybe the investigators missed something. Maybe I missed something.” Maybe her sister would return to the river.
“And the dogs could use a bit of free time.” She considered and then added, “I need some fresh air as well.”
Just a few moments to regroup and reassess her next moves.
Colt nodded. “It’s worth a shot.”
* * *
Colt drove out of town toward the Arkansas River.
The city falling away to reveal more rugged landscape.
He found the dirt road leading to the spot along the river where Opal had supposedly gone in.
His heart hurt for Maren. It must’ve been hard to hear that her sister hadn’t wanted to contact her or ask her for help.
It didn’t make sense. But he’d learned long ago that life rarely went as expected or hoped.
Even though he knew the dogs needed the downtime, as well as he and Maren, the river always made him nervous.
It was rough and wild. The rapids sweeping down the rocky bottom were a sight to behold.
A dangerous sight. Anyone going into the water without lifesaving protection was asking for trouble.
And even then, serious injury was more common than not.
From the moment he’d heard that Opal had gone into the water and not resurfaced, his stomach had been twisted in knots.
He knew the damage the river could cause. He’d once worked a case where drug smugglers were using the rapids to move their product. When one of their rafts had flipped, the two occupants didn’t survive. Their bodies, battered and busted, had been found miles downstream.
He supposed that was one of the reasons he hadn’t bought that Opal had died in the river.
Her body had never been found. Authorities had searched these riverbanks.
But now that he knew it was all a hoax, he gritted his teeth against the frustration of law enforcement wasting so much time.
Bringing the SUV to a halt at the end of a long dirt road, he climbed out with Maren and they released the dogs.
“There doesn’t seem to be anyone around,” Maren said. “I’m leaving Haven unleashed to let her just be a dog for a bit.”
Nodding, Colt stuffed Rusk’s leash into one of the pockets of his new cargo pants. “Will Haven know to stay out of the water?”
“She might venture to the edge,” Maren said. “But I’ll bring her back before she can go much farther.”
“These rapids are no joke,” he said. “Rusk knows the rules.”
Maren stared off into the distance at the rising Rocky Mountains. “Do you think Vinnie will reach my sister?”
Colt followed her gaze, taking in the rugged landscape, the distinct peaks and valleys that made up the mountain range.
“I pray so,” he said. “For your sake, as well as for the investigation.”
She slanted him a glance. “I appreciate that.”
His phone buzzed. Looking at the caller ID, he hesitated.
“Who is it?” Concern laced her words. “Vinnie?”
Quick to reassure her, he said, “Just my mom. I’ll call her back.”
Maren blew out a breath. There was no need for her to say she was disappointed it wasn’t news of her sister.
“No, you should answer,” she said. “It’s family. Family’s important. You never know when you’ll have another chance.”
Gut twisting at the dire truth in her words, he nodded. “I’ll be just a moment.”
He strode away from Maren and the sound of the water crashing over the rocky riverbed. Rusk, seeing his handler moving, hurried to his side.
“Mom? Is everything okay?” he asked while plugging one ear to hear.
“Of course, dear.” His mother’s voice filled his head. “I’m calling to remind you of your nieces’ birthday party tomorrow.”
“Oh, right.” He had forgotten. “I’ll make it if I can.”
“That’s all I ask,” she said. Then she went on about preparations for the party—
“Mom, Mom,” he interrupted her. “I’m in the middle of a case. I have to go.”
“I understand, dear,” she said. “Remember we love you.”
“I know, Mom. Thanks.” He hung up. He loved his big, boisterous family. The thought of losing any of them made him queasy. How did Maren function knowing her sister was in danger?
Putting the phone back in his pocket, Colt lifted his eyes to the bright blue sky and watched an airplane darting across, leaving a white trail in its wake. “Okay, Lord, please give us a break in this case. Show us how to find Opal.”
A shout and Haven’s fierce barking shuddered through Colt. Rusk sprinted away, ahead of Colt. He ran back toward the riverbed.
His heart stuttered at the sight of Maren being dragged toward the river by two masked men.