Chapter Twenty-Two #2
“Sounds good. Deputy Wilson, you stay here and watch the scene,” Josh ordered. “Nick and Aaron, you can stay here, but Wilson
is in charge until the FBI ERT arrives. Got it?”
Maya was glad Josh was giving the instructions. Nick nodded, but Aaron rolled his eyes and muttered something about how it wasn’t his first rodeo. Yes, he was definitely not her favorite person right now. Maya offered Juniper another drink before they started their track.
As Juniper lapped up more water, Maya thought about Abigail again. She’d want Eric too. He’d also been a big part of her being
arrested and detained. The judge at the bail hearing had looked over the evidence and said that Abigail was one of the most
evil and manipulative criminals he’d ever seen. That’s why he hadn’t granted bail.
Was it really Eric Abigail wanted revenge against? Or Maya? And Abigail knew that Maya would do anything she could to save
someone. Even give up her own life.
And that, Maya guessed, was Abigail’s real plan.
Juniper and Maya headed over to the gravel road that would lead to another parking area. She opened the bag with Hope’s scent
article, let Juniper take a sniff and then told her, “Go find ’em. Seek.”
The Mal shot off, but Maya was ready for her. Rory was right behind them as the team continued down a road. Juniper seemed
to sense that time was of the essence. She never hesitated. Maya was a little out of breath keeping up with her dog and sweat
was running down her back and forehead. She wiped her brow with her sleeve as they kept up the intense pace. Maya realized
that Aaron and Nick were also following at a distance. She didn’t mind Nick, but she could do without Aaron coming along.
Juniper took a sharp turn off the road into some tall grass that had been tamped down from someone hiking through the area
not long ago.
You’re the best dog, Juniper. Your tracking skills are amazing and there’s no one who can escape you.
Maya worked to avoid rocks and small logs that littered the area. Rory was right behind her where she needed to be, followed
closely by Nick. Aaron was lagging, seeming to feel the pace. Maya didn’t mind that. He might go to the gym a lot and build
his muscles, but she and Juniper could outrun him any day. That gave her some satisfaction, although her next thought was
if he was a sniper, it didn’t matter how fast anyone ran. If there was a good shot, he’d win every time.
The grassy area opened to another parking lot, but there were no cars. Maya allowed Juniper to continue the track to the main
road. She wanted to see which direction Juniper would go. They crossed the parking lot and Juniper trotted onto the street,
turning in the direction of Stone Creek Falls. Maya pulled her up and praised her dog.
Juniper could probably follow the track all the way to the small town, but there was no reason to do that. Maya would call
the police department there and let them know what was happening. Her biggest dilemma was what to share with Nick and Aaron.
If Aaron was Abigail’s partner and feeding her information, then Maya didn’t want to tell them anything.
“Why’d you stop?” Aaron said, coming over to them, still breathing hard.
Maya hesitated. She wasn’t a good liar and she didn’t like to blame Juniper for anything, but in this case, Hope’s life was
on the line. “Lost the scent.”
“I don’t believe you,” Aaron fired back.
“Believe it,” Maya said. Juniper stepped in front of her handler, daring Aaron to touch Maya. “I’d step back if I were you. You get closer and you might have a Malinois hanging on your arm.”
“If you knew what you were doing, you’d call your dog off,” Aaron said.
“Who says I don’t know what I’m doing?” Maya snapped.
“Okay, okay,” Nick said, coming over to his partner. “Chill, Aaron. I know we’re all upset about Hope, but this isn’t helping.”
“You’re right,” Maya said. “This isn’t helping. I have work to do and I need to get back to my vehicle so I can help with
the crime scene. All we’re doing here is wasting time.”
Nick came closer to Maya. He stopped before he was in range of Juniper. “Sorry about him. He’s really a good guy once you
get to know him. He’s worried about Hope and I think he’s having lady troubles, but I try not to pry.”
“Lady troubles?” Maya asked.
“Yeah, I don’t know the details. I’m sure at some point, I’ll hear all about it.”
“Do you know his girlfriend?”
“Never met her,” Nick said.
Now Maya really wanted to know more about Aaron. “I hope things work out for him, but get him to back off or he won’t be helping
with this. There’s enough tension and emotion already.”
“I agree. I’ll talk with him,” Nick said.
“Okay. Thanks,” Maya said. “Then let’s get back to work.”
She and Juniper headed back toward their vehicle with Rory coming behind them. When they were out of sight of Nick and Aaron, Rory said, “That beefcake of a marshal is a lovely person, isn’t he?”
“You can say that again,” Maya muttered. “To say I don’t like him right now is an understatement.”
“I’m with you,” Rory said. “I was kind of hoping he’d push you. That way Juniper would have been justified biting him.”
“Me too,” Maya admitted. And the first thing she was going to do when she could get Kessler by himself was ask him to find
out more about Aaron Banks.