18. Dig Up Some Dirt
CHAPTER 18
Dig Up Some Dirt
I sla was embarrassed about her behavior earlier in the field. She’d gone into complete panic mode and had stomped away from the people trying to help her. It was close to lunchtime, so she figured she could at least feed the men while she apologized.
Cooking wasn’t her forte, but she could handle sandwiches and fresh veggies. The three men had been over at the farmhouse and would be here in moments. Hopper had left his sunbeam to come and lean into her side, probably sensing her high emotions. Again.
Kimi had rushed over to check on the dog. The knot on his head wasn’t dangerous and he would be fine, but Isla had given him extra treats and cuddles.
A knock sounded on the back door, and she heard Marcus call through, “It’s us.”
Levi moved to unlock it. They kicked off their boots and moved into the kitchen, where she put the food on the table. Once they were in, she blurted out her words. “I’m sorry for being such a scaredy-cat this morning. I should have controlled my emotions better, and I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
Marcus smiled, and the other two laughed. Troy moved across the room and took her shoulders. “Nothing at all to be sorry about, Isla. You were great.”
She rolled her eyes, and he squeezed her arms lightly. “Seriously. You’d just been shot at, your dog was hurt, and you didn’t know where the shooter was hiding. You didn’t scream or try to run when it was important to stay still.”
Sean pulled out a chair and sat. “Agreed. We’re trained for this shit, and it’s still unnerving. You followed Marcus’ instructions and didn’t put anyone in danger by your actions.”
Troy kissed the top of her head and sat as well. Marcus was studying her with those calm, serious eyes. “Definitely nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t get overwhelmed while the situation was happening. That’s the key.”
She managed a smile. “Having a panic attack after the fact is okay?”
Marcus nodded seriously. “Absolutely. No one keeps it together all the time. Certainly not us. If you don’t let the emotions out, they eat you alive. Now, Oz tells us you’ve got an update and a theory. Care to share?”
She glanced at Levi, who was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his face and an I told you so grin on his face.
Isla crossed the room and poked him in his rock-hard belly, then reached up to kiss him lightly. “You have really great friends.”
He returned the light kiss, then took her hand to sit at the table.
When Marcus prompted again, she told them she thought there might be a connection between Glen and Ed. Then she filled him in on the phone call with her father and his arrival.
Sean looked around. “You don’t have room for him to stay here. He could stay at the farmhouse, but most of the rooms aren’t fully finished. Do you want me to book him in at Jim and Carl’s B&B?”
Isla realized she hadn’t even thought that far ahead. The cottage was too small for him to stay with them. “I think the B&B would be best.”
Sean nodded and fired off a text. It was only a minute before they had confirmation of a room for her father. Not only were these guys not irritated by her stalking off this morning, they were treating her like one of the team and helping her take care of things.
Marcus studied her. “I’m glad you’re reconnecting with your father. Do you think he’ll be able to handle a conversation with Hicks without giving away what we suspect?”
“I hope so. I don’t know him all that well, but if he’s run a successful company for decades, I assume he’ll be able to keep his composure.”
Marcus nodded. “Good point. Do you think Hicks is likely to switch his focus from you to your father?”
“What?” That hadn’t occurred to her at all. “You think he might try to hurt my dad?”
Marcus shrugged. “It’s a possibility, and I like to be aware of all the possibilities. If he believes the will cites him as the primary beneficiary, eliminating your father gives him all the money.”
Oh no. She hadn’t thought of that. A peek at the clock showed it was too late to contact her dad. He’d already be boarding the plane. “I shouldn’t have agreed to let him come here. I’ll call him and tell him to stay in Burlington or to fly home. I can’t be putting someone else in danger.”
Sean sighed dramatically and leaned forward on the table to stare at her. “Stop believing that shit. This isn’t your fault. You have nothing to feel guilty about. The greedy assholes are the problem, not you. Guilty vibes screw up the thinking, and you need your brain clear.”
Levi chuckled and put his arm on the back of her chair. He’d been saying similar things for days. But how was she supposed to not feel guilty?
Troy laughed, too. “It’s easy to get caught up in the guilt cycle, but it really isn’t your fault. Once you believe that, it gets easier. Time for Marcus to share his discovery.”
Marcus nodded. “The keys we found appear to have been dropped recently. Possibly today, but there’s no way to prove that. I called Graham, and he called a friend of his. The key likely belongs to a Ford Escape.”
She hadn’t known they could determine that with fobs instead of old-fashioned keys.
Marcus continued. “The other key on the loop is a door lock, but without a lock to test against, it’s useless. The car key, however, could be more helpful. If we find an unidentified car in the vicinity, it’ll be easy to check if the key works. I also have someone checking on the cars belonging to both Hicks and Pringle. Hicks doesn’t own any Fords legally, and I’m waiting on information on Pringle.”
His phone beeped, and he grinned. “Okay, this is my guy.” His eyes lit up with satisfaction. “Ed Pringle owns a Ford Escape. I have the plate number.”
Levi squeezed her shoulder. “And now he’s lost his keys. Unless he brought a second set with him, this should help us find him. He would have left the car somewhere near the creek if he was the one in the boat.”
Troy nodded. “The creek mostly runs along the back edge of the farms. It’s part of the same water system Piper wants to use in the park in town. Not all of it is wide enough for a boat to get through. Probably a canoe or a kayak. Do you know if he was into either of those, Isla?”
She shook her head. “I really don’t know him. He worked in the building, but we didn’t work together. When I didn’t succumb to his charms on my first day, he rarely spoke to me again.”
Beside her, Levi growled softly and squeezed her again. “More proof the guy is an idiot. So, where are the most likely places for him to park if he wanted to access the waterway?”
Troy and Marcus looked at each other. Troy had grown up in Phail, and Marcus had been here since their team had left the Army. Troy nodded. “There are probably a dozen places with easy access, but I think I know just where to start.”
L evi wanted to insist Isla stay in the cottage where it was safe. Better still, she could stay at the police station. But Marcus would be with them, and Levi didn’t trust anyone but himself and his friends to protect her. Which was all moot as she refused to stay behind.
He supposed they could have stayed behind together, but that wasn’t what either of them wanted. Instead, they would head into the search and hope like hell the guy hadn’t taken up shooting practice in the last few hours. At least Marcus had talked her into wearing a bulletproof vest under her sweater.
To avoid attracting attention with a parade of vehicles, they all squeezed into Sean’s SUV, with Marcus in the front riding shotgun. In the back, Isla squished between him and Troy. With the tinted windows in the back seat, their presence, or at least their identities, would be hidden from casual view.
They checked out three locations but found no signs of a Ford Escape or anyone using the area at all.
When they climbed back into the SUV, Troy suggested heading out to Stan’s farmhouse. “There are a few empty farmhouses in the area. And there are some old cabins and shacks at the far end of Stan’s property. They’re along the creek with access to both the road and the water.”
Marcus nodded. “Good idea. Just last month, I chased another couple of tourists out of the cabins. They figured they could save on accommodations by breaking and entering.”
Troy laughed. “I bet they had to spend more on the fine than it would have cost them to stay at the B&B.”
Marcus grinned. “I added a business card for the B&B to their paperwork. Maybe next time.”
That was just like Arrow. “Should we stop at Stan’s first? See if he’s seen anything on the road?”
Isla nodded. “We need to make sure he knows Ed might be dangerous.”
Troy grinned. “Stan regards all strangers with a healthy dose of suspicion. Unless you’re from Phail or a friend of someone from Phail, he assumes you’re up to no good.”
That made Levi laugh. “He, Mo, and Paddy were amazing. I learned a ton from them.”
“That’s because you’re an old geezer at heart, Oz.”
Levi reached around Isla and cuffed Troy in the head, but he couldn’t contain the grin. Epic was probably right.
They stopped at the farmhouse. As they stepped out of the car, Stan exited the garage, wiping his oily hands on a rag.
“I’m all for saving the earth, but that had to be a tight squeeze for you all in there. Practicing for a clown car act at the circus?”
Levi grinned. “Practicing subterfuge. Stan, I’d like you to meet Isla Duggan. Isla, this is Stan Phail, head geezer of my new geezer team.”
Stan laughed and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Isla. You’ve got a good one here.”
She smiled. “I do, indeed. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Phail.”
He waved that off. “No Mr. Phail around here. I’m Stan, especially to pretty young women. Now, why are you practicing subterfuge?”
Levi knew the man would be ready to help. “Some asshole from Isla’s past is trying to hurt her. His name’s Ed Pringle, and he’s driving a Ford Escape. We think he’s hiding out in the area. Have you seen one in the area?”
Stan frowned and straightened to his full height. “I noticed a silver SUV the other day heading back toward town when I was heading home from Ginny’s. Didn’t know the driver. Male, wearing a ball cap and sunglasses. You think he might be using one of those cabins down by the creek?”
Marcus nodded. “Have you seen more of the lights lately?”
Stan shook his head. “Not recently, but it’s been raining a lot, and I’ve been working on a couple of lawnmowers. Haven’t paid much attention. Let’s go down there and check.”
Troy placed his hand on Stan’s arm. “We’ll check it out and let you know.”
Stan merely rolled his eyes and pointed at Troy. “You might as well ride with me. I’m not squeezing in the clown car.”
They were all smiling when they got in the vehicles and headed down the road. Those smiles dropped as they drove.
Marcus pointed. “We’re almost at the end of the road. Park here and block the road.”
Stan pulled up beside Sean’s truck to completely cut off road access. When they got out, Epic moved to the front to take point, as he often had on missions. Arrow took the left and Falcon moved right. Stan moved to stand on the other side of Isla, offering her more protection.
Levi squeezed her hand. “Stay close.”
She nodded but didn’t reply. She’d barely spoken while they’d been searching, and Levi hoped they could find this jerk and put an end to it all.
It didn’t take long to spot the silver metal shining through the trees. Troy’s chickadee whistle reached him. Target acquired.
He nodded to Isla and Stan and looked over his shoulder. Just because they’d found the car didn’t mean the man was there. He also might have been alerted to their presence and taken off on foot. Levi’s senses didn’t feel anyone behind them, but he wasn’t taking chances.
They moved into the trees along the edge of the road. He couldn’t see his teammates, but they’d worked together long enough he knew where they were. Bird calls would alert him if there was a change required.
The group surrounded the car from the woods before Marcus moved into the clearing and called out. “Phail Police. Is anyone here?”
Silence answered him. The car had tinted windows on the sides, but Arrow moved to the front with his gun up. He shook his head, showing no one was visible in the car, although someone could easily be hiding. First, Arrow would clear the cabin.
The structure had to be over a century old. The glass in the only window Levi could see was cracked, while the door hung at an angle, not quite closed.
Marcus called again. “This is Deputy Ramirez of the Phail Police Department. If anyone is inside, come out with your hands visible and empty.”
Still no response. Troy moved into the clearing, and the two of them cleared the cabin. Sean moved into sight and checked the locks on the vehicle. Finally, Arrow held up the fob and beeped open the vehicle. When no one popped up from either the woods or a hiding position in the SUV, Marcus used the fob to open the hatch. No one emerged, so he opened a side door and quickly checked the car. “All clear.”
Isla sighed. “I thought he’d be here. Do you think he’s hiding and watching us?”
Levi squeezed her hand. “I don’t feel eyes on us. Let me know if you do.”
She shook her head. “No creepy jackass vibes.”
Stan laughed and reached over to punch Levi lightly on the shoulder. “She’s a keeper. Don’t screw it up.”
Isla’s eyes widened, but Levi laughed. “She is, and I don’t plan to.”
While the others checked over the car and cabin for evidence, he moved toward the water with Isla and Stan. Thousands of feet had created a small path over the years. They walked slowly, checking for anything Pringle might have dropped or for any evidence he was still in the area.
When the trees thinned, Levi motioned the others to stay put and moved forward on his own. There were drag marks along the water’s edge. Someone had put a boat into the water since the last heavy rain, and he’d left behind a few bootprints. The soles were smooth, and he wondered if they were from shoes, not boots.
Levi pulled out his phone and took pictures from several angles. They wouldn’t help find Pringle, but they’d help prove that he’d been here with a boat once they had him. He wondered if Pringle could feel the escape routes disappearing around him.
When he got back to Isla and Stan, he showed them the pictures. “I think they look more like shoes than boots, but Marcus might be able to tell more. Do you know if Pringle does any hiking or camping?”
That earned him a smile. “I don’t know him well at all, but I doubt it. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who goes camping.”
Stan hooted. “What kind of life have you led, Isla? Camping is one of life’s pleasures.”
Isla raised an eyebrow. “I like my indoor plumbing, thanks.”
Levi laughed. “We’ll have to try it sometime. I bet I can change your mind.”
She shook her head but smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tent in real life. I’ll stick to my cottage.”
He grinned at her, pretty confident he could change her mind. Starry nights, bright campfire, cozy sleeping bag. Yeah, he would definitely have her enjoying camping before the summer was over. As they walked back to the clearing, he slung his arm over her shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Campfire, S’Mores, fireflies, and a sleeping bag big enough for two. I think I can talk you into it.”
She grinned. “You’re going to have to be creative to get me to agree.”
He squeezed her into his side, grateful for the light-hearted topic. “I can handle that.”
They just had to catch the asshole first.