Chapter 20
Back at the ranger station, Wyatt had a topographical map spread across the conference table.
He’d stayed at the general store for another hour. Thunder had even sniffed out Pete’s trail. It had led out back to a small parking area, where it then disappeared. That indicated Pete must have gotten into another vehicle, and he’d been taken somewhere else—most likely, not by his own free will.
Micah was officially heading up the search for Pete. However, Wyatt had made himself available to help if needed. If it turned out Pete’s disappearance was somehow connected to what was going on off Lost Hollow Trail, then Wyatt and his colleagues would step in.
Right now, Micah was reviewing footage from security cameras around town.
Wyatt prayed Pete would be found, but the situation didn’t look good.
“You think drug deals are going down on that trail?” Wyatt asked as he and Graham both studied the map.
Graham straightened and let out a breath. “It’s possible. Remote trail, limited visibility. People use places like that for exchanges sometimes.”
Wyatt nodded. “What about poaching? Those trail cameras could be tracking game.”
“That was my first thought. Happens more than people realize. Especially this time of year.” Graham tapped a spot on the map. “But most poachers don’t set up cameras to watch the trail itself. They’re watching animal movement—not who’s coming and going.”
Wyatt frowned. “So what else?”
Graham hesitated. “Could be squatters. Off-grid types. People trying to stay off the radar.”
Wyatt let out a low whistle. “You think someone’s living out there?”
“I think something’s happening out there. I just don’t know what yet.” He glanced back at the map. “That would explain the cameras. But it doesn’t explain why Mackenzie was monitoring the feed.”
“That is curious.” He stepped closer and pointed to another area on the map. “This is where the old Harrow’s Mill is located. Could that be connected?”
Harrow’s Mill was a whole town at one time.
There were workers, families, kids. When the company pulled out, people packed up and left.
Some didn’t even take everything with them.
But the remains of the settlement were still out there and a favorite spot for social media influencers to travel to and explore.
Graham rubbed his chin, the way he always did when he was thinking.
Wyatt heard the door to the station open and looked up. Kori stepped inside.
He’d called her about twenty minutes ago to see if she wanted to meet back at the station.
He observed her a moment. She’d changed out of her damp hiking gear into some jeans and a pink-and-blue flannel shirt that didn’t quite fit her personality.
If he had to guess, the clothes were Mackenzie’s.
Looking at her caused something to involuntarily shift inside him. He ignored the feeling, not having the bandwidth to explore what it meant right now.
“Kori, glad you’re here. We have some questions.” Wyatt gestured toward the table. “By the way, Kori Hutchins, this is Graham Griffin. Graham, Kori. He’s the chief ranger.”
Graham stood and extended his hand. “Ms. Hutchins, I’m sorry to hear about your sister. We’re doing everything we can to find her.”
Kori shook his hand. “Thank you. I appreciate your team and the help they’ve given so far.”
Graham gestured toward an empty seat.
She pulled the chair close to the table and lowered herself there.
Wyatt looked back at the map. “We’re going back out tomorrow.
Now that we know more, we’ll be better equipped.
We’ve requested a thermal imaging drone from the state.
If there’s a heat signature in that forest—a person, a structure, a fire source—we’ll find it from the air before we set foot on the trail. ”
Kori leaned forward, her eyes on the map. “How long will that take to arrange?”
“It’ll be here by morning.” He looked at her. “I know that feels like more waiting.”
“It does. But it also feels like the right call.”
He held her gaze. Twenty-four hours ago she’d been a stranger standing at Durbin’s desk bracing for another dismissal. Today she almost felt like a colleague.
Wyatt wasn’t sure exactly when the shift had happened. But it had been a long time since he’d felt such a fast connection with someone.
He looked back at the map. “Volunteer ground teams from two neighboring counties are coming to help at first light.”
“And State Police have been notified.” Graham glanced at Kori. “The intrusion at your sister’s apartment is a matter for law enforcement as much as search and rescue.”
“Good to know.” Kori rubbed her arms as if chilled.
Wyatt pulled the backpack toward him. He’d been going through it since he’d gotten back—itemizing contents, photographing everything, bagging the burner phone for Micah’s tech guy to work on.
“Do you want to take a look at this?” he asked. “I’ve already catalogued everything. But you might have a different perspective on the things your sister brought with her.”
“Of course.” She stood and began to examine the various items inside.
Most were unremarkable, things that were expected on a backpacking trip. But Mackenzie had also brought a few personal items—including that picture of her family.
Kori reached farther into the bag and felt around at the bottom. A moment later, she pulled the bottom of the pack out—a black flap used to flatten the base of the bag.
“Wait . . . I think there’s something buried down here.” She reached back inside and pulled out something else.
A necklace. It must have been tucked beneath the flap where he hadn’t found it. He chided himself, vowing to be more careful next time.
As she held up the necklace, it gleamed in the light. At the end of the gold chain was an emblem: a circle with a tree inside, its branches reaching upward with flames consuming it.
Kori stayed at the station with Wyatt for the next couple of hours. She listened as he planned out tomorrow’s search operations.
She found herself continually checking her watch. She was anxious to talk to Daisy and hear what she had to say.
Finally, it was time.
She contemplated telling Wyatt about her meeting. Then she decided she’d wait. If Daisy told her anything worth mentioning, Kori would bring it up. But right now, she didn’t want to distract him from planning the search tomorrow.
She excused herself, feigning exhaustion. Then she went to her car and drove to the library. Several parking spaces were available on the street in front of it.
She parked and found the bench Daisy had mentioned.
As she waited, she glanced around, noting how secluded this area was. It was probably why Daisy had chosen this location to meet. No one would overhear anything she said.
But the seclusion also felt eerie—like the perfect place to stage a crime.
She shivered.
Still sitting on the bench, she glanced at her watch. Five fifty-five.
As she waited, she thought about the necklace she’d found in Mackenzie’s backpack.
It had been small—an inch across, maybe less.
Why would her sister have a necklace with that symbol on it? What did it mean?
Wyatt and Graham had vowed to keep asking around about the symbol. There was obviously a connection. But what could it be?
Kori turned her collar up against the wind and checked her phone.
It was now four minutes past six.
She looked toward the end of the block where Daisy would come from if she’d left from the coffeehouse.
The sidewalk was still empty.
More minutes ticked by.
Six eleven.
Still no Daisy.
The cold worked its way through Kori’s jacket now. She stood and began to pace, desperate to keep her blood moving.
Six seventeen.
Daisy wasn’t going to show, was she?
What if that was because something had happened to her?
Before Kori could second-guess herself, she pulled out her phone and found the number for the coffeehouse. She called, and a woman answered.
Daisy had left forty minutes ago.
That means she’d had plenty of time to get here.
Kori contemplated her next choice for a few more seconds.
Then she realized she needed to call Wyatt and tell him what had happened.