Shauna parked in the pull-off, then got out of her truck under blue skies and the noise of gulls fighting over a piece of bread in the parking lot. She was halfway here when she realized she’d left her weapons behind in the helicopter. An older couple glanced at her as they got back in their car to leave, and she forced a smile, then walked to the sign explaining the spot’s history. Two eagles surveyed the area from atop a tall pine to her left. The overlook held a stunningly beautiful view of the blue water of Rainshadow Bay and mountains that usually took her breath away.
Today she was only interested in doing whatever she had to do to get her boy back. She opened her bag and pulled out the envelope with the note and looked at it. Was this the right thing to do? The man’s threats still froze the blood in her veins, and going against his orders felt dangerous.
She had no choice, though. Zach had taken the necklace for safekeeping, so she couldn’t leave it now anyway. She retrieved the duct tape from her bag and went toward the sign. The back of her neck prickled, and she looked around. Was he here watching her? Probably. He’d want to grab the necklace and get away before someone else happened to see it.
There was hardly anywhere to stand behind the sign. It looked out over a steep cliff, and the ground sloped quickly here. She pulled strips of tape loose and attached them to the envelope, then hung on to the post while she sidled around and slapped the note into place. He might have a hard time retrieving it.
Her left foot slipped as she tried to move to safer ground. For a heart-stopping moment she imagined herself plunging over the side. Her mouth dry, she clung to the post and regained her balance, then moved to a flattened area.
The door to her truck still hung open, and she slung herself under the wheel and started the engine. After shutting the door, she sped out of the lot, her tires kicking up gravel. The clock on the dash read 5:25. She’d made it with only five minutes to spare.
She shook her head. Not really. The guy didn’t have the necklace, and she shuddered to think what he might do when he saw her note. This had been a bad idea. How would she live with herself if something happened to Alex?
She accelerated down the road as fast as the truck would roll. Whatever happened, she needed the necklace, just in case the guy wouldn’t listen. It had taken nearly an hour to get out here, and she had to get that necklace from Zach.
She was nearly to the airport when her cell phone rang. She froze when she saw Marilyn’s name on the screen. Her hands trembled on the steering wheel as she pulled onto the shoulder. “I’m here.”
“You will regret this!” His voice vibrated with anger. “I have to have the necklace now!”
She pressed her hand against her churning stomach. “I don’t trust you. I’m happy to give it to you, but I want my son and Marilyn in eyesight when I do. How do I know that you haven’t already k-killed them?” She bit her trembling lip to keep her voice strong.
“They were fine up until now. I can’t say the same for the rest of the evening.”
She closed her eyes briefly. “Look, we both want the same thing. I want you to have what you need. Please turn over my loved ones. Our offer is a good one. You can get out of the country and disappear.”
“You think I’m stupid enough to fall for this? You’ve already told the sheriff, and deputies are all over looking for me. Zach’s not going to fly me anywhere but off to jail. Besides, I already have plans in place, and your idea won’t help me.” His voice hardened. “I’m not taking your offer. You’re going to turn your truck around and drive back to the pull-off where you will hand me the necklace. I’ll give you the address of where you can find them, and then I’ll be gone. One hour.”
“Wait! I—” The call ended before she could tell him she didn’t have it. She called Marilyn’s number right away, but after four rings, it went to voice mail. She tried again and got the same result.
She pounded the steering wheel, then rubbed her burning eyes. She’d call Zach. He could meet her with the necklace. She called his phone, but he didn’t answer. She left a message, then tried his number again. Nothing. Where could he be? She called the sheriff, but got his voice mail too. Dread slithered up her spine and she shuddered.
She rested her head on the steering wheel. Maybe she should go back to meet the guy and explain what had happened. As she raised her head, her phone signaled a new voice mail, and she snatched it up. It was from Zach and had been left an hour ago. She must have missed it somehow.
His voice sounded strong and confident. “Shauna, the sheriff and I are on our way by boat out to the building we saw. I think your dad might have been heading there. I’m sure he knows who this guy is and where Alex and Marilyn are. It will take us an hour to get there so we should be on our way back by the time you leave the meeting place. Be strong.” His voice faltered a bit. “I talked to Dorothy, and she told me how to twist off the back of the necklace. There are three protrusions that make it into some weird kind of key. I’m sending you a picture of it to see if you have ever seen anything like it. Talk to you soon.”
Gone. He was gone and no help to her right now. She checked her text messages and saw one from Zach. The necklace didn’t look the same at all, but something about it was familiar. She’d seen something this would fit into. What was it and where was it? She bit her lip and pressed her fingertips to her eyelids, but the memory wouldn’t surface. She had to let go of it for now and head back to the parking lot.
How did she tell this guy she didn’t have the necklace? She never should have let Zach take it from her. It left her with no bargaining power at all and a sense of hopelessness.
By the time Zach got back, she’d be meeting with this guy face-to-face, and it didn’t look good.
Small twigs and branches crackled under Zach’s boots as he led the way to the building they’d found. His breath came hard in his chest as they ran full-out from where they moored his boat.
The sheriff huffed from the exertion and paused to catch his breath. “Hold up there a minute, Zach. I can’t keep up.”
Zach wanted to put his fist through a tree, but he stopped and exhaled. “We don’t have time. We have to find Lewis.”
“You don’t seriously think the guy is going to accept the alternate offer, do you?” Burchell’s heavy black brows winged up.
“Of course not. You and I both know he has no intention of letting Alex and Marilyn go, but I couldn’t tell Shauna that. We have to figure out who he is and where to find him before he disappears. Time is running out.”
“You’re right. Some of my best deputies are on it, and hopefully he’s leading them right to Shauna’s family.” Burchell motioned with his right hand. “Lead on. I’ll keep up the best I can. If I fall behind, go on without me and get to Lewis.”
Zach took off through the forest again. The woodland seemed determined to slow his progress. Twigs and sticks caught at his feet, and his soles slipped on moss. The aroma of pine and mud filled his nose. The building was just ahead, and his steps quickened. He burst out of the trees into the clearing and saw Lewis talking to a woman about forty feet away. Her back was to Zach, and all he could see was her long, dark hair spilling over a camouflage shirt tucked into camo pants. She had a rifle slung over her shoulder.
Neither of them saw him, so he stepped back into the shadow of the trees and looked around for Burchell. The sheriff stepped from behind a large cedar, and Zach put his finger to his lips and motioned for him to follow. They crept through the trees and made their way nearer to where Lewis stood with the woman. Something about her looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t place her without seeing her face.
Snippets of their discussion were carried on the wind, but he couldn’t make sense of anything. He was so intent on getting close enough to hear that he didn’t watch where he was stepping. His right foot came down on a large twig, and the snapping sound was as loud as a gull’s squawk.
The woman jerked around, and her gaze locked with Zach’s. Dorothy’s daughter. Penelope’s mouth grew pinched, and her eyes hardened. In an instant the rifle was off her shoulder and aimed at him. Zach leaped behind a tree as the rifle cracked. The bullet plowed into the bark beside Zach’s cheek.
She’d been the one shooting at them.
Burchell yanked his revolver out. “Sheriff! Drop your weapon!”
Another shot rang out, then he heard tussling and shouts. He peered around the tree to see Lewis yank the rifle from Penelope’s hands. Zach didn’t wait to see what would happen but leaped out of the forest and ran to help. Burchell was on his heels, still shouting for them to throw down the rifle.
Penelope turned and saw them heading her way. She screamed an obscenity at Lewis, then ran the other direction. Zach cranked up a fresh burst of speed and ran after her. Alex’s life depended on running her down and finding out what she knew. His breath burned in his chest. Just a little faster, just a few more steps and he’d have her.
He hadn’t tackled anyone since his high school football days, but the ability came surging back—he threw himself into the air and at her legs. His right hand closed around her ankle, and she tumbled to the ground with a scream. She tried to kick his grip off her leg, but he held on and reached out with his left hand to grab her other ankle.
Panting, he got to his knees and pulled her toward him. “Where are Alex and Marilyn?” he snarled. It was all he could do to hold on to her legs as she kicked and flailed on the ground.
“Let go of me!” she spat.
“Where’s Alex?” Zach demanded.
She struggled to get to her feet. Burchell grabbed her arm and hefted her up. His hand swatted at his waist. “I’m out of uniform, so I don’t have my cuffs. Where are Alex and Marilyn?”
“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”
“If you’re so innocent, why were you shooting at us? You shot at us earlier too, didn’t you? And followed us to Lewis’s cabin.” Zach jerked his head toward the building. “What’s this all about?”
She pressed her lips together and stared at him defiantly. Zach looked at Lewis. “You have a key to get in?”
Lewis shook his head. “She might, though.”
“Hold her.” Burchell began to search her pockets, then shook his head. “I’m not finding anything.” He took charge of her from Zach and held her by the arm.
Zach squeezed Lewis’s shoulder. “Lewis, what’s this all about?”
“The Bible always says your sins will find you out.” His eyes flooded with moisture. “It’s true. This is all my fault. I started this, then I was too weak to stop it. My wife died, and it was my fault. Now my grandson is in danger, all because of me. I should have told what I knew years ago.” He picked at nothing on his sleeve and stared at the treetops as if an angel perched there.
The man was unraveling. “Lewis, look at me. Tell me what you’re talking about!”
Lewis’s mouth trembled. “I can’t tell you. I’m going to have to show you.” He turned to the sheriff. “Can you shoot the lock off the door?”
“No!” Penelope thrashed and tried to get out of Burchell’s grip. “You have no right.”
“I have every right.” Lewis marched for the building. “Sheriff, shoot off this lock.”
Penelope let out a nearly inhuman wail and managed to tear loose from the sheriff’s grasp. She dove for her rifle on the ground, then rolled over and leaped to her feet. She aimed the barrel at Burchell’s head. “Throw down your weapons, all of them, or I’ll shoot him.” Her brown eyes seemed lit from within with a zealous glow. Her finger flexed on the trigger. “Don’t make me show you.”
Zach eyed her expression and saw how eager she was to pull the trigger. He threw his gun to the ground and held up his hands. “Let’s all calm down and talk about this.” The sheriff dropped his gun too.
Lewis hesitated, then shrugged and tossed down his weapons. “You won’t hurt us.”
“This is all his fault.” She jerked her head toward Lewis. “Empty your pockets, all of you.”
“We don’t have any other weapons,” Zach said.
“Do what I say!” Her finger moved toward the trigger again. “I can see the bulge in your jacket pocket. Pull it out.”
“It’s not a gun.” Zach’s fingers curled around the necklace and pulled it from his pocket. “See?” He started to drop it back into his jacket, but a slight smile curved her lips.
She waved the gun toward him. “Put it there on the fallen tree and step away.”
Zach frowned but did as she ordered.
In three steps she reached the necklace and grabbed it up with a triumphant grin directed at Lewis. “We’re going back to your cabin to get what we need. Once I take care of these two.”
Lewis shook his head. “They come too or you won’t get what you’re after. You don’t know where it is.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t play games with me, Duval. I could shoot you too.”
“And then you’d really be up a creek without a paddle. They. Come. Too.”
She stared at him, then gritted her teeth. “Fine. Lead the way.”