“I keep wondering why he’d come back. He had to know he’d be figured out eventually,” Rebecca said as she, Ryan and Brody walked the perimeter of the festival while Dawson waited on the midway.
Brody didn’t like the answers he came up with. “It’s been a long time in between abductions here. Plus, he’s bold because he’s done a great job of hiding his activities so far. He knows this area, the woods. He’s been able to slip under the radar all these years. But his time is up. We know who he is. He’s going down and it’s only a matter of time before we find him.”
She paused, releasing a heavy breath. “Do you think it’s possible that Shane’s still...”
“I do. And you have to believe it, too.” He didn’t want to tell her what he thought Dylan’s news would be just in case he was wrong. Brody and Ryan exchanged knowing glances.
Brody checked the surroundings. They were stopped near a farm road toward the back of the festival grounds. There were no residential developments for a good two miles on either side of them. He only had one bar on his phone.
Ryan pointed to a fresh trail that had been cut through the brush. “Someone’s been here. Could be teenagers looking for a party spot, or...” His gaze bounced from Rebecca to Brody.
Teens were known for searching out good places to build a bonfire and drink near the county line. And this had all the right markings for it.
“Except this trail has been trimmed and they don’t normally use anything sharp,” Brody pointed out, examining the marks.
“This might be another wild-goose chase, but it’s worth looking into,” Ryan said.
“Let’s check it out. We can notify the sheriff if it’s worth his time. I’m sure his office has been inundated with leads since the sketch hit the air.”
Ryan nodded. “True.”
Rebecca, on the other hand, remained perfectly still. Her face had gone pale. Brody didn’t like having her along, but he didn’t figure she’d let him go without her. He linked their fingers and took a step forward.
She followed until they moved into the tree line. She stopped, refusing to budge, except to grip his hand like death.
“Hold on a second, Ryan.” Concerned, Brody turned his full attention to her. “What is it, Rebecca?”
She stood frozen for a long moment. “Do you smell that?”
“What?”
Ryan moved to Brody’s side.
“I know that smell.” Fear widened her eyes; the color drained from her face, and her fingers were icy cold.
“What is it, Rebecca?”
“Apple tobacco.” Her moment of hesitation dissolved like salt in boiling water. Her gaze narrowed and her lips thinned as determination replaced fear. She stalked toward the woods.
Brody and Ryan kept close beside her, flanking her, as the sun kissed the treetops. She needed space and Brody intended to give it to her. Enough to work out her anger, but not so much as to leave her exposed.
Rage burned through Brody with each forward step. Even though the light was beginning to fade, he saw a small building positioned in the trees ahead coming into focus.
Rebecca had to have seen it, too. She didn’t stop charging ahead. In fact, she increased her pace. Not a good idea. He couldn’t let her be the first one to see what was inside that place.
Everything inside Brody wanted to stop her, to protect her from what he feared would come next. They could be walking up on a body, even Jason’s from last year.
That there was no stench in the air was the only positive sign this might not go south.
He squeezed Rebecca’s hand for support and exchanged a look with Ryan. She seemed to understand the need to move slowly and quietly, just in case Thomas Kramer was inside. Or watching from somewhere in the woods, setting another trap.
Brody would’ve liked time to gather intel before storming into the building, set a perimeter.
Instead, he signaled for the others to stop and listen.
There was no noise coming from the broken-down old shed.
A chill raced up Brody’s back as he surveyed the area. The trees were thick enough to conceal the building, which was large enough to house a few people and supplies. “Hold position while I try to get a visual.”
Rebecca and Ryan nodded.
This was exactly the kind of location Thomas Kramer would use. An abandoned shed in the woods that had been long forgotten. Unfortunately, there were far too many places like this in and around Collier County.
The suburban sprawl spreading from Dallas had not reached this place. And that was a large part of the reason Brody had returned. The other incentive had been to stay close to his father.
A little voice said he came back to be close to Rebecca, but he shut that down.
That same irritating voice said he came back because he still had feelings for her.
Was there any possibility that was true?
No.
Did he feel something when Rebecca was around? Yes.
Love?
Brody shoved the word down deep as he moved stealthily through the woods. Loyalty was better.
The shed door had a place for an outside lock, which meant the original owner most likely had kept small farming equipment inside at some point. Brody inched closer without so much as snapping a twig. He didn’t want to give away his location should Kramer be inside. Surprise was the best advantage and Brody had a lump on the back of his head to prove it.
There was no lock. Either the place was clean or they were about to walk into a trap.
Brody’s need to protect Rebecca overrode his rational mind, because his first thought was to breach the building alone. No way did he want her within five feet of that shed. He circled back to her and Ryan.
“You sure you want to do this?” he asked.
She nodded. “Did you find anything?”
“There’s no lock on the door. We shouldn’t have any trouble getting inside.” He hesitated. “I do want to remind you this could be a setup. Or you might end up seeing something you can’t erase from your mind. I’d prefer to go first.”
“I thought about that,” she said ominously.
“And you still want to go in with me?” He looked her straight in the eyes. Any fear, any hesitation, and he’d go on his own. “Ryan can stay here with you.”
Her head was already shaking, and Brody noticed that her body was, too.
“I can’t live my life afraid anymore,” she said.
As much as he wanted to stop her, to talk some reasoning into her for staying back, he couldn’t. He understood her need to face her fears. Hell, he’d done the same thing. When his Humvee had been hit by an RPG, he’d volunteered for the next mission just so he’d have a chance to climb back in one and drive down that same street. He knew if he didn’t, he might as well go home. In his eyes, being useless to the men who depended on him would be far worse than dying.
Brody linked his fingers with Rebecca’s and led her toward what could be her worst nightmare. If she was ready to face her past, could they think about starting things up again? The thought caught him off guard. Did he want another chance with Rebecca?
Up to now, he’d convinced himself that he’d accepted this assignment for unselfish reasons, for her. Had he done it for himself all along?
Not ready to process that information, he tucked it away and moved to the door. He’d give her one last chance to reconsider. “Ready?”
* * *
BRODY AND RYAN moved like a well-rehearsed team, Ryan against Brody’s back, insuring no one could surprise them from any angle. The two barely needed words between them to know what to do, their connection was so strong.
It wasn’t so long ago that she and Brody had shared the same unspoken communication link. Had the years changed him or was he holding back with her because she’d hurt him? She’d felt the sparks between them, they’d made love, and she wondered if that could grow into anything more.
And yet, she knew that wasn’t possible.
Good relationships were based on trust and communication. Without trust, good communication was impossible.
And above all, Brody valued loyalty.
She stood in front of the shed, her body trembling, and she wondered if it had anything to do with Brody as much as her fear. Yes, she was scared of seeing what was on the other side of that door. But the determined part of her kicked in and all she could see were Chelsea and Kevin’s faces, their pain. The same expression had haunted her mother for so long.
Rebecca knew firsthand how devastating not knowing could be. Shane’s disappearance, the years spent searching for him, had branded her. The situation had become worse when her father decided it was time to give up and move on. He’d said he didn’t want to live in the past any longer. The same hadn’t been true for her mother. She’d sworn she wouldn’t rest until she found her son alive or brought his body home. On some level, she must’ve seen her husband’s willingness to put the past behind them as a betrayal to their son, to her. Whatever love had existed between them had fractured. Her mother’s relentless dedication to putting up new signs year after year had worn her father down even after their split. He’d said her activity was a slap in the face. He’d cry and say he was sorry that he couldn’t bring their son back.
Rebecca didn’t blame her father. She figured he was surviving the best he could under the circumstances.
Kevin and Chelsea’s love for each other seemed to run deeper. Instead of standing on opposite sides of the room, they stood together. He’d been ready to catch her when she’d fallen. No matter the outcome of their case, Rebecca believed that couple would survive.
They were strong.
It was a safety net she’d never known as a child. Up to now Rebecca had believed relationships couldn’t stand the test of time, not when something really bad happened, because of what had materialized with her own parents. And that made it harder to trust in her relationships.
Maybe there was hope for real love, a true connection.
Brody slowly opened the door. What was left of daylight filled the empty space.
That there was no stench had been a comfort. She knew they weren’t going to find bodies.
Was anyone inside? It was too quiet. Another piece of her heart broke off that this would be another dead end.
Brody and Ryan stood in front of her, blocking her view. No doubt they felt the need to shield her from whatever horror might be inside the building.
“What’s in there?” Rebecca asked as she tried to brace herself for whatever waited on the other side of that door.
“I’ll keep watch out here in case he decides to come back to check on this spot,” Ryan said, turning to place his back against the wall.
“Someone’s been here.” Brody took a deep breath and stepped aside.
There was just enough daylight left to see clearly. Bugs flew around her. She slapped her left bicep and then her leg. Mosquitos seemed to be everywhere, poised to take advantage of a quick meal. Dusk was a feeding frenzy.
Flies buzzed around her ears. Rebecca scarcely noticed. Her gaze was intent on the space she’d just stepped into. There was rope on the floor and empty juice boxes in the corner. Her legs almost gave when she took a step closer as horrible memories assaulted her.
“Yes, he has,” she said through chattering teeth.
Brody palmed his cell and checked his screen. “According to my map, Mason Ridge Lake isn’t far from here. He most likely wouldn’t walk there and back, so there might be a source closer. Hold on, let me zoom in. Okay, we have a farmhouse about forty yards from here. Maybe they saw something.”
“He was freaked out by me being there. Kept mumbling that I wasn’t supposed to be around.” Shivers rocked her body just thinking about it. She’d worked to erase those memories for so long.
Before she could ask, Brody was beside her. His arm around her waist steadied her.
“Ryan, call it in. There might be DNA evidence that can positively identify him,” Brody called out. He turned to her and said, “Step lightly out of here. The sheriff won’t be happy we’ve trampled all over their evidence.”
“They’ve never been able to find his DNA before,” she said. “He’s clever.”
“These aren’t fresh. But, he might not have had time to wipe the place clean.” Brody pointed to the empty juice cartons. “And they should be able to identify the child based on those.”
Good point. Identifying a child and possibly Kramer would go a long way toward making sure this never happened again.
Brody helped her outside and held on to her while they waited for the sheriff to arrive. “That bothers me.”
“What?” Rebecca asked.
“That they weren’t able to find DNA evidence before.”
“He’s too smart,” Rebecca said.
“Which doesn’t exactly jibe with the theory of a transient. Kramer’s tricky. I wonder what else he’s has done.”
“None of it has to make sense to us. We’re normal people and this guy is a calculating monster,” Rebecca said. “But the other issue I have is whether or not the sheriff will believe us. He could brush us off and say this could be from anyone.”
“Unless the DNA on the juice boxes matches a missing kid in the database,” Brody said.
Rebecca nodded, thinking about Jason and his parents, the agony of waiting.
Ryan’s gaze moved from Brody’s arm to his face. “You sure that you two waiting around here is a good idea?”
“We should head back to the festival. He could be there right now,” Brody said.
“Absolutely not. I don’t want to leave. Not until we have answers,” Rebecca argued.
“Ryan makes a good point. There’s nothing we can do to help. In five minutes, the place will be crawling with law enforcement, and we need to give them space to do their jobs.”
As much as she wanted to protest, that made sense. Ryan’s head was rocking back and forth in agreement, too. Plus, the sheriff didn’t exactly believe her most of the time, anyway. Maybe it would be best if she was out of sight. “Okay, but let’s walk the woods. Maybe there’s another place nearby he stashed someone.”
Brody shook his head. “He’s gone. He wouldn’t stick around.”
“But we’re so close. He was here. What if he—”
Brody’s arm tightened around her waist. He leaned down and said, “I can only imagine what you must be going through. I’m so sorry.”
He whispered other reassuring words—words that steadied her racing pulse.
“It’s just that we’re so close. I can feel it. He was here at some point, which means he comes back.”
“He doesn’t know we’re onto him. And he won’t have time to disappear before we find him this time. We’re closing in. Plus, others are looking for him. He can’t hide with the festival workers anymore. If he’s around, we’ll find him.”
True. She knew that. But everything inside her wanted to keep looking for him in the woods.
She could hear footsteps and radio noise getting louder. “They’re coming.”
“I didn’t think it would take long since they’re close by, watching over the festival,” Brody said.
Ryan gave Brody a bear hug first and then hugged her. “I’ll stick around and give them a statement. You two get back to the festival.”
“You sure?” Brody asked.
Seeing the exchange between close friends struck her in a place very deep. She thought about what Brody had said a million times about some families being made from the heart instead of shared tissue. He was right about that. And a lot of other things, too. Most of all, he was right that no matter how much her heart ached to be close to him again, it was impossible to go back. Even though her pulse still raced with every brush of his arm against her.
And her heart beat heavy in her chest.
Because she also knew she would never feel like this toward another man for as long as she lived.
* * *
BY THE TIME she and Brody had finished walking the perimeter of the festival grounds with no luck Ryan had texted to say he was on the midway with the others.
Dylan walked up to the group with his daughter in tow as they arrived.
After hugs and greetings, Rebecca focused on the little girl to take her mind off Jason, Shane and the horrors that lay in the woods. Maribel had Dylan’s bold green eyes. She also possessed his dark hair with curls.
Maribel beamed up at Rebecca and her heart literally melted.
Bending down to eye level, Rebecca said, “I’ve known your daddy since I was this tall.” She held her hand up around four feet off the ground.
“Really?” Eyes wide, rosy round cheeks, Maribel was a cherub incarnate. Her r came out as a w and it was about the cutest thing Rebecca had ever heard.
“It’s true. You look a lot like him.”
Maribel took a step toward Rebecca and threw her pudgy little arms around Rebecca’s neck.
Rebecca hugged the little angel back. She heard Dylan say something about Maribel normally being shy with new people.
Dylan inclined his chin toward the cotton-candy stand. Ryan took the little girl’s hand and led her out of earshot.
Wiping away a loose tear, Rebecca said, “She’s beautiful, Dylan. You did good.”
“I’m lucky,” Dylan agreed, but the look in his eyes said he was ready to change the subject. “You want to sit down over there?” He motioned toward a bench.
“No. I’m fine. What is it?” The seriousness in his expression tightened a coil inside her stomach.
A look passed between Dylan and Brody, causing an ominous chill to skitter across her nerves.
“Tell me,” she said.
“It looks like I found him.”
“Shane?” Surely her ears were playing tricks on her. Dylan couldn’t possibly mean her brother.
“We believe it’s him.” Dylan nodded.
Brody was by her side, his warmth and his touch the only things keeping her upright.
“I have a contact in the military who found the name Brody gave us, Randy Harper. I had an idea which branch he might be in because Dawson took me back to that restaurant outside of town, Mervin’s Eats. I brought Maribel, figuring we could gain the hostess’s trust easier if my daughter came along. It worked. The hostess started talking about a friend of hers who’d dated him up until the time he left for the service. She couldn’t remember his name or which branch, so I asked her to call her friend, and she did.”
Air whooshed from Rebecca’s lungs as she tried to let his words sink in. Could they have found Shane? Was it even possible after all these years? Tears were already streaming down her cheeks and she didn’t bother to wipe them away. They were glorious tears of release. Tears that had been held inside far too long. Tears that needed to be set free. “Where is he?”
“All we know right now is that he’s alive. He’s in the army out on a mission. I’m told he’s a great soldier.”
“How can you be sure it’s him?”
“We won’t know for sure until he takes a DNA test but she said he had a birthmark that looked like Oklahoma on top of his right foot.”
“That has to be him. What are the chances someone else would have that?”
“He doesn’t remember much of his younger years. She said it bothered him because he’d been told his whole life that his parents had been killed in an accident, that he’d been sent to live with his Uncle Kramer on the road, and that he was an only child but he could swear he had an older sister.”
Rebecca dropped to her knees, put her face in her hands and cried.
Everyone gave her space, even Brody. He seemed to know she needed a minute.
The release was sweet as she finally let go. Shane, my baby brother, you’re alive. You remember me. I’ve missed you so much.
When she could stem the flow of emotion, she wiped her face and stood. “What else?”
“That’s all I know for now. We’re waiting for DNA confirmation, but that could take a little while since he’s deployed. My contact says we can make contact when he returns to base.”
“Do we know when that will be?”
“Sorry. That information is classified. My contact had no idea. My guess is a couple of days to a week at the most.”
Rebecca threw her arms around Dylan’s neck. “I don’t know how to thank you. All of you.”
“Us finally helping you has been a long time coming,” Dylan said, hugging her back.
Maribel ran up with a big pink cloud-like puff on a stick. “Da-da!”
Rebecca took a step back and laughed as the little girl plowed into her father’s legs with her cotton candy. He picked her up, not paying any mind to the pink splotches left on his jeans. Brody was right. Seeing Dylan with his daughter, the tenderness in his eyes, made her believe people could change for the better. She’d always loved her friend, but he was the last person she’d expected to see with a baby on his arm. “Seeing you with your daughter makes me think about life a little differently.”
Dylan smiled one of those wide and genuine smiles. “Guess I never knew real love before.”
Rebecca had. “You hold on tight to it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The little girl wiggled out of his arms and squealed as she ran through her dad’s legs.
Brody and the others formed a protective circle around Maribel. He pulled Rebecca closer as his gaze surveyed the area. He had to know what she was thinking...he’s still out there.