Jed grabbed the box of condoms from the drawer next to Hannah’s bed. The box was open, but Jed told himself not to count how many were left.
With the box clutched in his hand, he hurried back to the guest room down the hall where paradise awaited him. He burst into the room, shaking the box. “Success.”
He tripped to a stop short of the bed as he caught sight of Hannah’s pale face. She still had his cell phone pressed to her ear. Listening to Astrid on the other end with wide eyes, her hand over her heart.
He dropped the box on the bed. “What’s wrong?”
“We’ll be right there, Astrid. Wait for the police before going outside. Please.”
Jed sat on the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong with Astrid?”
“Someone kidnapped Olly. Did you know Tate was out of town?”
“He mentioned something, but I didn’t think it was this soon.” He dragged a hand through his wet hair. “Maybe Olly just snuck out. He’s an adventurous boy as far as I can tell.”
“Jed.” She cupped his phone between both of her hands. “Someone left a dead bird on Olly’s bed.”
“What the hell?” He bounced from the bed and snatched up his soot-stained jeans from the floor. “She called the police?”
“She called the sheriff’s department before she called you. I told her to stay put and wait for them, but I think she’s going to go out to look for Olly. Maybe she’s already been outside. It’s dangerous for her to leave the house. He probably took Olly to lure her outside.”
As Hannah voiced his every worry, Jed scrambled into his clothes, glad that Hannah had been too distracted to put them in the wash.
She rolled off the bed, dragging a towel behind her to cover up. “I’m coming with you. I told Astrid I’d be there.”
When Hannah left the room, Jed jabbed at his phone and Astrid answered immediately. “Hannah and I are leaving in a few minutes. Are the police there yet?”
She sniffled. “Not yet. I don’t trust them, Jed. My ex poisoned the Dead Falls Sheriff’s Department against me. This could be Russ. I think Russ kidnapped Olly. He always threatened to take him from me.”
Astrid didn’t know the significance of the dead bird, and he wasn’t about to tell her. Let her think it was her ex who took Olly for now.
“Maybe you can’t trust the sheriff’s department to investigate or find him, but you can trust them now to keep you safe.”
“Keep me safe? What do I have to worry about? It’s Olly who’s in danger, and I’m going to find him.”
“Astrid, you need to be there when the deputies arrive...and us, too. Just sit tight. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
He ended the call and almost collided with Hannah in the hallway. She had the luxury of changing into fresh clothes. Her damp hair hung in a slick ponytail over her shoulder.
“Astrid thinks this is her ex.” He shook his head. “I didn’t try to convince her otherwise.”
“Russ? He’s a cop in Seattle, isn’t he? Why would he be leaving a dead bird in place of his son?”
“And I never told Astrid about the finches. The fewer people who know about that, the better.”
She tugged at his sleeve. “Not knowing puts her in danger. We both know this killer isn’t interested in the kids. It’s the moms he wants.”
They hustled downstairs, disrupting Siggy’s napping place on the bottom step. Jed dragged the keys to his truck from his pocket. Although the air between them was fraught with tension, they didn’t exchange another word until they were inside the truck with the engine running.
Throwing the truck into Drive, Jed said what they’d both been thinking. “Astrid is going to toss law enforcement’s drug theory out the window.”
“That’s for sure. Astrid is squeaky clean. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen her drunk, and we know Tate doesn’t do drugs or have anything to do with the drug trade in this town. So, why target their house? Why target Astrid and her son?”
“She’s a single mom, Hannah, just like the other two. This guy has something against single moms. Maybe he was raised by one.”
“That could be a lot of people.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “That could be you.”
“Unfortunately, my dad didn’t leave the house soon enough for that.” Jed ground his back teeth together. “Why did this guy take Olly? What is the point of that? If he got into the house, why not just attack Astrid like all the others?”
“Maybe Olly saw him first.” She clasped her hands in her lap. “I’m pretty sure the other kids didn’t get a look at their moms’ killer.”
“I hope to God that’s not the case.” He slammed his hands against the steering wheel and then winced as his burned palms caused pain to shoot through his nerves. “I didn’t even know Tate was leaving today. He should’ve told me.”
“Then you really would’ve been torn.” She smoothed a hand over his tensed forearm. “Stay with me after the fire at the barn or protect Astrid and Olly in Tate’s absence? You can’t be everywhere at once, Jed. Why would Tate expect that Astrid would need protection? The cops have been playing these murders as drug related. Most of the island breathes a sign of relief and thinks they’re safe because they’re not involved. Maybe that’s why he started with the single moms who had substance abuse problems, leading the cops in one direction.
“If this is the same person who firebombed the barn, he must’ve headed straight to Astrid’s after. What is he playing at? Why would he want a child?”
Hannah twisted her fingers in her lap. “Maybe Astrid’s right. Maybe this is her ex, and the bird is a...coincidence.”
“That’s not good, either, but it’s preferable to someone who has already killed twice snatching him.” Jed aimed his truck toward the Mitchells’ property.
He pointed to the revolving lights of the patrol car. “They beat us here. At least they’re taking this seriously.”
“A missing child on the heels of two murders? I would hope even Hopalong gets the significance.”
Jed pulled up clear of the patrol car and jammed the truck in Park. He jumped from the front seat and strode toward Astrid, her face pale in the moonlight.
He pulled her into a hug. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll find Olly.”
She sobbed into his shoulder. “I don’t know how he got out without my noticing.”
Hannah came up behind Astrid and rubbed her back. “Did he leave on his own, or did someone break in?”
Wriggling from Jed’s embrace, Astrid wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “Nobody broke in. I’m sure of it. The deputies checked the doors and windows. The dead bolt on the front door was unlocked. There’s no key on the inside, so Olly must’ve walked out that way, but why? And where is he now?”
Hearing some yelling in the distance, Jed cocked his head. “Are the deputies out searching for him?”
“One is.” She threw an arm behind her at the cabin. “The other one’s in there looking for clues. If Russ were here, outside, and called to Olly, he’d come running. He knows his dad isn’t the best father in the world, but he’s the only one he’s got.”
“That’s the way it goes.” Jed smacked his hands together. “Olly has shown me a few of his favorite spots out in the woods. I’ll check those.”
Astrid covered her mouth. “I heard about that fire near the ramshackle house in Misty Hollow earlier. You don’t think it has anything to do with Olly, do you?”
Jed shook his head. Obviously, Astrid had failed to notice his singed appearance in the dark. “I’m sure it doesn’t.”
“Maybe he just wandered off.” Hannah squeezed Astrid’s shoulder.
Jed raised his eyebrows at Hannah. He wandered off after putting a dead finch on his pillow? Even if Astrid didn’t see the significance of the bird, that theory probably wouldn’t comfort her.
Hannah poked him in the back. “You go search those places. I’ll stay here with Astrid.”
Jed jogged back to his truck and retrieved a flashlight from the back seat. He then opened his toolbox in the truck bed and yanked out a pair of work gloves. If he was going to traipse through the wild, he needed to protect his hands from any more damage.
He waved one gloved hand at Astrid and Hannah and trooped into the forest, in a different direction from the deputy. As he cut a swath through the trees and bushes, his shoes cracking the twigs beneath them, he called Olly’s name in a low voice. If the kid was scared, he probably wouldn’t appreciate someone crashing through the woods and shouting his name.
His steps led him to the creek that rippled through this part of the forest, his heart heavy in his chest. That creek could get deep and fast in some parts, and he knew Olly liked to fish.
Jed tripped over a root and went down on one knee. He hoped he wasn’t responsible for giving Olly any ideas about night fishing. He rose to his feet and brushed the leaves from his jeans. “Olly. Olly.”
Jed froze, his ears cocked for a human sound amid the twittering and scuttling of the night creatures. The sound of rushing water gave him pause.
“Olly.” Jed took two steps forward and stopped again. This time he heard a squeak that sounded more boy than rodent. “Olly, you there? It’s Jed.”
A sigh and a scuffle answered him, and Jed crept toward the source. He patted the empty pocket of his jacket. He should’ve brought his piece. What if this was some kind of trap? What if someone was holding Olly hostage?
A shadow by the creek moved, and Jed ducked behind a tree. He peered around the trunk, his gaze drawn to a light dancing in the air. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he made out the figure of a boy—Olly—holding his cell phone. He knew Astrid had caved and allowed him a phone for emergencies only. This counted.
Jed’s gaze flicked to the right and left of Olly, but the boy seemed to be alone. He emerged from behind the tree and took a cautious step forward. “Olly?”
Olly spun around and dropped his phone. “Oh, h-hi, Jed.”
Jed eased out a breath. “What are you doing out here, buddy?”
Olly bent forward, scooped up his phone and dropped it in the pocket of his hoodie. “Nothing.”
“Doesn’t look like nothing.” Jed swept the beam of his light across Olly’s body. The boy looked fine—just guilty.
“I’m just looking for a good nighttime fishing spot...you know, like you told me.”
Jed’s heart sank. It was his fault...but what about that bird?
“Yeah, well, you need to tell your mom first, or better yet, have her come with you. She’s worried about you, dude.”
“Oh.” Olly rocked back and forth on his feet. “She wasn’t supposed to know.”
“Moms have a way of knowing everything.” Jed held the flashlight beneath his chin to create a ghoulish face. “Come back with me and you can tell your mom all about it, so she won’t be worried anymore.”
Olly cracked a smile and shuffled through the dirt, leaves and twigs toward Jed.
“You okay? You hurt?” Jed knew there was more to Olly’s story, but he didn’t want to rush him.
“Hurt?” Olly hopped over a felled log. “No.”
“Okay, just checking. Anyone come out here with you?” Jed slid a glance to the side.
Olly shook his head back and forth so vigorously, his shaggy blond hair whipped back and forth. “No.”
Jed had learned to pick up on deception from cons—the most practiced liars on the planet. He had no trouble discerning this bald-faced fib.
“Okay.” Jed led the way back to Astrid. When they emerged from the forest, Jed called out, “Got him. Olly, Olly, all come free.”
Astrid let out a yelp and ran toward them. She grabbed Olly and squeezed the breath out him. Then she shook him a little. “Where were you? Why’d you sneak out at night and go into the forest?”
Bending his head, Olly scuffed the toe of his sneaker in the dirt. “Just checking out a fishing spot.”
“At midnight?” Astrid wedged a hand on her hip. “Why would you do that? What was with the dead bird on your bed? Did you think that was funny?”
Jed exchanged a look with Hannah and held his breath.
“Yeah, that’s it. Just a joke.” With his head still tipped forward, Olly spoke to his feet.
“Oh, no you don’t.” Astrid wedged a knuckle beneath Olly’s chin and tilted up his head. “You tell me what’s going on right now.”
“Nothing, Mom.” Olly’s bottom lip jutted forward.
Astrid wasn’t having it. She thrust out her hand, palm up. “Let me see your phone.”
“Mom.” Olly’s voice took on a whining quality known to parents around the world.
“Now, young man.” She wiggled her fingers.
Olly dug the cell phone he’d been looking at when Jed spied him out of his pocket and dropped it into his mom’s hand.
Astrid knew the password and punched it in. The light from the phone illuminated her face, set in hard lines, as she scrolled through Olly’s text messages.
The two deputies had heard Jed and now stood just outside the circle of him, Hannah, Astrid and Olly, looking on with relief and curiosity.
Through clenched teeth, Astrid said, “I told you not to communicate with your father secretly.”
Hannah nudged Jed, and he shrugged. Could this all really be a coincidence?
Astrid stabbed a button on the phone and listened. “No voice mail. If your father is communicating with you on a burner phone, you know that’s not normal, right?”
“Wait, what?” Jed’s gaze dropped to the phone in Astrid’s hands. “How do you know that’s Russ?”
“Because he identifies himself.” She turned the phone, screen out, and tilted it back and forth. “He contacted Olly earlier and told him he had a nighttime fishing spot to show him. Told him not to tell me and, probably in an attempt to terrify me, asked him to put a dead bird on his bed.”
Jed’s heart slammed against his chest so hard, his ribs rattled. “Are you kidding? Did you see your father when you came outside, Olly?”
“No.” He chewed on his bottom lip. “He left me the bird on the porch. I put it on my bed and then ran outside, but it wasn’t to scare you, Mom.”
Astrid tapped the phone’s display. “He texted Olly the directions to the fishing spot, indicating he’d meet him there because he couldn’t risk being seen by me. So, he’s not only sneaking around, encouraging Olly to lie to me, he’s putting him in danger by having him traipse through the forest at night on his own.”
Jed placed his hand on the boy’s slumped shoulder. “Did you see your dad down by the creek?”
“No.” Olly sniffed. “I was waiting for him, but you showed up instead.”
Astrid grabbed Hannah’s arm. “Hannah, can you take Olly inside and see if he needs anything?”
“Be happy to. C’mon, Olly.”
When the two of them disappeared into the cabin, Astrid pulled out her own phone and tapped it. This time someone must’ve picked up on the other end. “What the hell are you doing, Russ? Where are you? How dare you lure Olly out into the night?”
A voice loud enough for Jed to hear responded over the line. “What are you talking about? I’m working right now in Seattle. I haven’t spoken to Olly since the last time you allowed it. If you don’t believe me, call my sergeant. Better yet, here’s my partner.”
Russ’s partner spoke more softly and Jed couldn’t hear what he said, but looking at Astrid’s face told him all he needed to know.
Russ didn’t lure Olly out of the house at midnight, instructing him to leave a dead finch on his pillow...but someone did.