Chapter 52

By the time the four women found the center of the police search, it was close to midnight. Vera was glad for the coffee she had downed on the way to the hollow. She’d forgotten both how tiring it was to drive these windy roads and how dark it was in the hills. There were no streetlights. They passed the middle of the Nest, where the church sat, and there was one streetlight in its parking lot.

“There’s some lights up ahead,” DeeAnn said. “I bet that’s where the search is.”

“The question is, what’s taking them so long? They’ve been up here for days,” Paige said. “A bunch of cops can’t find one man? Something is wrong with that.”

“Maybe they are looking in the wrong place,” Annie said as they approached a roadblock.

“Jesus,” Vera said under her breath. “Now what?” She rolled down her car window as a fresh-faced police officer approached. “What’s going on?” she said and smiled sweetly.

“Don’t I know you?” the officer said, looking at Vera. “Aren’t you Beth’s dancing teacher?”

“Why, yes, I am.” She flashed her best smile. “Your daughter is just the sweetest thing. And talented, too.”

Impatient sighs from the backseat.

“What are you doing up here?” the officer asked.

“We brought Annie Chamovitz, you know, the reporter. She needed a ride.”

He looked over at Annie, and his smile faded. He nodded. “Nobody’s allowed past this point, I’m afraid. Not even reporters. We’re on a manhunt. Can’t have you underfoot.”

Annie pulled out her identification and showed it to him. “Can you get Detective Bryant? Is he here? I’m sure he can vouch for me.”

The officer’s face hardened. “Detective Bryant gave me orders. You ladies need to turn around.”

“Now, hold on,” Annie said. “Here’s my press pass, my ID. This is my story. I’ve been working on it for weeks. I have high-security clearance.”

“Ever hear of obstructing justice?” the officer said. “Ladies, I can’t let you through.”

“It’s okay,” Paige said from the back. “I’m tired and want to go home.”

Vera knew Paige was lying through her teeth just by the tone of her voice.

“Sounds good to me,” Vera said. “Sorry to trouble you, Officer.”

“But—” Annie began to protest. DeeAnn reached up and pulled her hair. Annie whipped her head around and looked at her. “What the—”

“I’m warning you,” the officer interrupted. He looked at Annie. “No shenanigans.”

Vera started pulling away to turn the car around. Annie mumbled in her seat after they had pulled far enough away.

“I ought to whip your butt for pulling my hair,” Annie said to DeeAnn.

“I’d like to see you try, honey,” DeeAnn said, and they all laughed. “Besides, you may want to be a little more respectful of me. Since we’re here, I’m going to show you a place where we might be able to look down over everything. All the police hubbub. I doubt they know about it. And if you’re lucky, the stars will be out tonight. Now, it won’t take long. I know the back roads.”

“Back roads? You mean this road isn’t a back road?” Annie said.

“No,” DeeAnn said. “It does have a little pavement to it.”

Annie rolled her eyes. “Good God.”

“Turn left up here,” DeeAnn said.

“Left?” Vera said, straining to see. “Oh yes, I see. Are you sure? It looks like a cow path.”

“It is,” DeeAnn said. “But you can drive it.”

“I hope so,” Vera said, looking over at Annie, who was holding on to the dashboard to keep from sliding around but had a huge grin on her face.

The road bumped and twisted. Trees, bushes, and grass barely made way.

“Thank God I filled up the tank,” Vera said.

“We won’t be driving much longer. You see that old barn up ahead? That’s my husband’s Uncle Josh’s barn. Um, er, at least it used to be,” DeeAnn said. “You can pull up right there. We need to get out and walk the rest of the way.”

“Walk?” Paige said, pulling her blond hair behind her ears. “I’m not sure I’ve got the right shoes for walking far.”

“We may not have far to go,” DeeAnn said, unbuckling her seat belt. “Just up the hill a little ways there’s a great view.”

“What on earth would we do if we ran into one of the murderers?” Vera spun her head around to look in the backseat.

“What are the chances of that?” Annie said. “I’m more concerned with bears and bats and God knows what else. This doesn’t seem very safe.”

“Of course it’s not,” Sheila said. “It’s an adventure. You in?”

Annie grinned. “Do you have a flashlight?”

Vera couldn’t believe it. “Annie, are you crazy? You know what these people are like. Why would you go out in the mountains this time of night, in the middle of what is a dangerous manhunt, surrounded by a group of weirdos and bears? What on earth is wrong with you people? I’m not going anywhere. And I suggest you don’t, either.”

“I’m with you,” Paige said, crossing one of her long legs over the other one. “I’m not dressed for a midnight mountain hike. My feet are already killing me from these new shoes. Lunatics, all of you. I think we should go home.”

But even as she said those words, DeeAnn, Sheila, and Annie were getting out of the van.

“Listen, if we are not back in an hour, just follow that dirt path right there. You see?” DeeAnn pointed to a barely there trail surrounded by undergrowth and looming trees, which cast long shadows. “And be quiet if you come up the trail. You don’t want to scare the bears,” she said, pulling out a flashlight.