“Don’t you think you’re being a little unfair?”
Kaitlin checked for traffic, then pulled out onto the road before glancing over at Francine. “About Slade? No, I’m not being unfair. I can’t take things any further until he solves this case.”
Francine reached back to pat Warrior’s head, then made a face at Kaitlin. “But you told me you understood about a police officer’s life, that you could deal. It’s hard work and it’s a tough life.”
“Yes, I did tell you that,” Kaitlin replied, glad to be on the way back to Francine’s house. After her friend had alerted Slade as to their whereabouts, they’d had a long practice session with Warrior at a busy nearby park with lots of open spaces and people all around, but now she was ready for a shower and a good Saturday night movie, with popcorn and chocolate. Francine had already rented the movie and they planned to order a pizza.
It beat sitting at her house alone.
“So you understand that Slade can’t stop this now. He’s trying very hard to resolve this. You’ve never been judgmental before. I think there’s more to this.”
They’d discussed this most of the afternoon. “I only asked him to be careful and to consider his reasons for doing this. Technically, he’s a K-9 officer. His only duty is when the situation calls for him and his partner to take action. This is an investigation. Melody Zachary is already involved in it. Most of the department is involved in it. But Slade has taken things to a whole new level and that scares me.”
“A dangerous level,” Francine replied. “And that’s the part that bothers you, right?”
Kaitlin nodded. “Yes. I’m being selfish. I want Slade to be safe, for Caleb’s sake.”
“And for you, too.” A statement this time, no question asked.
“Okay, yes, for me.” Kaitlin slowed down as they neared the Lost Woods, memories hitting her like dry pine needles. Finally, she let out a sigh. “I think I’m in over my head.”
“You’ve fallen for him.”
“Yes.”
She could admit that now that she’d pushed Slade away. “I tried not to fall in love, but...we were forced together so much because of this thing, because I was almost kidnapped by a lunatic. And the other night, Slade got shot and I was so afraid someone was coming after Caleb I almost let Warrior attack Parker. I’ve lost focus because I’m so worried.”
“That kind of trauma brings out all sorts of emotions,” Francine said, her tone gentle now. “Are you sure you’re truly in love? Maybe once things settle down—”
“I’ll still love him,” Kaitlin said. “I can see that now. And that’s why I got so upset the other night. I realized I care too much, too fast. He got shot, Franny. I mean, he could have died.”
Her friend stared over at her. “It’s hard when you love someone, hard to let them go, hard to let go of control. You loved your mama and you couldn’t save her. So you had to turn your pain over to God.” She blew out a breath. “Don’t you think you need to do that with your fears for Slade? Slade is close to busting this thing wide open from what I hear. And he’s got the backing of the entire police force. Let him finish what he started and let God take over where you can’t deal, okay?”
Kaitlin gripped the steering wheel. “I’m trying. I’ve prayed and hoped and waited. My life has been in turmoil for weeks now and it’s the same as when I lost my mother. But this is Slade, a man I’ve always admired. I don’t even know what it’s like to have a normal date with the man.”
“Then you have to hope for that day, a normal day where you and Slade can relax and really have some time together.” She punched at Kaitlin’s arm. “But you can’t do that if you’re kind of avoiding the man.”
“I hate it when you’re right,” Kaitlin retorted. “I’ll call him when we get home and maybe we can work this out.”
As they neared Francine’s house, Kaitlin’s cell rang. Grabbing it with one hand while she slowed down, she said, “Kaitlin.”
“Your dog is in the woods.”
“Who is this?”
“A concerned citizen. You’ll find him tied up on the Southside path, but you’d better hurry before they come back.”
The connection went dead. Kaitlin slowed the van and stared straight ahead. The Lost Woods were about a mile up the road.
Francine gave her a questioning glance. “Well?”
“They said I’d find my dog in the woods. On the Southside path.” Tossing her phone down, she said, “I’m going to look.”
“No.” Francine shook her head. “You know the protocol. You need to call someone. We need backup.”
“I don’t have time. I have to hurry.”
A few minutes later, she looked over at the Lost Woods, a shiver moving down her spine. A movement on one of the paths caught her eye.
A dog.
“Rio!” Kaitlin pulled the van off the road in a skidding stop. “Rio, right there on the path. It’s him.”
Francine squinted and peered out the front windshield. “Are you sure? I mean, it could be a trap.”
Kaitlin glanced to one of the trails leading into the woods, her blood pressure shooting up. “I don’t know. The person said to hurry because they’d be back soon. But I’m going to look.”
“I’m going with you,” Francine replied, already opening her door.
Kaitlin scanned the road and woods. “No, stay here with the dogs. If it’s him, I’ll call out to you.”
“I don’t like this,” Francine said nervously. “Take Warrior with you.”
Kaitlin hopped out. “I don’t want to scare him away. I’ll be okay and I’ll be quick.” She started walking toward the path. “Rio? Rio, come. I’m here, boy. It’s okay. Come on out where I can see you.”
* * *
He had to try one more time. The woods had gone cold as far as criminals were concerned, but Slade felt a showdown coming.
In the Lost Woods.
Slade knew he was breaking a lot of rules, coming out here to these woods alone. But he was on his own time tonight and he’d waited until his shift was over, so it shouldn’t affect anyone else. He’d gotten so close to Dante Frears and Rio the other night, he could have whistled and brought both of them running. He needed one more chance. Just one more.
No one outside of the department knew Slade and the crime scene team had found that box full of diamonds. Dante would come back here over and over and he’d get more and more desperate with each trip. Slade needed this to end or he’d never win Kaitlin back. His getting shot the other night had given her cold feet, relationship-wise. He couldn’t blame her. He’d had surveillance on these woods and the warehouse since the night he’d been shot and no one had shown back up. Too much heat.
Tonight, he’d canceled the surveillance and told his team to stay away. He wanted to flush out Dante Frears. So he’d had a detective in an unmarked car drop him off up the road. He’d told the detective to wait for him by the car, just in case. Then he’d hiked through the woods, alone, with no K-9 backup. He had a hunch Frears would be here soon. He knew Dante better than anyone and patience had never been one of Dante’s virtues.
He’d take his chances and try to lure Frears back to the woods.
And if that didn’t work, he could very well be out of options. So he waited till dusk and then hiked to the dig spot and stared into the turned earth. If Dante came back here with Rio, the dog would possibly alert to several familiar scents left by officers and the crime scene team. That would fool Frears into thinking he was onto something.
Slade wasn’t sure what would happen after that. He’d either confront Frears or try to get evidence, anything, to prove the man was The Boss. He had the piece of black silk logged in as evidence. If they could match that scrap of material to anyone who came out here, they’d have the beginnings of a case.
So Slade waited and watched and prayed. He’d been praying a lot lately. Mostly for patience, but also for his son and for his father. He’d been caught between the two of them and he had to admit he had not been a happy father or a good son. Too late, he saw the bitterness that had driven him since Angie’s death.
His son needed love, not bitterness.
“Time to change that, Lord.” He nodded to himself. He had Kaitlin to thank for that. She’d shown him how her faith had helped her but...she still had a crippling fear of being hurt again. Now it was Slade’s turn to help her.
“Help me to understand her, Lord. Help me to make her see that we can be good for each other.”
Slade’s stilted prayers ran a silent loop inside his head while he listened to the forest sounds settling into the night. He’d told the detective who’d agreed to wait for him to park underneath an old shed on the back side of the woods. Frears had come in on the other side last time he was here, but Slade had warned a couple of cruisers to be on the lookout, too. Frears was unpredictable and growing more and more desperate. Slade didn’t intend to get shot again.
He wondered why it had to come down to this. Why had his life gone one way and Dante’s the other? And why hadn’t his friend come to him, instead of turning on him?
When he heard a car door slam shut and angry voices carrying through the trees, he knew the time had come for a showdown.
* * *
Kaitlin stood near the tree line, on a worn path into the woods. She could see Francine waiting in the van. When she heard a rustling, she called out again. “Rio, come.”
She heard a yelp, then watched in amazement as the bramble parted and Rio slowly stumbled his way through the bushes. But when Kaitlin saw the K-9, her heart did a tumble. “Oh, Rio. Poor baby.”
The animal’s once shimmering coat was now a dull burnished brown, the color of old rust. He was gaunt and hollow-eyed, but when he lifted his nose and sniffed the air, Kaitlin saw the spark of recognition in his eyes. “Rio, it’s me, boy. Come.”
Rio was heading toward her when she heard footsteps crashing through the pine needles and bramble.
Kaitlin didn’t want to leave the dog. “Rio, come.”
Rio advanced another few steps but the pounding of footsteps didn’t stop.
“C’mon, boy.”
Then she saw why the K-9 couldn’t make it out of the woods. Someone had tied him up with a very long rope. Whimpering, Rio strained at the rope, but couldn’t get any farther.
Kaitlin took another look at the dog, thought about trying to untie him, but then decided she did need backup. She ran across the road and jumped back in the SUV.
“It’s Rio, but he’s tied up. I heard footsteps. I need to call Slade.”
She had her phone in her lap and her finger on call when someone tapped on her window. Shocked, Kaitlin glanced up and saw the face from her nightmares.
A man wearing a black ski mask and a loose, silky black jumpsuit.
Francine screamed and Warrior started barking. Then Kaitlin’s door flew open and before she could do anything but drop her phone, the man dragged her out of the vehicle, a glove-clad hand covering her mouth while her attacker kicked the door shut again. She smelled the leather she remembered from the first kidnapping attempt, her stomach roiling with fear and nausea. Had she hit Call before she’d dropped the phone? She couldn’t remember.
Francine. What had they done with Francine? What about Warrior?
She could hear him barking and snarling inside the vehicle. Would he obey a hand signal? She could try. It was her only hope. But when she twisted toward the door, another man dressed in black pushed in front of her. Someone else stood at the back of the vehicle.
“Let the dog out when I tell you to,” the man holding her shouted to the guy at the back of the van. “And hurry. I need that stupid animal.”
Stunned, Kaitlin stopped fighting and relaxed. If she could make eye contact with Warrior and give him the signal to go, maybe he’d run away into the woods.
Ski Mask Man must have read her thoughts. “I’m going to remove my hand from your mouth, sweetheart. Tell the dog to back off, or I’ll shoot him and your friend.”
Kaitlin bobbed her head, then searched for Francine in the approaching dusk. The man standing by the van had a gun pressed to the glass and aimed at Francine. Kaitlin gave Francine a long stare, hoping the other trainer would follow orders. Francine’s look of sheer terror trembled to a calm and she gave Kaitlin a slight nod.
Had she managed to get the call for help in?
“Tell the dog to calm down,” the man growled into her ear, his breath hot on her neck. “And don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
She nodded, already regretting a lot of things. When he removed his hand, Kaitlin took in a big gulp of clean air. “Stay,” she called to the barking dog. “Stay, Warrior.”
Warrior immediately stopped barking but stood at attention, staring out the back window of the SUV, his whole body quivering, his ears up.
“That’s good. Nice.” If she had any doubts as to who this man was, they all evaporated in the dry heat. She recognized Dante Frears’s calm, cultured voice. “Now, I want you to get the dog out of the vehicle, okay? But I don’t want him in attack mode, understand?”
She bobbed her head again, glancing at Francine. Her friend sat frozen to her seat but she didn’t look as scared now. Maybe Francine would be able to keep her cool and get out of this alive.
He motioned to the man at the back of the vehicle. The other masked man opened the back hatch.
“Now.”
“Warrior, come. Stay.”
Warrior jumped out and came to sit by Kaitlin’s feet, but she knew the dog well enough to recognize his tightly coiled position. Warrior was on go to attack. Just one word from her.
But then they’d kill Francine.
What should she do?
“We’re going for a little walk into the woods, sweetheart.”
“What about my friend?” she asked.
“I have other plans for her.”
“Don’t hurt her, please. She’s not involved in this.”
“But you are, right? Involved, I mean. You’re in so thick with McNeal it makes me want to puke.”
“Leave him out of this, too. I can help you find what you need in the woods. My dog and I can and then you can just go—”
He leaned in, his mouth close to her ear, his gloved hand stroking her damp hair. “Oh, I wish it were that simple. But it’s not. Too bad, though. You’re smart and pretty and you almost distracted McNeal enough to let me get on with things. But he’s too stubborn to see what’s right in front of him.”
Hating that she’d practically accused Slade of the same thing, she whispered, “I can distract him again.”
“Too late for deals, darlin’. He’s waiting in those woods for me, and I intend to give him exactly what he wants.”
Kaitlin’s heart exploded inside her chest. Warrior was right there with her, but how could she order him to run away when her friend was sitting in the SUV with a gun to her head and Slade was somewhere out in the woods, about to be ambushed?
When Frears pushed her forward, she looked back once toward the SUV and saw the controlled smile on her friend’s face as the sun began to set behind the big pines to the west. Kaitlin turned forward, searching for a way to escape. Rio was nowhere to be found now. An eerie wind stalked through the woods, its breeze tearing at the bent and twisted pines and dry-boned oaks, its touch rushing with a cackle through the saplings and sagebrush. She could almost hear the wind whispering a warning. Run, run, run.
If she did try to run, someone might die.
Kaitlin didn’t intend to die in these dark woods.
And she didn’t intend to get Slade or Francine killed, either, so she prayed that Slade would see them coming and stop this madness before it was too late for them all.