CHAPTER FOURTEEN

 

 

May 14, 2015

10 P.M.

High Mountain Valley

Near the Central Idaho Primitive Area

 

Julia watched as Lott talked to Fleet over the satellite phone. She had never been so relieved in all her life when Fleet answered. This house was so isolated, it scared her far more than she wanted to admit. Over the years she had faced down the worst scum of humanity. But here, isolated and out of her element like this, she felt terrified.

And she could tell Lott wasn’t much more comfortable with it than she was.

Lott first asked Fleet if the phone line was completely secure and Fleet had assured him it was.

The next question Lott asked Fleet was if he knew where Williams was.

Fleet listened for a moment, then said, simply “Shit!”

Lott had Fleet hold and told Julia that Williams was in Seattle and another young blonde girl had just gone missing that morning.

“He’s on his way to McCall in a few days,” Julia said.

Lott nodded and went back to talking with Fleet, explaining everything they had found. And detailing out their theory and how critical it was to keep all this deadly silent.

Then Lott nodded and said, “We need some research. Very secret and careful research.”

Julia watched as Lott nodded.

“First,” Lott said, “we need to know, deep background, through any sort of shield, who actually owns this piece of property. Who runs it? Who rented it to Trish?”

“Second, we need to know if Williams or any of his companies has any connection to the mortuary business, or casket manufacturing or transportation, or anything like that. Again, super careful.”

Lott nodded. Then he said simply, “Thanks. See you then.”

He put the phone down on the table and took a deep breath.

“Two helicopters coming in before dawn, as soon as they can see well enough to land.”

Julia felt very relieved to hear that. “Eight hours from now.”

Lott nodded. “He’s bringing an FBI agent and her team that he can trust, a forensic unit for Trish, and a dive team.”

“So do you think anyone is coming up here in the meantime?” Julia asked.

“I don’t know the answer to that,” Lott said. “But I don’t think we should take any chance at all. If someone on some sort of video feed saw us find Trish, they might already be on the way.”

“You think this place could be wired in some fashion?” Julia asked. “That’s a long way for that kind of communication.”

Lott pointed to the satellite phone. “I’ve looked and haven’t seen anything, but that sure doesn’t mean there isn’t something here somewhere.”

“Agreed,” Julia said, nodding. “We take no more chances.”

“Get packed and put on another layer of clothes,” Lott said as he took his phone and she picked up hers and they both headed upstairs.

Julia knew they just didn’t dare take chances. Not with what happened to Trish. And if Lott and the other members of the Cold Poker Gang were correct, they were now facing one of the smartest and richest serial killers in modern times.

And that just scared her more than she wanted to admit.

Ten minutes later, she heard Lott go back downstairs and start putting out the fire in the fireplace and shutting off lights. If someone did come over that ridgeline above the lake looking for them, that someone would see a dark building.

Julia knew that they needed to make it look as if they were leaving, heading to find help, which would be a logical thing for them to do after finding a body like they had.

Julia headed down with her bag and another quilt. Lott grabbed two pillows from the couch and they shut off lights.

He stuffed two bottles of water and some of the crackers and cheese into his bag, then pulling the door closed and locking it, Julia put the key back under the mat.

Not the visit with an old friend she had hoped for.

The air around them was bitingly cold and Julia could see her breath in the faint light. At least it had stopped raining.

Five minutes later, they had their stuff in the Jeep and Lott, with Julia spotting him with a flashlight, backed the Jeep as far as he could into the trees beside the garage without turning on the lights. From the front seats they could see the road coming in, but in the dark the Jeep would be very difficult to see.

With luck, anyone watching, if there was anyone watching, would think they had left. If not, they had a defensible position.

Julia climbed into the Jeep and Lott went out from under the trees slightly and called Fleet back.

She could hear him talking in the still night air.

Lott quickly told Fleet what they had done. “Bring in some scanning equipment as well. We need to know if we are being watched. It’s going to make a difference on what we do next.”

Julia watched as Lott nodded and then came back and climbed in the Jeep. She had turned off the interior light so it didn’t go on every time the door opened or closed. The heater had the Jeep warming up quickly so he wiggled out of his still damp ski parka and tossed it in the back.

“Fleet’s bringing scanning equipment,” he said to Julia and she nodded. “Told us to stay safe. Help is on the way.”

She just nodded, staring out at the dark night and the road up the hill. “How can a place that looked so beautiful during the daylight feel so threatening at night?”

Lott looked out over the steering wheel and across the dark open parking area to the black mountains beyond, just shaking his head.

Julia knew that he had no way to answer that.

All she knew was that this was going to be a very long night.