Against the Wild (24 page)

For the first time, the boy relaxed enough to smile. It made him look younger, like the college kid he was. “Thanks.”

Dylan led her out of the house, and both of them took a deep breath of the crisp, clean air.

“That ham and biscuits is beginning to sound really good,” Dylan said.

“And Winnie made apricot cobbler for dessert. I saw it on the kitchen counter.”

Dylan smiled. “Let's go home.”

Lane smiled back as they headed for the truck. The ghosts were gone. Things could get back to normal.

Except they still had a murderer to find before Caleb wound up in prison.

 

 

The wind whispered softly through the pine boughs. The moon was rising, traveling between the clouds moving in from the sea. He hadn't been back inside the house in days, not that he couldn't get in anytime he wanted.

For a while, the stupid kids had made it easy. He'd watched them going in and out, scaring the crap out of people in the middle of the night. He'd used their secret entrance, prowled the whole house, walked the same halls the others walked.

But after what he'd done to the girl, his thoughts had been weighed down with regret. He'd just wanted sex. So had she. He figured he'd make it good for both of them. It was only a game he played with women sometimes. No one had ever gotten hurt.

But sometimes accidents happened. He'd seen it a dozen times in the Army. Guys getting killed during training exercises. Parachutes that didn't open. Hell, sometimes they just weren't paying attention and stepped in front of an armored vehicle. In an instant, deader than dirt. It was sad, but it was just the way life was.

At least the voices had been silent, giving him a chance to think, a chance to plan. A chance to finish what he'd come here to do.

He continued moving quietly through the forest. He wore camo head to foot, and a black wool cap. Had wrapped his boots in long strands of grass, muffling the sound of his footsteps and making him harder to track. His favorite spot wasn't much farther up the game trail.

He frowned when he reached it. He hadn't been there in days, had mostly stayed up on the hill above the cemetery, but he knew exactly where it was. Knew that someone else had been there. Dylan Brodie, the owner of the lodge, had been raised in Alaska. He'd read that on the Eagle Bay website.

Brodie would know the woods, know that someone had been out there watching them. Brodie would be able to track him.

He didn't like the idea. He prided himself on being as invisible as air. But even if Brodie had found the spot, the man had no idea who he was or why he was out there.

He was the only one who knew the answer to that.

Still, he changed his location, moving a little farther away from the lodge. It took awhile to find the spot he wanted, flat and grassy, slightly elevated yet hidden beneath the trees.

He settled into position, took a look through the binoculars around his neck. He could see into the bedrooms on this side of the house, though tonight the curtains were closed in the larger room, the one Brodie occupied. He liked the times he could look at them but they couldn't see him.

Soon, he would move forward with his plan, but not yet.

For now, he would just watch and wait.

The sun was up, the day slipping past. Dylan and Lane were gone, on their way back to Waterside. Frustrated that he had to remain behind while they tried to prove his innocence, Caleb worked with the construction crew. He'd heard them mumbling, talking among themselves. Though no one had made any accusations, he wondered if they thought he was guilty.

Winnie was in the kitchen with Emily, going over some math problems. Just because the rest of the kids her age were out for the summer didn't mean there were no lessons for someone being homeschooled. But Emily loved learning new things so she didn't seem to mind.

Caleb poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot on the counter, walked over to gaze through the window looking into the side yard. He was surprised to see a woman near the gate, bending to let Finn sniff her hand. When the big dog began wagging his tail, she lifted the latch and started walking toward the back door.

Caleb's heart jerked as he recognized the slender blonde.
Jenny.
Setting his mug down on the counter, spilling a little over the rim as he rushed out of the kitchen, he ran down the hall into the mudroom and opened the door.

Standing on the outside step, Jenny smiled up at him. “Hi . . .”

He didn't hesitate, just pulled her into his arms. “God, Jenny. Honey, I'm so glad to see you.” Bending his head, he kissed her and prayed she wouldn't pull away. Instead, she kissed him back, then leaned into his chest.

“I heard what happened,” she said. “I heard you were arrested.”

“I didn't do it, honey. I swear I didn't kill her.”

“I don't believe you'd ever kill anyone.”

He led her over to a bench beneath a big red cedar and sat down beside her. “After I talked to you that night, I went looking for Holly. I found her in Mad Jack's. I told her to leave us alone and we fought about it.” He sighed, rubbed his face. “A lot of people saw us arguing. I didn't stay, and when I left for Wally's, she was fine. I didn't know anything about the murder until the troopers came out to the lodge the next day.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Dylan hired an attorney. He got me released from jail, but I'm not supposed to leave Eagle Bay. Dylan and Lane have been digging around, asking questions. They're back in Waterside now.”

“Dylan's a good friend. I really like him.”

Caleb's mouth edged up. “Just don't like him too much.”

Jenny smiled and slid her arms around his neck. “I like you, Caleb. A lot.”

Caleb kissed her, soft and slow. He wanted her to know how much she meant to him. When the kiss was over, he ignored the heat in his groin that it was the wrong time to feel.

“Dylan and Lane are working this lead they came up with. Dylan's brother, Nick, helped. They think they may have found someone who could have killed Holly. Unfortunately, they don't have a name.”

“Nick's a policeman, right?”

“He was a homicide detective in Anchorage, but he quit. Wants to do something else with his life. Dylan's been trying to keep him out of this as much as he can.”

“So they're trying to find this person who might have done it?”

“That's the idea. Even if they do, it's a long shot he's actually the guy who killed her. Hell, it could be anyone.”

Jenny reached up and touched his cheek. “Anyone but you.”

Caleb caught her hand and kissed the palm. “You shouldn't be out here, Jenny. You're a schoolteacher. You can't be involved with a guy suspected of murder.”

“What kind of a person would I be if I didn't stand up for what I believed in? I don't believe you killed that girl. I wanted you to know that, so here I am.”

Caleb eased her into his arms and just held her. They sat that way, just listening to the birds, feeling the faint whisper of a breeze. Then he took her hand and they walked for a while, ending up at the old cemetery on the hill. The totem pole watched over it, the faded raven, wings spread, sitting at the top.

Caleb had told Jenny about the fake haunting. As they stood there, he told her about the kids who had done it and why.

“I heard people talking, saying it was all a hoax,” she said. “For Dylan's sake and yours, I'm glad it's over.”

“We're going to make this place work.” His gaze went back to the lodge. He'd grown to love the place as much as Dylan. He wanted to build a house somewhere near, make Eagle Bay his home.

“I know you'll succeed.”

He looked down at Jenny, thought of the possibilities of a life that might include her.

Then he thought of Holly Kaplan floating dead in the water and his chest clamped down. “I hope so. All we have to do first is prove I'm not guilty of murder.”

 

 

Once more behind the wheel of the rented, banged-up Toyota, Dylan drove Lane from the float dock back out to the airport. Finding their theoretical suspect through the rental car agency was a long shot, but a slim chance was better than no chance at all.

If it turned into a dead end, he'd try talking to Maggie. Sooner or later, almost everyone who came to Waterside ended up at the Grizzly Café. Maybe Maggie would remember their suspect. Of course, there was no way to know if the guy the bartender had seen at Mad Jack's had anything to do with the murder.

“Well, this is it.” Dylan pulled the car into one of the parking spaces in the airport parking lot and turned off the engine.

“I'm keeping my fingers crossed,” Lane said as she climbed out of the car.

Dylan locked the doors and they headed for the metal building that served as the terminal. A couple of Alaska Airlines commuters flew in and out, an express mail plane arrived every three days. The rest were private planes, mostly guys coming in to hunt and fish.

Inside the building, the terminal was empty, the passengers from the last flight having all dispersed. Just the few people who worked there remained, one of whom stood behind the Convenient Rental Car counter.

The little brunette watched as Dylan approached. She was late twenties, pretty, no wedding ring, and she was looking at him the way a woman did who liked what she saw. There was a time not long ago he would have asked her out, might have ended up taking her to bed.

He flicked a glance at Lane. Sunlight slanting through the windows gleamed on her glorious red hair. She smiled and he felt a jolt. He looked at the brunette, thought how little appeal she held for him. How long would it take to forget Lane once she was gone?

“May I help you?” the brunette asked. Her name tag read E
LAINE
.

“I hope so. My name's Dylan Brodie. This is Lane Bishop. We're looking for someone who might have rented one of your vehicles.”

“It would have been a couple of weeks ago,” Lane added. “Good-looking guy, brown hair, about Dylan's height.”

“What's his name?”

“That's the problem,” Dylan said. “The bartender at Mad Jack's mentioned him. Said he was ex-military.” There was a flash of recognition in the brunette's dark eyes. “I might want to hire him,” Dylan went on. “I've got a security job for a man who knows what he's doing. If I could find him, it might be good for both of us.”

The brunette bit her lip. “I don't think I'm supposed to give out customer information.”

Lane smiled. “Jobs are hard to find in a place like Waterside. You'd be doing him a favor.”

Elaine walked over to her computer, started pulling up rental contracts. “I remember a guy like that.” She looked over at Lane. “Tall. Amazing body. Really sexy. I thought he was going to ask me out, but he didn't. He rented the car for two weeks.”

“You got a name?” Dylan asked, his adrenaline beginning to pump. But even if they found him, it didn't mean he was a killer.

She spotted the name on the screen, still looked uncertain. “I don't know if I should do this.”

Dylan pulled out his wallet, slid a hundred-dollar bill across the counter. “Like I said, this could be good for both of us.”

Elaine took the bill, shoved it into the pocket of her slacks, turned back to the computer screen. “Here he is. Dusty Withers. He flew in ten days ago.”

“Does it say where he's staying?”

“We don't ask for that information.”

“What kind of car did he rent?”

“Jeep Wrangler. Dark green.”

“Do you have a home address?” Lane asked.

Elaine looked down at the screen. “1561 Crestline Court, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 28310. No phone number, though.”

“The address makes sense,” Dylan said to Lane. “There's a big Army base in Fort Bragg. Maybe he stayed after he left the service.”

Lane looked at the girl. “Is there anything else you remember about him?”

“Just that he was hot. I remember he paid cash. We usually insist on credit cards. I had to get an okay from my superior.”

“Be hard to steal a car from Waterside,” Dylan said. “Roads don't go far in any direction. You can only get a vehicle in and out on the ferry, and it's expensive.”

Elaine shrugged. “I guess that's what my boss figured. He didn't want to lose a customer.”

“When's Withers due back?” Lane asked.

“Looks like four more days, but he can extend if he sends us more money.”

“You got a driver's license number?” Dylan pressed.

Elaine looked back at the screen, wrote the number on a piece of paper, and handed it over. Dylan flashed her a grateful smile. “Thanks, Elaine. You've been a really big help.”

“You're welcome.” She gave him a friendly smile. “Good luck, Dylan.”

They left the terminal and headed back to the Toyota.

“He's still here,” Lane said excitedly as she climbed in the car and slammed the door.

“Don't get your hopes too high. There's no reason to believe he's a killer.”

“But he could be. He fits our profile. Your brother's a detective and he helped us come up with it. We need to find him.”

Dylan slid the key into the ignition but didn't start the car. Pulling his iPhone out of his pocket, he called Nick. A single ring later, his brother answered, a sign he had nothing much going on. Dylan wondered how much longer Nick would last before he went back to doing what he did best.

“Hey, bro, what's up?” Nick said.

“We got a suspect who fits our profile. Haven't located him yet, but we got a name and driver's license number.”

“There's that word
we
again.”

Dylan ignored the reference to him and Lane. “We need to find this guy, Nick. Can you run a background check? Maybe he's got a record, something that could help us. Hell, maybe he's got a parking ticket.”

“Let me grab a piece of paper.”

When Nick came back on the line, Dylan rattled off the name, home address, and license number.

“I've still got friends in the department,” Nick said. “I'll give one of them a call. How's Caleb holding up?”

“He's pacing the floor, worried as hell and trying not to show it.”

“Then I better get this done. Back to you soon.” The line went dead. Dylan pocketed the phone.

“How long do you think it'll take him?” Lane asked.

“Longer than it would have before he left the force. In the meantime, what do you say we make a stop at the Grizzly Café? Everyone in town goes in there. Maybe Maggie can tell us where to find Dusty Withers.”

The last place Lane wanted to go was the Grizzly Café. She didn't like Maggie Ridell. The woman had condemned Caleb without a moment's hesitation. And as much as Lane hated to admit it, she was jealous of the buxom, blue-eyed blonde. Maggie Ridell was clearly interested in Dylan. And Maggie would be here after Lane was gone.

Still, Dylan was right. Everyone wound up at the local café. There was a good chance Dusty Withers had been in at one time or another.

The bell rang above the door as they walked inside. Instead of heading for a booth, Dylan led Lane up to the counter. Only a few minutes passed before Maggie sashayed up on the opposite side in front of Dylan.

She cocked a golden eyebrow. “Well, look who's here.”

Dylan smiled. “I hope I'm still welcome.”

Maggie smiled in return. “Of course you're welcome. You didn't murder anyone.”

“Neither did Caleb,” Dylan said. “I wish you'd at least give him the benefit of the doubt.”

The woman's full lips tightened. “He was sleeping with Holly, then sneaking around with that schoolteacher on the side. They fought about it and he killed her.”

“Are you sure about that? You don't think maybe Holly was fantasizing, hoping to get back with Caleb? You don't think it's possible what she said never actually happened?”

Maggie sighed. “I don't know. Someone killed her. Poor little thing was so crazy about him. I felt sorry for her.”

Dylan tipped his head toward Lane, sitting on the vinyl-covered stool beside him. “You remember Lane Bishop.”