Page 45

Chapter Forty-Five

AJ kicked her legs in the water, trying to free them from the rope that bound her feet. She’d worked at trying to get the duct tape free from her wrists, but it had simply rolled up and become impossible to dislodge. Miles had used entirely too much tape for her to get it off.

The rope wouldn’t budge either. Part of her was grateful Miles could tie a good knot. At least she could trust the rope under her arms was tied well too.

The pulley continued to lower her into the water. It was about time for Miles to hit the button again.

She leaned her head back against the rope right behind her head as she had for what seemed like forever. She’d lost count of how many times she’d been raised from the water.

Not wanting to fall into the despair that lapped at her like the river’s current, she prayed. The words were the same. Pleas for rescue. Petitions for Logan’s safety. Cries for help.

The pulley lowered her farther into the water. Farther than she’d been yet. Why hadn’t Miles pushed the button?

“Come on, Miles. Hit the button already.”

Logan held Miles’s wrist tightly and thrust it upward, bringing Miles’s body closer to his. Break the knife free, and let it be a fair hand-to-hand fight. Logan needed to get him to the ground and restrain him.

But Miles countered and swung his leg behind Logan’s in an attempt to push him over.

Logan kept his footing and twisted Miles’s arm down and around, jerking it back and forth. Using his other hand, he pressed his thumb into Miles’s wrist until he dropped the knife.

It clattered on the stonework.

Miles other fist collided with Logan’s side. He let go of Miles’s wrist and shoved him. Logan kicked the knife farther away.

Miles charged at Logan. He waited for Miles to get closer, then swung up and punched him in the cheek.

Miles’s head flew to the side, but he rebounded quickly and seized Logan’s shirt. He fought to stay on his feet. Miles wanted to take this to the ground, but Logan would only go down on his own terms. He was a better boxer than wrestler.

He dodged a punch from Miles and sent one of his own into Miles’s other cheek.

He stumbled but sent an uppercut into Logan’s ribs, then grabbed him.

Logan repeatedly jabbed Miles in the back. They twisted and turned, trying to get the other one to lose control and footing. But it wasn’t accomplishing much.

They truly were equal in build and strength.

Miles pushed off of him and scurried backward toward the knife. He took his phone from his pocket and clutched the knife.

Logan drew the pistol from his ankle holster and aimed it at Miles. “Drop both the phone and knife.”

“No. You drop the gun. I told you I have AJ’s fate in my hands. The app on my phone controls if she goes under or not.” He walked toward Logan.

“Don’t push it.”

“I’ll do what I want.” He raised the knife toward Logan and swiped open his phone, then positioned his thumb over the red button on the screen.

“Drop them.”

Miles moved his thumb to the button.

Logan couldn’t let him push a button that would hurt AJ. Logan fired a shot. The bullet went through Miles’s hand. The phone flung to the ground.

Miles screamed in agony. “You fool. Are you trying to kill her?”

Logan didn’t understand, but he didn’t have time to consider.

Miles ran at him with the knife.

Logan fired again. Three more bullets, each one hit Miles center mass. He dropped at Logan’s feet.

Logan leaned over and breathed.

He hadn’t wanted to kill Miles, especially not before learning where AJ was. And what did Miles mean about Logan trying to kill her? Miles was the one wanting to push the button.

Adam and Will ran out from the woods nearby. Amelia and Zara came around the side of the house.

Zara holstered her gun and ran to hug him. He returned his firearm to its holster before embracing her for a brief moment.

Will came up. “Sorry, man. When we lost coms we decided it would be better to walk in. That driveway is long.”

Logan nodded. “I don’t know where she is. He had a button. I don’t know what he was doing to her.”

Adam picked up Miles’s phone. “Plus or minus. Those are the only buttons.”

“Plus or minus what? Was he shocking her?” The horror in Zara’s voice matched how he felt.

Logan tried to rack his brain for anything Miles might have said. “Goes under … he accused me of killing her by not letting him push the button. Did I?”

Will put his hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Don’t think like that right now. Let’s find her first.”

Adam’s phone vibrated, and he answered it. Whatever blocker Miles had either stopped working or didn’t cover the backyard. “Megan and Wesson are here.”

Logan ran to the front of the house. Megan’s German shepherd had a sharp nose. If AJ was here, he’d help them find her.

“Logan.” Megan held out her arms, and they embraced.

Wesson nosed Logan’s hand.

He squatted down and petted the dog. “Can you find AJ for me? Where has she been? Where is she now?”

Megan opened a large Ziplock bag with a t-shirt in it. “Zara gave me this this afternoon, just in case.” She gave Wesson a command and unhooked his leash. Searching for people wasn’t his normal job, but he was still good at it. Megan continually worked on developing new skills with Wesson, while maintaining the dog’s other abilities.

Wesson sniffed the bag then started smelling the ground. He bolted away from the house, back down the driveway.

Logan grabbed his powerful flashlight from his bike bag and joined Megan in following Wesson. He stopped and sniffed the sweatshirt that had been discarded before leading them farther down the driveway, into the woods, and onto a neighbor’s lawn.

Logan shined his flashlight around. The ground looked smashed in one area as if a large person or two people had hit the ground. Had AJ tried to get away but Miles caught her here?

Wesson didn’t linger long before dashing back through the woods, retracing his path down the driveway, and running to the front door of the house. He darted past Amelia who sat on the front step with Miles’s computer.

She said, “With all those cameras I bet he was watching her wherever he had her. I’ll see what I can find.”

Logan nodded. “Thank you.”

Wesson scratched at the door.

AJ had gone inside the house.

Megan opened the door, and she and Logan went with Wesson through the house. In the kitchen, a chair was covered in duct tape where someone had clearly been bound.

Logan’s stomach churned at the sight. AJ. She’d been in the house, taped up. But she wasn’t here now.

“Where is she, Wesson? Where’d he take her?”

Wesson barked at Logan as if he understood what he was asking.

The dog went to the back door and pawed at it.

Megan again opened the door, and they let Wesson lead the way down the steps to the patio. He barked at Miles’s dead body but ran around it and down the steep stairs that led to the river.

The river.

Miles had said he planned for Logan to go in the river … the riddle. Hopefully not hers . Was she in the water somewhere?

She hated the river. As a kid she’d loved going, but after Bree died she swore she’d never go again. Oh, AJ!

Wesson bounded down the steps and ran to the end of the dock where a small motorboat was moored. The dog jumped in the boat, sniffed around, then barked.

“Logan!” Amelia called from the top of the stairs. “There’s a camera focused on the water beneath a road bridge over what looks like the river. It also looks like there’s a rope coming off the bridge.”

Logan turned to Megan. “Is there a key in that boat?”

She got in. “Yep. In the ignition. Lucky for you, I know how to drive one of these things. Get in.”

Logan hopped over the side. They didn’t wait for anyone else and set out on the river. They had to find AJ.