Page 234 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

GRAVE PURSUITS

ELLE E KAY

CHAPTER ONE

Shouting outside of the park office captured Emily Davis’ attention. She opened the front door. They didn’t officially open the visitor center for another two hours, but she wanted to see what the commotion was about.

A skinny scruffy looking guy with a beard and a see-through white tank top stood by the visitor center sign. “What’s DCNR stand for?”

“It tells you on the sign,” a heavyset blond girl answered. “Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.”

“Do ya think this is the place to report Sue missing?”

DCNR Ranger Emily Davis cleared her throat and introduced herself. “I’m Ranger Davis. Maybe you should come inside.” She held the door for the group. As they brushed past her on their way into the building, the pungent odor of stale beer filled her nostrils.

When they were all inside, she listened to their story and gaped at the group. “You’re telling me your friend left her campsite at six o’clock last night and never returned, and you’re only now reporting her missing?”

A large man with bushy eyebrows whose t-shirt didn’t cover his bulging stomach took a step forward. “We have twocampsites on opposite sides of the campground. Sue’s my girl, and we was staying together, but we got into an argument ’fore she left for the boulders. I figured she was too mad to come back, so she must’ve stayed with her sister. I didn’t realize she was gone until we all met for breakfast this morning.”

She glanced at the rest of the group for confirmation. Four of them nodded in agreement, but one woman kept her gaze trained on the ground. “Are you Sue’s sister?”

The woman raised her gaze to meet Emily’s and gave a slight nod. “Yes. I’m her sister, Mary.”

“We’ll organize a search. Do you know where she went?”

“She said she was going to visit Boulder Field,” Mary answered.

“Did she hike the trail or drive in?”

The boyfriend jumped in, “Drove my car. Sally took us out there before we came here. My car was in the lot, but Sue wasn’t there, so she must’ve gone hiking.”

Emily radioed dispatch with the information she’d gathered. She jotted down their names and cell numbers. “Okay. Return to your campsites. We’ll be in touch.”

“Aren’t we going to help in the search?” Mary asked.

“We’ll organize a civilian search party if it comes to that, but we always start with the professionals. Most lost hikers are found quickly once we’re notified that they’re missing.” She gave the boyfriend a pointed look.

After the group of campers left, she hopped into her state-issued Ford Interceptor SUV and started down the long road toward Boulder Field.

Emily pulled into the lot,parked, and exited her vehicle. Spotting the red Honda CRV the missing hiker had driven out there, she ambled over to it and peeked in the windows then walked to the edge of Boulder Field and took a deep breath of pine-scented air and stared out at the expanse of boulders surrounded by serene coniferous forest.

Ranger Pete Cunningham’s vehicle approached. She met him at his car and gave him the lowdown. “The missing hiker’s name is Sue. She left her boyfriend’s car here.” She pointed. “There’s nothing remarkable about it as far as I can see.”

Pete’s eyebrows knitted together as he frowned. “Will we be calling in rescue dogs?”

“It’s possible. She’s been gone twelve hours, and we don’t know if she has water. It’s cool enough now, but as the day heats up, she could be in trouble.”

“Calling them in seems premature.”

“If we don’t find her by noon, it may be unavoidable,” she said.

Ranger Austin Crowley drove up to where they stood and lowered his window. “What’s this I hear about a hiker missing for twelve hours? Didn’t anyone notice she was gone?”

“Apparently not.” Emily sighed. “Her companions had two campsites and judging by how they looked and smelled this morning, they were drinking heavily.”

Austin smoothed down his blond curls. “Mustn’t care that alcohol is prohibited in the park.”

“Not surprising.” Pete scratched his chin where a day’s worth of stubble resided.