Page 94 of Cold Light of Day

“You didn’t hear it from me. I shouldn’t tell you. It’s under internal investigation.”

“So you mean...I shouldn’t have lost my certification.”

“I don’t know anything, Autumn, but Craig reacted very strongly to my threat, so there must be something to that story. But right now, let’s help your friend, Grier Brenner, get his life back.”

Troy Fox or Grier Brenner. She didn’t know.

“Okay.” She took a hard right onto muddy tracks that led up to the one-room cabin. The truck bounced along the drive as tree limbs scraped the sides.

At Grier’s cabin, she put the truck in park and hopped out,almost forgetting to turn it off. Nolan followed. With their guns out, they cleared the area in case they weren’t the only ones with the same knowledge, the same idea. At the door, Autumn found it locked. Nolan kicked it in, and they cleared the cabin too.

“Someone’s been here,” she said. “Grier boxed up his stuff and his laptop, but as you can see, the computer is gone. His things have been dumped out.”

“What are we looking for?”

“And Cap’s food and water bowl are gone. I hope the right people took the dog.”

“Cap?”

“You know, it’s short for Captain America.”

“Right. Okay.” Nolan riffled through the few clothes.

Autumn felt seriously ill. Nausea rippled through her. Grier wouldn’t give them the cold wallet, so they came here looking for it. The fear for him crushing her, she bent over her thighs.

“Breathe, Autumn.” Nolan spoke from across the room.

He knew her too well. She couldn’t lose it now. She had to help—Grier could need her help. He could still be alive.

“Hey. What’s this?” Nolan asked.

She crossed the cold, small space to the kitchen. A postcard was stuck to the fridge with a magnet. Palm trees and ... “Miami.” She took the card, flipped it over, and read the words. “See you soon, Steve Rogers.”

“Who’s that?” Nolan asked.

“I don’t know. He has a dog named Captain America, and now a friend in Miami named Steve Rogers.”

“I don’t see how this can help us find him.”

“I’m just going to keep this, while we think on it.” She thrust the postcard into her back pocket.

The door burst open. Nolan and Autumn aimed their guns at the new threat.

In walked Grier.

Behind him, a man held a gun to his head.

THIRTY-EIGHT

Grier’s insides wound into a painful knot.

“Lower your weapons now, or I’ll kill him.” Kresky, one of the two men who’d assisted Brown in waterboarding Grier, pressed the muzzle of his Ruger 9mm pistol against Grier’s temple.

Why were Nolan and the chief in his cabin anyway?

Autumn immediately dropped her gun, but Nolan hesitated.

“Nolan, drop it,” she said.