Page 3

3

T rying not to limp, Libby crossed over to see what had caught Shane’s attention. Bryce was still playing with his rubber ducky, and she had to admit the large dog was growing on her. Well, as long as he didn’t get too close. But the way the K9 had found her grandfather’s broken glasses was amazing.

She frowned as Shane slowly stood. “Are those tire tracks?”

“Yeah.” He held her gaze. “That was a four-wheeler we heard earlier. I believe the poacher took your grandfather with him.”

“But why?” Her heart squeezed with fear. “I don’t understand.”

“I wish I knew. It doesn’t make sense to me either.” He stepped closer and placed a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry, but we need to head back to the cabin.”

“No, I want to keep going.” She couldn’t bear the thought of giving up on her grandfather. “We can follow the four-wheeler tracks...”

“Not without more help,” Shane interrupted. “First of all, they can go for miles on that thing. We’re so far behind now it’s not funny. Second, your ankle is hurt. Lastly and most importantly, we need additional equipment and law enforcement backup. Whoever that guy is, he’s armed. He shot at us, remember?”

She hated to admit that he was right about the law enforcement backup. She should have called the sheriff’s department when she’d noticed her grandfather was missing. It was still hard to believe that Grandpa had gone after a poacher on his own rather than simply calling the game warden. She looked at Shane. “What kind of equipment?”

“We have horses and four-wheelers on the ranch.” Shane turned to stare at the trail. “I’m getting the sense the poacher knows this area well. Otherwise, how did he know to bring a four-wheeler? And it’s bugging me that he took your grandfather with him. I mean, what’s the point of that?”

“I wish I knew.” Libby hated the thought of turning back, but hearing about horses and four-wheelers gave her hope that Shane wasn’t giving up. “How long will it take to get the equipment here to keep searching?”

Shane pulled out his phone and grimaced. “Having cell service would help. Once I call my siblings, I’m sure they can get packed up and hit the road within the hour.”

“That sounds good.” Her ankle was sore, so there was no point in arguing. Especially since they still had to hike back to her grandfather’s cabin. Sitting on a horse or a four-wheeler would be easier than continuing the search on foot. Safer too. She honestly didn’t want Shane or Bryce to be put in danger over this. “There’s cell service near the cabin. I talk to my grandfather all the time.”

He grunted and turned toward his dog. “Come, Bryce.”

The K9 bounded over, dropping the ducky in Shane’s outstretched hand without being asked. She tucked her grandfather’s broken glasses into her jeans pocket and followed Shane as he and Bryce set out to retrace their steps.

Her thoughts whirled as they walked. Shane was right that it made no sense for a poacher to take Grandpa with him. Unless her grandfather was hurt? The broken glasses indicated he must have fallen. But why would the poacher care about that? Especially since the poacher knew she and Shane were looking for him? Why not take off and leave them to find and rescue her grandfather?

The niggling concern grew intense as she considered the poacher’s goal might be to find another place to dump her grandfather’s body. Just because he’d caught the guy poaching? It seemed ridiculous to take things to that extent.

But she couldn’t come up with a better theory either.

Libby stepped on a rock, rolling her sore ankle, and winced. Shane pinned her with a sharp gaze. “Let’s find a walking stick for you to use.”

She wanted to protest, but Shane was already eyeing the tree branches around them. He shrugged out of his pack, removed a small hatchet, and used it to break off a long, thick tree branch. From there, he honed it down, then handed it to her.

“Thank you.” She leaned on the stick. “What else do you have in that backpack of yours anyway?”

“Stuff.” He gave a nonchalant shrug, then continued heading down the mountainside with Bryce beside him. Now that the dog wasn’t in tracking mode, he had his nose up and was sniffing the area with interest. The way Bryce had switched gears from being keenly intent on following her grandfather’s scent to enjoying the day amazed her.

The dog was probably smarter than most people.

Using the walking stick helped. She managed to keep up with Shane and Bryce but couldn’t deny a wave of relief when Shane lifted a hand indicating it was time for a break.

Oh, she knew he only took rest breaks for the dog’s sake. But she gratefully lowered herself to the earth with a deep sigh. She bent forward to check her ankle. It looked about the same, which she took as a good sign.

“Water?” Shane had filled Bryce’s collapsible bowl, then handed her the bottle. She took a sip, then gave it back.

“Thanks.” Her stomach was rumbling with hunger, but like her sore ankle, she ignored the physical discomfort. What bothered her more was that her grandfather would be hungry for lunch too.

Would the poacher give him anything to eat or drink? Since she had no idea why the guy had taken her grandfather away in the first place, she doubted his comfort was at the top of the poacher’s list of concerns.

“Would you like to share a protein bar?” Shane broke one in half.

“Thanks.” She couldn’t help but smile as he tucked the empty wrapper into his pack. “I’m surprised you don’t have a steak dinner in there.”

He cocked a brow, the corner of his lip turning upward in a half smile. Shane didn’t smile often, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him laugh. Even back in high school, he tended to be the somber, studious type. “I’m not a fan of cold steak.”

She chuckled, despite her worry over her grandfather. “So far, you’ve had just about everything we need in that backpack of yours.”

“That’s the goal.” He nodded. “I only planned for a day hike, though, so I don’t have full camping gear in here. I have that stuff and more in my SUV. We can haul additional equipment as needed the next time we head out.”

“Good.” She gratefully ate her half of the protein bar. The nourishment took the edge off her hunger, which only made her think of her grandfather again. “I hope the poacher doesn’t hurt my grandpa.”

“Me too.” Shane reached over to take her hand. “Try not to worry. I’m confident Bryce will find him.”

She nodded, knowing Bryce was very capable of tracking her grandfather’s scent. The issue was how long that might take? The poacher could have taken her grandfather from the four-wheeler to another vehicle.

And if that was the case, she doubted Bryce or any other dog could track her grandfather’s scent as he was being driven away in a car.

Her stomach churned, and she did her best to shove the pessimistic thoughts away. There was no point in thinking the worst. She would stay positive. She would continue to pray that God would watch over her grandfather while guiding her and Shane and Bryce to the correct location.

Lord Jesus, please keep my grandfather safe in Your loving arms. Amen.

* * *

Shane couldn’t shake the cloak of apprehension that had settled over his shoulders as he led the way back to Libby’s grandfather’s cabin. Something was way off about this scenario. Elderly men didn’t wander around the woods for a few hours only to be picked up by a poacher riding a four-wheeler.

If not for the broken eyeglasses, and the broken coffee mug and overturned chair on the patio, he’d suspect Marvin Tolliver was a willing participant in—whatever this was. But that didn’t make sense either. If the old man wanted to do something like this, why pick a day he knew his granddaughter was coming?

Shane didn’t like mysteries. Especially ones that involved a missing person. He was anxious to reach out to his siblings for their thoughts.

He checked his compass to make sure he was on track. Bryce would find Marvin’s scent again if he asked, but he didn’t want to set the dog up for disappointment. Marvin wouldn’t be at the cabin, and while he could still reward the K9, he knew the dog preferred to find the people he was tasked to find.

They were making good time, despite Libby’s ankle injury. He had to give her credit, she hadn’t complained once about being in pain. She was pretty and sweet. Maybe once in another life he’d have been interested in seeing her on a personal level. But not anymore. He’d already lost too much.

Dating wasn’t even on his radar these days. And someone like Libby deserved better than a gloom-and-doom guy like him.

He wasn’t as worried about the shooter now that they’d found the four-wheeler tire tracks. Yet he still couldn’t figure out why the idiot had fired shots at them in the first place. It all went back to something fishy going on.

“Your grandfather doesn’t owe anyone money, does he?” It was the only theory that seemed to make any sense.

“Money for what?” Libby asked.

“I don’t know. Gambling debts?” He had no clue what her grandfather did in his free time. “Maybe a poker game got out of hand.”

“I’ve never seen Grandpa playing poker or any other card game. He’s never gone to the Wind River Reservation casino either.” She sounded certain. “I would know if Grandpa owed anyone money. He doesn’t. His cabin is paid off; he uses his social security money to pay his property taxes and living expenses.”

“Okay, I was just asking.”

“I’m sure Grandpa saw the poacher in action and confronted him.” Libby’s tone indicated she was trying to convince both of them that things weren’t as bad as they looked. “Maybe Grandpa did fall and break his glasses, which made the poacher feel bad enough to drive him to safety.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask why the poacher shot at them, but he held back. Just because he didn’t share her positive thoughts didn’t mean he wanted to argue over it. Besides, he was afraid they’d learn the truth sooner than later. If the poacher had accidentally killed her grandfather, maybe he’d leave the body somewhere close enough that a hiker might find it.

“If your grandfather is at the hospital, I’m sure they’ll contact you.” He glanced at her. “I assume you’re listed as his emergency contact.”

“I am! That’s true.” Her expression brightened. “I’ll call the hospital as soon as we get within cell range.”

He simply nodded as they continued hiking. He was about to call for another break when his phone vibrated with an incoming text. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he saw his brother Joel’s name on the screen.

Need help?

“We have cell coverage,” he announced while texting his brother back. Yes. I’ll call soon.

“That’s a relief!” Libby tucked her walking stick under her arm, pulled her phone from her pocket, and scrolled for a moment. Then she lifted the device to her ear. “Hello, this is Libby Tolliver, is my grandfather Marvin Tolliver there?” There was a brief pause. “No, not as a visitor, as a patient.”

Shane stopped near a fallen log, the same one they’d passed on their way up the hillside. He shrugged out of his pack and poured water for Bryce. His K9 lapped the water, then stretched out to rest.

“Oh, okay. Thanks. Will you please call me if he is brought in? I appreciate it.” Libby’s expression was one of defeat. “He’s not there.”

“Maybe they’re still en route.” Shane didn’t believe that for one minute, but he hated to see her so sad. “The four-wheeler may have taken him to a car. From there, it’s at least an hour or more to get to the hospital.”

“You’re right.” Her smile didn’t have the same brightness as earlier. “I had wondered if they’d taken the four-wheeler to a car or truck. I don’t suppose Bryce will be able to track Grandpa if that’s the case.”

He winced, wishing he hadn’t brought it up. “Probably not. It’s really difficult for any K9 to track a subject in a moving vehicle. There have been cases where human scent is shed through an open window, but usually those are shorter distances, like maybe from a house to a place of business. Not over dozens of miles.”

“I was afraid of that.” She lowered herself to the ground with a sigh. “There’s still time, though. The hospital promised to let me know if Grandpa is brought in.”

He almost told her not to hold her breath waiting on that. Again, she was depressed enough without his adding to it. Instead, he pulled out his phone. “I need to talk to my brother.”

“Go ahead.” Her eyes brightened at that.

Thankfully, his brother answered on the first ring. “Shane, what’s going on? I texted you an hour ago.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. No cell service. I’m with Libby Tolliver, and we’ve been tracking her grandfather through the woods. Bryce alerted on several locations, which is great, but it appears her grandfather was taken away by a four-wheeler.”

“Taken where?” Joel asked. “That seems odd.”

He didn’t want to provide a lot of detail with Libby within earshot. “I’d like you and Alexis to head here with at least three four-wheelers. Bring your K9s too.” He glanced at Libby who was clearly listening to his side of the conversation. “We can spread out and cover more ground with additional K9 support.”

Joel hesitated a beat. “You’re concerned the old man might be dead. That’s why you’re asking for Alexis to bring Denali.”

“I think anything is possible. Will you both head out? I’ll text you the address. We’re east of Greybull.”

“Of course, we’ll join you. We’ll pack additional supplies, too, just in case.” Joel, like the rest of the Sullivan family, believed in being prepared. It was a motto that had worked well for them, especially during searches that took place in winter. Heading into the wilderness in the summer had its threats, too, like close encounters with bears and bobcats. But he’d take wild animals over subzero temps any day of the week. Joel added, “Is there anything specific you need? I’m still not sure what level of danger you’re anticipating here.”

“Food would be great.” The half of protein bar he’d shared with Libby hadn’t lasted long. “And yes, you should make sure everyone is armed. I’ll text you the address. We’re probably less than an hour away from Libby’s grandfather’s cabin.”

“Sounds good. You know Anna will take care of us, and we’ll make sure we’re armed with handguns,” Joel assured him. “Alexis and I are on the way. Stay in touch, bro.”

“Thanks, Joel. Will do.” Lowering the phone, Shane couldn’t deny a sense of relief at knowing more resources were on the way. But his family wasn’t all they needed as far as additional support. “Libby, call the sheriff’s department. It’s time to make an official missing person report for your grandfather.”

“Okay.” It was his turn to listen as she made the call. She gave her name, her grandfather’s name, and briefly described how her grandfather had gone missing. “I called Shane Sullivan, and his K9, Bryce, tracked my grandfather to a location where we found his broken glasses. There were four-wheeler tire tracks, too, so we think he was taken away.” She paused to listen. “Yes, I understand that sounds strange, but it’s the truth. Please have a deputy meet us at my grandfather’s cabin.” She held Shane’s gaze for a moment. “We should be back in about an hour.” Another pause. “Thank you.”

He could tell she wasn’t encouraged by the conversation. “Hey, it’s going to be fine. Making the call was the right thing to do.”

“I know. The dispatcher sounded skeptical of my story.” She shook her head impatiently. “Like I’d make something like this up.”

Shane rose to his feet, then held out his hand to help Libby get to her feet. “We should go. I don’t want my family or the deputies sitting around waiting for us.”

“I’m ready.” She picked up her walking stick with a determined resolve. “I’m anxious to get back out here to search.”

“How’s the ankle holding up?” He watched her for a moment. She didn’t limp, which was good. But he could tell the joint was somewhat painful based on the way she leaned on the stick.

“I’m fine.” She pasted a smile on her face. “I’ll keep up no problem.”

“I know you will. Come, Bryce.” His K9 rose, stretched, then trotted forward.

They made good time on the last leg of the journey. When they reached Marvin’s cabin, the place looked exactly as he remembered. But he turned toward Libby and gestured to the structure. “Take a look around, let me know if you see anything unusual.”

“Unusual how?” She set the walking stick up against the cabin.

He swallowed a sigh. “I don’t know. I doubt anyone has been here, but considering everything that’s happened, you should double-check.”

“Yeah, okay.” She frowned, then opened the sliding glass door. “You and Bryce should come inside too.”

Sensing she didn’t want to be alone, he nodded in agreement. The interior of the cabin was clean and neat. He and Bryce waited in the main living room as she checked the bedrooms. Then she disappeared into the bathroom. A few minutes later, she returned.

“Ah, please go ahead and use the bathroom if needed.” Her cheeks went pink as she crossed to the fridge. “Grandpa is well stocked on water too.”

“Thanks.” He shrugged out of his backpack and eyed his dog. “Sit, Bryce. Good boy, now stay.”

The dog didn’t move from his position near the backpack as Shane headed to the bathroom. As he used the facilities, then washed up at the sink, he eyed his watch. Hopefully, Alexis and Joel would make good time getting there with the four-wheelers. He wondered if the sheriff’s deputies would want to use one, too, and realized he should have asked his siblings to bring all four ATVs.

Too late now. Besides, it wouldn’t matter that much. He’d already planned to have Libby ride with him with Bryce taking the lead on finding Marvin’s scent. Alexis and Joel could double up. Or the deputy could ride with one of them. They’d make it work.

His bigger concern was to get Alexis alone to explain how he needed her K9, Denali, to search for Marvin without telling Libby that Denali was a cadaver dog specially trained to recover dead bodies.

Bryce might still be able to track Marvin even if he’d been killed and tossed down a cliff. But Denali was the K9 with that expertise, and he didn’t want to miss the possibility of finding Libby’s grandfather.

Dead or alive.

When he entered the kitchen, Libby handed him a water bottle. He glanced over to see Bryce sitting just where he’d asked him to wait.

“Here, boy.” He called the dog over. Bryce immediately came over to stretch out at his feet. He stroked the dog’s tan and gold fur.

“I just went grocery shopping for Grandpa, so I can make sandwiches if you’d like.”

“I’m okay for now. I asked Joel and Alexis to bring food, that way you don’t have to feed all of us.” He shrugged. “If you can wait a while, they’ll bring plenty.”

She hesitated, then nodded. “I can wait.” She dropped into a kitchen chair. “I still can’t believe the poacher took Grandpa away on his four-wheeler.”

“I know. Try not to worry too much.” He could do that for both of them. Shane pulled out the chair to sit beside her. “You’re sure nothing looks out of place?”

She shook her head. “I don’t see anything unusual. Other than the overturned patio chair and the broken coffee mug that I pointed out to you earlier.” She waved a hand at the interior of the cabin. “Grandpa isn’t messy by nature. If there was something odd, I’d notice.”

He had to admit that she was right about that. “Do you mind if I get a bowl for Bryce?”

“Help yourself.” She set her injured ankle up on the seat of the chair next to her. “Whatever you need. I owe Bryce a lot for how he tracked Grandpa the way he did.”

“Trust me, Bryce likes the search game.” He opened two cupboards before he found the bowls. He filled one with water from the sink and set it down for Bryce.

His K9 eagerly lapped at the water, then sat panting. Dogs panted to get rid of the excess heat, they didn’t sweat through their skin like people did, and he felt a little guilty for working his K9 so hard.

“We’ll let you ride up on the four-wheeler so you can rest,” he told the dog. “Okay, boy?” Bryce thumped his tail on the floor in agreement.

“Excuse me.” Libby abruptly stood, wiping at her face before heading down the hall. One of the bedroom doors closed with a soft snick.

He frowned, staying where he was, hoping she wasn’t crying her heart out in what he assumed was the bedroom she stayed in while visiting. He wasn’t good at offering comfort in these types of situations. Restless, he stood and paced the length of the house, then decided to head outside. He snagged his backpack, then gave Bryce the hand gesture for come .

The dog didn’t hesitate to join him outside. Despite their long trek, the dog seemed ready and raring to go.

“Go on, Bryce, get busy.” The Sullivans used the term get busy to encourage their K9s to go relieve themselves. When Maya had first introduced the phrase, he thought it was strange, but now he couldn’t imagine using anything else. “Get busy.”

Bryce went around the backyard, lifting his leg. Then he finally found a spot to squat. He fished in the pack for his baggies, then cleaned up after his dog. “Good boy.”

Bryce wagged his tail, then padded to a spot in the shade, stretching out on the cool concrete.

Leaving his dog there, Shane rounded the corner of the house to check the road. No sign of either the deputy or his siblings. Both parties should be arriving soon.

He turned to head back to Bryce when he heard a scream.

Libby! Shane broke into a run as Bryce began to bark like crazy. As he rounded the corner, he saw a man sprinting away from the cabin.

“Bryce, get him!” The dog sprang up to chase his quarry when the fleeing man turned and fired several shots from a handgun.

“Bryce, down! Get down!” As much as he wanted to get that guy, he wouldn’t risk his K9’s life to bring him in.

Within seconds, the fleeing man made it to the woods. Another minute passed, and another.

Then he heard an engine roar to life. The assailant was getting away!

There was nothing Shane could do to stop him.