Page 68 of Smoky Mountain K-9
“Shit, man.” Tristan’s eyes were wide.
“Damn. I knew something happened to you over there.” Ben shook his head.
“Yeah. It was a long time ago.” He’d always feel remorseful about what happened, but he didn’t blame himself like he used to. Not after listening to Mara and seeing how his old fears affected their relationship. He was trying to do better. The first step to that was accepting that there were too many variables in what happened the day Kyle died for him to know what truly happened.
“I hate to bring back bad memories, but—”
Carter waved a hand and cut Ben off. “It’s okay. What’s our next move?”
“I started a warrant for her credit cards,” Jake said. “Once we get that, we’ll see where else she’s been. Maybe we can narrow down an area where she might be holed up.”
“We’re working on one for her car too,” Tristan added. “Hopefully, it has GPS and the rental car company can track it.”
Carter nodded, but before he could say anything, his cell phone rang. Taking it from his pocket, he glanced at the screen. A local number appeared, but he didn’t recognize it. His thumb hovered over the disconnect icon, but something stopped him. He looked at Ben. “Might be nothing, but—” He flashed him the screen.
Ben nodded. “Put it on speaker.”
Sliding his thumb over the screen, he answered, then tapped the speakerphone icon. “This is Deputy Townsend.”
“I have something of yours.”
Carter’s stomach sank to his toes as the woman’s voice came over the line. He cleared his throat. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb. You might be incompetent and careless, but you aren’t stupid. I know you and your colleagues raided my motel room. I also know they collected evidence and have probably run my fingerprints by now.”
Surprise rounded Carter’s eyes. He glanced around the room at the others, who all looked equally surprised. “How do you know that?”
“I watched. The woods around here are good for something. It’s how I knew no one was minding your lady friend. How could they be when they were all at my motel room?”
Carter inhaled a shaky breath. “Is she okay? You haven’t hurt her, have you?”
“She’s fine for now. But it if you want her to stay that way, you need to come north. There’s a rental cabin off Nine Mile Road, near Hitcher’s Trail. Oh, and make sure you bring your dog. Wouldn’t want to leave him out of the fun. You have an hour.”
The line clicked and went silent. Carter clutched the phone, his knuckles turning white.
“You absolutely cannot go there alone.” Ben pointed at him.
Anger flared to life in Carter’s chest at the woman’s audacity. Whatever her reasoning for targeting him, putting Mara in the middle of it was unacceptable.
“Carter. Are you listening to me?”
He turned hard eyes on Ben. “I suggest you come up with a plan quick. Because I’m walking out that door just as soon as the red fades from my vision.” He pointed to the door, speaking through clenched teeth.
“Just take a breath.” Ben held up a hand. “If you go there without a plan, you’ll get her and yourself killed.”
“I have a plan.”
“Seriously? It’s been thirty seconds since she hung up.”
“I know you know I was EOD. That I swept for explosives with a scent detection dog. But do you know what that meant about my job in the Marines? It meant I was frequently all by myself. I learned to look out for myself. To hide and get away from insurgents without help. One crazy woman isn’t going to take me out or stop me from freeing Mara.”
“Let us send up a drone,” Jake interjected.
“A drone?” Ben frowned.
Jake nodded and glanced at Ben, who looked interested.
“Go on, Maxwell.”