Page 22 of The Last To Know (Hallowed Halls Series #2)
“T here’s no way we can move it on our own,” Cooper said while studying the massive tree. “We might as well turn around.”
“State police are at the spot where this road meets a county one. There’s no sign of a vehicle being down that way.”
Cooper couldn’t believe it. “The vehicle must have left the road somewhere after he took the tree down and before it joined the second road.”
“He could still be around somewhere. We need air support.” Hannah called Jack and told him what the state police had said.
“I’ll get choppers in the air right away,” Jack told her. “The perps obviously knew the layout of the land well enough to have an alternate route carved out.”
“We’re coming your way.” Hannah ended the call while Cooper struggled to get the SUV turned around on the tiny road.
They returned to Isobel’s property and stopped near the house. ERT had arrived.
Jack and Sierra stood on the porch talking to the police chief.
“Choppers are airborne,” Jack told them.
Cooper had a bad feeling their efforts would be in vain.
Soon ERT and the county’s crime scene techs began carrying evidence bags from the house.
“Anything useful?” Cooper asked Bob, who stopped to give them an update.
“Not sure. We found blood. We’ll see if it belongs to our victim or the perp.”
Jack’s phone rang. He stepped away to take the call.
“That’ll be the air backup,” Cooper whispered to Hannah. “They struck out.”
Jack finished the call and confirmed Cooper’s assumptions. “They’ll widen their search. State police are canvassing roads around the area and have set up roadblocks.”
Cooper could see Jack didn’t believe they’d catch the killers either. “They’re probably out of sight by now.”
“No doubt. We can’t do anything here,” Hannah said watching the activity going on around them. “We should go to your property and have a look. Maybe something there will help us figure out the identity of your father’s brother.”
“Go.” Jack gave his permission. “If you find anything—”
Cooper turned around as he headed for the Armada. “You’ll be our first call.” He felt numb inside as they left the crime scene. His father was still alive. The idea of Oliver Ellison keeping track of him all these years turned his stomach.
“Is there anything else that might be useful in the journal?” There had to be more. They were missing something. Cooper didn’t believe for a minute that his father hadn’t been keeping tabs on Isobel.
Hannah picked up the journal. “The next entry is four years after her admission to helping Ellison escape. ‘Someone has been on my property. I found a set of footprints in the snow from while I was away getting supplies in town. They were all around my house. He wanted me to see them. I know it’s Oliver. He’s watching me. I’ve felt it before. He’s going to kill me.’”
Cooper’s brain dissected the entry. “But he didn’t. That was more than six years ago. Did she see any other evidence of him around the place?”
Hannah turned the page. “This entry is two weeks later. ‘ Maybe I’m wrong. There’s been nothing since I came home and found the tracks in the snow. It could have been a hunter who got lost.’”
“Or he decided to keep his surveillance a secret from her.” Cooper had no doubt his father would continue to watch her through the years. “I wonder why she didn’t leave when she spotted the tracks. She was obviously living in fear.”
“Maybe she couldn’t afford to.” Zeke pointed out how meager the doctor lived. “She hasn’t worked a job since she left the prison. She could be running low of funds.”
“Possibly.” Still Cooper wondered if she were as frightened as she clearly was why not sell the place to free up funds so she could leave. He didn’t believe Isobel would ever report Oliver because by doing so, she’d incriminate herself in his escape.
He reached the turnoff to the road that would take him to his great-grandparents’ farm. The blanket of snow surrounding the countryside brought back fond memories. Each year, his family would cut down their Christmas tree from the woods near the farm.
Cooper struggled to reconcile those memories with the lies he’d been told by his father and his great-grandparents.
The beginning of the property came into view. The fence around the place was in disrepair. The last time he’d been here he’d seen the damage left behind by too many winters on an empty home.
“This is the start of the farm,” he told his teammates.
“It’s beautiful.” Hannah’s attention went to the passing scenery.
“It is.” He’d always loved this place. His grandparents loved him, and they obviously had their reasons for keeping secrets. He’d never wanted to look through the house for evidence before. The police and FBI had searched it after finding the embalmed women. By then, he’d been long gone living with his new family. He’d never heard anything about evidence uncovered.
“Did they find anything at the house?” Cooper asked Hannah because he knew she’d read the case files.
“Not really. Nothing to give answers into why your father became the Embalmer. And I didn’t read anything that indicated the couple who once lived here were not your grandparents. That secret was buried deep.”
He slowed as the driveway appeared up ahead. Cooper pulled in and stopped. He’d been so certain he could handle it. Now he wasn’t so sure.
“You okay, Coop?” Zeke leaned forward and clasped his shoulder. The worry on his friend’s face was clear in the mirror.
“Yeah, I just need a minute.” Cooper got out and moved to the front of the vehicle then leaned against it.
Hannah looped her arm through his and waited with him.
Cooper nodded. “It’s like my entire childhood is nothing but a lie.”
She leaned her head against his.
“Um, guys.” Zeke knelt in front of them.
“You’re going to get through this,” Hannah murmured. “You have me. Zeke. The team.”
He so wanted to believe her, but from where he was right now, he couldn’t see normal much less find his way back to it.
“Guys.” It was Zeke’s tone that grabbed Cooper’s attention.
He focused on his friend. “What?”
“Someone’s been here. Recently.” Zeke pointed to tire tracks in the snow. “Looks like more than one set of tracks.”
“I’m calling it in.” Hannah pulled the phone from her pocket. “We need backup.” She explained what happened and listened for confirmation before signing off. “They’re on their way now. Jack’s radioing for Rochester PD to back us up. How far is it to the house?”
Cooper realized what she meant. They’d have to walk in to have the element of surprise. “Quarter of a mile.” Cooper unholstered his weapon. “We stick to the trees at the edge of the road in case they have someone on lookout.”
Hannah and Zeke confirmed, and they started for the side of the road .
Would he find his father here? No matter how hard he tried, Cooper couldn’t wrap his mind around facing the ghost from his past that he’d hoped would remain buried along with all the unimaginable things his father had done in the name of evil.