Page 54 of The Whispering Girls (Detective Katie Scott #14)

FIFTY

Katie and McGaven hurried back to Jack’s property, leaving Devin behind for his safety, but were disappointed that most of the daylight was almost gone.

It posed a problem for the detectives due to the fact that they didn’t know the area as well as the others, but it was also in their favor because they knew how to hunt down a person at night. And they had a secret weapon: Cisco.

Once Katie and McGaven reached a well-hidden area, they began to set their plan in motion.

McGaven would hang back to cover Katie and Cisco while they tried to pick up the tracks of the chief and John.

Katie had done some training in snow because cold filters scent differently than heat.

The cold generally keeps the scent condensed and doesn’t allow the specific trace of what is being looked for to waft and slowly spread for the dog’s nose to pick up.

Katie and McGaven ironed out a few more details and made sure they had enough emergency items divided between their backpacks.

Katie stopped her mind reeling from everything that had happened since she had arrived for her two-week vacation—and what would have happened if she had chosen another location.

She wouldn’t be working the homicides and John wouldn’t be missing, taken against this will.

She felt her eyes fill with tears, but she wasn’t going to fall apart now.

McGaven touched her arm and said, “We got this.”

She nodded, took a breath and pushed the remote for the door popper that would release Cisco. The remote made a high-pitch noise and flashed numerous times. Then they waited for Cisco to find her.

Neither detective moved or said a word. It was as if they were frozen in the moment and everything up to that point whizzed past them at the speed of light.

Katie hated waiting. It seemed like it was taking too much time. Maybe the door didn’t open and she would have to backtrack to the Jeep. The longer it took, the more negative thoughts pressed her mind.

There was the sound of footsteps pressing through the snow, slowing, and then moving faster.

Within a minute, a four-legged animal came into view, his black fur in contrast with the snow—closer and closer.

The magnificent outline of the German shepherd exemplified everything about the breed—loyalty, athleticism, and love.

With a few more steps, Cisco came to Katie’s side.

“Wow, that’s amazing,” said McGaven.

“I’m going to start a search like a long grid north.

” Katie snapped a lead on Cisco’s vest. She would probably have him loose in areas, but would make that decision on a location basis.

Katie looked Cisco in the eye and memories of all their missions flooded her mind.

She knew that if the chief and John were on the property, they would find them.

“Hey,” said McGaven. “Looks like the sheriff is bringing in backup within the next hour. I sent a text telling him where we are and what our plans are. ”

“Even after they get to Echo Forest, it’s still going to take some time,” she said. The news was a big relief, but it still didn’t alleviate her immediate concerns.

“But things are moving in the right direction.”

Cisco slightly panted and took several spins, ready to go. A subtle wind had picked up, but they were moving downwind.

“Cisco, such ,” she commanded.

Cisco took off, his movement was controlled as he went forward, and then swept to the left and then over to the right. Katie glanced to the sides of their track, but mostly kept her attention on Cisco. If the dog showed a change of behavior, she would immediately see it.

Katie kept a good pace with Cisco, a jog, not quite a run. She thought the darkness would work in their favor unless there were cameras where they didn’t expect. If anyone was getting close, the dog would alert.

“Good dog,” she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. Cisco’s ears perked a little bit higher.

Katie glanced behind and saw McGaven keeping up but also keeping attention. She knew there were some small buildings coming up on the left.

Cisco suddenly stopped, which was unusual. His breathing shallow, ears forward, and his body still. Katie didn’t say anything and she too stayed still and quiet. She knew McGaven was in the same mode, waiting and watching behind them.

The outdoor temperature had dipped and even the slight breeze froze her body.

Katie gave Cisco more leash, but he still remained in his position. You can’t hurry when a dog’s on scent; they know what they are doing. Katie struggled to remain quiet.

Cisco put his nose to the ground in the snow and pulled up, snorting. He put his nose down again, testing the area. It was something Katie had never seen him do before and she was mesmerized .

Another minute passed, Cisco then took a perfect left turn and went west in a straight line. Katie kept up, trying not to cause any pressure on the leash.

Cisco slowed his speed and bounded through the snow almost like a deer. He moved ahead and then turned around. The dog stopped next to a tree, but there was something that had interested him and he seemed to recheck his track. That, again, was new to Katie.

She turned to see where McGaven was behind them. She raised her hand to indicate that Cisco was on to something.

Cisco took two steps back then rushed forward, digging into the snow.

Katie dropped the leash and dropped down next to the dog.

It was pure instinct, but she also knew Cisco and there was something important here.

Her gloves were cumbersome but she continued to dig through the fresh snow until finally there appeared an old piece of wood, knotted and splintering.

She tried to move it but couldn’t, so she continued to dig.

McGaven was soon at her side. “What’s up?”

“I don’t know. Cisco wouldn’t leave this area and he zeroed in on this spot. I can’t move this…”

“What is it?”

“I have no clue.”

Between the two of them, they managed to dig around the edges to move the wood and found that underneath was an opening.

Katie switched on her flashlight and directed the beam. At first she couldn’t see anything. The large hole went into a deep void. “It’s a well of some sort.”

“Isn’t that what Devin had said?” said McGaven. “Is there anything down there?”

“I don’t see anything,” she said. Leaning closer, she called, “Hello?”

They listened to her voice echo until it disappeared .

Cisco became agitated and pushed to an area next to them.

“Look,” said McGaven. “There’s some kind of entrance.”

Katie got to her feet and investigated where Cisco had showed interest.

There was a snowdrift in between two trees and underneath she could see an outline of a small building about the size of a storage shed. There was a door.

Katie moved quickly, fighting the snow, which was now up to her thighs. It had stopped snowing a while ago, but there wouldn’t have been any sunlight that could penetrate this section of the woods.

“Help me get this open,” she said to McGaven.

They worked hard to get the door open, but it wouldn’t budge.

A small window was around the side. Katie hurried, followed by Cisco who seemed to push her in that direction.

She tried to peer inside but couldn’t see anything.

She picked up a piece of branch and used it to smash the window.

Sweeping her flashlight, she saw the outline of what appeared to be a body lying in the corner on their side.

“No, no, no,” she kept saying. Katie pushed herself up and through the window.

The floor was dirt mixed with a bit of snowy ice.

She rushed blindly to the corner. She thought it was John, but when she turned the body over toward her she was staring into the face of Chief Cooper.

His eyes were closed, but his body tepid.

“Chief,” she said. “Can you hear me?” Katie felt for a pulse. It was weak.

Without warning, the chief opened his eyes wide and stared at her. It was the look of pure fear; he had an almost Halloween aspect to his expression. He tried to talk but his mouth only moved. Parts of his body and face seemed to be frozen and frostbite had set in.

“Hang in there, chief. We’re going to get help,” she said.

McGaven was at the window. “Is he…? ”

“He’s alive but suffering obviously from advanced hypothermia. We have to get him out of here and to a hospital.”

“The hospital is thirty miles away,” said McGaven.

“Devin is closer than my Jeep.”

“I’m not leaving you here,” he said.

“There’s no time or choice. We need to get the chief out of here.”

McGaven called Devin and luckily he answered the phone. He began to relay the emergency and requesting things they were going to need.

Katie tried to warm up the chief’s hands, wishing they had blankets. “We’re going to get you out of here.”

The chief grabbed her arm and slightly nodded. He then mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it now. We know that Jack is behind this.”

The chief gripped her harder and shook his head, before becoming unresponsive again.

“Okay,” said McGaven. “Devin is bringing something we can use to carry or drag the chief to his property and then he can take him to the hospital.”

“Cisco and I are moving on,” she said.

“No.”

“Yes. There’s no arguing about it. John is still missing.” Katie could barely say it without a crack in her voice and bursting into tears.

“Katie, we don’t know where Jack is. He could be tracking us and ready to ambush us at any time.”

“John’s life is more important.” Katie couldn’t look at McGaven. “Let’s get this door open while waiting for Devin to get here.”

With a bit of figuring, the detectives were able to open the door enough to be able to get the chief out .

“I have to go. We’ll meet up with you back at the first big tree grove,” she said.

McGaven obviously didn’t want to admit it, but he knew Katie was right.

“I’ll be back after we get the chief into some heat and sent on his way to the hospital. I’ll be as fast as I can.” He looked at his partner. They both knew how the other felt.

“I have to go now if John has any chance,” Katie said.

“It should be less than an hour to and from Devin’s house…”

They knew it would take longer.

“We’ll be fine,” she said. Katie couldn’t look at McGaven as she and Cisco headed north.