Page 39 of Trail to Trouble

“Was he following you?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know?”

She shuddered as she recalled the man’s words. “He yelled that he was coming for us. He sounded close. I ran as fast as I could to get here.”

“Did anything else happen before today to make you think someone was after one of you?”

Her breath hitched as she remembered the sunglasses incident. “Yes. My sunglasses disappeared from one campsite and then reappeared at another. I know it sounds dumb, and I thought one of my friends was just messing with me, but they said they didn’t do it.”

“What exactly happened to them?”

“I thought they were on the picnic table, but when I went to get them, they weren’t. I looked everywhere for them and couldn’t find them. At the next campsite, I found them in a tree.”

The chief nodded. “Anything else?”

“I do recall that Hunter made a comment during one of our hikes that a noise we heard was unusual and he looked puzzled for a moment.”

“Hunter would know. He’s spent his life in these woods.”

“You know Hunter?”

“Yes. It’s a small town. Everyone knows everyone.”

“Good news, Chief,” the officer said from behind the reception desk.

“Cap and Cici are already on their way up here. They’re already in Florence. Only thirty minutes out.”

“Cap and Cici?” Hannah asked.

“Yes. Hunter’s brother and sister. They’ve guided up here. They know the woods almost as well as Hunter and their Uncle Lee.”

Hope filled her that with Cap and Cici, they’d find Hunter before it was too late.

“So, you have no idea who may have done this? Do you or your friends have anyone who’s threatened you in the past? Any enemies?”

Hannah’s heart sank. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. She lifted her eyelids and zoned in on Chief Ricco. “Maybe.”

He arched a brow.

“I have an ex. There’s a trial in two weeks.”

“Trial?”

“Yes. We broke up. He stalked, kidnapped...and beat me.”

Her heart sank as she said the words. It still stung to know a man she dated would do this to her.

“Is he in jail right now?”

Her body shook.

“No. His parents are rich. He’s out on bail.”

“I’ll need his information.”

She nodded and then answered his questions about Sebastián.