Page 28 of Vanished in the Mist (A Mystic Lake Mystery #2)

Kaden listened to Dawson on the phone as he stood at the B and B’s bedroom window, watching the sun come up over the lake trying to burn through the heavier-than-usual mist rising from the water.

“Sounds like a depressing lack of progress.” Kaden tried to focus in spite of his right eye having swelled half-shut from that one lucky punch Warren had landed.

“I’d have figured with the state police searching for Jack through the night that they’d have at least found some indication of where he might have been taken. ”

“Give me a break. Last time we saw each other was only, what, five hours ago? No, they haven’t found Jack and, yes, they’re still searching.

Their search is focused on two areas now, the woods behind the boat ramp and behind the Tate cabin.

But so far, no dice. Did you even get any sleep last night? ”

“Not much.” He glanced toward the bathroom as the door opened and Shanna came out, her hair damp from her shower and her body wrapped in one of the B and B’s fluffy white towels.

His mouth went dry as he watched her cross the room.

With a sleepy smile and a wave, she headed into the large closet to get dressed.

“Kaden? Kaden, you still there?” Dawson asked.

“What? Oh, sorry. I was…distracted.”

Dawson laughed. “I’ll bet you were. How’s Shanna doing?”

“What you’d expect. She was upset last night but she’s strong.

She’s more determined than ever to find some kind of evidence today that will tell her where Jack’s being held.

She was combing through topography maps on her laptop before I even woke up, trying to figure out—in her words—where she’d hold someone captive if she was trying to hide in these mountains. ”

“More power to her. Have her pass along any theories she comes up with.”

“Will do.” Kaden leaned closer to the window. “The mist doesn’t seem to be burning off as quickly as usual. Seems strange, given the warmer spring temperatures.”

“They don’t call it Mystic Lake just because of the mystical stories about it.

That mist has a mind of its own. You never know when it will roll in or roll out.

Are you okay staying at Stella’s for a few more hours, at least until I get a safe house lined up and transport arranged?

I sure don’t want her out roaming around with this killer on the loose.

He’s got some weird thing about bullies and I don’t know whether his sick offering yesterday is his only interest in her. ”

“She’s not going anywhere alone, that’s for sure. I’ll do what I can to keep her occupied while we wait on you.”

“I’ll bet.” Dawson started laughing.

“Grow up.” Kaden ended the call, smiling.

He let the curtain close and pocketed his cell phone as he turned around, expecting to see Shanna waiting for him.

But the room was empty. He smiled again.

As long as it had taken her to shower and put her makeup on, he shouldn’t be so surprised it was taking her this long to put on a pair of jeans and a blouse.

He sat on the bed, browsing through the notes she’d made this morning on her laptop.

It surprised him to see a list of mines in the area, and a list of known caves around the lake.

Maybe since Sam had told them the killer was calling himself the Phantom, she was looking into the legends Stella had told them about.

A few pages into her notes, he saw something else that surprised him. Questions she’d written. He read the first one.

Why didn’t Kaden find Tanya’s remains in the lake near the bonfire clearing?

He grimaced. He’d wondered that himself. But the water was especially deep there, and riddled with old decaying buildings and even trees that made the sonar ineffective. It was going to take a lot more dives to thoroughly search that area. He read the next notation.

KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

The words were bolded and underlined. That was Shanna. She didn’t pull any punches. Most of the remaining questions were typical of what they’d both been asking for days, without any answers. The last question was Where is Jack ? Beneath that she’d written:

Tanya.

The bonfire clearing.

Jack.

Tristan. The cove.

He frowned. Did she think the killer had taken Jack to the bonfire clearing after Dawson and him had called off the boat search near there yesterday afternoon?

And drowned him like he and the others had done to Tanya?

It was a disturbing theory. He was really hoping that Jack would be found alive and wouldn’t become another deadly Mystic Lake statistic.

Hopefully, he’d be given clearance soon to search the cove again where he’d found Tristan, the one her notes mentioned.

He’d use the sonar first, just in case the worst had happened and there was another fresh body down there, not buried beneath a year’s worth of sediment and debris.

Jack’s body.

He set the laptop aside and looked at the closed closet door. It was quiet. Too quiet. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and a feeling of dread shot through him. He jumped to his feet and crossed the room, briefly knocking on the door before yanking it open.

The closet was empty.