Page 24 of So Insane

Turk barked eagerly, and Faith’s mind snapped away from West once more. He barked again, and she and Michael jogged toward him from opposite directions. When Turk decided they were close enough to follow, he bolted down the mountain.

Faith and Michael glanced at each other and started after him. Turk had to stop several times to wait for them. The poor bipedal agents couldn’t maintain nearly the same pace down the steep slope of loose dirt and rocks.

Faith looked around and saw nothing but rocky crags and steep slopes. “Where are you leading us, boy?” she asked.

Turk barked, and Faith swore she could detect a hint of exasperation in his call.

“We’re moving as fast as we can, boy,” she said.

After five minutes of running—well, of Turk running and Faith and Michael cautiously scrambling—they reached a ledge sheltered on one side by a massive boulder. A narrow walking trail led from the ledge downward, but Faith focused on what was on the ledge first.

Not much at first glance. Just a fragment of a candy bar wrapper. It was this that Turk barked at eagerly. Not much, but enough to show that someone had been on the mountains recently. Probably as recently as last night.

They had a lead.

She called Kinzel and told him the news.

“Can you send me the GPS coordinates?” he asked with barely controlled excitement.

“I can,” she said, “but the only way up here is a narrow footpath, and I don’t know where that footpath begins.”

“Send me the coordinates anyway. Maybe Jones will recognize something. In the meantime, you three follow that footpath. If you find anything of note, call me. I have a feeling that Tooley is still in the area.”

“I think you’re right,” Faith replied. Surprisingly.

“Good work, agents,” Kinzel said. “Be careful. He’s considered armed and dangerous.”

“He’s gonna have to be real dangerous,” Michael said.

“I’m sure you’ll be more than capable of handling yourself,” Kinzel said with just a touch of sarcasm.

He hung up and Michael said, “Nice guy.”

“Have you ever met a marshal who wasn’t full of himself?” she asked.

“Sure. There are the meatheads who think they’re Marines. No offense.”

“None taken. We don’t like poseurs either.”

They started down the path, Turk in the lead, nose to the ground as he continued to track their thief.

And possibly their killer.

CHAPTER TEN

“Here’s your Chardonnay, Mr. Hancock,” the waitress said.

West smiled up at her and received a million-dollar grin in reply. No doubt this lovely young woman had earned many a tip by flashing that smile at lonely, desperate middle-aged men.

“Dr. Hancock, dear,” he reminded her.

She paled slightly as her tip reduced itself by half in her mind. She recovered quickly, widening her smile and pushing her chest forward slightly so the collar of her already low-cut blouse widened a touch further. People were so predictable.

“Of course, I’m so sorry.” She flicked her head playfully and said, “Sorry, I had a paper due last night, and I was up until three in the morning finishing it. Kind of ditzy today.”

“That’s perfectly all right, dear,” he said. “My niece is in college right now. I understand how demanding that schedule can be. You’ve been lovely.”

She smiled, relieved enough that she straightened and allowed her blouse to close once more. “Have we decided what we’re going to order today?”

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