Page 90 of Fire Peak

We. Was it the Chechens and Vasily who were texting her? Did that mean the kids hadn’t been hurt up to this point? Were they fine? God, she hoped and prayed so.

What do you want? Just let them go and we can talk.

She had to try. But of course that went nowhere. Not even a laughing emoji came in response.

It is unfortunate that April will not cooperate, they texted instead. So you are next.

Cooperate with what, blackmail?

April had declared that she wasn’t going to give in to blackmail—that she’d die first. She probably hadn’t realized that Vasily would find a workaround.

I have no say in what April does, she texted them. Is this about the perilium? She’ll never give up this mountain for mining. Maybe if they understood that their pursuit of Fire Peak was pointless, they’d move on. There must be perilium somewhere else. Maybe we can help you find it.

They clearly didn’t think much of that suggestion.

We will claim what we need. April is an obstacle.

A chill swept through Charlie’s body. If they wanted her to get rid of April somehow…Jesus. She refused to hurt anyone. But if they had Hailey, what then?

With shaking hands, she texted back, dreading the answer, What do you want from me?

When it finally came, she went cold.

First, disable the smoke alarm system. Then standby for more instructions. Do not call for help. If you fail in this, the young ones will know our wrath.

“Oh sure, I know that rig,” Gunnar told Nick after he’d described the Dodge in the surveillance video. “It’s mine. It’s a rental. I make bank off that thing.”

“Who’s currently renting it?”

“Some Russian guy. Paid me in cash, said his name but I don’t speak Russian so it didn’t stick.”

Nick’s pulse was racing now. “Any idea where he’s staying, or what direction he headed? Anything that might help to locate him?”

Gunnar shook his head. “Not a clue. Wait. Something odd. Ruth Chilkoot drove in right when he was leaving.” He colored just a little bit. Nick knew perfectly well that he had a crush on Ruth, but this wasn’t the time to mention it. “She looked scared when she saw him, and said she hoped he didn’t hurt anyone with that rig.”

So there was a Chilkoot connection after all. But he didn’t have time to go all the way out there…unless that was where Hailey and Elias were being kept? If Charlie was right and the photo was faked, they could be anywhere, Chilkoot territory included.

“Gunnar, do you have a way to get in touch with Ruth? Maybe you know her schedule, or…”

The mechanic’s color deepened further. “Why would?—”

“You have a crush on her. Come on.” Nick drilled him with his most forceful stare. “It’s important. Whoever has that truck has my daughter. Ruth might know something.”

Gunnar’s entire demeanor shifted, turning dead serious. “She stops at the general store on Thursdays because that’s when the fresh fruit shipment comes. She loves those little clementine oranges.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “Should be there right now. Want me to take you?”

“I got it. Thanks.”

“Give a shout if you need more help.”

Two offers of help right off the bat. That felt good.

At the general store, he breathed a huge sigh of relief when he spotted Ruth Chilkoot in her brown homespun dress, mud boots, and a bright red scarf tied around her neck. She was in her mid-twenties, but came across as much more mature than that, probably because she took care of so many children.

As he approached her, she backed away from the counter, clutching her sack of tiny oranges. “I don’t know anything,” she stammered. “I…I have to go.”

That settled it. She knew something.

Kathy shot him a fierce glare. “Don’t you come in here scaring my customers.”

---