Page 76 of Crosshairs

Ainsley didn’t want to think about it and focused on the road.

“Is that one of the tent campers?” she asked when a young man with a backpack walked toward them.

“Looks like it,” Linc said. “Text Sam that we’ll be a few minutes.”

He pulled beside the hiker and lowered his window. “How’s the hiking?”

“It got too hot for me. I left the others about thirty minutes ago. Figure they’ll be along soon,” he said. “You still looking for that guy?”

“Yes.” Linc handed him the sketch. “Does this man look familiar?”

The hiker examined the sketch and then raised his head. “Could be ... except the beard was shorter. And darker.” Hestudied the paper again and then shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. I never saw him up close. That was Ted.”

“Keep the sketch and call me when your friends return.”

“Will do.”

“Do you remember if he had a car or a motorcycle?” Ainsley asked.

The kid shook his head. “Ted said he was hitchhiking.”

She did not believe Troy Maddox was on foot. He could have parked a car at the restroom area and no one probably would have thought anything about it. And he could’ve hidden a motorcycle in the woods. As they pulled away, Ainsley drummed her fingers on the armrest. “I want to talk to Ted before we leave.”

Ainsley’s phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number. “This is ISB Ranger Ainsley Beaumont. How can I help you?”

“Uh. This is ... uh ...”

Sounded like a teenaged boy. “Drew? Is this Drew Kingston?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Lincoln Steele is with me. I’m putting you on speaker.”

“Did you remember something?” Linc asked.

“No. It’s ... I was there last night. At Hannah’s house.”

Ainsley gripped the phone. “What? Where are you?”

“Home. Dad’s got me washing all the cars because I broke curfew.”

“What’d you see last night, Drew?” Linc asked.

His voice rose and fell like he was pacing. “I uh, wanted to talk to Hannah’s mom, tell her I was sorry about what happened. But I saw you guys there and—”

“Where were you? We didn’t see you,” Ainsley said.

“I motorbiked to the road behind their house. I was going to wait until you left, but then I saw a hunter with a rifle dressed in camouflage, but then the hunter shot Mrs. Hanover.”

“Can you identify the shooter?” Linc asked.

“I...” Suddenly he gasped. “No!”

39

Ainsley brought the phone closer to her ear, hearing a faintthwack, followed by a groan and the sound of the phone hitting the ground. Then she heard nothing.

“Something’s wrong!” She started hitting numbers. “I’m calling 911! And let Hugh and Sam know.”

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