Page 54 of Only One More Lie

When they finally got to the back of the cabin, they both paused.

Andi’s eyes widened when she saw the tracks stretching there.

Not only one set of footprints but two.

Had Caleb somehow escaped and disappeared into the woods?

Duke knelt beside the prints, examining them closer.

“What is it?” Andi could tell by the look on his face that he found something.

“I’m looking at the pattern of these footprints. Based on these tracks right here,” he pointed to the set on the left, “one of these people didn’t leave willingly.”

“What?” The word came out as a gasp. “How can you tell?”

“If you ask me, this person was taken away kicking and screaming. You can tell by the unevenness of the steps. By the drag marks. By how the indentions seem deeper and more erratic in places.”

Andi glanced up and locked her gaze with his. “So what you’re telling me is that you think Caleb took someone and ran?”

He twisted his head. “Or someone took Caleb and ran. It could go either way.”

Duke and Andi followed the tracks into the forest, careful not to disturb any evidence.

Duke paused by a tree and stared at something on the white snow.

Andi followed his gaze and gasped. “Is that . . . ?”

He leaned toward it. “Blood—and it’s fresh.”

“Someone is in trouble,” she murmured. “I don’t like this.”

“Me neither.”

Someone had been hurt. He didn’t know if the injury had been caused by someone else or by the consequences of walking through the forest. A branch could have cut someone’s skin.

But he was leaning toward the former.

Foul play was involved with Caleb’s disappearance. Duke just wasn’t sure what side of things Caleb was on.

He had no loyalty toward Caleb. But Duke knew if something happened to the man, it would be another loss for Juniper.

She’d already lost so many people.

He and Andi continued through the forest, following the trail of blood. They paused about a half a mile into their trek.

“We can go farther, but I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Duke told Andi. “Let’s get back to the camp. We need to call Gibson with the update.”

“Definitely.”

If Duke had his way, he’d whisk Andi away from here to somewhere safe.

But that wasn’t a realistic option. Danger seemed to follow them wherever they went.

Besides, Andi wasn’t one to run from conflict or danger, and that was one of the things he loved about her.

However, there was a killer lurking on these grounds. And Duke wasn’t sure what it would take to stop this guy. Duke only knew he had to catch him before there were any more victims.

CHAPTER 26

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