Page 50 of The Summer Guests

“The owner’s name is Farley Wade,” said Ingrid, staring at her phone. “I’m looking at the satellite image of his property now.”

“And?” said Ben.

“Almost completely forested, except for a small clearing with what looks like a mobile home. There are no houses nearby, just woods. If that’s where he’s holding the girl, no one would hear her. No one would ever know she’s there.”

Maggie stared at the darkening woods and wondered:What are you walking into, Jo?

Chapter 24

Jo

Daylight was fading, which could be either an advantage or a disadvantage. It meant she and Mike would not be easily seen as they approached the residence. It also meant that if Farley Wade decided to make a run for it, they’d have a hard time tracking him down in these woods.

Farley was the kind of man whowouldtry to run. She’d known him since the fourth grade, when he’d first barreled his way to her attention after he shoved Leon LaCroix on the playground. Jo had responded by shoving Farley back, twice as hard. Their relationship had gone downhill ever since. Over the years, either Jo or one of her colleagues had arrested Farley for a variety of offenses, from driving under the influence to petty theft to stalking his ex-girlfriend. While stalking a woman was a long way from abducting a girl, the general trajectory of his behavior was undeniably ominous.

This wasn’t the first time she had visited this driveway, although she’d always driven down it in her cruiser, past the same sagging mailbox, past Farley’s rusting pickup truck, which he left parked in a turnout carved into the woods. He’d inherited this land, along with the double-wide trailer, from his grandmother. Judging by the deteriorating condition of the property, he had not made a single improvement since she died. The saplings along the driveway had not been kept at bay, andthe overhanging branches were now close enough to snare any car that dared come down this dirt road.

Gunfire cracked nearby.

Instantly Jo dropped to the ground.

Mike ducked to a crouch right beside her. “What the hell?” he whispered. “Is he shooting atus?”

Three more shots rang out.Pop pop pop.

Frantically she peered through the trees, trying to sight the double-wide she knew was just ahead. She could see lights glowing, could hear a dog barking—a big dog, by the sound of it. Another complication.

Five more gunshots rang out, but she didn’t think the bullets were aimed at them. So who the hell was he shooting at?

The girl.

She sprang up and began to run toward the gunfire. She didn’t remember reaching for her weapon, but it seemed to magically materialize in her hands as she emerged into the clearing, her barrel raised to return fire.

But there was no fire. All she found was Farley Wade, who was so shocked by her sudden appearance that he stood frozen with his mouth agape, the gun clutched in his hand.

“Drop it!” she yelled.

He didn’t move. Couldn’tseemto move. In that twilight gloom, he looked like a cardboard cutout, as easy to bring down as a paper target at the gun range, but she didn’t fire. Mike moved in beside her, his weapon drawn, but he held his fire as well. In the double-wide, the dog’s barking turned to frantic howls. Time slowed down, and as the seconds dragged past, Jo registered the multiple soda pop cans, punched with bullet holes, lying on the ground. Three more cans were lined up on a sawhorse, and the yard was littered with brass bullet casings.

“Come on, Farley,” she said. “Don’t be stupid. Drop the weapon.”

He let his gun fall to the ground. “What the fuck, Jo? What is this?”

“We just want to talk to you.”

“Yeah, like you were ever one for just talking. I’m minding my own business here. On my own fucking property.”

“Where’s her phone?”

“What?”

“The girl’s cell phone. We know you have it. It pinged off the cell tower when you turned it on.”

“I don’t know anything about any girl.”

She looked at Mike. “Cuff him. Then we’ll search the place.”

Farley backed away. “Now wait a minute. Don’t you need a warrant?”

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