Page 11 of Wired Justice

Jake flicked a finger at Sophie, cueing her to speak first. Women elicited less caution in an initial encounter. Sophie approached the tent. “Hello? Anyone inside? We need to speak with you.”

Rustling. Muttering. These people did not appear to be as friendly as the small family they’d first spoken to. Jake stepped aside out of view, his hand falling to the holstered weapon at his hip. Finally, the zipper moved upward slowly. A young woman poked her head out. Her blonde hair was snarled, falling over sunken eyes. He spotted a scabby sore on the back of her hand. “What do you want?”

Dark shadows moved behind her.

Sophie held up her phone for the young woman to see. “We’re looking for our friend Julie. She seems to have gone missing. Have you seen her?” The woman reached for the phone, but Sophie moved it up and away so that the photo was more visible. “Julie Weathersby. She would have been here a little more than a week ago. Traveling on her own. We were supposed to meet her at Volcanoes Park, but she never showed up.”

A flicker of something showed on the woman’s face, but she shook her head. “No. Haven’t seen her.”

“I’m Sophie. What’s your name?” Sophie was still trying to get a connection that Jake had already decided wasn’t going to happen. The woman didn’t answer. Sophie showed the phone again. “Maybe your friend has seen her?”

A rough masculine voice rumbled from behind the woman. “She told you we haven’t seen her. Buzz off.”

Sophie glanced at Jake. He gave a quick negative shake of the head. Maybe they could find out something more about these campers from the other park dwellers, or from sending a ranger to check the couple’s permits. He glanced at the tent pole. No permit.

Jake took his phone out, stepping away to call the park service.

They worked their way through the rest of the campsites, letting Sophie be the face of the operation while Jake kept an eye out and provided backup.

Sophie was letting Ginger stretch her legs by the river when a Hawaii State Park truck rumbled down the road to pull in beside the Jeep. Jake intercepted the green and white vehicle with its distinct logo.

“Hey there. I’m Jake Dunn, a private investigator with Security Solutions.” He held up his ID. “We’re looking for a missing person, and in the course of interviewing these campers, came across what might be some permit violations.”

The ranger slammed the door of his truck with a thump. “Oh yeah?” A mixed-race male of five-ten, approximately a hundred and seventy pounds, his ID badge read Hernandez. “Getting me out here to do your investigation for you, eh?”

Jake raised his brows innocently. “Just thought you’d want to know. There’s a couple over there that looks like they’re making this park their permanent home.” He gestured toward the riverside campsite with its assorted piles and bins. “Would you mind taking a look at a photo of our missing person? Maybe you’ve seen her.”

“Sure.” Hernandez squinted at the picture of the smiling young woman as Sophie put Ginger back in the Jeep and approached. She introduced herself, and Jake narrowed his eyes as Hernandez checked her out and clearly liked what he saw.

Jake glanced at Sophie, remembering meeting her for the first time.

Yeah, Sophie was hot—five-nine and one thirty-five, all muscle, bone and tender curves. That caramel skin, those gorgeous arms and legs with their secret tattoos . . . Her eyes. That sexy scar. The weird way she seemed both badass and vulnerable. And her voice! That accent. It slayed him.

Even in a pair of hiking pants and a tank top that had seen better days, she was unusual and stunning.

Would this be his life with her if they ever got together? Every man they met checking her out, wishing for the impossible?

If so, worth it. He could deal.

Jake reached for the phone and took it back from the ranger. “So, you haven’t seen Julie Weathersby? Not just here, but at any park? We heard from her parents that she was camping on the Big Island for a week or two before she disappeared.”

Hernandez shook his head. “Nope. We’ve had a lot of missing persons on the Big Island this year. Doesn’t surprise me some folks are hiring private eyes to supplement the police. Police department is pretty overwhelmed. Park Service is stretched thin.” The man folded his lips together suddenly, as if regretting saying so much. He brandished a metal clipboard holding citations. “Could you stay back here and let me do my job?”

“Of course.” Jake nodded respectfully. He needed this guy on his side. Hernandez headed for the hostile couple’s campsite, and Jake’s hand fell to his weapon, just resting there. Waiting.

---