Page 55 of Midnight Secrets

I walked around it, looking for signs of life. It was a nice vehicle. Only a couple of years old, if that. Scratches marred the paint from its drive through the bush, but it otherwise looked okay. Footprints led away from the driver’s door. They went toward the road where I left my car.

Aiming the light at the windows, I peered inside.

It was spotless. Like it had just come off the dealership lot.

Was it stolen? That could be why it was out here. The thieves had taken it for a joyride, then ditched it.

Another thought struck me.

Could it be Warren Hammond’s car? I didn’t know what he drove. But I knew he and his vehicle were missing, and that he had expensive taste.

I chewed on the corner of my mouth, eyeing the area with new eyes. If this was Warren’s car, did that mean he was nearby?

Immediately, I dashed that thought. Judging by the tire tracks, the car hadn’t moved in days, and there weren’t any buildings close by he could be holed up in. Only the cabin and hunting property I was just contracted to sell were nearby, and there was no sign someone had been hiding out there when the man showed me the property. The owner had a couple of small hunting stands set up in the woods, too, but they were little more than boards nailed to a frame to keep out the wind while a hunter waited. Completely unsuitable for someone to live in.

Scanning the ground around the car, I noted some areas where the snow and foliage beneath were trampled. Some of it right outside the driver’s door. Beyond that, it was hard to tell. Whoever left the car here could have walked in the tire tracks back to the road.

I backed away from the vehicle. I needed to find a phone signal and call Oscar.

My brain shouted at me to hurry. That this was creepy, and I needed to get to safety, but I forced myself to take careful steps and use the crutch for balance. Walking in this boot wasn’t easy.

Finally, leaving the woods, I glanced back, and a thought struck me. How would I find this spot again? I couldn’t put a pin in the map on my phone, because I didn’t have a signal.

The branches waving in the wind gave me an idea. Clicking off the flashlight, I opened the driver’s door and tossed it onto the seat, then opened the rear passenger door and leaned inside to rummage in my giant tote bag. The scarf I wore to town on Saturday was still in it. I took it off before finishing my errands. It made me too hot.

My fingers touched soft, cool fabric. “Found you.” Grinning to myself, I pulled it out, then made my way to the tree line and picked a branch that stuck out away from the others.

“Oh, I’m glad Dad taught me how to tie good knots,” I mumbled.

With the scarf secure, I returned to my car and climbed in. Shifting into gear, I glanced at the clock, making a mental note of the time. I’d stay at a steady speed until I found the road, then note the time again as an added way to mark where the vehicle was.

I drove another two minutes down the road, then spotted the road cut.

“Thank goodness!” Turning, I picked up speed, keeping an eye on the signal bars mirrored on my infotainment screen from my phone.

When two appeared, I braked, throwing the car into park.

“Please work,” I whispered as I dialed Ozzie’s number.

With each soft trill, I drummed my fingers faster on the steering wheel.

On the fourth ring, his deep baritone came through the car’s speakers.

“Detective Quartermaine.”

I could hear the distraction in his voice.

“Ozzie, it’s Claire.”

“Claire? Is everything all right?” The distracted tone quickly disappeared. “You sound upset.”

“Not upset. Just… weirded out. I found something I think you should see. If I give you directions, can you meet me?”

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

“Um…”

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