Page 47 of Maddox: Wild Alaska
As dusk settlesand the stars twinkle in the sky, the moon is on our side. The aurora borealis shimmers in the distance, casting an ethereal glow over the landscape. I have a sick feeling in my gut that all is not right. I can't pinpoint what it is, but it's distracting me when I need to concentrate. Someone is stomping through the forest, heading our way. They sound like an elephant, which means its Branson.
I quickly knock Landon's arm down, gun still clasped tightly in his hand. "It's the sheriff. I doubt the killer would announce his arrival."
Branson appears, looking damn sick and panicked. Of course, this gets my heart racing because he never looks like that. I meet his gaze. He swallows hard. "Sofie's gone."
"What? What the fuck does that mean?" Fear grabs hold of me as I stare at my brother, hoping he's wrong.
"Colton got out of the shower and found Judean unconscious on the floor. He went looking for Sofie and found signs of a scuffle on the deck. He carried Judean to Dad's and called me."
"I'm going to rip that bastard in half," I snarl, turning to head back to the truck.
"Where are you going?" Branson falls into step.
"How long ago?"
He knows exactly what I'm asking. "He was in the shower for a maximum of ten minutes. Five to quickly search for Sofie and get Judean to Dad's. I'd say fifteen to twenty minutes, tops."
"We're in the wrong place. If the bastard was around the cabins recently, then we need to start tracking from there. He won't be able to move quickly if he's carrying Sofie." I clench my jaw.
I continue moving, with Branson trailing me and shouting orders to the others through the radio. "The feds are going to head to the fire road," he tells me.
The fire road is five miles back from the cabins and the nearest road that gives us access. I'm torn as to whether I should go there myself and cut this bastard off. My heart and head are pulling me in different directions. If I'm going to find Sofie—which I will—I need to get my head on straight.
It feels like hours have passed since I left, but only an hour has gone by. I sit in the cab, and Branson jumps in beside me. I take a minute to settle myself. "He's going to pay, brother. If that bothers you, then you need to get out of my truck,” I tell him.
He shakes his head. "She's your woman. That makes her family. I'm with you, but I won't let you go to prison. She needs you with her. Now, drive without killing us."
We fly down the road while Branson talks to our brothers. They're all in the forest, looking for a trail to pick up. The exception is Colton, who refuses to leave Judean. Dad stayed behind for extra protection, and Mom is there as well. I don't blame them. I hate myself for not staying with Sofie. She'd still be safe if I’d stayed.
I bring the truck to a jarring stop in my driveway and jump out. Dad jogs over and hands Branson and me a rucksack each filled with medical supplies, water, and energy bars. "Go get her, son."
"Thanks, Dad."
Branson strides off in front, and I follow. I know what he's doing. He doesn't want me to kill the son of a bitch. If that bastard has hurt Sofie, Branson won't be able to hold me back. I take a deep breath and keep moving, trying to clear my head of the anger and fear currently filling it. Branson suddenly stops, and I crash into him.
"Fucking hell, Maddox! You're like a fucking rock." He shakes himself and glances to the west before heading in that direction. "Someone has been through here recently. See this tamarack tree? Its color is more vivid than most. I noticed it when I hiked a few days ago. Someone has deliberately bent the branches here. The blue-green needles from the damaged branches have fallen into a puddle on the ground."
"That's a great nature lesson, but can we move on?"
"I was explaining why I thought they'd gone this way."
"I don't need an explanation. I just need Sofie."
Branson sighs. "Let's go."
The longer it takes, the more I fear what we'll find. Other than some broken branches here and there, we haven't seenanything. I voice my concern, "What if the asshole came through this way to the cabins, and he left this trail to misguide us?"
"I already thought of that, and I think this is Sofie's trail."
"Well, whoever left it for us is leading us straight to a dead end," I hiss, rubbing my brow where a headache is brewing that I've been trying to ignore. I take off my backpack, dig out two painkillers, and swallow them with water. I want to nip the pain in the bud before it gets any worse. I need to function without puking.
Branson eyes me. "I'm fine." I wave him on once I put the backpack on. The sun has started to rise, making it easier to see. Soon, we won't need the flashlights.
We reach the end of the path and trees, and a rock face appears before us. Just like I said.
"Should we check in with the other groups?”
“They'd have contacted us if they had anything."
