Page 49 of Colorado K-9 Rescue

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“No,” Evan said. “The probation officer, Keith Warren, said he’d stop and check on his way home.”

“That was nice,” the sheriff said. “Helps me out since I only have a couple deputies on duty right now.”

“We’ll stay in touch,” Evan said, hanging up and grabbing crime scene tape out of his vehicle. Where the heck did one start taping out in the wilderness? He walked to the gate and closed the picnic area. The last thing he needed was tourists showing up and taking selfies with a dead body. Then he started running tape around the parking lot. He wanted everything around theJeep processed and would get the vehicle towed to their garage for the forensic team to go through.

Then he ran tape in a large area around where Toby still sat. If Evan didn’t know better, it appeared as if Toby was out enjoying the Colorado day, getting some sun. Arriving back to the parking lot, Evan found a spot where he had just enough signal to text Mckenna.

Are you okay?

Within seconds he had a message back with heart emojis, saying she was good. Then another message—What’s going on?

She had a sixth sense, as if she knew that he wasn’t only saying hello.

Not much. I’m thinking of you and miss you. I may be working late. Maybe think about going home with Cassidy. Tomorrow, I can pick you up and we can swing by your house and get your things. I’d love for you and Mocha to stay with me again. Tell Mocha he can have the couch. I don’t mind.

The response was a little slower, but then,What aren’t you telling me?

Evan didn’t know how to answer. Tell her the truth? But if she knew Toby was dead, she might think she was safe. She could walk straight into a trap because Evan was certain that she was next in the kidnapper’s plan. The game was catch and release, after all. He had to convince her to trust him and not ask questions. The less she knew, the better. He finally texted;I’ll fill you in later. Just go home with Cassidy, I’m having a long day and it’s going to be a long night. I’ll meet up with you tomorrow.

He really hoped she’d listen.

CHAPTER 32

Mckenna stared at her phone, willing it to give her answers, but she knew Evan wasn’t going to tell her more. Why wasn’t he being honest? She had a right to know what was going on. She’d defended him to Cassidy, but now she wasn’t so certain. Had she really been swayed by his good looks and brooding personality? Cassidy was a good judge of character, why was she doubting her?

Because I’m completely in love, that’s why. As the saying goes, love is blind.

Staring at her computer screen, she shut down the document on which she’d been working. This kidnapper wanted her, and while it scared her, she was so tired of this. Her life from eighteen years old on had been consumed with the kidnapping. She wanted to catch whoever it was. If she could lure him out somehow or figure out his identity, then this case could be over. After that, she and Evan could figure out if they were meant to be together or if it was adrenaline from the case that had made them cross a line.

What if she could figure out where she and Lily were taken? The aspen trees with the bent trunks were so unusual. If this really and truly was the same kidnapper, then Lily might remember the trees too. If they could talk, they could come up with the location. Wherever it was, it couldn’t be far from the ghost town. It had to be nearby.

Why hadn’t anyone been able to find it? How hard had they looked? This was what irritated Mckenna with law enforcement. They’d brought Toby in and said there was enough evidencethat they didn’t need to figure out where they’d been held. She remembered the other sheriff saying it would be nice, but the prosecutor had a strong enough case.

But if Mckenna could figure out where they were taken, then maybe the FBI and sheriff could determine for sure if it was Toby. This needed to be over. For Autumn. For Lily. And for Mckenna. She wanted freedom from this case. She’d take Mocha along. He’d warn her if there was someone coming after her. He’d done that at her house and at Evan’s. She had more faith in Mocha protecting her than any human—especially if the human wasn’t going to share information.

She was tired of being afraid. Today she was going to face her fears so that she could move on. Sitting in her office made her feel weak and useless. That wasn’t why she’d become a victim specialist.

“Come on, Mocha,” Mckenna said. “Let’s go talk with Lily. Together we can figure out where this sick jerk held us. No more of this stupid catch and release stuff. I want our life back…with or without Evan.”

Mocha’s tail made a thumping sound as he wagged it against the floor. They stood and Mckenna attached his leash and headed out of the office. She hoped to avoid Cassidy, but she ran into her sister as they headed toward the exit.

“Where are you going?” Cassidy asked.

Be brave,Mckenna told herself.You don’t need Cassidy to protect you. You can take care of yourself.

“We’re headed to Lily’s house. I have some things I need to follow up on with her and her parents.”

Cassidy nodded and then said, “Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“Toby Hanson is dead. Someone shot him in the head. Got what he deserved, if you ask me.”

Mckenna was speechless. Why hadn’t Evan told her this? Why was he still concerned about her? What wasn’t he telling her? She was done with everyone protecting her. Even Evan.

“I take it Evan didn’t tell you,” Cassidy said.

“No,” Mckenna answered, trying to hide the hurt, but aware that her sister knew better. “Maybe he doesn’t know.”