Page 51 of Just Right

Connor tried to ignore the thought. It was just a feeling, he told himself. Just a feeling and not fact. But he knew that he couldn't put it out of his head. He tried not to think of all the things that could go wrong—that could be going wrong right now.

And then, his phone started ringing. Quickly, Connor grabbed the call, his hopes surging. It was his office on the line.

"Any news?" he said.

"Yes," the agent in the office said. He sounded triumphant. "We finally got a match on the car."

"What is it?" This was huge, Connor knew. This could be their first big breakthrough.

As the agent was speaking, Connor heard the beep that indicated he was receiving another incoming call. He couldn't do anything about it, though. Not now, not while waiting for vehicle details.

"There is only one car that was in both locations at the right time. It's a white Audi SUV. I'm sending plate details through now."

"Registration details?" Connor asked.

"I’m taking a look as we speak.” There was a pause. “It's registered in the name of John Knight, who is a member of a local militia group. I doubt it's stolen. It's most probably loaned, but I also doubt Knight would know the reason for Becker needing this vehicle. We know the militia group well. It is somewhat anti-establishment, but we’ve never had that kind of trouble from them in the past. Most likely, Becker is connected to him somehow and asked for a favor."

"I've got the plate," Connor said. "The message just came through. You need to get an APB out on this immediately. I’ll tell the others."

"Will do." The agent cut the call.

Connor got on the radio.

"We've got an ID for Becker's vehicle," he said. "White Audi SUV. He read out the plate details.

Almost immediately, the radio crackled. It was the other team.

"We passed a car like that five minutes ago," the cop said, sounding excited. "It was parked up near one of the trail heads. We both saw it and made a note of the plate. The vehicle was unoccupied."

"He's here!" Connor felt breathless with tension. "What are the map coordinates? We need one officer to remain near that car in case he’s on his way to it. One of you, go back."

"I'm on my way," one of the others confirmed. As for the rest of us, we might need to reroute. Where are the likely trails that he would have taken from that parking site?"

This was a huge break. They were getting closer.

"We'll need to get another team out to help us search," Connor told the rest of the team. "We might need a helicopter too."

"You think visibility is good enough?" the other cop asked.

"I know visibility isn't great in the densely wooded areas, but there are a lot of open trails nearby and down at the lake, and right now, we know he's here. The more eyes we can have on this area, the better."

He opened the map again and took a look at the coordinates of where the car was parked. How did they align with Jayne’s possible routes? Given Becker had parked near the trail head, how should they reroute?

Narrowing his eyes, he tried to make what he thought was the best decision.

"I'll reroute," he told the group. "It seems like he would have had to go a mile out of his way to come up this hill. I'll backtrack and go down to the valley and take that other lower trail. It intersects with the main one further along."

Feeling as if this mission was finally gaining traction, that they had a chance to get this man in time, Connor turned and jogged back down the steep trail. They had him in their sights now. They were going to find him. There were only so many places he could be if he was hunting Jayne.

It was only at the bottom of the hill that Connor remembered, with a jolt, that he'd had another incoming call while he'd been getting all these developments in the case.

Quickly, he checked his phone, and felt his heart accelerate as he saw the call had been from Cami. In fact, she’d called twice.

She'd left a message after the second call.

"I think I know where Jayne has gone," she said, her voice tight with tension as he listened. "Connor, I'm going to start walking there. It's not on one of the routes you took. I can’t wait."

Where was it? Where had Cami gone off to on her own?

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