Page 37 of Silverstorm

“Not sure what that all means, but I thought you might like to know, because…” Levi trailed off, probably not sure if Jude was still listening.

“Levi, I know this sounds outrageous, but do you think that four-wheel-drive could be the one we were looking for? The one that left the tire tracks up on Canyon Peak?”

There was utter silence on the other end of the phone, but Jude could almost hear the cogs turning in Levi’s mind. “It’s hard to say,” he began slowly. “Are you thinking that the people who’ve been camping up on the mountain are possibly the same people who killed Iliana and Craig? And they might also be related to the people who just abducted Aria? I don’t know, it’s a bit of a stretch,” he mused.

“But not an impossible one,” Jude said, his gut tightening in anticipation. He suddenly knew what he needed to do. “Levi, I think they might’ve gone back up the fire trail. That rest stop you mentioned, how far is it from the turnoff onto the trail?”

“Not far,” Levi admitted slowly. “But would they really be stupid enough to return to the scene of the crime? Won’t the site still be under guard? They can’t have finished all their investigations up there already?” Levi pondered out loud.

“I’ll check with Brady, but I’m guessing with this weather closing in, all his staff have been recalled. If there was a guard at that gate or at the gravesite, they won’t be there now.” Jude felt a triumphant surge of heat in his chest. He was right, he just knew it. “They know that area well. They’ll feel safe up there. They’ll need a place to shelter from the storm that’s off the highway and out of sight of prying eyes. I’m going up there,” Jude said, knowing it was probably the most stupid thing he’d ever done in his life. Maybe he was grasping at straws. But if he was right…

“I don’t think that’s wise,” Levi prevaricated.

Jude said nothing; he was too busy sorting through what he should take with him. Warm clothing, blankets—if he could get them—whatever he could garner from the police storage.

“If you can wait a few hours, I’ll go with you,” Levi finally said. “But I’ve just had a call come in about a tree down on one of the roads along the river. It’s trapped a carload of fishermen trying to get out after the storm hit. Although, God knows why they left it so late,” Levi said brusquely. But both of them knew there was no accounting for stupidity. It wouldn’t be the first time either of them had to rescue someone because they hadn’t listened to the weather report or had simply thought the inclement weather couldn’t possibly affect them.

“Thanks, mate,” Jude replied. “But I’m going now.”

“I thought you might say that,” Levi sighed. “Stay safe.” There were a million unsaid comments behind those simple words.

“Will do. You too,” he replied, because Levi would also be putting himself in danger by getting in his vehicle and driving out in this terrible storm just to save a group of fishermen too dense to heed the warnings properly.

Just as Jude ended the call with Levi, Stuart Ladley stood up and announced that he’d procured a room at the Travelodge Inn and was off to weather the storm down there.

“Wait,” Jude called, lunging toward the lawyer. “I need to ask a favor. And it’s a big one.”

The man eyed him cooly. “Anything to help my good deputy,” he replied after a few seconds.

“I need to borrow your vehicle.”

“Hmm.” Ladley stroked his chin as he considered Jude. Then he pushed his glasses up his nose and said, “Okay. As long as you tell me why you need it. And as long as you drop me down to the inn on the way. And as long as you can promise my car will be returned to me in one unharmed piece.”

Jude wasn’t sure he could promise the last one, so he kept his mouth shut. In his spare time, Ladley was a die-hard hunter and fisherman. Not that you could tell if you met him during the work week. When he was wearing his neat tan suit and tie, with smart woolen overcoat, his face clean-shaven, and glasses perched on his nose, he looked the epitome of the wealthy lawyer. Jude knew about his alter-ego because Dean had showed him a picture once of Stuart Ladley dressed in hunting attire, his foot resting on the head of a large deer he’d just shot. And Jude had also seen Ladley arrive in his big, kitted out Chevy truck that’d go just about anywhere. Including up a fire trail on Canyon Peak.

“Thank you.” Jude could almost hug the man.

When he told Brady his plan, the other man just sneered at him. “You can’t seriously be considering going out in this weather? I highly urge you not to,” Brady said cooly. “I think you’re barking up the wrong tree. There’s no way in hell that whoever took Aria would take her back to the scene of his first crime. If indeed the two crimes are even linked.”

“Screw you.” Jude knew it was childish and uncalled for, but he no longer cared what Brady thought. And besides, it felt good. He was going. End of story. And Brady couldn’t stop him.

“Well, you’re going alone,” Brady said, with a challenging lift of his eyebrows. “I’m not asking any of my valued team to risk their lives on some wild goose chase.”

“That’s just fine by me.” Jude hadn’t expected anything more, and he and Ladley left the office as Brady shut the door in a waft of self-righteousness.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ARIA WAS COLD. So cold. She was folded into the fetal position in the back of some four-wheel-drive truck, trying to keep herself warm. To keep the baby warm. Oh, God, the baby. She hoped with all her heart that the baby was still okay. Those men had manhandled her. Pushed her into a van and slammed her on the ground. Then they’d driven for around twenty minutes before stopping and lifting her into the rear bay of this truck, leaving her bound and completely powerless. She’d never before felt this helpless. This alone. Or this cold. She wished she had her jacket, but that was back in the Missoula Police Station. God, how she wished she were back in that little interrogation room. She’d take her chances with Brady any day over this nightmare scenario.

After they’d changed vehicles, they’d driven for another twenty minutes up some steep, rocky road, and she’d had to brace herself against the rest of the equipment jammed in around her to try and stop from rolling around. Then they’d stopped the vehicle and got out without a word to her. The rear bay seemed to be filled with camping equipment, some of which had been moved to create a small space for her. She wished there was a blanket in the mix somewhere, but even if there was, she wouldn’t be able to get to it with her feet and hands still bound.

Who were these men? What did they want with her?

She was beginning to shiver harder. The temperature in the vehicle had been okay until they stopped and turned off the engine. And the heat. But now the temperature was dropping quickly. She had no idea even what time it was. How long had she been sitting in that room before the crooked cop had taken her out the back? It couldn’t be past lunchtime yet, she decided. But it was almost dark outside, she could see eddies of snow swirling around the car when she lifted her head to peer out the window, making it impossible to see where she was, and the wind was howling like a pack of marauding wolves.

Suddenly, the rear door flew open and a bulky figure tugged at her ankles, dragging her across the floor and out into the freezing cold. She tried to scream, but only a muffled shout came out from behind the tape over her mouth. Then she was slung over the man’s shoulder and the icy wind was like knives on her skin through her thin sweater.

Oh, God, were they going to dump her out in the snow? It wouldn’t take long for hypothermia to set in, and she’d freeze to death. But instead, the man—she thought it was the younger one from the back of the van—carried her around the side and placed her on the back seat of the car, shutting the door behind her. The relief to be out of the freezing gale was immediate. By the time she’d struggled to a sitting position, he’d come around to the other side and got in next to her, bringing in a blast of icy air with him.

---