by Laura Scott
“What about those with concealed carry permits?” Everett asked.
Arch grimaced. “They’re allowed in.”
Great. That meant more folks than not likely had weapons. Maybe not a rifle, though, outside of hunting season, which is what he believed he’d heard. Especially since the shot had come from a distance.
Not that it mattered. In the end, there wasn’t anything else for the ranger to do.
Helena appeared just as frustrated when they went back outside. “I don’t like this. If the shooter took aim at me to get me away from the area, then I need to go back and continue searching.”
He tensed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You and the dog are vulnerable out there in the open.”
“Luna is a K-9 cop and I’m a state trooper. We are both very well trained. I’m sure we’ll be fine.” The stubborn thrust of her chin was back, and he tried not to show his annoyance.
She and the dog had been shot at. Wasn’t that enough of a close call?
“Do you mind giving me a lift back?” Everett didn’t wait for permission but headed for the passenger side door. He worked with plenty of female officers and trusted them as much as his male counterparts, but he didn’t like the idea of Helena going back to the scene of the shooting, alone.
Even with a K-9 partner. The dog couldn’t shoot a gun.
Although he’d sensed the animal would have taken a chunk out of him if Helena hadn’t called her off.
Luna jumped into the back of the SUV. Turning in his seat, he was impressed with the heating and cooling system, as well as the cold water dispensing device located in the back, ensuring the animal wouldn’t become dehydrated.
Helena shot him a withering look as she slid in behind the wheel. Pulling out of the parking space, she said, “Listen, I know you suspect my sister of being involved in some big crime ring, but I’m telling you that isn’t Zoe’s style.”
“You’re saying she hasn’t been in trouble before?”
“Oh, she’s been in trouble.” Helena sighed. “But stupid stuff, like shoplifting, disorderly conduct and underage drinking. Nothing like being a willing participant in organized crime.”
“I understand you don’t want to think the worst about your twin. But I’m afraid your loyalty is misplaced.”
Helena didn’t answer, her gaze focused on the road. Tour buses were busy this time of the year. The summer months, July in particular, were the height of tourism for Alaska. People came from all over the lower forty-eight and from other countries to experience the last frontier.
Clueless visitors who weren’t smart enough to leave their valuables at home. Was that what had drawn Zoe here? He suspected the answer was a resounding yes.
Her radio crackled again. “Find anything, Will?”
“Only if you count bats and other creatures,” her teammate responded dryly. “No sign of—”
“Thanks,” she said, quickly cutting him off. “I’m with Everett Brand, one of the local cops from Anchorage, so I’ll check in with you later, okay?”
“Sounds good. I have to head back to Anchorage anyway...the colonel called to let me know there’s a potential drug bust going down.”
Before he’d hung up, Will didn’t sound as if he’d noticed that anything was amiss. But Everett knew Helena’s team member had been about to mention something significant.
He glanced down at the evidence bag hanging from her waistband, then back at the large Norwegian elkhound in the back of the SUV.
“You’re searching for Zoe.” He felt like an idiot that he hadn’t picked up on the fact sooner.
She ignored his remark. “Do you want me to take you all the way to your cabin?”
What he wanted was to go with her, especially if she was going to continue looking for her twin. He knew K-9s had an amazing ability to track people down by following a scent.
Maybe Helena was right in that the shooter had only intended to scare her away from the area. But something in his gut told him the danger was far from over.
His phone signaled an alarm. He pulled the device out of his pocket and scowled at it. “Yes, please. I need to get back. Something triggered the alarm.”
“Probably a wild animal.” Helena didn’t look concerned.
Normally he’d agree, but most of the wildlife roamed away from the cabin, not usually right up to the front door. He tried focusing on the camera he’d installed but it must have been disconnected as he couldn’t see a thing.
Not good.
“Which way?” Helena asked as they approached the sloping hill where she’d been targeted.
“Keep going straight, there’s a gravel road off to the right about a mile from here.”
She arched a delicate brow. “The dirt road leads to your place?”
“Yes.” He stared at his phone again. Was he overreacting? If Helena was out here to find Zoe, he intended to be there, too.
The SUV rocked and rolled up the gravel road to his rental cabin. It was located pretty far off the beaten track. Although there were several people, like the rangers, who knew its location.
“Stay here.” Without waiting for Helena to bring the SUV to a complete stop, he pushed open the passenger door and jumped out. Two giant steps forward and he was at the front door of the cabin, glancing around expectantly.
Nothing.
Then he noticed the door was ajar. Pulling his service weapon from the pocket of his cargo shorts, he pushed the door open and listened.
Was that—a baby crying?
He shook his head, hoping he wasn’t losing his mind. Crossing the threshold, he entered the cabin, stumbling to a halt when he saw the infant carrier sitting on his sofa, a pink bag next to it.
Not his imagination. His heart squeezed painfully in his chest, his thoughts going back to those early days after Colin had been born. The crying infant reminded him of his son.
Who had broken into his cabin to leave a baby behind?
TWO
Helena let Luna out of the back of the SUV and put the K-9 on leash. Everett had rushed inside telling her to stay put, but she thought it would be a better idea to check the perimeter of the cabin, to make sure there was nothing amiss.
Luna eagerly went to work, sniffing and checking things out. When her K-9 alerted near the front door of the cabin, her heart nearly stopped.
That couldn’t be right. Zoe couldn’t have been here. Had Luna gotten her scents mixed up?
Then she heard it. The sound of a baby crying.
Everett had a baby? No, he wouldn’t have left a baby alone in the cabin.
Unless he had a wife, too.
For some reason the thought of Everett having a wife and baby was disappointing. And that was silly, since he’d made it his mission to find and arrest her sister.
Helena forced herself to move forward, stepping up and over the threshold. Everett turned to face her, holding a baby in his arms, his expression an odd mix of horror and amazement.
“I didn’t realize you had a baby.” It was a stupid statement, but she couldn’t seem to think clearly. Blame it on being shot at.
“Not mine, yours.” Everett shifted the child in his arms, cradling the baby dressed in pink so that she rested against his shoulder, and handed a note to her.
She blinked. Read the note once then yet again, to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating.
Officer Brand,
I’m in terrible danger. My baby isn’t safe. Please take her to my sister, Helena, who is also a cop. Everything you need is in the pink bag. Tell Christine and Helena that I’m sorry—and that I love them more than anything.
Zoe
Luna pressed against her, as if sensing her distress. She glanced at Everett. “Zoe had a baby?”
“She must have.” The way he held the baby bespoke of experience. “From the note, I ta
ke it the baby’s name is Christine.”
“She named the baby after our mother.” Helena couldn’t believe Zoe’d had a child without telling her. Or their parents, although they’d been living in Arizona for several years and hadn’t been back to Alaska recently. Still, a baby was a big deal. “Zoe is in deep trouble, isn’t she?”
“Yes.” Everett moved forward and began to hand the infant over to her. Christine took exception to the move and began to cry. He quickly reversed his decision, cradling her against his chest again, looking comically bemused. “I need you to take the baby.”
“Maybe you and your wife should keep her for a short while.” Helena wanted nothing more than to spend time with the niece she hadn’t known she’d had, but what would she do with the baby when she was out searching for her sister?
What in the world had Zoe been thinking?
“I don’t have a wife.” Everett’s tone was sharp. “And the note clearly says for you to take the baby.”
Yet he was the one holding Christine as if he knew what he was doing.
She rested her hand on Luna’s silky head. “Okay, look, can we agree on one thing?”
Everett eyed her warily, swaying slightly from side to side to calm the baby. “Like what?”
She glanced at the note one more time then let out her breath in a silent sigh. “Zoe’s in danger. You’ve already told me that you suspect she’s working with a large crime ring.”
“Yes, that’s my theory,” he admitted gruffly.
“Don’t you think the best chance of finding Zoe is by working together?”
Everett’s gaze dropped to Luna then back up to her. “You were using your K-9 partner to track Zoe.”
“Yes. And Luna alerted outside your cabin, indicating my sister was here. Which we know, because she obviously broke in and left Christine behind.”
“That’s correct, although I have no idea how she found this place,” Everett said with a frown.
“Your name is on the rental agreement, I’m sure. And it’s likely the locals know that you’re here each year,” she pointed out.
“It’s still well off the beaten path. We need to continue tracking Zoe. I doubt the baby has been here very long.” Everett looked at Luna with a new appreciation. “Time is of the essence.”
“I agree and am willing to head out to see if Luna can pick up Zoe’s scent.” She hesitated before adding, “But you’ll need to stay here with Christine.”
“Me?” A flicker of panic hit his dark eyes, but then he looked again at Luna. Apparently his trust in her K-9’s skills outweighed his reluctance to stay behind. “Okay, fine. Go.”
A rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. The storm clouds she’d noticed earlier were swirling closer now, likely bringing rain.
Everett was right. Time was running out. Luna could track in the rain, but the threat of lighting was something Helena couldn’t ignore.
Helena headed for the door, stopped then turned and crossed to smooth a hand over Christine’s caramel-colored hair. She pressed a quick kiss to the baby’s scalp before moving away. “Come, Luna.”
More thunder rumbled as she and her K-9 stood outside Everett’s cabin. With the threat of rain, she grabbed her state trooper hat from the vehicle. Offering the evidence bag containing Zoe’s scarf once again, she gave Luna the command.
“Seek. Seek Zoe.”
Luna quickly located Zoe’s scent at the door to Everett’s cabin. Helena guided the dog away and repeated the command.
Luna lifted her nose to the air and moved in a zigzag pattern until she caught the scent. Fat raindrops fell, but Helena ignored them, following Luna as she headed down the gravel drive leading away from the cabin.
Before reaching the road, however, the K-9 turned to the right. Helena noticed the matted grass, as if someone had come through this way recently.
Disregarding the buzz of mosquitos and flies, she followed Luna, hoping and praying that she might find her sister holed up somewhere nearby.
Luna took a winding path then alerted at a fallen tree roughly fifty yards from Everett’s cabin.
“Good girl, Luna. Good girl.” She gave Luna a quick rub and a treat, imagining Zoe pausing at the fallen tree to rest, maybe tired from lugging the infant carrier. “Seek. Seek Zoe.”
Luna leaped up and over the fallen log, leaving Helena to scramble over it in an effort to keep up. The rain was coming down harder now, and she began to shiver.
More thunder rumbled, louder this time. She glanced apprehensively up at the sky. No lightening yet, but for how much longer?
Luna went farther up to the road and alerted again. But then she turned in a circle, whining a little. Helena pushed her damp hair from her face. “What is it, girl? What’s wrong?”
Her K-9 partner went back to the spot near the side of the road, where she’d last alerted to Zoe’s scent.
Helena rewarded her K-9, even though she was disappointed. Luna had lost the scent. Helena had to believe someone had picked Zoe up, maybe even carried her away from the area.
Lightening shot across the sky. She knew that pushing forward in the middle of a thunderstorm wasn’t smart. Reluctantly, she turned and retraced their steps back to Everett’s cabin.
Zoe had been so close. How had they missed her?
And where was her twin now?
* * *
Everett stared out the window at the rain, trying not to remember how he’d held his son in this very same spot, looking out at a similar storm while his wife slept.
Precious memories that still held the power to slice him like a knife.
Christine had fallen asleep on his shoulder, but when he’d tried to place the baby back in her infant carrier seat, she’d started to cry. Leaving him little choice but to continue holding her while battling the painful memories of the past.
He didn’t want to be responsible for a baby. Frankly, he didn’t particularly want to work with Helena to find Zoe. But what choice did he have? Zoe was involved in the burglary ring, and Luna could find her.
The baby really put a crimp in his plans.
Yet the sweet scent of baby shampoo made it difficult for him to hang on to his anger. As much as he wanted to be upset with Zoe, he was secretly glad she’d gotten the baby out of harm’s way. This innocent little girl shouldn’t be anywhere near a group of criminals.
Although he’d rather she had found someone else—anyone else—to leave the baby with besides him.
Why had Zoe chosen him? Because she’d seen him here in Denali and assumed that a cop would have connections with the K-9 Unit? Her note indicated she’d known they were both in law enforcement.
Regardless, he knew he couldn’t do this. He couldn’t handle taking care of a baby. Helena would have to take the baby with her. That was the only solution. She was the baby’s aunt, after all, and he was just a cop who intended to arrest Zoe and those she worked for.
The baby wasn’t his responsibility.
So why was he standing here, looking out at a rainstorm, holding her?
Another rumble of thunder echoed overhead, causing Christine to startle. Without thinking, he brought his hand up to smooth it over the baby’s back.
“Shh, it’s okay. You’re fine. Go back to sleep.”
He didn’t like the idea of Helena and Luna being out in the storm. Could a dog track a scent in the rain? He had no idea.
He told himself he only needed Helena to return so she could take the baby and leave, but he also wanted very much to find Zoe.
If Helena’s twin was in danger, he couldn’t simply turn his back on her. Despite the crimes Zoe had likely committed, she deserved a chance to turn herself in. And if she provided key evidence against the person in charge of the crime ring, then he was fairly certain the district attorney would cut her a deal.
But first they had to fin
d her.
Luna’s bark had him turning from the window. He quickly crossed over to the front door and opened it in time to see a very drenched Helena and dog coming toward the cabin.
“Come up with anything?” He held the door open with one hand, so she and Luna could enter.
“We lost her scent about fifty yards from here.” Helena stood just inside the doorway, glancing around uncertainly.
“You’re soaked. I’ll get some towels.” Before he could move, Luna shook her body with vigor, spraying him and everything within ten feet with water that had soaked into her fur.
He wiped at his face, wondering how he’d gotten himself into this mess. The baby, the woman, the dog.
It was all too much.
“Sorry about that,” Helena said with a grimace.
He sighed. “It’s not the dog’s fault.” Still holding Christine, he moved away to grab towels from the bathroom. When he handed them to Helena, she used one on the dog first, before lifting the other up to dry her hair.
If she treated Christine the same way she’d just treated her K-9 partner, putting the dog’s needs before her own, the baby would be just fine.
As if hearing his thoughts, the infant began to cry in earnest. He rocked her back and forth without success.
“Maybe she’s hungry?” Helena draped the damp towels over the backs of two chairs and then went over to open the pink bag. She pulled out a can of powdered formula and a bottle. She peered at the label of the formula, reading the instructions.
“Take her.” He forced himself to thrust the crying baby into Helena’s arms. “I’ll make it.”
“You seem to know a lot about caring for a baby.” Helena paced the length of the cabin, trying to soothe the infant.
He ignored her remark as he filled the bottle with warm water then dissolved the appropriate amount of formula from the can.
“How old do you think she is?”
“Three months, according to the birth certificate I found in the pink bag.”
Helena glanced up. “Does the birth certificate list the father’s name?”
“Nope.” Shaking the bottle vigorously, he returned to where she was standing. “Here, try this.”
