“How do you want to play this?” Levi asked Tate.
“Leave Mary’s vehicle here. It’s worthless to us in this weather, but we’ll keep the keys so no one else can use it. I’m going to keep Porter’s phone. I can always send or receive a text if I need to without giving myself away. Billy might as well go ahead and take Porter and Mary to the jail. I’m going to take Porter’s truck and follow his tracks back up the mountain—”
“By yourself?”
The snow was swirling and there was little time to waste before the tracks around them were obliterated. “I’ve got to go now to get as close to where they are as possible. My team member, Clay, will be landing in Laramie in a couple of hours. Get your hands on a snow coach or snowmobiles that are going to be needed soon.”
“So, I go to Laramie, pick up your team member, and arrange for the snow transportation to get back to here,” Levi reiterated.
“That makes the most sense. If I can get to them tonight, I can deal with them.” He observed Levi’s eyebrow lift and growled, “If I can subdue them alive, I will. But make no mistake. My mission is not to shut down their meth lab and arrest them. My mission is to rescue Nora. If you’ve got a problem with that, you need to say it right now.”
Levi held his gaze for several long seconds, then shook his head. “I’ll have your team member on the mountain by the first light of day.”
Reaching out, the two men clasped hands and then separated. Tate jogged over to Porter’s truck, fired the engine, and carefully turned on the snow-covered road, heading back up the mountain. The darkness of the night was lessened by the white snow blanketing everything in sight. The headlights glistened off the drifts, allowing him to see the ruts that Porter’s truck had made. Thank fuck we didn’t spend any more time bullshitting around or these tracks would be completely covered.
His progress was slow but steady. The silence was only broken by his breathing as he continually scanned the area while making sure to follow the tracks. Soon, he came to thick trees lining the road whose branches created a canopy keeping the snowfall at bay. Needing Intel, he dialed LSI. “Have you got me on location?”
Each of the LSI Keepers sported the tattoo of a lighthouse on their shoulder. Embedded under the skin of the beacon was a tracer. LSI was able to track their Keepers anywhere at any time.
“You’ve got Josh, and yes, I can see where you are.”
“Is there anything you can see on a satellite further up the mountain than where I am? I’m following the trail of Porter, the man we just arrested who came down from the mountain.”
“There are no recorded homes or residences in that area, but there are probably hunting cabins, which are either too small or hidden to show up on my satellite views. There are a few clearings around. The closest one to you is about four more miles. I’ll see if I can get a close enough scan to locate any cabins.”
If David had taken Nora to a cabin buried in the woods, it would be almost impossible to find it in the middle of the night. Focusing on the road ahead, he continued to follow the tire tracks from Porter’s trip. Not wanting to get stuck in snowdrifts or go off the edge, he crawled along, gaze pinned straight ahead as the wipers kept the snow from sticking to the windshield but did little to assist his vision. His phone rang and he hit connect, glad to hear Josh’s voice again so quickly.
“Okay, looking at the satellite view in daylight, I can see that you're about three and a half miles from the clearing. There is a small building on the north side of the clearing with two smaller sheds nearby. I’m trying to bring the view into more focus, but right now, that’s the best I can tell you. This is from yesterday’s satellite pass, and there were no vehicles evident at that time.”
“I’m going to get as close as I can still following the tire tracks and then cut the lights. From there, I’ll go on foot and report in.”
Excitement began to move through his body, nerves tingling in anticipation of taking down the men who dared to put their hands on Nora.
16
Nora tiptoed into the kitchen, carefully gathering the chain in her hand as she moved. Once there, all her movements resulted in the chain rattling. David’s pale skin and sweat-covered brow indicated that he was not well, and she didn’t think he would be a problem. Bob, on the other hand, made her nervous. He didn’t seem as smart as the other men, and in the few hours that she had been with them wondered why they tolerated him. But, considering he kept a gun with him, she could not dismiss his presence.
And Kenneth? Where did he go, and what is he doing? He said he was going to the back, but with a snowstorm pounding outside, she could not imagine him wanting to be anywhere but close to the fire.
“If you’d stay away from the ice, you might have a brain cell left in your head.” Porter’s words to Bob slammed back to the forefront of her mind. Ice… meth! Of course, that’s what this is about! Billy had told her that the car David was driving contained drugs, including meth. Holy shit! They’re making meth up here!
She glanced around the short counter and her stomach turned at the nasty mess. Her gaze searched each pot and dish carefully, trying to discern if meth had been produced in the cabin. Uncertain exactly what she was looking for, she could only ascertain that the residue on the plates and pots were just dried food. So, maybe one of the sheds is used for their drugs… that would explain where Kenneth went. Her gaze shot down the hall to the last door that Kenneth left through and she hoped it led to the outside and not to another room where cooking drugs occurred.
She jerked at the thought, and the chain rattled again. Whipping her head around to see if David or Bob heard it, she held her breath until ascertaining neither stirred. She opened the refrigerator and was shocked to find that it was packed with food. Cheese, eggs, bread, and lunchmeat. Reaching up, she opened the cabinet and found it contained canned vegetables, rice, a jar of spaghetti sauce, and peanut butter. Upon careful inspection, it appeared the expiration dates had not passed. They must have known the storm was coming and prepared.
Turning the situation over in her mind, it hit her that David’s accident and subsequent arrest had thrown whatever plans they had out the window. If he’s the leader of this group of meth producers, they needed to get him away from the police quickly.
Hoping to find a utensil that she could use on her chain, she pulled open the top drawer in the counter. A large spoon, a spatula, and a knife were all she found. The second drawer was stuck and made a loud screeching as it opened. Glancing down, she spied a screwdriver, but just as her hand moved forward, Bob stood from his chair.
“What are you doing?” His words were slurred with sleep, and he scrubbed his hand over his face.
Holding up her hand, showing the chain dangling from her wrist, she prayed her words were less shaky than she felt on the inside. “I was looking for something to eat. I thought about cooking something but there’s nothing clean.”
He yawned and scratched his stomach, the gun dangling in his fingertips. As he walked toward her, she reached down and grabbed another large spoon from the drawer. Holding it up, she said, “Well, I found something clean. If I had a pot, I could heat some of the soup you have here.”
“You had a pot earlier.”
Unable to keep the wide-eyed, dropped-jaw expression of incredulity from her face, she stared at him. When he didn’t say anything else, she realized he was being serious. “That pot was dirty to begin with, and I cleaned it as best I could but then used it to help wash away the blood from David’s injury.”
Bob blinked, still sleepy-eyed. “Yeah? So what?”
“The pot had bloody water in it,” she repeated, emphasizing each word, thinking he would surely understand the error of his suggestion. When it became obvious that he was waiting for her to say something, she simply shook her head. “I can’t cook food in a pot that had blood in it.”
His gaze dropped to the sink where there were other dirty dishes. “Well, find something. Go ahead and fix some soup now.” He
looked around, his brow furrowed, and asked, “Where’s Kenneth?”
“He said he had business to take care of. That’s why he chained me here.”
She observed Bob grin before turning and walking into the bathroom. Blowing out a breath, she looked to the other side of the room and saw David’s eyes on her. With the chain continuing to rattle, she walked the short distance to the sofa, and asked, “How are you feeling?”
“And why do you ask, I wonder? I can’t imagine that you’re concerned about me.”
“I might have been forced to come here, but you’re still my patient.” Her words to him were true, but the sentiment was not. She just knew that it was best to stay on their good side, at least until she could find a way to escape. Leaning forward, she touched the back of her hand to his forehead and felt the warmth. “You’ll feel better as soon as we can get the antibiotics.”
“I thought Porter would be back by now. What time is it?”
Looking at her watch, she said, “It’s a little after six o’clock.”
She glanced outside, and even though it was after dark, the white snow reflected light and made the world seem brighter. “It probably took him a while to get to wherever he was going. The snow is still coming down really hard.”
Deciding to fix the soup, she walked back to the kitchen. I don’t have to eat whatever I fix for them, thank God. She found another pot in the sink and washed off the dried food as best she could. Setting it on the hot plate, she opened three cans of chicken noodle soup and poured them into the pot.
While it was heating, she thought about the screwdriver she had seen in the drawer. If I take it now, where can I hide it? Will they miss it? If I leave it in the drawer, will I be able to get to it later? No answers came to her, but with Bob and David both awake, she decided now was not the time to sneak it out of the drawer.
Rinsing out a cruddy bowl and spoon, she finally gave up trying to make them clean. Pouring some of the now-heated soup into the bowl, she carried it over to the sofa, dragging her chain beside her. Handing it to David, she said, “You need to eat something to help your body fight the infection.”
He peered up at her with suspicion in his eyes, and she snapped. “I’ve been in full view of both of you the whole time. There’s nothing in the soup that didn’t come out of that can. You can eat it or not.” She walked back to the corner of the kitchen counter and called over her shoulder to Bob. “Should I just leave some here for Kenneth?”
“Yeah. I don’t want to let you out to take some soup to him, and I sure as fuck don’t want to go out into the cold.”
She ladled more soup into a bowl, walked over to Bob, and handed it to him. Having nowhere else to sit, she perched on the edge of the sofa where she had been earlier. Feeling David’s eyes on her, she turned and held his gaze.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“I saw some crackers in the cabinet and thought I might have some in a little bit.”
Snorting, Bob said, “She’s going on a hunger strike.”
David’s lip curled in a snarl. “Maybe we’d all be better off if you went on a hunger strike.”
“Huh?” A little soup dribbled off Bob’s chin as he cocked his head toward David, his brow furrowed.
“Never mind. Just don’t talk about shit you don’t know anything about.”
Sitting silently, Nora wondered about the four men. Kenneth had called David his uncle, so she assumed there was a familial relationship between those two. Porter was quiet, his task uncertain, but seemed to be efficient in whatever he was doing.
But Bob?
“Wondering why we keep him around, aren’t you?”
She jerked her head around, unable to hide her surprise at David’s words. Lifting her shoulders in a little shrug, she admitted, “I am curious.”
“We go way back. Times like those make relationships hard to change.”
She still had no idea what he was referring to but simply nodded.
“Bob, like me, firmly believes that the government is gonna come to take our land, our possessions, our weapons, our livelihood. And when you know you might be in a war, it’s always good to have someone who’ll follow instructions implicitly.”
She glanced toward Bob who was slurping his soup, smiling as though he did not understand he was being talked about. Or he doesn’t care. It sounds like he’s the one they keep around because he’s reliable enough to follow orders without questions! She tucked that bit of information away, wondering if he was easily led by anyone other than David.
David finished his soup and handed the bowl back to her. Bob held his out as well, and she stood to take it. Assuming they expected her to deal with the dishes, her chain rattled as she walked back to the kitchen corner. Turning on the water, she rinsed the dishes. Opening the cabinet, she grabbed the box of saltine crackers and opened a pack. Popping one into her mouth, she munched, thankful they were fresh. Turning around, she leaned her hip against the counter and found David’s eyes on her again. “You’re very well-stocked here.”
“One day, more people will wish they had gathered their resources around them. I want to stay ready so that if Armageddon comes, I know I’ll be prepared.”
She blinked, having no response to that comment. Turning back to the sink so that she was facing the wall, she closed her eyes as she gripped the counter.
“Go to the back to see what Kenneth is doing. Tell him we’ve got soup in here.”
She looked over her shoulder to see if David was talking to her, but his attention was focused on Bob.
“It’s cold out there!”
“Do it.”
Bob grumbled, remaining seated, but David continued to keep his steady gaze on the other man. Finally, Bob's shoulders slumped and he stood. “I’ll go tell him, but I’m not staying in the cold.” He made a big production of putting on his boots and heavy coat. After jerking the hood up, he opened the back door, and once again the blast of cold, night snow, and wind swept inside causing Nora to shiver.
Glancing toward David, she watched his eyes close once again. He’s weak, and I’m now alone with him. She felt certain she could overtake him but had no idea where she would go. Could I make it to the forest and stay warm until the morning? Would I be able to find my way down the mountain?
Thinking of the cold outside, she dismissed that plan. If the cold doesn’t kill me, they would. David’s eyes were still closed, and she turned to open the second drawer, slipping out the screwdriver. With her back to the living room, she turned on the water and pretended to wash a few more of the dishes. Jamming the end of the screwdriver into the chain links closest to her wrist, she worked the metal, attempting to loosen her bindings. Occasionally glancing over her shoulder, she then moved closer to the refrigerator and did the same on the links that were near the door handle. She didn’t want to break the chain at this time but weaken them just enough so that when she had the opportunity she could get away. Not wanting anyone to become suspicious, she placed the screwdriver back into the drawer.
A few minutes later, Bob came back in, once more stomping and shaking the snow off his coat and boots. David roused up long enough to glare at Bob.
“Just as I thought, Kenneth’s in the back cooking up ice. He says he’ll eat when he gets in.”
“Call Porter. Find out where the fuck he is,” David ordered.
Bob pulled out his phone, pressing buttons before putting it to his ear. Shaking his head, he said, “Not answering. This storm is probably keeping the signal from getting through. I’ll check Mary.” Going through the same process, he shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Nothing with her either.” He grinned before it turned into a chuckle. “Maybe the two of them have found a way to keep warm.”
“She’s his niece,” David growled.
“So what?” Bob asked, his brow lowered. He looked over his shoulder and winked at Nora. “This storm keeps up, maybe you and I can do the same.”
“Shut up and sit down,” David ordered. �
��She’s here to help me, not entertain you.”
Bob scowled as he shuffled over to the chair and plopped down near the fire again, the gun still in his hands.
Nora had watched the entire exchange, barely breathing for fear of bringing any attention to herself. For now, it appeared David was keeping her safe, but she wondered how long that would last. If Porter didn’t get back with the antibiotic, David’s wound could become septic and possibly kill him. Sucking in a ragged breath, she let it out slowly. A few minutes later Bob began to snore and she breathed easier.
Walking over to the small table piled with papers and boxes, she slumped onto the one rickety chair available. With little sleep the night before and the trauma of today, her body was heavy with fatigue. Placing her arms on the table, she dropped her head forward. Her thoughts turned darker as the storm continued to rage in the night. No one knows where I am. Once again, I’m all alone. Just me. No one else. Doubts now plagued all thoughts of Tate saving her that had lifted her spirits during the day. Even he can’t find me now. She tried to hold it back, but a tear slid across the bridge of her nose and dropped onto the table by her arm. Soon, it was followed by more.
17
After driving at a creeping speed for two more miles, Tate halted. With Josh on the phone, again he asked, “How close am I?”
“Looks like you’re just a mile away from the clearing.”
“I’m going the rest of the way on foot. I don’t want to take a chance of someone seeing the headlights. I’m sure they would assume I’m the man they expect to come back with the drugs, but I don’t want to alert them to my existence at all.”
Mace got on the line and said, “Just letting you know that Clay has met up with Levi in Laramie. They’re getting ready to head out in a few minutes. Levi has arranged for snowmobiles and a police snow coach. He said at first light tomorrow, they’ll head up Elk Mountain.”
Tate (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 6) Page 13
