by Sharon Dunn
Nancy arrived with the hot water and first aid kit. “Let me get a lamp so you can see better.” Lacey listened to her footsteps pad away and then return. “I’ll hold the light.” She brought it down closer to where Jude held her injured foot.
He washed her foot with warm water. The gentle touch soothed her. As the memory of the attack encroached, she was able to stay calm.
His finger pressed into the bottom of her foot. “You must have scraped it on something.” He pulled something out of the first aid kit. “I need to disinfect it. It’s going to sting a little.”
“I can take it.” She pressed her lips together.
“I know you can. You’re one strong lady.” He winked at her.
His playfulness sent a wave of electricity through her despite the pain she was in.
He pressed his thumb into the bottom of her foot and squeezed out the disinfectant. A sharp pain played across her nerves and then dissipated.
“Got it,” he said.
“I think there’s a bandage in there too,” said Nancy.
Lacey closed her eyes as he pressed the bandage on.
“Is she going to be all right, Doctor?” Nancy’s tone was joking.
“Yes, Nurse Nancy.”
Lacey rested her hand on her chest, finally able to take a deep breath.
“I’m a little worried that man might come back.” Nancy gripped her bathrobe at the neck.
“I’ll make sure the house is secure and I’ll stand watch until Lev gets back. Get some sleep, Nancy,” Jude said.
After a moment’s hesitation and nervous glance toward the kitchen, Nancy disappeared down the hallway.
Lacey could feel the heaviness of fatigue and the fallout from her attack weighing her muscles down.
“Why don’t you try to sleep too.” Jude stood up. “I’m going to make sure that window can’t be opened again.”
Lacey lay her head on the pillow and pulled her legs up toward her chest. She could hear Jude rooting around and then there was the sound of a hammer. By the time he returned, she was half-asleep.
She opened one eye. Jude had settled down on the pad and pulled the sleeping bag around himself while he stared at the fire in the woodstove.
“It’s okay, you know,” she said. “There’s probably no way you could have prevented that guy coming in here.”
“I should have stayed awake. I shouldn’t have let my guard down. The reason why he’s after you is because of me. Because you helped me.”
“You were as tired out as I was.” Even as she spoke, she could feel the tension between them again. It seemed that guilt ruled much of Jude’s life. He must have felt a huge sense of responsibility ten years ago. That it was his job to save the husband and wife and now this kidnapped girl. “Jude, you’re not invincible. You need sleep too. I know you would have prevented that guy from coming in here if you could have.”
“I shouldn’t have been sleeping so deeply.”
“You’re a human being. You need to eat and sleep like the rest of us. I’m just glad you came for me when you did. So quit beating yourself up...over everything.”
He took a long moment to answer. “Okay.” His tone suggested he didn’t really mean what he said.
She pulled the blanket up toward her neck and stared at the ceiling. It seemed as though Jude had carried the weight of the world on his shoulders for a long time. Would he ever forgive himself for what had happened ten years ago? “I know that you did everything that you could with that husband and wife. You always do the right thing. You’re a good man, but that doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen.”
Jude didn’t answer for several moments. “You might be right. I never thought about it that way.”
Lacey drifted off to sleep not knowing if her words had made a difference. She awoke hours later to the sound of heavy pounding on the front door.
* * *
Jude had only been half-asleep when he heard someone knocking at the door. He doubted the assailant would try to come back a second time and he certainly wouldn’t knock.
Jude jumped to his feet just as Lacey opened her eyes. He peered through the window of the door. Lev stood outside in his full snowsuit gear but holding his helmet. Jude unlatched the door, feeling a tightness in his chest. It was just Lev on the front steps. No other searchers. No Maria.
Jude clicked back the dead bolt and twisted the doorknob. Early morning sun shone in his eyes.
“Forgot my key,” Lev said as he stepped inside. “We usually don’t have to lock our doors.”
“What did you find?” Fear zinged through him like a Ping-Pong ball. He prayed Maria hadn’t been killed or left to die.
Lev placed his helmet on the table by the door. He turned to face Jude. “Nothing.”
“Nobody was up there?”
“There was evidence in the vacation rental that someone had been there recently. The other place was locked up tight. I don’t think anyone has been there in months.”
Jude tried to process what Lev was telling him. Lacey sat up on the couch, stretching and yawning. Maybe the kidnapper had panicked and moved Maria from the vacation rental. But where would he go? His travel would be as limited as theirs was. The roads were still not plowed.
Lev pulled off his gloves. “Did you two get some rest?”
“We had a little excitement here. Someone got into the house and grabbed Lacey.”
Lev looked at Jude and then at Lacey who had risen to her feet. “I’m sorry about that. You know, there are men in this town I trust with my life. We can start questioning guys who are tall and thin...maybe get to the bottom of this before the sheriff shows up.”
“I don’t want the whole town knowing what is going on. The tall thin man would probably just go into hiding,” Jude said. “There is one more home to visit on that mountain road. I can go up there and check it out and then I need to take the time to look around myself. That car that was used to kidnap Maria was on that road for a reason.”
“You can’t go up there alone,” Lev said.
“Lacey’s foot is hurt, so she might need to stay here with someone watching her.”
Lacey stepped toward them, favoring her cut foot only slightly. “It doesn’t hurt that bad. I’d rather be helpful and go back out with Jude. I’m in danger no matter what. Might as well make myself useful. I feel safest when I’m with Jude.” She stared at him with those wide round eyes.
Jude appreciated the vote of confidence, but he’d already messed up once. “Are you sure?”
She nodded.
Her words from the night before came back to him. Did he allow himself to be a human being who made mistakes? His intention was always to do the right thing. That had been his intention ten years ago. He had asked God a thousand times why things had gone so wrong.
“I don’t know if I like this plan.” Lev shook his head. “It concerns me that that man came into my home and grabbed Lacey. I think maybe we should have her under some protection.”
Lacey touched her hand to her chest. “Lev, I don’t know if the man who came after me is someone from Lodgepole or an outsider who is in hiding. You’re a good guy and I am sure most of the people in Lodgepole are good people, but right now Jude is the only one I trust.”
Jude studied Lacey for a moment. Morning light from the window gave her auburn hair a golden tone. She wanted to be with him, if only for safety. She believed in him even if he didn’t believe in himself.
Lev took a moment to answer. “It’s your call, Lacey.” He turned to face Jude. “I assume you carry a gun for your line of work.”
Jude padded his chest.
“Okay, you can go up there again. Make sure when you take one of the town snowmobiles that you are fully fueled up.”
“We’ll grab some breakfast and head out so we have the full day. No need to wake Nancy. We c
an find something to eat,” Jude said.
“I’d appreciate it. I’m pretty worn-out myself. I need to get a couple hours shut-eye before I deal with everything that has to be done.” Lev nodded and disappeared down the hallway.
Lacey and Jude ate from the food supply that Nancy had set out on the counter. She heated some water for oatmeal and instant coffee. She handed him one of the steaming mugs after she’d stirred the coffee in.
“Not exactly a mocha with whipped cream, but it will warm your belly and give you some energy,” she said.
“I’m sure my stomach will say thank you.” He lifted the steamy mug in a toast.
While they sipped the coffee, Lacey got the map out that Lev had given them with the house that needed to be checked in on. She laid it out on the table and pointed. “That last house is the farthest away from the main road. It will take a while to get to.”
“Yes, that’s the one where that family lives off the grid. Lev said we’d have to park the snowmobile and hike in.”
The both stared at the map. “Besides those two cabins, there are no other residences that connect with that mountain road.” Jude shook his head. “It doesn’t make any sense. Where would he have taken her? He was on that road for some reason.”
She pointed at the map. There are primitive roads that go off toward the other side of the mountain. “Maybe he was holding her on the other side of the mountain and going the long way to avoid detection.”
“I don’t know,” Jude said. “I just know I have to keep trying.”
They both stepped into the living room where they’d tossed their snowsuits and other winter gear. While they suited up they continued to talk.
“Maybe she was never in the cabin.” Lacey sat down to pull on her boots after she’d zipped her suit up.
“Then why was he so bent on me not making it up that mountain road in the first place?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe he has a camper up there.”
They stepped outside into the crisp clear morning. For the first time in days they could see blue sky even though the temperature felt like it might be hovering around zero.
“Just a second.” Jude pulled his cell phone out. “I think I have a signal. I have to call George Ignatius. At least try to make contact. I’m sure he’s sitting in his home in North Dakota worried to death about his missing daughter.”
Lacey nodded, sat sideways on the snowmobile and tilted her head toward the sun.
The phone rang several times. He heard a man’s voice on the other end of the line. “George? It’s Jude Trainor.”
George’s voice faded in and out. Jude thought he asked if Maria had been found yet.
“No, but I think she is being kept somewhere on Shadow Ridge. Has a ransom demand been made yet?”
A blast of static hit his ear. He thought he heard George say “Yes.” And then all he could hear was warbled speech. “George, I can’t hear you.” He listened a moment longer before giving up.
They got onto the snowmobile, which revved to life. They refueled at the grain silo, where Lev had told them they would find some gas pumps, and headed back up the mountain.
The sun shining somehow renewed his hope and energy. They had at least eight hours before it got dark. It wouldn’t take that long to check on the last home. He didn’t doubt that Lev had not seen anyone at either of the cabins, but maybe there was some clue that would tell him that Maria had been there.
The snowmobile wound up the mountain past the first turnoff where they had checked on the old man and his dogs. They came to a fork in the road. He slowed the snowmobile and turned. He’d traveled maybe a quarter mile before the road became a trail.
The deadfall of forest and the heavy snow made it clear that if they tried to go any farther, they’d just end up getting stuck. He stopped the snowmobile.
Lacey got off first, grabbing the backpack that contained emergency supplies. Jude pulled his helmet off and looked around. “How crazy does someone have to be to live in such a remote place?”
“Lev didn’t warn us in any way about them. Some people just don’t want to be all caught up in modern life. I like it when my research takes me up to a cabin or campsite where I can’t see the light of civilization anywhere, only the stars. It has its appeal.”
There was a heaviness to her words. They had both been hiding, running for years just in different ways. “I suppose we all need to get away now and then.” He reached toward her. “I’ll carry the backpack.”
He slipped into it and led the way through the trees. After a while, there was no clear path. They stepped around fallen logs and pushed the branches of bent-over trees out of the way.
He smelled wood smoke but couldn’t see anything through the thick undergrowth. They stepped into the clearing where the smoke from a chimney twirled through the blue sky.
Lacey stepped forward and stood beside him. “That’s a good sign. They are able to keep their house heated.”
He liked that she stood so close to him. “I’m glad you decided to come out here with me.”
“Honestly, Jude, I meant it. Being with you is the safest place for me.”
“Thanks.” He reached out and squeezed her gloved hand. Jude turned his attention back to the smoke though the house was still not visible. “Let’s go make sure this family is okay.”
If everything went according to plan, they would have plenty of time to search the area for any clues as to what had happened to Maria. He could not accept that she had never been on the mountain at all.
The kidnapper or kidnappers had communicated with George to set a ransom. If the kidnappers had demanded cash, assuming that Maria was being kept somewhere on the mountain, the exchange couldn’t happen until the roads were open. That meant Maria was still alive. It also meant time was running out to find her.
TEN
Lacey heard the sound of children laughing even before she saw the house that belonged to the Johnsons. The forest thinned, and a structure that looked like it had been made from recycled materials came into view. Part of the dwelling was an old bus with rooms and walls extending out from it. Though the place looked like square footage had been added as needed, it was probably quite large inside.
Two boys, one maybe eight years of age and a teenager, threw snowballs at each other while a brown dog leaped in the air at the snowballs and yipped. The boys stopped and stared at Lacey and Jude when they stepped free of the trees.
Jude waved. “We’re from Lodgepole. We’re here to check on your safety.”
The younger boy spoke up. “I’ll get my dad.” He ran, disappearing around the side of the house.
The older boy picked up an ax and chopped wood while Lacey and Jude drew closer.
Lacey stepped toward the teenager who brought the ax down on a log. “Is everyone here okay?”
“We’ve been fine. Dad reckons we’ll be able to dig out of here in a couple of days.”
Several more children came to the window and looked out. Two girls and a blond baby who sucked his fingers as they watched with interest.
A man who looked like the teenager, only with a mustache, came around the corner of the house. He held out his hand to shake both Jude’s and Lacey’s hand. “I’m David Johnson. You came up from Lodgepole to check on us?”
“Yeah, it’s something Lev feels needs to be done.”
“Good ol’ Lev. I think we’re pretty well set.”
Lacey noticed a truck still covered in snow. “You’re able to drive out when the roads are clear?”
David turned toward his truck. “Yeah, there is a road on the other side of the property that leads into Garnet. That’s where we get most of our supplies. Gonna be a few more days before the forest service plow makes it up this far. But we have a generator, lots of wood, stocked shelves and a greenhouse. I can get around on the snowmobile.
We’re ready for anything. I used to live in Seattle, worked as a financial guy. The stress was killing me, and I never got to see my kids.” He cupped a hand on the teenager’s shoulder. “Trying to teach them self-sufficiency.”
“Dad, what about some aspirin for Winnie?” The teen pointed at Jude’s backpack.
“Oh yes, if you have aspirin in that pack, we’d take that.”
Jude slipped out of the pack and started rooting through it. He opened the first aid kit and pulled out two packets. “Probably only going to be three or four in each one. It’s not a children’s aspirin.”
“We can cut it in half.” Johnson took the packets. “Thanks. My wife likes to use herbal medicine, but sometimes you can’t beat good old-fashioned aspirin. You folks are welcome to come in if you like. Wife said something about making a pecan pie.”
Lacey glanced at Jude. They couldn’t waste any time. “That sounds tempting, but we need to get going.”
David offered them a tip of his hat. “Take care and say hi to Lev for me.”
“You got it,” Jude said. He turned to go but then turned back around. “Have you noticed any strange vehicles around here before the storm hit?”
David shook his head and then looked at his older son who also shook his head.
Jude still wasn’t going to give up. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen anyone headed up toward those two cabins that are above you or signs of someone camping out?”
Again, David shook his head. “One of the cabins is owned by some organization. The members can use it. The other is a vacation rental. Sometimes in the summer I run into people. If they are out here to hunt, they might come by and introduce themselves. But no one has made themselves known lately.”
“Thank you,” Jude said.
The younger boy and a girl about the same age emerged from the house. Lacey and Jude walked back toward the growth of trees with the sound of laughter and wood being chopped fading as they hurried along.
“They seem like a happy family,” Lacey said. She hadn’t meant for her voice to be tinged with sadness. “I suppose they exist in this world. Happy families. I used to think that I would get married and have kids, but now I don’t know.”
