Heron Park

by C. K. Raggio

  She leaned her head against the wall, the heat in her bruising cheek cooling on the glass. If her hunch about Gary wound up being a bad guess, they might never find Steven.

  No. She couldn’t think like that. She would find him, if she spent the rest of her life hunting him.

  Rick sat next to her and she forced a smile. She hadn’t appreciated his obvious display of affection for her back in Cleveland. First the kiss, then an intimate touch on her leg with Hill in the room.

  Then again, it’s not like she had put up a fight in either situation.

  “Did you talk to your dad?”

  “Mmm. I spoke with Sam. He took some time off from work to stay with my dad. Drive him back and forth to the vet’s office. Snow has an infection in her leg so they’re going to need to operate. It’s not looking good.”

  The thought of her dad losing Snow piled another sandbag onto her already compressed chest. Why did everything have to happen one thing after another?

  “I’m sorry.” Rick rubbed her shoulder. “That dog seems to mean a lot to him.”

  “More than you know.” She sighed, wishing they’d caught Steven so she could at least be there for her dad. “I’m just glad Sam’s around to keep an eye on him.”

  Rick narrowed his eyes. “Sam’s like a brother, right?”

  Cassie tilted her head at the tone of his voice. He was jealous of Sam? “No. I guess, more or less, he’s my best friend. My father’s son, but I don’t consider him a brother. If that makes sense.”

  He shifted in his seat. “You guys ever, you know, date or anything?”

  “Me and Sam?” She chuckled. “No. We kissed though.”

  “Really?”

  She grinned. “Yeah. I think I was nine.”

  He didn’t smile back. “What does Sam do for a living?”

  “A little bit of everything. He clams, does construction, plows in the winter. He also installs wood floors and volunteers for the fire department.”

  Rick sat back and stretched his legs out in front of him. “Can’t make up his mind what he wants, huh?”

  Cassie shrugged, feeling that there was a double meaning to what Rick was getting at. “He’s good at everything, never wanted to settle for doing one job. He likes to change it up so doesn’t get bored.”

  “Is that why you never got together?”

  Cassie angled her body toward his. “Why all the questions?”

  “I’m just surprised you’re not together.” He ran a hand over his mouth. “Phil mentioned he was your date to both your proms, and that you go with him to all his work parties.” He ticked the examples off his fingers, tapping his foot. “You take him every year to the department’s Christmas and New Year’s parties.”

  She scowled. Why would Phil tell him that? She’d have to have a little talk with him about his big mouth. “That’s true, but it’s not like that. My father was strict when I was growing up. He used to scare all the boys away when I brought them in the house. Sam did me a favor. I obviously don’t have time to date nowadays, either, so again, he does me a favor.”

  “What about his parties? You’re telling me a James Dean look alike can’t get a date?”

  A flush rolled over her body. She didn’t want to talk about this right now. She shifted away from Rick. “I-I don’t know.”

  “I met the guy for two seconds twice and I can tell you why he takes you. He’s head over heels in love with you.”

  Cassie sat up, her skull knocking the headrest, shooting pain across her bruising face. “What? Come on. Please, don’t be stupid.” Oh, God, he was right though. She’d been noticing it more since the case started and they were spending less time together. “Sam isn’t the settling down type. He hasn’t had a steady girlfriend since high school.”

  Rick snorted. “I wonder why? Are you really that dense? I don’t believe it.”

  “Excuse me?” Who the hell did this guy think he was? And why did he care? She lowered her voice. “Just because we slept together doesn’t give you the right to go poking your nose into my life.”

  He ran a finger under her chin like he had at the motel before they kissed. “Cassie, you’re in complete denial. My question is why?”

  She slapped his hand away. “Why what?”

  He sighed. “Why are you ignoring his signals? You’re blushing, fidgeting. You know I’m right. So do you love him too? Or do you only think of him as a best friend?”

  She crossed her legs. “That is none of your business. Why do you even care?”

  Rick leaned in, his warm breath in her ear. “I care because I’m falling in love with you.”

  She jolted back, heart racing. Any comebacks jumbled in her brain.

  He smiled.

  “You can’t be serious.” She wiggled in her seat, then tensed. Crap, she really was fidgeting.

  “I am, Logan.” He threw his hands up. “I’m falling in love with you. It’s obvious to everyone except you. Why do you think Phil would tell me all that? He’s trying to protect his friend, keep me away from you.”

  Everyone knows? She glanced over her shoulder at Hill. He smiled and winked at her. Her face heated and she slunk down in her seat. “Oh, God.” And she’d only known him for a few days.

  “I told you. Now if you won’t talk about Sam, then I think I have the right to know what you’re going to do about me. How do you feel?”

  She stared at the lights of the city below, hoping that would make the conversation disappear. She wasn’t looking to fall in love with anyone. Or was she? Had she already?

  “Okay, Days of our Lives up there,” Hill said. “We’re almost there. Cassie, I want you to come with me to see Gary.”

  She jumped up and shoved past Rick’s knees. She could almost hug Hill for the interruption. She sat down next to him and listened as he talked about what to ask Gary. Her thoughts drifted as he rattled on.

  Sam in love with her? It can’t be, he dated all the time. He dated as much as Izzy did for Christ-sake. Then again, all the looks he’d been giving her. His parting words at the vet’s office. He was hard to read even though she’d known him for so long.

  This is insane. If anything it’s a crush, not love.

  Hill snapped his fingers in front of her face, making her jump.

  “What’s insane?” he asked.

  Her cheeks heated up again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say… I’m listening, go on.”

  “Uh-huh. Sure you are.” He gestured at the back of Rick’s head. “That’s some love triangle you have going on.”

  Her spine bent, she wished she could sink through the floor. “Did you hear us talking?”

  Hill laughed. “Well, not everything, but it doesn’t take a profiler to figure out what’s going on between you.”

  Cassie fought the urge to bury her head in her hands. “This keeps getting better and better.”

  “Yeah, it sucks,” Hill said, his smile wide across his chubby face. “You’re kinda screwed on this one. Now, back to Gary.”

  ~~~

  It took Cassie ten minutes to get the Bayhead location from Gary. A cave in the woods behind Steven’s childhood home where he’d caught Gary and Susan together. It was a place Gary said Steven had spent a lot of time.

  That had to be where Steven killed her. Gary said there was an old graveyard behind the cave. Cassie hoped that’s where she was buried too. They needed to go back to Bayhead. Since Steven would be driving from Ohio they still had a few hours before he’d be anywhere close to New York.

  “I’ll be back in an hour to pick you up,” Hill said as he dropped Cassie at her house.

  She slammed the door and waved at the officer sitting in his patrol car. She was glad that Hank had kept someone guarding her house while she was away.

  The distinct sound of Sam’s diesel engine came down the street. She pulled on the hood of her coat, making sure it covered the bruises and gash on her cheek. She didn’t want her father to worry any more than he already was.

  Her gut
turned as the truck pulled in, her dad in the passenger seat. Be cool, Cassie. She caught Sam’s eye and looked away. How should she play this? Should she say something to him? Pretend she didn’t know? Know what? Maybe Rick was just losing his mind.

  She took a breath. Her father stepped out of the truck. She threw her arms around his shoulders, keeping her face angled so he wouldn’t see her cheek. “You okay? How’s Snow?”

  Her father pulled back. The bags under his eyes probably matched her own. “She’s in surgery now. How are you?”

  The events of the last day flooded her, but she kept it simple. He was under enough stress. “Not great. We lost him in Ohio. We think he may be heading back to Bayhead. I leave in an hour.”

  He pinched his lips together, deep lines etched his face. “I’m gonna go in to take a nap. Wake me before you leave.”

  “Of course. I love you, Dad.”

  “Love you too, baby.”

  He moved slowly into the house, looking more his age than ever before. What would’ve happened if Snow hadn’t been around to protect her father? Would he have ended up like Kurt Mason? No, for whatever reason Steven hated her, so her father’s demise would’ve been even worse.

  She wanted to curl into a ball, right there in the driveway. Her knees weakened, she almost gave in. A tightness came over her shoulders, a gnawing feeling of eyes caressing her back. She turned to face them.

  Sam leaned against the truck. His arms folded across his chest. He did kind of look like a blonder and taller James Dean. All he needed was a black leather jacket and a cigarette behind his ear. What she would do for a hit of nicotine right now.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded at him. His eyes never left hers. He was in love with her. Why hadn’t she realized it before? Who was she kidding? She’d known for a long time, but completely blocked it out. Amber flecks danced in his eyes. Did she love him?

  He stepped toward her and opened his arms. She fell into them. Feelings of comfort and warmth rushed through her. His body felt right against hers. His lips touched her forehead and her hood fell off. He brushed at a lock of hair covering her bruised and cut cheek.

  Shit.

  “What the hell happened?” He tipped her chin up.

  “It’s nothing.” She wrenched free from his grip. Anger and embarrassment washed over her. Why did he always have to be so damn overprotective?

  A frown touched his lips, hurt rushed across his features.

  She softened. He was overprotective because he loved her. “I’m okay, just took a spill in the woods. I’m a klutz, you know that, and the ground is hard this time of year.” She gave him a halfhearted grin and thought about the sharp pain as the dog’s fang sliced into her skin.

  His cheek twitched. “Your dad’s taking it really hard about Steven, or whatever his name is. He couldn’t believe he didn’t see it, spent more time with him there than anyone. Add that to you traipsing around trying to catch him, and of course Snow.” He paused as she narrowed her eyes.

  She didn’t need to hear his guilt trip. “You think I don’t know that?”

  He cleared his throat. “I know, it’s just that he… no, we worry about you. I know you’re not telling us everything.” He stared at her bruises. “I’m not used to that, Cass. You’ve never kept anything from me.”

  Cassie put her back to him, stared out at the inlet. Why was everyone deciding now was the time to confess their undying love to her? She glanced at him. His body tensed. She’d hurt him, she was still hurting him. He was right, she always told him everything. Now she kept so much from him. Lied to him. Did he know about Rick? Had Phil told him anything? Too many thoughts raced in her head and she couldn’t decipher them.

  He moved away, his arms dropped to his sides. “I’m gonna run home and grab Sable. She seems to comfort John more than I can. You take care of yourself. Make sure you check in with us.” He walked to the side of the truck.

  “I will.” Cassie struggled to hold back tears. Rick, Sam. Sam, Rick. Add Steven to the mix. Her dad. The men in her life were driving her insane.

  He opened the door and climbed half in.

  She needed to say something to him. For all the times he took care of her father. Took care of her. “Sam, wait.”

  A light of hope glinted in his eyes. Thank you didn’t seem good enough. He wanted more than that. Deserved more. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him, their lips inches apart. She could feel his heart pounding, smell the oaky scent of his aftershave.

  What the hell was she doing? If Sam was in love with her, she couldn’t do this to him. Not with her own feeling and emotions in such disarray. She turned her head and kissed his cheek. This wasn’t something she could handle right now.

  “I’ll call you later,” she whispered.

  His shoulders slumped as he got into his truck and slammed the door.

  She watched him back out of the driveway and lifted her chin. There was only one man she should be concentrating on right now: Steven Bailey. Once she caught him, she’d be able to think more clearly.

  CHAPTER 44

  The helicopter swooped low, its light cutting through the darkness over acres of Christmas trees. A steady flurry of snow dusted the green boughs. Cassie watched as the land opened up to a large field.

  Flemings and a group of men waited outside Steven’s childhood home in the distance. If Steven didn’t come back to Bayhead what would they do? How would they find him? She bit her lip as they landed.

  She ducked under the blades behind Phil, Hill, and Rick. Dirt and twigs pelted her jacket. She pulled her hood tight around her head to both shield her face and to try to dull the sound of the whining engine.

  They crossed the street and strode up to Flemings. He glared at them. Obviously thinking it was their fault Steven had gotten away. No surprise there.

  “Logan, Sanders, and Hill will come with me. Phil, you’ll help the agents keep an eye out for Steven on the streets since you know what he looks like. I don’t want anybody pulled over unless we’re sure it’s him. We can’t afford to scare him off again.”

  Phil frowned and lit a cigarette. The cherry’s embers glowed in the growing darkness.

  Three vans drove up. Officers and agents piled out, flashlights clicked on.

  Cassie kept her gaze on Phil. She knew he wanted to go with them to the cave. But Rick had mentioned to Hill how emotional Phil could get, and they’d decided it would be better for him to hang back.

  They were leaving footprints with every step, but the flurries were supposed to pick up. They’d be gone by the time Steven made his way to the cave. If he was going to the cave at all. They had an hour till dawn and at least two or three hours before Steven would show up. If he showed up.

  Hill gathered the group of officers and agents on the side of the lane. “Remember, Steven Bailey is armed. He’s killed an agent, an officer, and a detective. Don’t hesitate to take him out if he shows any resistance. Is that clear?”

  The group nodded, a few hands coming to rest on their holsters.

  Hill split the group into three. There were two main trails into Steven’s woods. One near his house and one off the highway. But those weren’t the only way in. The woods went on for miles through five other towns.

  He pointed at Phil’s group. “You guys will be searching the lanes for abandoned cars. Group two will stay here. Group three will be our back up if Steven does wind up at the cave. You’ll be coming in off the highway.”

  Cassie stood at the edge of the group and pulled her heavy coat tighter around her neck. Hand and foot warmers weighed down her pockets. She hoped they were right in assuming this would be his next stop. She hoped for the chance to get him alone. She would end all this for good, whether he resisted or not.

  “Remember, we don’t want him to know we’re on to him,” Flemings said. “He’s gotten through roadblocks and outsmarted us on more than one occasion.” He eyed Rick.

  “If he comes here, we end this t
oday,” Fleming continued. “Move out.”

  Static from radios filled the air and the group disbursed. Phil climbed into the first van without looking back. Cassie knew he’d get over it, but doubt crept its way in. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything to Rick. Maybe they should’ve all stuck together.

  Rick nudged her as the van pulled away. “He’ll be okay.”

  She nodded, then looked at the map Gary had drawn for them. It was in pen, but it may as well been in crayon. An X marked Steven’s house. Two squiggly vertical lines were supposed to be pine trees, which marked the entrance to the path. Gary told her it was a five-minute walk to the stream, two horizontal lines. They would follow that to the cave.

  Flemings snatched the map from her hand. “I’ll take that. This way.”

  She ground her teeth. Asshole. Shining her flashlight in front of her, she started for the trees. The soft crunching of footsteps in the snow followed behind her. Gary said it should take them no longer than twenty minutes to get there. She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

  Snowflakes snuck their way under her hood. They melted, dripping down the nape of her punctured neck. She shivered, thinking of the dog’s weight on her back, the drool, the teeth. She scanned the darkness along the path. What if he’d made it back before them? What if he’d set traps?

  The dog’s growls echoed in her head. What if he had more dogs? She slowed her pace and let Rick and Hill come up behind her. Better safe than having her throat ripped out.

  A half hour later they were still walking.

  “Are you sure we didn’t miss it?” Flemings asked, still holding the map.

  The frozen streambed they walked in had been shallow. Cassie slid her feet across the ice and river rocks to keep from falling and breaking her ankle. “Gary said there was a tree house that we couldn’t miss.”