Blood Trail

by C. M. Sutter

  At that point, we were playing a waiting game for information that could get us one step closer to Gary. We were all tired, but we pushed ourselves to Vernal, where we would sleep for the night then head south that next morning. Gary couldn’t be more than a few hours ahead of us, but on what road was the million-dollar question.

  We found a decent hotel just off the highway and called it a wrap for the night. If an urgent update came in on any of our phones, we would be back on the road within minutes.

  I showered and put on my pajamas, but had everything ready to go for a quick exit if necessary. Before I plugged in my phone and shut off the light, I sent off a quick text to Amber saying I was too tired to talk, we hadn’t caught the kidnapper yet, and hopefully tomorrow would be a better day. I turned off the light and closed my eyes just as my phone buzzed.

  “Come on, Sis, I’m too tired to do this back-and-forth text thing. Talking would be faster than tapping.” I sat up with a groan, grabbed my phone off the nightstand, and was prepared to tell Amber to let me sleep. I tapped the message and was surprised to see it was from Pete. He’d spoken with a half dozen locals and had a few names of shady characters, not anyone they knew to be criminals, he’d said, but shady none the less. I returned a text thanking him and said I would check out those people in the criminal database first thing in the morning. After asking for his continued help, I said we were spending the night in Vernal, Utah, and would cross into Colorado tomorrow.

  It was a five-hour drive from Vernal to Central City, which would get us there in the early afternoon unless word came back that Gary had been captured somewhere else. No matter what, if he was in custody, we would get him to tell us where the drop-off location was. He would have kidnapping, human trafficking, and murder charges brought against him, which didn’t give him much leverage. Claire would have the same charges brought against her, and if she was still with him, one of them would give us what we wanted. Whoever talked first would get a sweetheart deal. The other would serve a life sentence.

  I sent off a quick text to Renz saying that Pete named three people in a message. Although he said there wasn’t any proof of wrongdoing against them that he was aware of, they were sketchy and shady enough to warrant checking into.

  A return text only showed a thumbs-up emoji, which I was grateful for. Tomorrow was another day, and we would have plenty of time to research those names during our drive to Central City.

  I clicked off the light and hoped my phone wouldn’t alert me to anything else that night.

  I woke at six a.m., grabbed my phone, and turned off the alarm. I checked for new messages and saw there weren’t any, and no texts had come in during the night. That told me Gary was still in the wind.

  How in the hell is he evading every type of law enforcement agency out there?

  I started the four-cup coffeemaker and headed to the shower for a quick wake-up rinse. We would discuss our next move over breakfast and hope the daylight hours would finally expose the man who, up to that point, had remained invisible.

  During breakfast, I told Fay and Tommy about the text I’d gotten from Pete the night before. The three names could be people of interest, he’d said, and worth checking into, in his opinion. A Malcomb Crane, a Rod Ramirez, and a Charles Dunn were all locals who had property outside town and were reclusive and suspicious-seeming people who had assets without logical explanations of how they’d acquired their good fortune. As far as Pete knew, none of them went to everyday jobs.

  “Sounds like people who may be conducting business under the radar. We’ll definitely check them out,” Tommy said.

  “Anybody hear from Taft yet this morning?” Renz looked from one face to the next.

  We shrugged in unison.

  “Okay, then let’s finish eating, check out, and continue our route on those secondary roads into Colorado. I’ll call Maureen in an hour to see what she knows.”

  We had a choice to make before setting out—take Bonanza Highway south, which was a state highway, or US Highway 40, which was also called the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway. They would both take us where we needed to go, but US 40 was faster and busier.

  “We have to think like Gary. Would he risk that exposure on a US highway, or would he prefer to stay more hidden on those slower, winding roads?” I asked.

  “He’d stay under the radar. He hasn’t come this far to be caught if he could avoid it,” Tommy said.

  Fay nodded. “I agree.”

  Renz headed for the car. “So, we’re all in agreement to take the Bonanza Highway?”

  We said we were. He climbed in behind the wheel, and we set out on our southbound route by seven o’clock. Sooner or later, Gary would wear down and need to rest if he hadn’t already. As for us, we had four able-bodied people who could take turns driving if someone needed a break.

  We had been on the road for twenty minutes when two sheriff’s office cars sped past us with their sirens blaring and lights flashing.

  “What the hell was that?” I asked.

  We had no way of knowing since the car we were in was an everyday rental and not a police vehicle with a radio on board.

  Renz shook his head and continued on. “Maybe there’s an accident farther down the road. Those squad cars probably came from Vernal since it’s the largest city in these parts, and whatever happened, I’m sure we’ll pass it.”

  Chapter 45

  The ear-piercing shriek that came from Claire jarred Gary awake. He jumped straight up and realized it was daylight and that he’d missed his five a.m. alarm. He lunged at her and slapped her across the face. “What the hell are you screaming about, you stupid bitch?”

  Gary spun at the sound of pounding against the driver’s-side door then on the wall of the truck’s box.

  A male called out, “What’s going on in there? Who’s inside? I heard screaming.”

  Gary turned back to Claire and kicked her in the gut, then knelt next to her and yanked her head back by the hair. The other woman cowered against the wall and sobbed through her taped mouth.

  “Why did I trust you to keep your mouth closed? You’re nothing but a lying piece of shit!”

  The man continued to pound on the truck. “Come out of there, or I’m calling 911.”

  Gary had his knife ready when he climbed back into the cab, unlocked the door, and stepped out. “What’s up? Why are you threatening me, man?”

  “I heard screaming. Who’s in there?”

  “Nobody. I was watching a movie trailer on my phone. Why are you being so damn nosey anyway?”

  “I’m not. I saw some debris lying on the side of the road, so I pulled over to check it out. When I got out, I heard screaming from behind the barn.”

  Gary rubbed his brow and stared at the dirt. He thought about the decals he’d left along the road last night. It was obvious he’d forgotten to pick them up. “Like I said, it was a movie trailer on my phone.”

  “Then why are you parked back here like you’re hiding? I’m not buying the bull you’re selling.” As the man grabbed the doorhandle and stepped up on the running board, Gary jammed the knife into his back and shoved him to the ground.

  Gary ran to the car that was still running, pulled it behind the barn, and killed the engine. He popped the trunk then walked to the man’s side. After yanking the man’s wallet from his pocket, Gary stuck it in his own then returned to the truck. He stormed into the back, ripped a piece of tape off the roll, and stretched it across Claire’s mouth as she tried to bite and fight him off.

  “Guess what, bitch. You’re staying here with that dead guy. You’re nothing but trouble, and I’m so sick of you I could kill you right here, right now, but instead, I’ll let you starve to death and die on your own. You aren’t worth the aggravation of taking along.”

  Seconds later, he was across the truck and cutting the zip ties that secured the new woman to the truck supports. He pulled her to her feet as she fought him with everything she had. “You’re going to make this di
fficult. Aren’t you?” A punch to the face silenced her temporarily, then he grabbed her bound arms and dragged her to the rear of the truck. After stepping back outside, Gary rounded the truck, opened the padlock and doors, and jerked her out. She fell three feet to the ground with a thud. She fought and flailed as he dragged her to the car’s trunk, threw her in, and closed the lid. “There, one down, and one to go.”

  Gary grabbed the man by his legs and pulled him to the back, lifted him, and rolled him in. “See ya, Claire. Hope you have a nice, slow death.” He slammed the rear doors and snapped the padlock closed. “There.” Gary pulled the keys from the ignition and gathered what he needed from the truck’s cab, then climbed into the driver’s seat of the Accord and drove away. He chuckled to himself. “Nice wheels. Now I don’t have to look over my shoulder for the rest of the trip.”

  Gary still had a two-hour drive ahead of him before he hit I-70, but once he was on it, he could make up time. He would get a grand for the woman, maybe a little less because he’d punched her and bloodied her face, but the money would easily hold him over for a week. He would swap out the car plates with another’s, move on to a different state, and find a van to steal. A large vehicle wasn’t necessary anymore since he would only be snatching and delivering two girls a week going forward.

  Note to self—ask Charlie about getting that new identity too.

  Chapter 46

  Another twenty minutes passed. I’d already spoken with Taft and said we were taking a two-lane highway through the mountainous areas in hopes that it was the same route Gary had taken. She was fine with us continuing on to Central City and that Pete had given me three local names to drop into the database.

  “The Wi-Fi and phone service is spotty in the area. It comes in and out.”

  “Give me the names, and I’ll look them up,” Taft said. “I’ll get back to you when I know more.”

  I clicked off the call, and seconds later, when we rounded the next curve, we saw the squad cars parked on an overgrown driveway, but the only building there was a broken-down barn. As we passed, we didn’t see a crashed car, or any other car for that matter.

  “That’s weird.” I frowned and looked back out the right rear window as Renz was about to round the next curve. “Stop!” I didn’t mean to yell that loud, and I was sure I nearly gave Renz a heart attack, but in looking back, I saw the rear side of the barn and what was sitting behind it. The view as we approached had been blocked by the squad cars. “It’s the truck.”

  “What are you talking about?” Tommy wrinkled his brow as he looked over his shoulder.

  “The box truck, Gary’s truck. It’s parked behind that barn! Turn around, Renz, hurry!”

  Our heads snapped forward as Renz slammed on the brakes, made a Y-turn in the middle of the road, squealed the tires, and floored the gas pedal. We braced ourselves as he made a hard left into the driveway a quarter mile back, and as soon as the car came to a stop, we all leapt out, our badges already in hand.

  “What’s going on here?” Tommy yelled.

  “I should ask you the same thing. Why is the FBI in this neck of the woods?”

  Tommy pointed. “Looking for that truck, I think. It was reported to have a pizza-company logo on the side, but now that we can see it up close, it doesn’t.”

  “Yeah, it did. There’s a bunch of magnetic decals lying alongside the road, a dead unidentified man in the back, and a young lady, who the other deputy is cutting the restraints off of, also in the back. If you know what the hell this is about, we’d appreciate hearing the story.”

  “Only one lady?” I asked.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  I ran to the back of the truck and saw that a padlock had the doors secured and also that the taillight was broken. It was definitely the right truck. I jerked my chin toward the driver’s-side door, and my colleagues climbed inside. In the box of the truck, we saw Claire being cared for by the deputy and an unidentified deceased man lying on the floor.

  “Claire, where’s Gary?”

  “I don’t know, but this man was banging on the truck door, and the next thing I know, Gary opened the back, punched the other woman in the face, took her out, and rolled this guy in. He obviously thought he’d killed him, but the guy lived long enough to dial 911. I couldn’t do anything because I’m zip tied to this damn truck!”

  I nodded at the deputy. “Can you help my guys get her and the dead man outside and into the daylight?”

  “Yes, ma’am, not a problem.”

  Once Claire was sitting on a patch of weeds outside, I told the deputies to call for an ambulance to remove the dead man from the scene, then I began the round of questions. Claire, although banged up, was a fugitive, and she wasn’t leaving our sight.

  “What was that man’s name?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know, and I’m not saying another word without a lawyer. I’ve already said too much.”

  “You’re a criminal, Claire, and you’re impeding this investigation, which won’t serve you well.”

  “You don’t have a speck of proof that I’ve done anything wrong. I’m a victim!”

  I shook my head and felt like adding to her injuries, yet even though she was a spoiled, entitled brat, I couldn’t touch her or continue asking questions.

  “I’d like to use a phone now to call my parents.”

  “Too bad. Phone service is sketchy out here, and you’re an adult in FBI custody. No amount of coddling your parents do can erase the charges you’re facing.”

  “What does that mean? I was held hostage!”

  I raised my hand to her face, walked away, and vowed not to give her one more second of my time. I approached Renz. “That brat lawyered up. I can’t ask her any more questions to learn what the guy was driving or his name, if he even mentioned it before dying.”

  Renz put his hand on my shoulder. “Take a breath. We’ll find out everything we need to know by going through his phone. We’ll get the deputies up to speed and wait here until the ambulance takes away the dead man’s body.”

  I kicked pebbles on that dusty driveway. “But we don’t even know how much of a head start Gary has. Who knows how long after Gary took off was the man able to call for help? The guy may have passed out for a while, and Gary could be an hour or two ahead of us. Claire won’t tell us a damn thing.”

  Tommy opened the trunk and pulled a pair of cuffs from his go bag. He walked to Claire, read the Miranda rights to her, and cuffed her. “Sit in the back seat, and don’t move.”

  While grumbling, she did as she was told.

  Fay called me over to the road while Tommy and Renz discussed the case we were working with the deputies.

  “Take a look at this.” She pointed to the magnetic decals lying where the gravel shoulder and the ditch met.

  I rolled my eyes. “What an idiot. He didn’t even try to hide them.”

  “No kidding, right? We’ll need to take those along with us as evidence. I’ll get gloves from my bag, then we can put these decals in the trunk.”

  A half hour later, and with the man’s body loaded in the ambulance, we exchanged contact info with the deputies and continued on. We’d arranged for the box truck to be flat-bedded to Salt Lake, where the nearest state crime lab evidence garage was located. The local FBI office would handle the search of that vehicle and pass on the information to us.

  “That was a significant find.” Fay looked at Claire, who was wedged between Fay and me, then shook her head.

  We couldn’t talk freely with an uncooperative suspect sitting with us. Tommy looked over his shoulder then back at Renz. “You need to pull over for a minute so I can get out, call Maureen, and update her. Like Fay said, this is significant news, and we need to end the BOLO for the truck and set up a new one as soon as we find out what kind of vehicle that man was driving.”

  Renz pulled off to the shoulder, and Tommy got out. He walked to an open area fifty feet away—likely to keep Claire from hearing the conversation and possibly
to get better cell service.

  I doubted Gary would be using an abundance of caution anymore. I was pretty sure he thought the man was dead and hadn’t felt a need to scoop up his cell phone and take it with him. That would be a costly mistake on Gary’s part as soon as we found out who the man was and what kind of car he owned.

  Renz grabbed the phone from the bag he’d put it in and opened the car door. “Jade, come with me and bring your notepad and a pen. There’s no time like the present to get this taken care of.”

  “You bet.” I gave Fay a look. “You okay alone with her?”

  Fay nodded. “She’s cuffed and won’t be a problem.”

  I joined Renz along that same ridge where Tommy was talking with Taft.

  “Let’s see what we can do with this phone.” Renz turned to block the sun’s glare on the screen. He pressed the button on the side to wake up the home screen. “Shit. It’s password protected. I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be easy.”

  “Now what?”

  “Now everything depends on where Gary’s headed and who he’s going to meet there.”

  I walked to Tommy’s side. “Ask Taft if she’s found out anything on those names. We need to know Gary’s final destination.”

  Chapter 47

  Gary had the phone set to Speaker as he talked to Charlie. “Hey, man, I should be there in about five hours. Should I come directly to the ranch?”

  “How much merchandise do you have?”

  “Just one girl. I left Claire behind. She was too much of a pain in my ass, and I couldn’t deal with her for another second. I got rid of the truck, it was too big for my needs going forward.”

  “Yeah, why’s that?”

  Gary groaned. “Claire offed Leon.”

  “What the hell, dude? It sounds like your enterprise is going off the rails. I think it’s time to go our separate ways.”

  Panic took over Gary’s mind. “No, no, no. Hear me out, Charlie. This way is much better. Sure, I won’t have a large delivery every week, but you have other runners besides me anyway. I can easily guarantee two girls weekly, and there won’t be any bitch drama. I’ll be working alone, no loose ends, and no other people who can screw things up. I’ll be so under the radar that I won’t even be a blip.”