Tracking Secrets

by Heather Woodhaven

  Moisture and soft fur brushed against his cheek.

  “Nick. Nick!”

  He opened his eyes to find Raven kissing his cheek. “I’m alive.” He held up a hand to reassure the dog, and the dog licked it instead. His brain told his body to move, to get up, but his sore backside didn’t respond. “Are you okay?” he asked instead.

  Alexis’s tear-filled eyes met his gaze. She nodded. “My brakes wouldn’t work.” Her voice shook and her shoulders began to follow suit. “And...and I thought you were still in the car.”

  “It was a truck.” Calling it a car would insult its memory, but in the back of his mind, he knew now wasn’t the time to argue the point. “Do you think it was because your car was old or...”

  Alexis held out her hands and helped pull him up to standing. If not for the stinging sensation in his palms, he would’ve enjoyed how soft her hands felt. She looked into his eyes as he fought against the discomfort in his back and straightened.

  “It wasn’t an accident,” she said. She let go of him and pulled her phone out. “I’m calling the police.” She frowned at the screen and jumped up, straining her arm, most likely in an effort to find a signal. On her tiptoes, she held the phone to her ear.

  Light from above hit his eyes, which didn’t make sense as the sun was setting. He turned his gaze ever so slightly to the top of the ridge above them. For a brief second he thought for sure he’d seen a man watching them.

  It seemed possible, in his state of mind, that his eyes were playing tricks on him. Maybe it’d just been a flash of reflection from her shiny sandals.

  The sun continued its rapid descent, but the colors in the sky illuminated the tower of rock above him enough for him to see a shadowed form kneel. It was almost as if someone was holding a...

  “Gun.” His insides seized up. No more time to lick his wounds. In one motion, he curled into a crouched position. His spine and muscles objected to the fast movement, but he fought through it. “Alexis, take cover! Gunman!”

  The sound of tires fast approaching from the direction of town barely registered before a truck pulled up in front of him. Alexis lunged toward Nick, staying low enough that she was also underneath the cover of the silver truck. The passenger window rolled down and the man leaned toward them from the driver’s side. “Everything okay?”

  “Stay down, Gerald. Nick said there was a gunman.”

  The man in a ball cap flinched and looked around.

  “On top of the ridge.” Nick pointed upward.

  Gerald stuck his head out of the driver’s window. His shoulders relaxed, and he huffed. “There’s nothing but a lone tree and a bird circling up there. Eyes can play tricks on you when the sun is setting.”

  Nick had never met the man, but Alexis seemed to know him, so maybe he was credible. He straightened to look for himself. Sure enough, there was nothing but pink and orange streaks in the sky.

  He wasn’t crazy, though. He’d seen someone, and the silver truck had apparently scared the person off. Odd. If the gunman had been part of the drug ring, Nick would’ve thought that knocking off another witness would have been nothing to them.

  “You guys look a little rough for wear. Everything okay?” Gerald gestured at Alexis.

  She looked down at her stained shirt and skirt, and then glanced at Nick, uncertainty crossing her face. “It’s fair to say we’ve had a bad evening.”

  Nick remained silent. If she knew the man in the truck and wasn’t gushing about what had happened to him, perhaps he’d be wise not to say anything, either. But if the man drove off, there was a chance the gunman would return. They needed him to stay until the police arrived. If Nick had to, he’d talk to the man until he was blue in the face.

  “We had a little accident,” Alexis said.

  That was the understatement of the year.

  Gerald leaned forward, straining his neck to see over the cliff from the comfort of his vehicle. “You certainly did. It’s a good thing your truck went down in the river instead of causing a fire. Otherwise you really wouldn’t have a chance with the voters, Mr. Kendrick.” He winked and chuckled. “Not that you have any chance against me in the first place.”

  Nick flinched as he connected the dots. He leaned forward to see the face underneath the ball cap. This man was his neighbor and opponent?

  * * *

  Alexis kept her eyes on the ridge above them. While Nick could have a motive to lie about drugs being stashed on Gerald’s property, he’d had to run away from the gunmen the same as she did. Besides, someone had messed with her brakes. If it hadn’t been for Nick, it would’ve worked. So she couldn’t fathom what reason he’d have to lie about a gunman on the ridge. Whoever had been there would’ve had the perfect view if she’d wrecked.

  She shivered involuntarily. What was taking the police so long? While she had no doubt that Gerald would hear about the incident on his land eventually, she didn’t want to be the one who told him.

  “Did this out-of-towner make you crash?” Gerald asked Alexis, a teasing lilt to his voice. Despite his smile, his eyes looked a little red, as if he’d either suffered an allergy attack or heard some upsetting news.

  Nick’s jaw tensed. “I think I’ve earned resident status if my name is on the ballot.”

  After the day she’d had, the last thing Alexis needed was to be the only audience member for an impromptu political debate. “Nick saved my life. My brakes stopped working.”

  Gerald shook his head. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but take it from me. There’s a point when it’s time to put a car to rest, Alexis. I make more money keeping cars in business, so you know I’m not lying.”

  She didn’t need a lecture. Her car’s age hadn’t been the problem. If Gerald had anything to do with the men on his property, then it followed that he would want her dead, as well.

  Her parents had considered him their trusted mechanic for most of her life, so she wanted to think Chief Spencer had the right idea. The more likely scenario was that Gerald had been used as a pawn. She’d learned time and time again, though, that she wasn’t the best judge of character.

  She smiled and nodded as Gerald finished his speech on when a car wasn’t worth repairing.

  “Gerald, I promise I’ll look for another vehicle soon. Word on the streets was you were out of town for the holiday weekend, visiting family.”

  Nick flashed her a knowing look. Judging by his posture, he didn’t want to confront Gerald about the incident, either. Probably wise, as they were on a cliff without a vehicle or a place to hide.

  Gerald shrugged. “You know how family can be. Visit got cut short.” He looked forward at the road. “Do you need me to call you a tow truck?”

  Raven nuzzled her nose against Nick.

  Gerald paled. “Whose dog is that?”

  “I’m pet-sitting,” Alexis answered. “Client confidentiality.” There probably wasn’t such a thing in the pet-sitting business, but it rolled off her tongue so fast that she was shocked at how the words stung.

  She hated the memory of those words as they’d been barked at her during the disbarment hearing. Thankfully no one in town, aside from her parents, knew of her shame, and she wanted to keep it that way. It’d made her nervous to find out that Nick had come from Seattle.

  Her story had made The Seattle Times, but as far as she knew, her photograph hadn’t been released. Alexis Thompson wasn’t a rare name, so she hoped no one would ever find out.

  A siren sounded once behind the truck. Gerald flinched and waved into the rearview mirror. “Looks like they’ll take care of you. Have a safe weekend, Lexi.”

  Jeremy stepped out of the cruiser. “Now, didn’t I just tell you that thing was an accident waiting to happen?” He flung his arm in the direction of the blue car. “You could have died!” He frowned at the sight of Nick�
��s scraped up arms and ripped clothes. “What happened to you? I’ll call for an ambulance.”

  Nick waved away his concern. “I’m beat up, but there’s no need for emergency care.” He pointed upward. “There was someone watching us from up there. Possibly a gunman. Can you send someone to check it out?”

  Alexis stepped forward, not waiting for Jeremy to answer. “This wasn’t my fault. The car was perfectly fine earlier. But when I picked it up from the parking lot, the brakes felt mushy, and then suddenly they went out.”

  Jeremy looked back and forth between the two of them. “That doesn’t mean—”

  “And the parking brake was out, too.” She hadn’t meant to shout. She pulled her shoulders back. She couldn’t handle it if one more person implied it was because of her poor judgment in driving a junker that this had happened. Yes, she drove an old car. Yes, it was hilarious for a lawyer to own a junker. It wasn’t relevant. Someone had sabotaged her car.

  Jeremy closed his mouth. He turned his gaze upward. “I don’t see anyone now. And there’s no one to send. I’m it. All our officers are on calls or on vacation. I’ve been told this is usually a quiet weekend for us.”

  He turned, and his eyebrows rose as he stared out into the valley, his focus on Nick’s truck. “I’ll admit, the parking brake not working makes it a little more suspicious. Everyone knows your car...” He let his words trail off as his brow furrowed. “It was sitting in the parking lot at the trailhead for quite a while after your interaction with suspected drug runners. That’s if Nick was right about what he saw.” He seemed to be talking to himself more than them.

  She tilted her head. “Mine was the only vehicle at the trailhead, Jeremy. It wouldn’t be hard to figure out I owned it.”

  Jeremy sucked in a breath through his nostrils and exhaled loudly. “I’ll take your theory to the chief, but we’re going to have to do an official investigation before I can confirm it’s foul play, Alexis. If you’re right, it should be obvious that someone tampered with the lines.”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “Okay. What now?”

  “I’ll see what Chief wants to do, but I can give you both a ride home, where you can wait to hear from us. I’ve already got a call in to a tow truck for your car.”

  It didn’t seem wise to leave Nick at his house without a vehicle, especially since the gunmen probably knew that was where he lived now. “Take us both to my house.”

  Nick turned his head, his eyebrows high.

  “I have an extra car.” Alexis sighed. “It’s my dad’s. You can drive it until we get everything sorted out.” She saw the objection in his expression. “I’m in town. Everywhere I need to go is in walking distance. You can use the car to go back and forth from your place to your practice until we take care of insurance. I insist. Besides, the rental place is already closed for the day. It’s the least I can do for getting you in this mess. You saved my life.” Her throat closed as the last few hours overwhelmed her. “Twice,” she whispered.

  “Okay, then. That’s settled.” Jeremy looked Nick up and down and pointed to his scrapes. “You sure you don’t need medical treatment? You’re not going to self-treat, are you, Doc?”

  “Besides some bandages and ointment? No. I don’t prescribe myself any pain medicine.”

  She gave the leash a tug to lead Raven to the squad car. “Vets can write themselves prescriptions?”

  He shrugged. “It happens, but I think it’s a potential gateway to drug abuse that I’m not willing to tempt. If I need anything, I’ll go to Urgent Care.”

  He certainly seemed to know a lot about the illegal drug trade.

  Jeremy opened the back door to the squad car. Alexis groaned. They would have to drive into town on the main drag. She didn’t mind riding in a police cruiser when they were out on the edges of town where no one would see them, but if Jeremy drove into town with her in the backseat, the rumor mill would go into full effect.

  Her parents would hear about it clear in Arizona by morning. They didn’t need to add to their worries about her. “Um, maybe I could ride in the front?”

  Nick swung his gaze to her so fast she worried about his neck. His look said it all. He wished he’d called shotgun first. She almost gloated until she remembered that his truck was at the bottom of the valley because of her. He sported injuries because of her. And, since he was running for town mayor, she could grudgingly admit he had more at stake if his reputation was ruined.

  Jeremy shrugged. “Sure. It’s open.”

  “You take the front,” Alexis told Nick. “I’ll—” she swallowed “—sit with the dog.”

  “You don’t like dogs.”

  “We have the entire backseat. She can keep her distance.”

  Nick eyed her for a minute. Indecision played across his features. He seemed the type always to put a lady’s needs first. Seemed? No, judging by his actions today, he was.

  “I’m sure, Nick.”

  Jeremy put his fists on his waist. “I don’t care who goes where, but if you don’t decide, I’m going to drive off without either of you.”

  She slid into the backseat before Nick could argue. Raven followed without hesitation and tried to rest her head on Alexis’s knee, but Alexis shooed her away.

  Maybe she could lean her head down so her hair would cover most of her face when they entered town. Of course, that kind of posture would make her look guilty of something. She could lean back and bravely smile. Or would that make her look crazy and high on something?

  Jeremy started the cruiser, and a sudden illogical need to get out of the car gripped her. No one could’ve messed with his brakes, though. She inhaled as the car took the sharp turn. Normally she enjoyed the curvy drive from the trail down to town as if it was a mild roller coaster that she controlled, but it was too soon after her brush with death to be in a car again.

  Her right hand clung to the door’s armrest. How often did they clean and sanitize the inside of police cruisers? She cringed and let go. A hot shower had never sounded so good.

  The dog slid along the vinyl seat until its backside hit the opposite side of the car. Raven jumped up on all fours, seemingly alarmed as they approached another curve.

  “Sit. Lie down.” Alexis patted the spot next to her.

  The dog obeyed. Alexis tensed as she allowed Raven’s head to rest on her lap. She placed her other arm on top of the dog’s torso to make sure it didn’t slide around anymore. Oh, Theresa would be hearing about every single detail of this afternoon and evening over many dinners. Or chocolate bars. Or both.

  The warmth from the dog slowed her own heart rate slightly. She looked down to see Raven gazing up at her. It was hard not to smile in response. She cleared her throat and stared ahead.

  Jeremy glanced at Nick. “I hope you have good insurance. I don’t envy you trying to get money out of a lawyer.” He winked at Alexis in the rearview mirror.

  Alexis fought the instinct to roll her eyes, but the dread at having to swap insurance information and the interrogation the claim adjusters would run her through made her limbs heavy. “What are we going to do to make sure something like this doesn’t happen anymore? How do we know they won’t target us again? Jeremy, what are you guys going to do about it?”

  Jeremy shook his head. “I can’t comment on that, Alexis. It’s on the chief’s radar, and we’ll be investigating. It’s a high priority.”

  Nick huffed. “I think it’s in our best interest to be proactive.”

  “Well, Alexis knows everyone in town. If she didn’t know—”

  “Not everyone,” she objected. “I’d never met Nick, and I certainly didn’t recognize the guy—the scout—who took a pic of us. I didn’t see the faces of any of the men who had guns, but I would’ve thought their outlines, their backs, would’ve sparked some guess as to who they were. I’ve got nothing.
So, not likely.”

  Nick sagged against his headrest. “Ever dealt with something like this before?”

  Jeremy shook his head. “No. We don’t have too many drug problems here.”

  “You are right off the interstate—The Corridor. It may not be openly a problem, but I guarantee it is. There’s not a town, city or county that hasn’t been touched, and ignorance is the greatest risk to this town.”

  His impassioned voice stirred her. He wasn’t just a walking dictionary on the drug problem in their region. This seemed personal. Her curiosity almost got the better of her, but she fought it off. She’d asked enough of the man for one night.

  Jeremy stiffened. “I’m not ignorant.”

  She could’ve cut the tension in the air with a knife.

  “I didn’t mean you personally,” Nick said. “I apologize if it sounded that way.”

  Jeremy didn’t respond, and they rode in silence. Stars began to twinkle in the sky. A few minutes later the decline and curves flattened out. They were about to enter town.

  Alexis exhaled. She could move the dog away now but something kept her from doing so. The warmth wasn’t unpleasant. She certainly wasn’t a dog person yet, and probably never would be, but as long as Raven didn’t start drooling on her skirt, she supposed the dog could stay put. Alexis straightened and pulled her hand back. She didn’t need to hold the dog’s torso anymore.

  She let her hand rest on top of Raven’s neck, just below the makeshift collar Nick had rigged from the leash. Something hot, wet and sticky met her skin.

  Alexis yanked her hand back.

  Blood.

  FIVE

  Nick kneeled in the driveway where Officer Jeremy had dropped them off. He pushed back Raven’s fur to see the matted area of blood. The dim lighting didn’t help him reach a confident diagnosis. “I can’t be sure, but it might need stitches. If she breaks into a run anytime soon, it could gape open.”

  “How do you think it happened?” Her face looked pinched.