by C. M. Sutter
“I see. So how do you want my team to handle this?”
“We need to know if that man and his wife are actually at this resort. He’s a danger to her and needs to be arrested. She had a restraining order filed against him for their own address but not at her parents’ home. That’s where he kidnapped her from.”
The lieutenant smirked. “Splitting hairs, huh?”
“Yeah, pretty much. We can take it from there once it’s confirmed he’s at the resort and in your custody.”
“Sure thing, Lieutenant. Tell me where we’re going and what you want us to do.”
Jack went on to describe Brian, Trish, and the Lumina they left Washburn County in. “The place we think he’s at is Pine Ridge Resort on Sunrise Lake Road. I believe it’s about twenty miles west of Eagle River.”
“Never heard of that lake. Is it privately owned?”
Jack sighed. “We don’t have that information, Lieutenant, only that it’s a no-motor lake.”
“Ah, then the land surrounding the lake is most likely privately owned, making the water landlocked. Is there somebody onsite who runs the place?”
“Yes, a man named Lonny. I don’t have his last name, but it sounds like he lives there in exchange for maintaining the resort and setting up rental reservations. What we need is a confirmation from Lonny that our man is there, what unit he’s staying in, and an apprehension. I have to tell you, Lieutenant, Brian Cox is still armed as far as we know.”
A whistle sounded through the phone lines. “That puts a whole new spin on things and how to approach the situation.”
“I’d speak to Lonny as if you’re only there to check on a disturbance. Once you get confirmation of Brian Cox’s presence, then you’ll have to storm the cabin he’s in. One more thing, though. We believe this Lonny is a friend of Brian’s.”
“So he definitely needs to be blindsided too, no heads-up.”
“That’s correct, sir. I just sent the driver’s license photos of both Brian and Trish to the email address shown on your website.”
“One second while I check that. Yes, it came through. Okay, I’m going to wrangle up my men and head out. We should know something in an hour or so. I’ll keep you posted, Lieutenant Steele.”
“Appreciate it.” Jack hung up and sat for a minute, likely processing the fact that the Brian Cox fiasco might be over with that day—or maybe not at all. He rose and joined us in the bull pen. “Have we exhausted everything we were following up on?”
“Depends,” I said. “Fifteen out of the eighty-one no-motor lakes had registered resorts on them. What about the remaining sixty-six? We don’t have any information on them except that there’s power running in on the access roads. I understand there are probably private homes and cabins along most of those roads, but if we found one lake with the property around it owned primarily by one person, that person could do whatever they wanted on that land and be nearly invisible.”
Jack scratched his right eyebrow. “Good point, Amber. And nearly the same conclusion Lieutenant Alba came up with. The lake could be landlocked by individual ownership of all the property around it, and nobody would know what goes on there. Let’s wait to hear back from him, see what shakes out, then go that route if Pine Ridge Resort is a dead end. Sooner or later, we’ll exhaust everything possible in that neck of the woods.”
Chapter 39
Lieutenant Alba and Detective Kinderly exited the cruiser along the gravel shoulder near the entrance to Pine Ridge Resort. An additional patrol car snugged in behind them, and the group of six gathered at the trunk of the lieutenant’s cruiser.
“There aren’t a lot of us, but we can take this guy down if he’s actually here. I want everyone to have their radios on and keep your ears perked. Jason and I will go in with my cruiser as if we’re looking for a runaway who may be in the area. I’ll size up this Lonny character, see what his demeanor is, and then question him about the resort’s guests. If he isn’t willing to divulge any information or give us permission to knock on each cabin door, that’s when we’ll need your help. We don’t want to prematurely scare anyone away. Any questions?”
The four deputies shook their heads.
“Good, then keep your eyes and ears perked and your radios tuned in.”
The lieutenant and the only detective on the sheriff’s office payroll, Jason Kinderly, returned to the cruiser and entered the resort between the long rows of pine trees on either side of the driveway.
Jason pointed at a small building just beyond the entrance. A pine-board sign that swayed from two eye hooks in the mid-May breeze had the word Office carved on it.
Jason pointed. “I guess this is where we’ll find Lonny.”
The lieutenant parked in front of the porch and killed the engine. After a quick radio check, they exited the cruiser. Once everyone acknowledged that their radio reception was fine, he and Jason entered the office.
When the front door swung open, a loud buzzer sounded. A voice shouted out from behind the only other door in that room. “I’ll be right there.”
The men waited as the sound of a toilet flushing filled the small space. Kinderly chuckled.
Seconds later, a man who appeared to be in his early thirties exited the bathroom. Confusion filled his face when he saw two men dressed in sheriff’s office uniforms standing in front of him.
“Oh, hello, Deputies. How can I help you?”
“It’s Lieutenant Alba and Detective Kinderly, and you are?”
“My name is Lonny Wallace.” He extended his hand and shook theirs. “Sorry, you weren’t exactly who I was expecting.”
“You were expecting somebody?” Lieutenant Alba took a quick glance around the room and then out the window.
“A woman called an hour or so ago and said she was interested in seeing the resort. That’s who I thought walked in. So again, how can I help you?”
Detective Kinderly spoke up. “We’re looking for a runaway who might have been spotted in the area. Seems like a great place to hide out, being secluded like this and all.”
“I’d consider it more of a great place to wind down and rejuvenate. It’s quiet here and sec—”
“And secluded?” Lieutenant Alba cocked his head. “How many cottages do you have, and how many guests are here right now?”
Lonny grinned. “So you think I’m harboring a runaway?”
“Are you?”
“Of course not, Lieutenant.”
“So back to my question, how many cottages are here, and how many guests do you have right now?”
“There are seven cottages in all, but that includes my living quarters too. I have nine guests registered. There may be more if that woman shows up and decides to rent a cottage. The presence of law enforcement could be a deterrent, though.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
“Get to what?” Lonny jammed his fists into his front pockets and jangled his change.
“We need to meet every person who is currently staying at this resort.”
“Seriously?”
Lieutenant Alba creased his brows. “Do I look like I’m kidding? First I want to see your guest registry and the names written in it.”
Lonny reluctantly obliged and handed the book to the lieutenant. “I was just kidding, you know. I’ve never committed an illegal act in my life, and I certainly don’t intend to start now with some runaway. I’ve got it made here.”
Kinderly peered out the window while the lieutenant flipped the book’s pages. “This is a great spot, that’s for sure. So you’re the manager, not the owner?”
“That’s correct, and I get free rent and plenty of fish to eat.”
“Book looks to be in order.” Alba pointed toward the door. “Shall we?”
The men followed Lonny down the path toward the cottages. “This first one is where I live. It’s the largest, and I have a carport. Perks of being the manager, I guess.”
“Do you live alone?” Alba asked.
“Yep, sure do.�
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“Then let’s take a quick look. Those nine guests you mentioned take up how many cottages?”
“Three. There’s a family of five in a two-bedroom cabin, a husband and wife in a one-bedroom, and the last cabin has two older gentlemen staying there for a week of fishing.”
Alba gave Kinderly a quick glance. “How long have the husband and wife been here?”
Lonny kicked a pinecone that was centered on the path. “They arrived yesterday.” He walked up the three wooden steps to his front porch then unlocked the door. “Here’s where I live. Sorry for the mess, but I’m a single guy. I would have cleaned up the place if I had known law enforcement was coming to pay me a visit.”
Alba held up his hand. “Remain here at the door while I look around.” He nodded to Kinderly to stay with Lonny, and within a minute’s time, the cabin was cleared. “I’d like to see the carport and your vehicle.”
“Sure thing, Lieutenant, I have nothing to hide.”
Kinderly and Alba followed Lonny. “Only have one car?”
“Yeah, but it’s a pickup. I need a large truck to haul away the weekly trash.”
Alba and Kinderly glanced inside the carport and saw a green Ford extended cab truck. The lieutenant nodded. “Which cabin are the husband and wife staying in?”
“Number four. I suppose you want to go there first?”
“That’s correct.”
Lonny continued down the path. “The fourth cabin is coming up on our left, just around the bend.” He pointed ahead. “It looks like the missus is enjoying the nice weather out on the porch.”
Thirty feet ahead and to their left stood cabin number four. A post next to the driveway had a white number four painted on it, and a woman sat leisurely on the porch with a cup of coffee on a small table at her side.
“Morning, Mrs. Davis. Enjoying yourself since you got here?”
She stood and gave Lonny a nod. “Good morning, and yes, this place is wonderful. Jeff is already fishing out at the water’s edge.”
Lonny stepped back and motioned for the lieutenant to go ahead.
“Morning, ma’am. I’m Vilas County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Fred Alba, and this is Detective Jason Kinderly. We’re looking for a particular person who may be in this area. May I see your driver’s license?”
“Oh, of course. One minute, please. It’s in the cabin.”
Alba nodded to Kinderly to escort the woman inside. Moments later, they were back on the porch.
“Everything is in order, boss. The cabin is clear, and the husband and wife are from Green Bay.”
“Thank you for your time, ma’am.” Alba extended his hand, and they continued on.
“Now where?” Lonny asked.
“The rest of the guests, and then we need to see the vacant cabins.”
“Sure, right this way.”
“Go ahead, Jason. I need to radio the deputies.” Alba stepped aside and made the call. “Hey, guys. This looks like it may be a dead end. Go ahead and return to your duties. We have to speak to a few more guests and check a few vacant cabins. We’ll be out of here in twenty minutes.” Alba clicked off and caught up with Kinderly and Lonny.
Laughter sounded near the lake. Lonny shielded his eyes and looked toward the water. “There are the three kids from that family of five.”
In the distance, three kids threw rocks into the water and squealed with laughter as their dog swam out to retrieve them.
“Yeah, let’s make a quick stop at the cabin where the older guys are staying. We’ll clear the empty ones and be out of your hair in no time.”
“You got it, Lieutenant Alba.”
Fifteen minutes later and with a thank-you handshake to Lonny, Alba and Kinderly walked back to their cruiser and climbed in.
“I need to update Lieutenant Steele, and then we’ll head out.” Alba made the call and gave Jack the news. There was no one at Pine Ridge Resort who’d raised suspicion at all.
Chapter 40
Jack hung up the phone and looked out toward us. The expression on his face said it all—we had hit another dead end. He squeezed his temples, rose from his desk, and joined us in the bull pen.
“I’m sure by now you can tell that call was from Lieutenant Alba. He and Detective Kinderly interviewed Lonny Wallace and every guest currently staying at Pine Ridge Resort. They even searched the empty units. Brian and Trish Cox, and anyone who may be aiding Brian, aren’t there. The name Lonny was purely coincidental, and they checked him out. He has a clean record—no offenses at all, not even for jaywalking. So, there goes that one and only lead.” Jack checked the time. “Go ahead and take your lunch. When you get back, I want Clayton and Billings to pull up the plat books for Oneida and Vilas Counties. Find those sixty-six no-motor lakes, see who owns large parcels of land around them, and make the calls. This is our last-ditch effort at finding Brian and Trish Cox. Brian will surface sooner or later, but for now, we have our own county to take care of. Amber and Kate, get back to your usual duties and clear your desks.” He glanced at the growing mountain of folders on Adam and Chad’s desks too. “Clear all of them.” Jack slapped his hands together and headed to his office. “That’s it. The Brian Cox search ends today.”
I looked at the stack of folders on all of our desks and groaned. Filing closed cases and reviewing witness statements for petty crimes wasn’t high on my to-do list, but it was part of our job and needed to be addressed just like everything else. I glanced over at Billings then at Clayton. Both men had plat maps open on their computers and were busy jotting down the names of those who owned the largest parcels of private land around those remaining lakes. I was jealous and wanted to pitch in, but we had our orders, and Clayton and Billings were the senior detectives. I grabbed a handful of folders off Clayton’s desk and headed to our records room.
Chapter 41
“Just keep at it.” Cole cracked a smile as he watched Brian trying to make Trish stand on her own. “It’s like getting back on a bicycle after years of not riding. She’ll get the hang of it, just give her a few hours.”
“This is bullshit.” Brian grabbed Trish under the armpits and stood her up. She began to waver. “Lock your knees, idiot.”
She mumbled his name.
Brian spun toward Cole, and Trish collapsed to the floor. “Did you hear that? She knows my name.”
“She’s a work in progress, Brian. There’s a good chance she’ll turn out exactly how you wanted and remain at the three- to five-year-old stage. You have to be patient but firm. Make sure she realizes that you’re the boss and there will be consequences if she questions any of your commands. Give her a good slap across the face every time she defies you. She’ll catch on quickly that way.” Cole tipped his head at Trish squirming on the floor. “Now help her up and keep trying. I guarantee she’ll be walking before dinnertime. We have two days before my cousin and his wife arrive, and if all goes according to plan, we’ll both be long gone by then, and you’ll have the wife you’ve always wanted.”
Chapter 42
With the curtain pulled aside, Carolyn peered out the window and watched for the moving truck. The driver had called a half hour earlier and said they would be there by four o’clock.
“They aren’t going to arrive any sooner with you staring down the road, Mom. That’s like watching paint dry. Come on. Let’s get things out of the way so there aren’t any trip hazards.”
“Yeah, okay, I’m just anxious to get things organized. Your dad will be here tomorrow, and I’d like to have everything in place by then.”
“You worry too much. Dad will pitch in and help when he gets here. You don’t have to do everything by yourself.”
Carolyn sighed and gave Natalie a motherly smile. “I thought you knew your dad better than that. How many times have we moved over the years? Anyway, you’re pregnant, and I won’t allow you to lift anything heavy. I’ll have the movers put the big pieces where I want them, then I’ll handle the rest. You can hang clothes and put the ligh
ter boxes in the assigned rooms if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, not a problem.”
Carolyn looked out the window one more time. “Here they are. I see the moving van coming up the street. I’ll run to the end of the driveway and get their attention.” She slammed the door at her back and waved at the approaching truck.
The movers spent the next ninety minutes hauling in furniture and boxes. It was five thirty by the time they left. Carolyn thanked each of them with a generous tip and showed them out. She and Natalie walked the rooms to assess the furniture placement.
“Man, this house sure does bring back memories. I really enjoyed growing up here, especially with the Monroe family as neighbors.” Natalie grinned. “It’s crazy how you still have some of the same old furniture.”
“Well, thank God, there are only a few pieces I can’t seem to part with. I’d hate to drag around the same old stuff from house to house. Shall we dig in, or do you need a break?”
“Nope, I’m good. What do you want me to do?”
Carolyn looked at the stack of boxes, each with its intended room written in black marker. “Go ahead and put the boxes that have your dad’s name written on them in the office. He’s going to want that room set up by the time he gets here.”
Natalie rolled her eyes. “You baby him too much. He’s capable of organizing his own office, for Pete’s sake.”
Nancy swiped the air. “I’ve lived with the man long enough to know what he expects, and I don’t like conflict.” She turned toward her daughter. “Please, honey, just stack the boxes in his office. He’ll put the paperwork where he wants it when he gets here. Let’s make a dent in this mess, then I’ll take you out to dinner.”
Natalie nodded and began carrying the dozen or more boxes into Nick’s office. “Damn it!”
“What happened, Natalie? Are you okay?” Carolyn followed the sound of her daughter’s voice down the hallway to the office. She entered the room and saw what had been a boxful of papers scattered across the floor.
