"Marcus." Zur's voice held a thread of warning. "Stay focused and objective."
"I am focused. I want to find this woman and her kids. That's my objective."
"Do not get emotionally invested."
"How the hell do I avoid that?"
Zur let out a light chuckle. "I hear you. Believe me, it's not easy. I battle that every day. In the end, we have to remind ourselves these are cases. And we're nothing more than a temporary fix to whatever the problem is. Eventually they go on with their lives and we go on with ours."
"I think this Wesley Kingston may be a danger to his wife."
"He'll be investigated, Marcus. By me. I was assigned the case." Zur sighed. "You know as well as I do that the spouse is usually our first suspect. Until we rule the husband out, we'll be looking at him very closely."
"You do that, John."
"Listen, I'll call you if I hear anything back on Kingston."
"I'll be waiting." Marcus said good-bye and hung up the phone.
Minutes later Leo tapped his desk. "I've got nothing. No other vehicles are registered to Wesley Kingston except an SUV. A Buick Rendezvous. You sure she saw a truck? An SUV's hefty enough to do some real damage."
Marcus shook his head. "She saw a truck with hunting lights."
"Maybe he rented it."
"We're still not a hundred percent sure it's the husband."
"You need to find out more about her. Where does she work?"
"I don't know." Marcus gave him a glum look. "I didn't ask. Where are we on emergency vehicles?"
"Nothing's changed."
"Shit."
Marcus jumped to his feet and began pacing around his cubicle. He glanced at his watch. Time trudged along, each second ticking by with relentless precision.
"I've gotta do something, Leo."
"You are. You're doing your job."
"Screw the job."
Over his shoulder he spotted Shipley leaning against the doorway to his office as if he had no cares in the world.
"Problem, Taylor?" Shipley called out.
Marcus ignored him and returned to his seat. Then he picked up the phone and dialed. "John, any word on Rebecca Kingston?"
"We're still looking for her," Zur said. "We may have some free vehicles in an hour or so."
"An hour will be too late." Marcus didn't know how he knew this, but he did.
"If we had more manpower, we'd send someone out in another car," Zur added. "Sorry, Marcus. This is a Code Red situation. No emergency services available. We're doing our best."
"What about the truck that ran her off the road? Anyone see it, report it?"
"We've got no eye-witness reports. Her husband never rented a truck. At least not in his name."
"And you still haven't been able to reach him?"
"No. Kingston's not answering."
"How convenient."
"Look, as soon as I know anything, I'll call you."
Marcus checked his watch. "Call my cell phone."
"Will do."
As soon as Marcus hung up, Leo nudged him and passed him a sheet of paper.
"This is the time the rain hit the area?" Marcus asked.
"Yeah."
"So if she was a half hour past Edson, that would put her about here." Marcus pointed to a spot along Highway 47 on the map on his monitor. He consulted the sheet Leo had given him. "It started raining about here."
"How long did she drive in the rain?"
"Maybe fifteen or twenty minutes. But she was forced off the highway, and we have no idea how long she was passed out before she called us." He did a rough calculation. "That would put her somewhere in this area." He drew a circle with his finger around an area of the map.
"The McLeod River runs near that stretch of the highway," Leo said. "And it has a number of tributaries. That could be what she heard. The river."
"At least now we know where to look." Marcus pushed away from the desk, stood and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair.
"What are you doing?"
"The one thing I can do. I'm going to look for them."
"Marcus!" Leo hissed. "Are you crazy? You can't just up and leave."
"Watch me." He patted Leo's shoulder. "Look, my shift's nearly over. We have limited resources and no one else can go look for her. We know she's not far from here." He strode to the window and looked outside. "The rain's slowing. I might be able to see where she went off the highway."
"What about Shipley? You know he's gonna be pissed."
"I'll deal with him later. Right now we have a mother and two kids counting on us. We're their only hope, and I can't sit by waiting for emergency vehicles to come available when I know she might be twenty minutes away."
"She said at least half an hour from here."
Marcus grinned. "Not the way I drive."
"Be safe, man. I'll do what I can from this end to smooth things over."
"You make sure you stay by the phone."
Marcus headed for the door, but not before flicking a look toward Shipley's office. The man was nowhere in sight. Finally, a stroke of luck. "If he says anything to you, you be sure to tell him this was my idea and you tried to stop me."
"Hold on!"
Leo rushed down the hallway and through the stairwell door. He returned a few minutes later, face flushed and panting. In his hands were an emergency kit and two oxygen tanks.
"I borrowed the rebreathers from the training room," he said between breaths. "You might need them."
"Borrowed? You know this is for paramedic training. Shipley'll be pissed."
Leo shrugged. "You just have 'em back before Titanic even notices they're missing."
"Thanks, Leo."
"Don't thank me yet. I may have to 'fess up, and you might not have a job to come back to."
"There are other jobs."
Strange. For the first time, Marcus felt a sense of liberation at the thought of pursuing some other career. Sure, there was a slim chance he could go back to being a paramedic once he'd kicked the drugs and passed his probation period. But did he even want that? He wasn't sure anymore.
Leo followed him out into the hall. "Call me as soon as you find 'em. And, Marcus?" He hesitated and chewed his bottom lip.
"Spit it out, Leo?"
"You know this isn't part of your job description."
"I know."
"You may not find them in time. They might not all make it. Are you prepared for that?"
"I won't fail, Leo. Not this time."
"Marcus—"
"Funny how things come full circle sometimes. Fate?"
Leo grunted. "Or destiny. Go get 'em."
Marcus raced from the center with two thoughts in his head. One, he was going to find Rebecca and her kids. Two, he would get them out—alive.
Chapter Sixteen
Near Cadomin, AB – Friday, June 14, 2013 – 11:42 PM
Rebecca opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times to clear her vision. She was assaulted by images of the crash, Ella unconscious in the back, Colton with his leg pinned between the seats.
Her forehead felt tight. She touched it. Dried blood. That was a good sign at least.
She inhaled carefully and flinched when a sharp dagger of pain shot through her ribs. Definitely broken. She wondered how long she could remain conscious.
What if I die here, with Ella and Colton in the back seat? She shook her head. No! I can't think like that.
"Mom, are you awake?"
"Yes, Colton."
"I was scared you wouldn't wake up." She heard his voice tremble. "You didn't drop the phone, did you?"
She had a moment of trepidation when she thought she had, but she found her cell phone securely tucked between her chest and the steering wheel. "No, I have it." Thank God!
She glanced at the phone. The man from 911 should be calling her soon.
Marcus.
She thought of his voice, how soothing and comforting it was. There was kindness in his tone. And
something more. Sadness. His wife was dead. And his son. What were their names? Jane and…Ryan.
This made her think of Wesley. She flipped open her phone and punched in his number. No answer. If he was still on the road, he wouldn't pick up the phone.
She left a message. "Wesley, we've been in a car accident. Ella and Colton are fine, I think. I've called 911. They're looking for us now." She checked the battery. "I can't call you again. My battery's too low. I'll call you when we're safe." She hung up.
"We're gonna get rescued, right, Mom?"
She pressed the phone against her cheek. "Yes, honey. Soon."
The phone rang.
"Marcus?" she said.
"Yes, it's me. How are you doing?"
"The same." She lowered her voice. "I'm sure I've broken a couple of ribs, and I'm afraid of internal damage."
"We're trying to locate more vehicles to search for you." His voice sounded tight. "I'm sorry, Rebecca."
"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."
"I'm feeling a bit helpless here."
She bit her lip. "You're thinking of your wife, aren't you?"
Pause. "Yes."
"And your son."
"Ryan. He was a good kid."
"I bet you were a good dad."
"I tried. We didn't have an easy time getting pregnant. Ryan was a gift."
He told her how, when he was into his second year of medical school, Jane had become pregnant. Without a second thought, he'd quit medical school―much to his parents' dismay―and got a job as a lab assistant. Then he married Jane in a quiet family-only service in his parents' backyard. Four months into the pregnancy, Jane had a miscarriage."
"That's awful," Rebecca said. "I'm very sorry."
"I submerged myself in work, while Jane mended. We tried for three years. I didn't think it would ever happen."
"And then it did."
"Yes. Ryan was born and everything changed."
"Children do that to you, don't they?"
"Listen, Rebecca, while we're searching for you, we need to get as much information as possible on the hit and run. Edmonton is sending up some squad cars to help chase down this truck."
"What do you need?"
"Do you know anyone who would do this to you? Anyone you've annoyed or ticked off?"
"I should be offended that you'd think I'd have such enemies, but I've been wondering the same thing. Honestly, I can't think of anyone who would try to run me off the road."
"You mentioned you and your husband were separated. How has that been?"
"As good as can be expected, I guess. We're not enemies, if that's what you're thinking. Wesley has a temper, sure. But he'd never do something like this." A glimmer of doubt flickered through her. "Especially to his kids."
"You said he's in Fort McMurray. When did he leave?"
"I'm not sure. We're supposed to get together when he gets back, to talk about things. The divorce."
"And he's okay with cutting the ties?"
Rebecca took a small breath. "I haven't let him know that I've proceeded with the divorce already."
"But he's expecting it, right?"
"I think so. But sometimes I think Wesley still wants to get back together."
"And you?"
"My marriage is over. It's been over for a while. I need to move on. So does Wesley."
"Do you know where's he staying in Fort McMurray?"
Her heart sank. "No. Damn. I never asked."
"Does your husband have access to large trucks, maybe a friend's?"
"No. I'm telling you, Wesley has nothing to do with this."
"Probably not. But the police will want to look at everything." She heard him clear his throat. "Tell me about your marriage."
"What do you want to know? We got married, had two kids, busy jobs, busy lifestyle, grew apart and now here we are."
"Did he ever threaten you?"
She swallowed hard. "He's not a horrible person. Not really."
"Rebecca, I need you to be honest. Did he ever hurt you physically?"
She looked over her shoulder at Colton. He was listening to her every word.
"Yes, but I can't go into details. Understand?"
"I do. So you're saying your husband was physically abusive."
"Yes."
"Verbally?"
"Sometimes."
"Sexually?"
"No."
"Did he abuse Ella or Colton?"
"No!" she said, a little too strongly. "I'd never allow that. It's one of the reasons I want the divorce."
"You fear for your kids?"
She sighed. "Wesley isn't all bad. He has a very sweet side to him. That's why I fell in love and married him. But he has issues. And not only what we're talking about." She cupped a hand by her mouth and whispered, "Gambling problems."
"Are you in financial distress because of it?"
"Some. He's lost big over the past year, so our funds are a bit depleted."
"Bankruptcy issues?"
"No, not yet. And hopefully never. He got a small loan from his father."
"What do you do, Rebecca?"
"I work for Alberta Cable. I'm a CSR—customer service rep. My job's stable, so that's one good thing."
"Do you recall anything else about the truck that hit you?"
His question came out of left field. She'd been lulled into a sense of security with his other inquiries.
"Nothing new."
"What about the road you took off the highway? Was there anything? Even the smallest detail may help us pinpoint your location."
She closed her eyes and visualized the road she'd turned off onto, but nothing particular came to mind. "The road was open at first. Nothing much around except fields. Then seconds later, trees and bushes were on both sides."
Something twigged at her memory. Then it disappeared.
"If you think of anything," Marcus said, "call 911 immediately. Don't wait for my call."
"Okay, I will."
"Is Ella awake?"
"No." She turned with caution. "Colton, check Ella."
A few seconds went by, then Colton said, "She's feeling cold again."
"Ella's cold," she said into the phone. "We don't have anything else to warm her up with."
"Damn," Marcus muttered.
She glanced down at the phone. "And we have another problem."
"What?"
"The battery on my phone shows half a bar."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line.
"Marcus?"
"I'm here." She heard him breathe in deeply. "We need to conserve that battery, so we'll have to hang up."
She bit back a sob. This man, this stranger, was her lifeline. He may be the last voice I hear.
"Wait!" she said. "Will you call back in ten minutes?"
"Yes, but we'll keep it short." Click.
Chapter Seventeen
Outside Edson, AB – Friday, June 14, 2013 – 11:48 PM
The hammering rain had let up, but the roads were still wet, and puddles on the highway caused Marcus's SUV to drag. A gust of wind had worked its way into the region, and he could feel the pull on his vehicle. He'd been driving for about five minutes when he dialed Rebecca's number on his Bluetooth device. It rang four times before she picked up. Not a good sign.
"Sorry it took so long for me to call back," he said.
"I expect you're very busy," Rebecca replied.
He scrutinized the interior of the SUV. Yeah, I'm busy. "How are you doing?"
"Not so good."
"What's wrong?"
He heard her sigh. "I'm dizzy…sleepy."
"Do not go to sleep, Rebecca. You have to stay awake. Stay on the line with me." He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.
"I'm going to try to back out of these trees. Maybe I can find my way back to the road or highway."
He waited, listening to the sounds of her breathing and the engine as she revved it.
; "I've moved back," she said, "maybe about ten feet. But there's another problem. One of my headlights is broken and the other is so dim I can't see three feet in front of me."
"Put it in park. Don't worry about trying to get back to the road. It's too dangerous if you can't see where you're going. Last thing you want to do is drive blind out there."
She lowered her voice. "I tried turning the steering wheel a bit, but it's pressed so tightly against me that it was sheer torture."
"You've done fine, Rebecca. Take a break. Rest."
"At least my adrenaline's kicked in," she said with a short laugh. "I'm awake now."
"That's good. Listen…I have to go now. But I'll keep calling every five minutes or so. Okay?"
"Okay."
"I know you're scared, but you have to be brave for Colton and Ella. Can you do that?"
"I'll try."
He tapped the GPS screen and brought up a map of the area. She could be anywhere. "I need you to try to remember some landmarks."
"I can't remember anything. It was raining too hard and dark outside."
"Sometimes we think we don't remember, but it's right there, behind a veil. So think back, Rebecca. You left your house and got on the highway heading to Cadomin."
"Yes. I wanted to take the kids to see the cave." Her voice broke.
"Did you stop along the highway for gas?"
"No. I filled up earlier."
"Did you stop for a bathroom break or to buy snacks?"
"Yes, one stop in Edson. The kids needed to go to the bathroom. We were there less than ten minutes. Then we got back out on the highway heading south to Cadomin."
"How long did you drive before you noticed the truck behind you?"
"I'm not sure. I think I was on the road for maybe ten minutes, but it could have been longer. Once it started pouring, I didn't notice the time. I was too busy focusing on the road."
"Listen, Rebecca, I think we can narrow down your location."
"Oh God…please help us." She let out a sob.
"I'm working on it. How long did you drive in the rain for?"
"I haven't got a clue. Maybe fifteen, twenty minutes."
"You're doing great. But I have to go now. I'll—"
"Wait!" she shrieked. "He's back!"
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