His shoes fought against the pull of the mud as he stomped around the back of the SUV. He wasn’t sure he was ready to handle what the sight of the windshield looked like up close. If he let himself imagine what would’ve happened... No, he wouldn’t let his mind go there. He focused on the ground and tried to stay on rocks as he moved to slightly higher and much firmer ground. Ivy caught his gaze. “It’s amazing how much difference even six feet makes in the tundra.”
A hard-earned lesson. “I suppose that’s why you have to be a certified pilot to get stationed out here.”
The dogs both perked their ears. Helena smiled. “The Nome police agreed to send out their helicopter to help us out.”
“Is that our only backup?”
She avoided his eyes. “At the moment.” In the far distance, a dozer approached but came to a stop a good hundred feet before Helena’s SUV, parked behind them and to the south. “He’s waiting to see if it’s safe to help out, I think.”
Sean glanced out at the hills. “I didn’t see a long-range rifle on the suspect, but let’s have him approach with caution.”
Helena nodded, patted her leg, so Luna would stay by her side, and moved toward the dozer. Grace spun suddenly and her entire back went rigid.
“That’s the same scent you caught before, isn’t it, girl?” The question being, was it coming from the dozer again or closer?
“Sean, I think we’re right in the middle of the mining claim mentioned in that ad,” Ivy told him, her eyes wide.
Grace didn’t relax, though. “Time to go to work,” he said softly, testing to see if she really had something. Grace opened her mouth, catching all the scents in the breeze, twisted and then took off like a shot due west.
“Helena, keep Ivy safe.” Sean pressed off the muddy ball of his shoe and sprinted, attempting to keep up with Grace. He hurdled over bushes and thorny patches while she glided across the terrain as if it were a smooth track. She paused at a creek and waited for him to catch up.
The sound of the helicopter’s rhythmic patter of rotors in the wind grew stronger. He grabbed his shoulder radio and asked Helena to relay to the Nome PD pilot the direction the ATV went and let them know he was pursuing a cadaver discovery to the west. “Please have them do a sweep around us to make sure we can work safely.”
Not even a minute later, the helicopter did just that, circling them from a far radius and then a tighter circle before taking off in a diagonal line to where they suspected the ATV driver had gone. He helped Grace find a shallow point of the creek. Once they crossed, the vegetation grew sparse. Not enough water, perhaps, which was a good sign. His eyes caught wheel tracks, wide enough to indicate heavy machinery. Was it possible the killer had hot-wired the dozer and buried the body over here?
Grace ran to the tracks. The hairs on the back of her neck stuck straight up. The scent was stronger apparently. They ran across the tundra for what seemed like a good mile. Grace stopped right in front of a sage bush and circled it three times, before she plopped down to sitting and panted, her tongue flopping out to the left side. Had she found the body?
Sean took a knee. The dirt didn’t look disturbed here, though the tire tracks of the dozer were only a few feet away. He peeked under a gangly sage brush and saw packed dirt, almost as if it’d been planted by hand. The man must have used the dozer to bury his victim here and also taken the time to transplant bushes right over the site. In the wild. Where the disturbed earth wouldn’t easily be seen by helicopter or drone.
He hated smart criminals.
“Good girl,” Sean said in the happiest voice he could muster. He retrieved her toy and let her run off with it, only a few feet away. “Helena,” he said gruffly. “I’m going to need the dozer to follow my coordinates. I think we’ve found something.”
“I hope you’re right, because it’s about time something good happened. The helicopter found a campground and landed to investigate, but there’s no sign of the suspect. It appears he’s disappeared again.”
Sean remained on his knees near the sage because it finally hit him. While he had likely succeeded in his assigned mission to find the victim, he’d just made it harder to convince the colonel he should stay in Nome.
* * *
The landscape she usually enjoyed watching flew past her without her really seeing it. “Do you think Grace has really found the victim?” Ivy finally asked.
Helena sighed, hands at the wheel as she drove over the bridge that crossed Safety Sound. The name seemed ironic now. “We’ll find out soon enough.”
Ivy turned in her seat to fully face Helena even though the woman kept her gaze on the road. “What’s your instinct?”
She glanced at her, eyes soft. “I think so, yes.”
Ivy faced forward. That was her instinct, too, which meant that Sean had finished what he needed to do. She needed to stop relying on her ex to be her safety net and prepare for what came next. She’d pick up the husky first and then Dylan. Neither one could fit well in the SUV with Luna taking up the entire back seat. “I need you to stop at the mission and let me retrieve my Jeep.”
Helena slowed down and pulled off the highway into the parking lot but hesitated to unlock the doors.
“I need my own wheels again. I doubt Luna is the type of dog that likes to share a back seat with a husky.”
“I knew you’d end up adopting the husky. I saw that look in your eyes when we found her at the dredge lot.”
“You don’t approve,” Ivy said.
“What you decide is none of my business,” Helena replied. “If I pulled a face, it’s only because I know Sean won’t like it, but—”
“He won’t be here to have a say in that, will he?”
“He told you, then.” Helena sighed. “If they’ve found the body like I think they have, no. The trooper assigned to this post knows this case is high priority, Ivy. The moment he arrives, he’s going straight to the campsite they’ve found to gather evidence and potential leads. We’re going to get him.”
Ivy folded her arms across her chest. She’d heard that reassurance used too many times to mean anything. “Is the mission cleared for use now? Would I even be allowed to move back in?” She’d loved her little home, but now the cozy store and apartment brought her a shiver of trepidation, and she hated it.
“As soon as we know you’re safe.”
Ivy grabbed the Jeep keys she’d kept in her purse. “Okay.”
“I’ll follow behind you all the way until we get you settled back at the bunker.”
Ivy stepped out. The sound of tires on gravel made her spin on a dime. A mud-covered SUV with the windshield missing pulled to a stop. Sean stepped out with Grace trotting behind him.
“Looks like a pretty chilly ride.” Her attempt at humor failed.
He shrugged as he strode up to her. “Grace and I both have coats. She seemed to enjoy the wind in her fur. What’s happening here? Another break-in?”
“No, she’s getting her Jeep,” Helena said, one foot out of the intact black SUV. “I was going to follow her, but if you want to, we can switch vehicles. I’ll take that back to post.”
Ivy held up her hands. “That’s not necess—”
“That’d be great,” Sean said.
Helena looked between the two of them and settled on Sean. “News?”
“Grace has never been wrong.” His voice sounded ragged. “The stationed trooper arrived with a couple of Nome PD deputies. They’re processing the scene and asking the helicopter pilot to stick around a couple more hours. See if they’ll spot anything.”
“So we were right, then. This is about gold. The mining claims...” Ivy’s words trailed off as she tried to connect the dots.
“Likely, but we still aren’t sure how.”
“The mining claims were for sale, right?” Ivy turned to Helena, whose eyes lit up.
“Th
e two men in the B and B.”
Sean frowned. “The guys that wanted to buy...” His confusion cleared. “Oh, the men that were looking to invest in some gold mines.”
“Exactly.” Helena beamed. “I can stop by the B and B after I pick up a new vehicle from post. I’ll see if they are still in town and let you know.” She led Luna to the shot-up SUV, carefully backed up and moved on down the highway.
“It was definitely her?” She felt silly the moment she asked, but some part of her needed to hear it.
He gave a curt nod. “The rolled-up rug just as you described.”
Ivy felt a tug in her gut. She crossed the space between them and wrapped her arms around him. His back stiffened, but his hands slipped around her waist.
“I’m okay, Ivy,” he rasped. “It’s my job.” But she felt his spine and shoulders relax. His arms wrapped tighter around her, and he sighed deeply.
“Maybe it’s more for me, then,” she whispered. They stayed in the embrace, and she rested her chin on the top of his shoulder. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget seeing Francine and the realization it was too late to save her. But I knew I couldn’t focus on that if I was going to get her justice.” She straightened and stepped slightly back. “Is that a little what it’s like for you?”
“Almost exactly.” His hands dropped from her waist, and it was as if they were on their first date again. Awkward and unsure of what to say or do next. He turned and walked to the Jeep.
“Did you find it odd the way Helena emphasized that it was my Jeep?”
Sean shook his head and bent over to peek underneath the vehicle. “No. It was her way of reminding me that we’re not married. I can’t boss you around.”
For some reason, the notion tickled her. “Have you ever really bossed me around? You had strong opinions, of course—”
Sean dropped in a squat and looked up at her, the beginnings of a smile at the edge of his lips. “No. I knew you well enough to know you’d make up your own mind and do what you wanted.” He stood and wandered to the other side of the Jeep, taking a look underneath again. “Besides, you had me wrapped around your little finger and you knew it.”
The sentiment evaporated all humor. “I think it was obvious I couldn’t boss you around, either.”
He moved to open the back door, peering inside. “No,” he said quietly. “I suppose you’re right about that. We both were too stubborn.” He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “I thought my job as your husband was to keep you safe, and I’m sorry that didn’t extend to more than your physical safety. I know I didn’t cherish your heart like I should have.” He coughed and moved to check underneath the hood. “The Jeep doesn’t appear to have been compromised. I’ll follow you.”
Ivy got into the Jeep and focused on the musk oxen that were grazing a few hundred feet away. They offered her a sense of normalcy when her stomach twisted into knots. His apology should’ve brought her peace, but instead her throat tightened, fighting off tears. She turned the ignition on and spun the car onto the highway. A husky and a toddler boy were waiting for her. They were her true home now.
Twenty minutes later, she walked out of the vet’s office with the beautiful husky. “What should I name you?” she asked, letting her fingers sink into the dog’s soft fur, gently massaging away the tension in the husky’s neck. The dog looked up adoringly and twisted to lick her arm.
Sean waited in the parking lot, leaning against the black SUV. “You’re sure about this?”
“I don’t understand why you’re so against it.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’re hiding out from a killer in a survival bunker with a foster baby. Why not adopt a dog, too?” His sarcasm was evident, but he shook his head as if he’d disappointed himself. “Sorry.”
The only thing she was sure about was not letting this beautiful animal go another day without good care and love. And, selfishly, the dog would help her feel safer after Sean left. Grace harrumphed but remained firmly at Sean’s side, even as the husky strained against the leash to smell her.
“Ivy?” a man called out. She looked up to see Nathan gesturing to her from across the street. After she waved back, he jogged in her direction.
Nathan’s forehead was creased and sweat gathered in the hollow of his neck, presumably from the run he appeared to be taking. “Is it true? Mom said they found her...”
Ivy glanced at Sean for permission. She didn’t want to make a mistake in revealing something she shouldn’t.
“I’m afraid so,” Sean answered, compassion in his eyes. “Can I ask how you heard?”
“My mother knows the helicopter pilot’s wife. She knows everyone.” Nathan’s head fell, sorrow written all over his features. His bright eyes focused on the husky Ivy fought to keep by her side. “Sky?” he asked.
“You know her?”
“It was her dog.” His voice cracked. “Sky never warmed up to me, though. Olivia said she wasn’t that fond of guys in general.”
“You were a little closer to her than we knew.” Sean regarded him with a shrewd eye.
Nathan’s eyebrows pulled in tight. “Yes, we were close. I didn’t want to upset my dad further.”
“Did you know she was planning to steal gold from your family’s business?”
Nathan gave a side-glance to Sean, then turned back to Ivy. “Olivia said she wasn’t going to go through with it. She’d gotten herself entangled in a mess, but she said she was taking care of it. On the day she went missing, she left me a text—” His voice broke and he pressed his free hand against his eyes for a moment.
“What’d the text say?” Ivy asked gently.
“She needed to disappear and lie low, but she’d text me where to meet her. She said she’d make things right and not to worry.” Nathan squatted and reached out to pet Sky, who rested her chin on Nathan’s knee, the dog’s soulful eyes looking up at the man. “She told me to keep my dad calm.”
“That’s why you were trying to convince your dad that maybe she didn’t steal anything.”
“I tried to cover for her as long as I could, but my dad...” He sighed. “I tried to get her to tell me what kind of trouble she was in, but she wouldn’t tell me. I should’ve insisted.”
“Did she mention any other details? Any names?”
He shook his head and turned his face away. “No. Nothing like that.”
“Did you know her before you hired her?” Ivy asked.
He cleared his throat. “No. I think she’d never had a good employer before. Or she didn’t want to get too close to us before she stole from us, but I watched her change before my eyes. Her heart changed.” He exhaled a long breath. “I have to believe she would’ve done the right thing in the end.”
“You can help us get her justice by giving us your statement,” Sean said.
Nathan nodded rapidly. “I should’ve done that earlier. This will hurt my family, knowing I essentially let someone steal from them. I really did think she was going to bring it back in a day or two.”
Sean’s stern expression softened. “We may have what she stole. Your testimony should help get it back more quickly.”
The other man’s eyes widened, but it didn’t ease the tormented expression on his face. “I’ll stop by the trooper post today.” He glanced down at Sky. “I’m glad you’re getting a good home.” He turned and jogged away, albeit at a slower pace.
Ivy turned to pat Sky on the head. “I’m glad I know your name now. It suits you.”
Sean’s radio came to life. He picked it up to answer. Helena’s voice was coated with static but still clear. “The two men are still here. How fast can you get Ivy to the B and B? I could use her help.”
Sean looked to Ivy, the question in his eyes. What possible reason could they need her? But she would never turn down a chance to help end this nightmare, so she nodded. “We’ll be right there.”
/> TWELVE
“I’ve been thinking. That’s twice now our suspect has gotten away by ATV.” Sean walked with Ivy from their parking spots on the side of the road to the B and B. Sky remained on Ivy’s left side as Grace stayed on his left. “As a survivalist expert, how—”
“Is he able to hide? He knows the area well. If you do, it’s easy to disappear,” she told him. “Given his knowledge of traps, he definitely has survivalist skills. I imagine he only learned the skills to evade law enforcement, but that’s going against your rule of making assumptions. I also can’t claim to know what he’ll do or where he’ll hide next. Sorry.”
“I should’ve argued for Gabriel to stay longer.”
She quirked a brow. “Isn’t he helping with Katie’s case?”
“Yes, and I want that solved for her sake, but if we’d had Bear here, we might have gotten the suspect’s scent at the campsite.”
Ivy gestured in front of her. “There are hundreds of miles of hiding spots around here. An ATV can cover more ground than Bear could possibly in one day. I’m sure Gabriel would tell you the same thing.”
“Arguable.”
“Fine, but Gabriel even told me that he and Bear do more rescues than tracking bad guys. Don’t beat yourself up.” Ivy smiled. “I know you’re doing everything you can to help me.”
Was she softening toward him? The more time he spent with her, the less he remembered the reasons for their divorce and the more he remembered the good times. His thoughts kept ruminating on Ivy and Dylan. He couldn’t stop thinking about both of them. How would he be able to focus on any other case if he was sent back?
They stepped inside the inn’s lobby. Helena and Luna rounded the corner. “Oh, good. I’m not sure how much longer they’re willing to stay. It’s Evan Rodgers and Hudson Campbell. The same two men Fiona pointed out to us at breakfast, Ivy.” Helena gave a quick nod of acknowledgment, but her eyes drifted down to the husky. “Is she trained?”
Arctic Witness Page 14
