Page 33 of Scent of Fear

He shrugged. “I think we’ll run into the clearing soon. I was hoping this guy had spent time elsewhere, but Bryce is heading toward the clearing.”

She took a long drink of water before handing the bottle back. “I was afraid of that.”

“Me too.” Shane drank from the water bottle, too, then poured the rest into the collapsible bowl for Bryce. “I was hoping this guy had other hiding spots in the woods. But it seems as if he stayed at the cave last night so that he would be close enough to try to sneak into the cabin.”

She nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Except for what he’s looking for in the cabin.” He sighed. “I’m starting to think we need to tear the place apart.”

“I already searched the place, Shane. I didn’t find anything that would explain this.” She waved a hand at the woods around them. “Certainly nothing that justifies why anyone would go as far as to kidnap my grandfather.”

“This guy has come back twice that we’re aware of.” Shane held her gaze. “His attempt to get inside early this morning indicates we’re missing something.”

She wanted to argue, but he had a point about the guy coming back to the cabin on two separate occasions, most recently in the middle of the night. Possibly wearing night-vision goggles to enable him to see clearly.

Maybe the guy had gone back while they’d been driving around searching for the four-wheeler trailer. She hadn’t noticed anything out of place inside the cabin, but that doesn’t mean someone hadn’t been inside to look.

“Okay, fine. We’ll go back and look again.” She sighed. “It doesn’t make sense that Grandpa would have hidden something like this from me.”

“You mentioned not seeing the photos and newspaper clippings in the box you found in his closet,” Shane reminded her. “I know you said your grandfather was adopted as a young boy, but maybe he knows more about his real parents than he told you.”

“Maybe, but I don’t see how his elderly parents could possibly pose a threat.” She shook her head. “No, I’m not buying that. I’m more inclined to think this is a case of mistaken identity. That these guys who took Grandpa think he’s someone he’s not.”

Shane shrugged without saying anything more. She sensed he didn’t agree with her. Then she remembered the sister she’d uncovered. A woman who would be her great-aunt. “I think we should go back to that DNA report. Maybe this is related to my grandpa’s sister. Or her kids.” The more she turned that idea over in her mind, the more she glommed onto it.

Maybe this was about simple greed. It could be that her grandpa’s sister or her family believed they deserved the cabin and ten acres of land.

And if that was the case, she’d gladly hand it over in exchange for getting her grandfather back safe and unharmed.

* * *

Shane wasn’t convincedthe DNA report was related to Marvin’s kidnapping, but he was ready to head back to the cabin. He still felt like searching the place was their best chance at finding something helpful.

He rose to his feet and set the bowl of water near Bryce. “Are you ready to work?”

Bryce eagerly jumped to his feet and eagerly lapped at the water. When Shane offered the scent bag, he barely sniffed the strip of denim. Shane had wondered if Bryce’s alert at the cave was for the bad guy’s scent or Marvin’s.

Likely both. Bryce was smart enough to keep the two scents separate in his mind.

“Search! Search for Bad Guy.” Shane tucked the collapsible bowl back into his pack as Bryce lowered his nose and set off on the trail.

Consulting his compass, he estimated they’d reach the clearing in about ten to fifteen minutes. Following Bryce up and around the rock outcropping to the cabin had taken them at least a mile or two outside their normal search area. But from the clearing, he could easily find his way back to Marvin’s cabin.

As he followed Bryce through the trees, he pulled out his phone. Like yesterday, there was no service in the area. He made a mental note to touch base with Deputy Paul Holland. They’d left well before the deputy would have been on duty.

If the police hadn’t found the truck or trailer, then they were pretty much back to square one. Which led him right back to his idea of searching the cabin.

Bryce made an abrupt turn to the east. With a frown, Shane adjusted his course. “Search Bad Guy,” he called encouragingly.

The dog kept going at a brisk pace. Shane rested his hand on the butt of his weapon, ready for anything. They were making more than enough noise that the bad guy could easily hear them coming.

And he could very well be hiding nearby.

Yet he felt certain Bryce would growl in warning the way he had earlier this morning. Still, he didn’t like risking his dog. Or Libby.

Once more, he found himself leaning on prayer in a way he hadn’t for several years.Dear Lord, keep us all safe in Your care!

His heart lodged in his throat when he lost sight of his dog. He leaped over a fallen log, then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Bryce sniffing something on the ground. Then his dog turned, sat, and let out a sharp bark.

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