Page 113 of Shadow Sabotage
“Do you know the boyfriend’s name?” Vance asked quickly.
Robin shook her head, blinking back her tears. “No. She was very secretive about the whole thing. She said they made her sign a non-disclosure agreement because it could get him in trouble if it got out. She wouldn’t tell me where he lived, where they had met—nothing like that. Only that he was married and that he has a guest house.”
I racked my brain, trying to figure out who here had something that might be called a guest house. The McGraths had an apartment over their garage. They usually rented it out during the summer when temporary hires needed seasonal housing. The Evanses had a building out back that I’d always assumed was a gardening cottage. Maybe it was a guest house. I couldn’t see Katelyn wanting to stay there over the summer, though, if their son had tried to rape her.
Robin’s face brightened. “Oh, and that they own horses. He even bought a gray pony that he said would be hers to ride while she was with them, and he gave her a silver charm bracelet with a horse on it.”
The truth slammed into me like a hurricane.
I knew who Katelyn’s boyfriend was—I’d sold him that gray pony last January.
“I need to know who you spoke to at the sheriff’s office,” Vance shouted over the rising noise of the incoming chopper. “Was it Sheriff McGrath?”
Two men began descending from the chopper on rappel lines.
“No,” she shouted back. “It was a sergeant something or another.”
“Sergeant Collins?” I yelled.
Her face lit up. “Yes! That’s the one. I told everything to Sergeant Collins. He said he would take care of it.”
Then the medics pushed us back so they could hoist Robin up to the chopper and fly her away.
Chapter Forty-One
Vance
“I’m coming with her!”I shouted as two medics in flight suits attached Robin’s stretcher to the hoist.
“No room!” the medic shouted back, shaking his head.
“She could be in danger!” I grabbed his jacket.
He gave me a look like I was stupid. “That’s why we’re getting her to a hospital! Now back up, we need to move!”
I yelled into his ear. “You don’t understand! She could be a witness in a homicide case. I need to stick with her.”
His eyes widened. “I’m sorry,” he shouted back. “We can’t carry anyone else. You’ll have to meet us at the hospital. We’re heading to the trauma center in Casper.”
“Then don’t leave her side,” I thundered. “Don’t land this chopper until you get there, got it? I’ll have someone waiting at the landing strip.”
He gave a sharp nod.
I backed up to where Claire was and watched them ascend on ropes into the chopper. Then the helicopter rose into the air, carrying our most important witness far away from us.
“We’ve got to move,” Claire said darkly, shoving a candy bar and a fresh bottle of water into my hands.
I scarfed the bar and gulped the water as we jogged to the ravine wall to begin yet another ascent. “Sure wishwecould get a helicopter ride out of here.”
“Same. Some day, our SAR team will get its own heli. Then, in a situation like this, it would actually come back for us. But for now, we’re going to have to hoof it on foot.” She put her hands on the punishing incline and started the long walk back to the top.
I fell in line behind her and decided the climb back might not be too bad, considering the view. “Why don’t you guys have one? A lot of other counties do.”
“Money.” She shrugged. “We’re fundraising, but we’re still nearly half a million away, and—”
“—and Sage County doesn’t have the revenue to foot the bill,” I said, putting the dots together.
“Yeah. Although that might change if Darla Barrington gets her way and brings in that increased tourism she’s so desperate for.” Her voice was full of bitterness. “Vance, we have a problem.”
