Page 49 of Twice Missing
McKenzie switched on his flashlight, sweeping the beam across the cramped space. Tools hung from the walls, and shelves sagged under the weight of mysterious boxes and jars. Nothing immediately stood out as suspicious.
"What do you think?" McKenzie asked, his voice low.
Noah shook his head, frustration evident in his features. "Dead end, for now. But someone's definitely been here recently. We'll need to come back, maybe stake the place out."
As they made their way back to their car, Noah couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The forest seemed to press in around them, hiding secrets in its shadowy depths.
What they didn't see, as they drove away down the winding road, was a figure emerging from the trees. Bundled against the cold, the person watched the taillights disappear into the night before trudging through the snow towards the trailer, keys jingling softly in hand.
Back in the car,Noah and McKenzie sat in contemplative silence for a few moments.
"Well, that was a bust," McKenzie finally said, breaking the tension.
Noah nodded, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Maybe. But now we know where to start looking. Marcus is definitely someone we need to talk to."
"If we can find him," McKenzie added.
"We will," Noah said, his voice filled with determination. "This case is starting to come together, Mac. I can feel it. Kayla Bravebird, Emily Carter... there's a connection here. We just need to keep digging."
As they drove back towards town, the billboard with Kayla's face loomed once more in their headlights. Her eyes seemed to follow them, a silent plea for justice.
19
The quiet of the night was shattered by the shrill ring of Jake's phone. Callie stirred first, her law enforcement instincts kicking in even before her eyes fully opened. She reached over, shaking Jake's shoulder. "Jake. Jake. Your phone," she said, her voice husky with sleep.
Jake snorted, pawing at his eyes as he fumbled for his phone. "Richmond," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. As he listened, his posture straightened, alertness replacing drowsiness. "Right. Yeah. Got it. I'll be there shortly."
He hung up and swung his legs out of bed, sliding into a pair of jeans. Callie propped herself up on one elbow, watching him with concern. "You're going?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
"I have to. Search and rescue. We got a call of two missing hikers headed out to Mount Marcy today. They used their PLB to alert us to their location."
Callie frowned, a knot of unease forming in her stomach. "Can't someone else handle it?"
Jake shook his head as he pulled on a shirt. "We're running a skeleton crew because of the holidays. Myself and Eckland are the only two trained to handle these conditions. I'll be back in a few hours."
"A few hours," Callie repeated, nodding slowly. "Okay."
Jake noticed the worry in her voice. He perched himself on the edge of the bed, running a hand along her face. "Hey, there's been no trouble."
"So far," Callie murmured.
"I'll be back before you know it. I'll lock the door. Go back to sleep," he said, kissing her before grabbing his gear and hurrying out.
Callie remained in bed, listening to Jake's movements through the cabin. The door closed, the lock clicked into place, and moments later, his truck roared to life. As the sound of the engine faded into the distance, the quiet of the cabin settled back in, broken only by the occasional creak of the old wooden structure.
She glanced at her phone, noticing a reply from Ray to her earlier question about the cartel. "It's just what Noah said. There's no truth to it. Call me if you have a problem," the message read.
Callie frowned, a nagging doubt gnawing at her. Maybe it would have been better to stay at her place with the teens instead of this isolated cabin. She briefly considered texting Noah but decided against it, given the late hour. Instead, she set her phone down, turned off the lamp, and tried to settle back into sleep.
It feltlike only moments had passed when a shattering sound jolted Callie awake. Her eyes snapped open, heart racing. "Jake?" she whispered, though she knew he wasn't there. Something felt off. Her instincts, honed by years on the force, screamed danger.
She sat up, straining her ears. Silence, then the unmistakable sound of boots crunching on broken glass. Footsteps. Movement downstairs.
Moving silently, Callie padded to the window. Jake's truck was gone, the tire tracks in the snow a reminder of his absence. Could one of the teens have gotten up and dropped a glass?
She crept out of the room, crossing the landing towards the teens' rooms. Ethan was sound asleep in his bed. She moved to Mia's room, the door was slightly ajar. Peering in, she saw Mia perched on the edge of her bed, eyes wide with fear.
Callie pressed a finger to her lips, gesturing for Mia to get dressed and follow her. They moved silently to Ethan's room, where Mia shook her brother awake, keeping a hand over his mouth to stifle any noise. Once dressed, the teens followed Callie back to the main bedroom.
