Page 13 of Bait and Switch
“Um.” Gabe pretended to think. “That’s not your business. But if you want to know the truth, Peter didn’t do it for me anymore, if you get my drift. No zing. The magic was gone. Our time in the sack was performative at best. Does that answer your question?”
Gabe saw Eagan’s cheek dimple quickly before she schooled her expression. The shade of red that Spurring’s face had turned was not listed even on the big box of crayons.
“I’m not under arrest?” He directed the question at Eagan, who shook her head. “Then, as far as I understand these things, I’m free to go. I came down here voluntarily and now I’m leaving on my own.” He rose to his feet. “If you need to ask me new, different questions about my sex life, you know where to find me.”
“We’re watching you, Karne. When you make a mistake, know that we’ll catch it. You had something to do with Vale’s death and I’m—we’re going to prove it.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. There was always that one guy who had to have the last word.
“Ready to head backto your place?” Gabe asked Elton when he emerged from the back of the station.
Elton slowly stood up. “Yep, let’s blow this popsicle joint. It was nice speaking with you, Althea.” The older woman who had taken the seat behind the front desk smiled and nodded.
Gabe waited until they were back in the Ford and he had his seat belt clipped.
“Althea, huh?”
Elton didn’t bother responding; instead, he put the truck into reverse and backed out of the parking spot.
“I’m hungry and all I can have is soup.”
Gabe smirked. Elton could deflect all he wanted but Gabe was pretty damn sure romance was afoot between Elton and Althea.
“Soup sounds delicious.”
Nodding as if it hadn’t been him who’d made the suggestion in the first place, Elton pressed on the gas and they rumbled down the road.
SIX
Casey
Tuesday
Casey’s phone vibrated,dragging him out of a pleasant enough slumber. With bleary eyes and sluggish fingers, he grabbed for the damn thing and squinted at the screen. Damn, it was just after six in the morning. He should be up already. He peered at the number, knowing it was familiar, but he had been deep asleep.
Blinking several times, he tried to force his brain into working order.Bingo. The number belonged to Rowan Leary, his acquaintance-friend who flew helicopters for the Park Service. The phone vibrated again, and Casey pressed Accept.
“Leary, what’s going on?”
Casey was already sitting up. No doubt this call meant he would have to be up and out ASAP. Rowan wouldn’t be calling if there wasn’t an emergency.
“Sorry to call so early, Casey, but we’ve got a missing person. Someone from the brush crew.” The brush crews drovethemselves up The Valley, riding together in vans and pickups. “Sounds like they didn’t realize he’d been missed until this morning when his girlfriend called around. Both drivers thought he was in the other car.”
“Keep talking, I’m putting you on speaker while I get ready.”
This was not the time of year to go missing. It was cold and wet, and the days were short, making everything about a search that much more difficult. Casey grabbed a thick pair of socks from his dresser and started to put them on. It would be cold as fuck in the forest today. The last thing anyone wanted was a rescue worker needing to be rescued themselves.
“I’m assuming you’re calling Greta? I’ll stop and pick her up too. What can you tell me about the missing person?”
With Bowie by his side, Casey exitedThe Barbaraand walked quickly down the pier. He’d learned early on in his residency at the marina not to move too fast when it was frosty out. His ass had felt the impact for days.
“Carlos Garcia, mid-twenties. This was his first season up The Valley, but he’s done other work for us in years past. From what we can piece together, he just didn’t show up at the pickup point. The last carpool was around four p.m.”
“That’s a long damn time to be out in the cold.” Temperatures were getting steadily colder as the official change from fall to winter drew closer.
“Yeah,” Rowan agreed. “Wires got crossed, not good. I’ve talked to both drivers directly, and neither remembers seeing Carlos. His girlfriend has tried his phone and it goes to voicemail.”
Either because he was out of service range or battery. Also not good.
