Enigma (FBI Thriller #21)(41)
Jack scanned the area, said to himself more than anyone else, “Why wouldn’t they believe they’re safe here?”
Duke said, “They’ve got to have a sat radio. Maybe someone called, told them that young hiker they murdered was found. They’d be worried the forest would be full of dogs and law enforcement soon.”
Cam turned away from an incredible limestone cliff in the distance, her head cocked to one side, and said slowly, “No, that’s not it. There hasn’t been time for that to get out. Their not staying here couldn’t have anything to do with the hiker’s murder.”
Jack said, “Look at the smaller boot prints.” He rose, followed them. “She’s walking quickly away from the other two, going behind this boulder, and she stops. Then she turns right around and walks back. She’s pacing. Why?”
Cam studied the tracks. “As Duke said, they’ve got to have a sat phone. I’m thinking someone called them, told them to move out, to leave the ridge fast.”
Jack was frowning. “How could this someone who called them know anyone is looking for them?”
Chief said, “Duke and I both told our people, but who would they tell? Not some criminal mastermind who came around asking questions, that’s for sure.”
Duke nodded. “Still, this site shows us they made some big decisions up here, and it was quick. Chief, how about calling your guys, having them focus their patrols on Clover Bottom Creek Road.”
“Even if they do know we’re after them,” Jack said, hiking up his backpack, “I think we can catch them before they get to that road.”
They set out along the ridge, with incredible views in all directions, Jack in the lead. He moved quickly, but always with an eye on the tracks. The sun was brutal overhead. Soon Cam was sweating from the pace Jack set. She focused on keeping her breathing smooth and steady.
Suddenly Jack stopped, leaned down, and picked up a small piece of paper.
They gathered around him. “Look at this, one of them tore open an aspirin packet and a piece fell off.”
Cam said, “So, they stopped because Manta Ray is hurting, despite the help, hurting enough for more aspirin.”
Chief said, “Good, the bugger’s miserable.”
Duke sniffed the air, dropped his voice to a whisper. “They’ve got to be close. Let’s keep it as quiet as we can.”
They started down the barren eastern side of the ridge strewn with rocks and gullies of all sizes, gouged out by rainwater running down into the creek drainage. Jack paused as they approached some thick scrubs halfway down the ridge. “Look, Manta Ray fell, took the big man with him. You can see the woman’s gone down on her knees to help them up.” He saw a mishmash of boot prints that cut away from the overgrown shrubs, toward less steep and dangerous terrain. Jack picked up their tracks quickly, saw they were moving slowly, cutting back and forth to stay on as level ground as possible, but steadily downhill.
“They stopped here again,” Jack said. “Take a look.”
As Chief leaned down to study the tracks, a shot rang out, clear and loud in the still air. Chief grabbed his side and dropped to his knees.
25
CAFETERIA
WASHINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
WASHINGTON, D.C.
EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON
Savich and Sherlock found Kara Moody and Dr. Janice sitting in the crowded hospital cafeteria. When Kara saw them and waved, they saw hope leap into her eyes. Dr. Janice had a hold of Kara’s hand, squeezed it. “Hello, Dillon, Sherlock. Kara and I have been having some lunch. Please join us.” She paused. “Have you learned anything?”
Sherlock leaned down, hugged Kara, whispered against her cheek, “We’ve got some good leads, and there are things I need to tell you. Things are coming together, Kara.” It wasn’t too much of a stretch.
Savich took Dr. Janice’s hand. “Is that bagel smeared with cream cheese?”
“Almost,” Dr. Janice said. “It’s nonfat, but I can almost convince myself it’s the real thing. Better for old stomachs, I guess.”
Dr. Janice had been a fixture in Savich’s life for as long as he could remember, and she was getting up there in years, no way around that, but he didn’t like being faced with that reality.
Kara scoffed. “Listen to you, Dr. Janice. I’m counting on you to be around with me to celebrate Alex’s twenty-first birthday.”
Dr. Janice laughed. “My dear, you can count on it. I might need Alex to carry me to the cake, but I’ll be there.”
Savich left Sherlock with Kara and joined the cafeteria line to fetch both of them tuna salad sandwiches. Sherlock settled back in her chair and studied Kara’s face, taking stock. She was pale, her eyes red-rimmed, but with Dr. Janice’s help, she was holding it together. She was wearing jeans and sneakers and a large white shirt with orange and yellow paint smears on the cuffs that Dr. Janice had brought her from home. “We went to your room on the maternity floor, and the nurse told us you’d come to the cafeteria with Dr. Janice. Kara, I hope you got some sleep after we left last night.”
“One of the FBI agents escorted me back to my room, and a nurse forced a sleeping pill down my throat, so yes, I slept okay.” She didn’t tell Sherlock about the nightmare at dawn that jerked her out of sleep, sweating and terrified. She dredged up a grin. “I know they would have discharged me already. I heard one of the nursing supervisors talking about it. But after all that’s happened I guess they want to make a show of support rather than push me out, afraid I might sue them. And the thing is, I really don’t want to go home—I can’t. Not yet. Not until I have Alex back.” She shook her head at herself. “And there’s John Doe. If he wakes up, I want to know.” She picked up the half of her ham sandwich she hadn’t touched, looked at it like she’d never seen it before, took a small bite.