Into the Night(34)

Zack glanced back at her. “Even though it’s not as well used, the Bullhead Trail is easily marked, too. Even amateur hikers should have known to stick to it.”

“But what if it was late...darkness falls fast here. They could have turned toward the Bullhead Trail and gotten lost.” Excitement pulsed through her. “Show us the way, okay?” Because every instinct that she had was screaming at her.

Zack cast a quick glance toward Bowen.

“Show us the way,” Bowen said.

So they diverted paths. They went deeper into the woods and then...she saw a cabin’s roof, barely visible over the trees. If it hadn’t been so late into the fall season, she probably wouldn’t have seen it. But many of the leaves had fallen off the trees, and in the distance, she could just make out the slanting roof of a cabin. “Bowen!” Her voice sharpened. They were at least a mile from the cabin, maybe two. It was far away, but the thinning trees had enabled her to see it as soon as they shifted to the other trail.

He immediately followed her gaze. “Who owns that cabin?”

“No one,” Zack answered slowly. “It’s an old abandoned place. No one is in there.” He paced closer to Macey and pointed at the area. “Every now and then, hikers will take shelter there for a night or so. It’s not an official campground because the place really should be torn down. The wood is rotting and the forest is trying to reclaim the cabin, but...we had cutbacks so we haven’t gotten around to demolishing it.” He gave a low whistle. “But we should get going. That cabin is—”

“It’s in our killer’s operation zone.” Tension had tightened Macey’s body. “It’s a prime spot for him to set up his base.” She pinned Zack with a hard glance. “Are there any other cabins in a two-mile radius of this location?”

“No, just that one.” He rubbed his chin. “But I mean, you can’t seriously think—what? That some guy has been killing in that place?” He laughed, but it was a nervous sound.

“I want to see that cabin.” She glanced up at the sky. They had time to make it.

“This is what happens.” Now Zack sounded sad. “There is no trail that leads to that place, not anymore. People get urges to see things. They go off the trail. They get lost when night sneaks up on them.”

She braced her legs. Every instinct she possessed screamed for her to get to that cabin. It’s in his kill zone. We could have found his safe place. A place where he might have left evidence behind. “Today we’re searching the cabin.” Tomorrow, at first light, they could start out and head up to Mount LeConte.

“Have it your way.” Zack pulled out his radio and made a quick call in to base. “Let’s go.”

*

THE BASTARD IN the ski mask had left him again.

Curtis could feel his stomach cramping. The food was sitting heavy on him... Food. The guy had given him food, so that had to mean he wasn’t planning on killing Curtis. It had to mean that. So he just had to stay alive longer. Just had to escape...

His gaze strayed to his pack. Still fucking out of reach. But...

I feel stronger.

He began to tug on his ropes once more. And maybe it was his imagination, but Curtis could have sworn the ropes were starting to feel...looser.

I’m going to get out of here. Then I’ll find you, you fucking bastard. I will hurt you so badly. I will make you pay.

As soon as he was free. That prick in the mask—He’d picked the wrong man to mess with. Curtis Zale wasn’t anyone’s bitch. He didn’t give up easily and he wouldn’t die easily.

He had too many plans.

There were too many things that he wanted to do with his life.

And dying isn’t one of those things.

*

“TOLD YOU,” ZACK said as they drew to a stop right outside the cabin. They’d hiked for an hour and the sun had slid across the sky. “It’s abandoned.”

The place sure looked that way. The windows were boarded up, vines snaked up the sides of the cabin and the slanting walls looked as if they might fall in any moment.

“Can’t usually even see this place, not in the spring and summer. The trees cover it too completely. Most folks will pass by and never even know it’s here.” Zack strode toward the door. “Could have been some historic spot, but there isn’t any funding to repair it. No funding to repair it, and no funding to destroy it. So the place sits.”

Macey cast a quick glance at Bowen. He was near the front door, just steps away from Zack.

“Mind stepping aside, Ranger?” Bowen drawled. He’d dropped his pack. Macey did the same.

Zack blinked, but then he stepped aside.

“Thanks.” Bowen reached for the door. There wasn’t a handle there, no lock, nothing. He shoved against the door and it opened with a long creak of sound.

“See?” Zack announced. “I told you, the place is completely empty—”

“Help me!” A desperate, choked cry. One that had come from inside the cabin. Instantly, Bowen was springing forward, and Macey was right on his heels. She grabbed her gun from her holster even as she shoved Zack out of her way. She bounded into the cabin after Bowen, her gaze sweeping the scene for signs of a threat but...

No threat. Just a victim. She saw the man tied to the chair, heaving and struggling desperately. As she watched him, his mouth opened and closed, but only a hoarse whisper escaped when she knew he was trying to scream. A backpack lay on the floor a few feet from him.