Trusting Danger (Danger, #2)(70)

There was silence for a few seconds before Eli said, “He was headed to your family’s property in the mountains.”

Confused, she frowned. “Why would he go there?”

“Dirt was found in Roy King’s tire treads that came from the Shenandoah Valley area.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “The kidnapper’s car?”

“Yes. How big is the property?”

She struggled to answer as her mind spun. “Huge. Hundreds of acres.”

“Has Nick Papadakos been there often?”

Nick? What did he have to do with anything?

“Yes. He and my father hunt there several times a year.”

“My team and I are heading to Virginia. Please don’t tell Nick or anyone else we spoke.”

“Eli, I know the property. I can help. It’s heavily wooded and remote, and those gravel roads aren’t well marked. You won’t find your way to it easily without help, which is exactly why my parents chose it. They wanted privacy.”

Alex had abandoned his sandwich-making and stood leaning against the kitchen counter, his arms folded over his chest as he listened intently to her side of the conversation.

Eli huffed out a frustrated breath. “Grayson wouldn’t want you involved. And neither would your father.”

“With or without you,” she insisted, “I’m going.”

There was silence so long that Claire was sure the call had ended. Then Eli sighed.

“All right. I’ll pick you and Alex up in twenty minutes.”

A thought occurred to Claire. “You know, the cell service on the property is spotty. If Grayson’s there, that’s probably why you haven’t heard from him.”

“Good to know,” Eli said. “I’ll make sure the team is equipped with radios. We’ll see you soon.”

When the call clicked off, Claire lowered her phone and turned to Alex to explain.





Chapter Fifty-Nine





Grayson pulled onto the Parkers’ Blue Ridge property over two hours after leaving DC, later than he’d expected. It had taken him a while to find it . . . there were numerous dirt and gravel roads in the forested area, some marked with numbers and others not marked at all.

As he stepped out of the Suburban, the smell of smoke hit him, making his eyes water.

Must be smoke drifting from the forest fire they were talking about on the radio.

He turned his gaze to the hazy sky before scanning the area around him. The ground was rocky here, with none of the red clay described in the report. Hopefully, he’d have more luck as he drove farther in.

He tried to call Eli once he was back inside the Suburban to tell him he was on the property. The call didn’t connect, and Grayson cursed when he checked his phone and realized there was no cell service here.

Deciding to check in once he was on the way back to DC, Grayson drove slowly down the gravel road and squinted once he was about a half mile in. Along the shoreline of a nearby creek, the dirt was tinged red, different from the orange-tinted clay often seen in the DC area.

He parked his vehicle and grabbed an evidence bag from his glove compartment. Kneeling at the water’s edge, he scooped an ounce or so of dirt inside the bag.

That task done, he shifted his gaze across the road. He’d planned to search for the cabin he’d seen in the aerial view of the property he’d found online, but maybe it was better to explore around here first.

Cabin. What an understatement. From the surface area of the roof he’d seen in the aerial view of the property online, that cabin was more like a resort lodge.

Grayson crossed the road on foot and climbed up a ridge. He’d just crested the top when he spotted something pale on the other side that contrasted sharply with the evergreen forest—a tent set up at the floor of the valley and a pickup truck parked behind it. Based on its location, it was on Parker property, and Claire had told him her parents were private people. They wouldn’t have given someone permission to camp here, would they?

Deciding to try his luck again, Grayson pulled out his phone to call Alex. Maybe he could find out from Claire.

When the call didn’t connect, Grayson thumbed off the phone and shoved it in his pocket. Remembering the gift Gabe had given Claire in Florida, Grayson shook his head.

That satellite phone would really come in handy now.

He flicked a glance over his shoulder. Should he go back to the interstate where he’d had coverage and make his calls, or stay here and take a look? Eli already knew he was on the property . . .

His mind made up, Grayson started down the other side of the ridge to investigate. He was nearing the tent when a cracking noise behind him had him spinning around.

Grayson’s adrenaline surged as he spotted a brawny man approaching quickly through the trees. His face was familiar, and Grayson quickly flipped through his mental Rolodex.

About six feet tall, two hundred twenty pounds or so, black hair, mid-forties . . .

Then it clicked. Roy King.

“Who are you?” King demanded as he came to a stop about ten feet away, scowling. “What are you doing here?”

Cursing himself for not having his weapon in hand the moment he left his vehicle, Grayson curled his empty fingers into fists. “I could ask you the same.”

“I asked first.”