Smiling, she bit into a fry. As she reached for a second one, a red Cadillac parked near the side of the restaurant. Sandy got out of the passenger side and Tony out of the driver’s. Sandy glanced in her direction but turned and hurried around the side of the building where several big rigs were parked.
Tony pulled off dark sunglasses and walked toward her, his gait slow and steady. She wrapped up her burger, set it aside, and met him several feet from the car, knowing Cooper would bark if he got too close.
“Tony,” Riley said, her hand shifting closer to her gun. “Sorry to hear about Cassie.”
“I liked Cassie,” he said. “I had plans for her.”
She assumed his plans included working the girl until she was so used up no one wanted her. “What do you think happened to her?”
“If I knew, I might go looking for whoever hurt her myself.” His gaze roamed over her. “Two dead girls who look like you. Someone with money has a type he likes to hurt. I’m wondering how much a man could get if you were up for sale.”
Tension knotted her spine. Sharp’s words of warning replayed. “You aren’t making some kind of threat, are you, Tony?”
He grinned broadly, holding up his hands. “Don’t be looking at me like you want to shoot me. I ain’t a threat.”
“Then why make the comment.”
“More of a friendly warning.”
She stood her ground. Cooper started to bark. He was search and rescue but very protective of her. “I’m not a kid like the other two. I know how to fight.”
Tony tossed a tense glance at the barking dog. “Oh, I bet you are tough. But you be on the lookout, Lady Cop. Hate to see you get snatched. I like you.”
She stood with her back to the car until he disappeared into the diner, and then she slid behind the wheel, locking the door.
As she pulled away, her cell rang. “Trooper Tatum.”
“Trooper, this is Sheriff Fletcher up in the western part of the county.”
“Yes, sir. What can I do for you?”
“Hoping you and your dog might head out this way. We have a man who is threatening to kill himself. He called 9-1-1 and said he’s headed up into the mountains and is gonna shoot himself. He called local media, and they had him on the phone for a half hour talking to a reporter. But he hung up minutes ago.”
“Did he say why he’s upset?”
“Talking a lot about a debt he owes. He says he can’t get out from under it. Says dying is the only way to get clear.”
She checked her watch and calculated how long it would take her to drive the thirty miles west. “I need to clear it with the boss.”
“Already done that.”
“Text me your location. It should take me a half hour to reach you.”
“Will do, ma’am.”
As she pulled out of the lot and headed west, her phone rang a second time and she half expected it to be Fletcher telling her that the man had been found. She glanced at the number. Bowman.
She tucked the cell under her ear. “You must have radar.”
“I do.” Classic Bowman. “What’s up?” His words were razor sharp.
“A man threatening to kill himself in the park and the sheriff can’t find him. Cooper and I are headed west now. This guy has already called the media, so it’s going to be a circus.”
“Where?”
She relayed the location of the heavily wooded state park. “Cooper and I know it well.”
“That’s a big park.”
“Command center has been set up at the south entrance.”
“Who’s going in with you?”
“There’ll be a few deputies, but it’ll be up to Cooper and me to pick up the trail.”
“I hope the boys can keep up with you this time.” Bowman had outpaced her on the trail and barely broken a sweat when he helped take down Carter.
“That’s not my concern now.”
“Be careful.”
“Always.”
She ended the call, pushed her foot on the accelerator, and flipped on her lights. She wove in and out of traffic until she pulled off the interstate onto the narrowing road and reached the south entrance of the park. She paused at the ranger’s station and got directions to the search team. A half mile into the park she found a half-dozen cars parked with lights flashing.
She grabbed her backpack from the trunk that she always kept stocked with water, first aid supplies, power bars, rope, and anything else she might need for a long trip into the woods. Hope for a quick outcome but plan for the long haul.
Off to the left stood Potter next to his news van. At Potter’s signal, the cameraman raised his camera and began shooting her. Both moved toward her, but two deputies stepped in their path.
She hooked the tracking line onto Cooper’s collar. “Time to go to work, boy.”
He barked, tail wagging. He loved the search, which was a great game to him.
With a slight tug he jumped down, sniffing the ground and wagging his tail. They strode toward a tall man dressed in a brown uniform. His trooper hat covered gray hair and a face tanned and lined by years in the sun.
“Sheriff Fletcher.”
He towered over her, taking a long assessing look at her and clearly wondering if someone had made a mistake when they’d recommended her. “Trooper Tatum? You’re the one who found Jax Carter?”
“Yes, sir.” Despite so many search-and-rescue successes, her tall, thin frame always surprised those who had not met her in person.
“I’ve heard good things about you, ma’am. Hope you’re as good as they say. But I must say, you don’t quite look the part. It’s rough country.”
“I’m familiar with the area. Cooper and I trained in these woods. What do you have?”
“All I know is I got a man named Lenny who says he’s betting he will kill himself before anyone can find him.”
“Did Lenny say why he wants to die? Does he have a wife, family I can talk to?”
“All he said was that he was out of options. Said his wife and kids live out of state and can’t do anything for him.”
“Did you talk to him directly?”
“No, I did not, but I listened to the 9-1-1 recording and the conversation he had with Mr. Potter.”
“He called Mr. Potter?” Riley asked.
“Yes, he did.”
“And you’re sure this is legit?”
“We won’t know until we get into the woods.”
Of course, they could not ignore the 911 call or Potter, who might have information that would help her.
“Can I talk to Potter?” she asked.
“Sure.”
As Fletcher waved Potter past the deputies, she noticed the smirk he was trying to hide. He had to love this, especially after being stopped by the deputies when Riley arrived.
“Trooper Tatum,” he said. “How can I help you?”
“I hear this man named Lenny called you. He said he was going to kill himself.”
Potter’s eyes danced with excitement. “Named this park and its waterfalls as his destination.”
“Why did he call you?”
“Saw me on the news covering Jax Carter’s arrest. Said my name was the first that came to mind.”
“He tell you anything else that can help me?”
“I told you all I know.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
He held up his cell phone. “Care to make a statement before the search?”
“No, sir.”
“Are you really going to go in after him?”
“That’s my job.”
Fletcher guided her away from the reporter and handed her a bag containing a shirt. “We found this in his car.”
“Which is his car?”
“The blue Lexus parked right by the entrance.”
“Do we have any idea what Lenny looks like?”
“The car is a rental and we’re contacting the leasing agent for a photo ID they should have with the paperwork. I can text it to you.”
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“Right.”
She knelt and held the bag with the shirt to Cooper’s nose. He sniffed and snorted several times. “Lenny said he was going to shoot himself. Do you know what kind of weapon he’s carrying?”
“No.” Fletcher rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t like this any better than you. Sketchy on more levels than I can count.”
Another news van arrived. “Who’s coming into the woods with me?”
“We’ve got three deputies ready to go.”