Head Start (Cedar Tree #7) (27 page)

“He’s got at least a fifteen-minute head start,” I call out when I get close. “Older truck, no known make, beige or white in color. I’ve got the plate.” Gus takes the paper from my hand and starts dialing, just as Damian and Luna jog up from down the street.

“Hey, you know you’ve got an unconscious cop in that patrol car back there?” he says rather casually. I’d forgotten about the patrol car. “He’s breathing, just has a sizable gash on his head. Fire department’s EMT is looking him over now.” His eyes focus on Gus. “What’ve we got?”

Gus calmly explains the sequence of events before handing over the scribbled license plate number. Damian immediately passes it off to Luna, who steps away with her phone in hand.

“Assuming he has Karly, they’ve got about a twenty-minute lead, at least, by now,” I point out impatiently. An eerily familiar feeling of doom weighs heavy on my heart and I force myself to focus. Mal shoots me an understanding glance. The all too observant bastard probably noticed the lingering tremors in my hands. I tuck them deep into my pockets, away from prying eyes before turning my attention back to Damian.

“We alerted the state patrol. They’re setting up roadblocks north and south of Cortez on the 491 at the junction with the 160. Another one...” I walk away as my phone starts to vibrate in my pocket and don’t hear the last bit. A quick glance shows me the diner’s number again.

“Yeah?”

“It’s Kendra,” I hear Arlene’s voice. “Seb’s taken off after her.”

“What happened?” I quickly walk back to the huddle, set the call to speakerphone and hold up my hand to silence everyone.

“I don’t know. She was upset after talking to you and went to the restrooms. I followed her in, but she said she wanted to be alone, so I left her. Next thing I know, I’m cleaning off tables, look outside and see her running across the parking lot. I yelled for Seb who took off after her. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear a thing.”

No
. My heart is pounding so hard, I swear it’s going to explode in my chest. Gus is the first one to speak up as he takes the phone from my shaking hand and starts talking to Arlene. “You stay right there, girl. Any patrons left?”

“Julie’s still here and just two booths. The rest are gone.” If I wasn’t numbed with fear, I’d probably be shocked to hear Arlene crying. It’s not something you see every day.

“Buck up, Arlene. I need you to lock the doors. Explain to whoever is there that there’s a massive manhunt underway outside and that they should stay put until law enforcement clears you. They give you trouble, let me know right away. We can’t have them get in the way. Help is coming, honey. Hang tough.” He ends the call and immediately starts dialing again.

“Caleb, I need you at the diner ASAP. Make sure Katie locks up tight behind you. We’ve got a serious situation here.”

The diner. Without thinking, my feet start moving in that general direction, no thought other than the need to get Kendra on my mind. A firm hand on my shoulder pulls me to a stop.

“Stop. Think.” Gus’s voice barely penetrates, but it seems to be stuck on repeat in my head as I accept my phone back. Mal steps up on the other side of me. I hear more sirens approaching and detachedly watch as Drew’s duty vehicle pulls in behind the fire truck. Not in any shape to deal with him, I turn my back and face my teammates.

“What?” I force out through my tightly held control.

“Let Mal take you to the diner. We’re setting up shop there. Grab your computer, get Jasper on the line. Let me sort things out here and I’ll bring the feds over there. Anything happens on either end—notify immediately. Got it?” I nod once. “I’ll text you the license plate number in a minute. You know what to do.”

Mal claps his hand and on my shoulder and steers me to his car. The moment I sit down, my phone buzzes in my pocket again and I scramble to fish it out. A message reminder. I must’ve missed it earlier. It’s from Kendra’s phone.

My finger hovers over the screen hesitantly for a minute before sliding it across, and my breath hitches in my throat.

Kendra:
Sorry xox

K
endra

“Please, just give me a minute,” I plead with Arlene as she follows me into the bathroom.

“I’m right out here if you need me,” she says as she pulls the door shut behind her.

I pull my phone out of my pocket, sit on the toilet seat and check the message again that had just come in while Arlene was cashing someone out. I’d been so eager when I saw it was from Karly...until I saw the message. I need to think.

-

K
arly:
5 minutes. SW corner parking lot. Crossroad. Hide in brush. White F150 westbound.

Get in back, cover with tarp. ALONE or first cut will be your sister’s face.

-

T
he second time reading it has more impact than the first, and I have a hard time getting my head around the instructions—my entire focus is on his last line. Karly. My wild, crazy, bighearted little sister. I drop my head between my knees when the room starts fading out. I can’t pass out now. Making sure I breathe in and out in a deep, steady rhythm, the panic slowly eases. Then another alert sounds on my phone, and this time, it’s an image of my sister, curled up under the dashboard on the floorboard of a truck. Her eyes are closed, and I gasp when I see a trickle of blood at her hairline.

I have to get out of here. Looking up at the tiny window, I dismiss it outright. Even if I could get my ass up there, I would run the risk of getting stuck. No. Out the front door, it’ll have to be. I tuck my phone in my pocket with the sound turned off, after typing out a quick message to Neil. I don’t want to give up my only connection with him. Then I get up, pull on the door, which
thank God,
doesn’t make any noise and peek out. Arlene is wiping down tables, and there are only two booths full at the back. I can’t see Seb or the other waitress. I wait until I see Arlene turn her back to me completely when she turns her attention to the next table against the far window.

Now, now, now.
I slip through the door and move as fast and as quiet as I can toward the front where I push the door open and start running. Thank God my legs are in decent shape. If only I can get to the shelter of the trees here before someone...

“KENDRA!”

I hear Seb yelling just as I break through the tree line and head onto the road. I hope he hasn’t seen me. With no traffic coming, I fly across to the other side and duck down behind some bushes. I can still hear Seb calling my name. Then I hear an engine start and within seconds, Seb’s truck pulls onto the road. And stops.

I hold my breath waiting to see which way he’ll turn and let it all out when I see him swinging right. Toward town.

Only moments later, I can see a dirty, old, light-colored pick-up truck coming from the direction Seb just disappeared in. My body seizes up in fear and I squeeze my eyes shut.

Oh God, Karly, I don’t know if I can
.

The crunch of tires on the gravel shoulder is loud in my ears. I take in a few deep breaths and look up. Even though I’m still ducked down, the figure in the cab of the truck seems to be looking straight at me. His body is shadowed, but then he leans toward the passenger side and slowly extends his arm through the open window, crooking his finger at me torturously slow before cocking his thumb to the truck bed.

Even at this distance I can clearly hear his voice. “Get under the tarp.”

Karly is in there with him
.

I’m instantly on my feet and run toward the back of the truck, climb in the bed and pull the bright blue tarp over myself, exactly as he said. I can feel the truck pulling away just as there’s the sound of another car passing toward town. We are driving the opposite way, and I’m scared. There’s little that way... A few places here and there along the county road but no towns, no city limits. No safety. Just the Ute reservation on one side and the Canyons of the Ancients on the other, with the Utah border looming beyond.

My hands restlessly explore the surface I’m lying on while trying to force my mind away from the panicked paralysis it wants to give in to. I will myself to breathe deeply through the nauseatingly sweet smell of rot and decay under the tarp.
Don’t think about what was under here before
. I brush against something sharp, and I tentatively explore it with my fingertips. A sliver of wood, about the size of my palm. With shaking fingers I manage to slip it up the sleeve of my shirt and thank God for not wearing one of my regular T-shirts or tanks today. Not sure what I can accomplish with it, but feeling the rough texture against the inside of my forearm gives me a sense of control. It’s better than nothing. Still, my hands keep roaming the surface, but unfortunately, there’s nothing else but dirt.

The temptation to pull my phone out and call Neil is almost unbearable, but I know if I do, I will be putting Karly in danger. I need to get her safe first.

I can feel the surface we are driving on changing as the truck makes a left turn. Where before it was a relatively smooth ride, I’m now being bounced around in the back. A dirt road more than likely, or a trail. I can’t be sure and I’m too afraid to move, so I just brace myself the best I can. When the truck finally slows down, my breathing becomes erratic again as panic grabs hold of me. A door slams and I hear the dull thud of footsteps coming around the truck. My fingers close protectively around the sleeve of my shirt, feeling the outline of the wood. I scream when a hand closes around my ankle and yanks me clear from the back of the truck. Landing hard on the packed ground, I get the air knocked out of me. The instant I manage to suck in a breath, I start scrambling backward to get away from the large man looming over me. A large boot comes down on my ankle, pinning me down, and slowly he leans his weight on it. I scream when the pain becomes excruciating, but it only brings a smile to his face. Grinning, he lifts all the weight off his other foot and the sound of a loud snap breaks my bones. The contents of my stomach spew out of my screaming mouth.

My world fades into gray and just as I’m about to give in, I hear someone yell.

“Stop! Stop it! Let her go!” My sister comes hobbling around the side of the truck, with what looks to be a flashlight in her hands, waving it around. The man chuckles as he lifts his foot off my ankle, causing a fresh surge of pain. Barely able to focus on the figure of my sister, I try to warn her away.

“Go...” My voice is barely audible. “Go...run!” I try again, this time a little louder. Harsh hands yank me off the ground and on my feet. But the pressure on my ankle has me scream out in pain. A large arm folds around my neck in a chokehold and his laugh in my ear sounds almost maniacal. With my air supply nearly cut off, I force myself to focus on Karly, who is swaying from side to side in front of us. Her eyes are wild, almost disoriented. “Karly,” I try, my voice now faint and hoarse. Still, she hears me and locks her eyes with mine. “
Run,
” I mouth and simultaneously I twist in his hold, swinging my arm at his head and feel the wood sliver I slipped into my hand sink deep.

His hands cover his face as he howls in pain. Now free, I turn to run but my ankle collapses under my weight and drops me to the ground.

This time the pain is too much, and the last thing I see before my world turns dark is my sister running into the trees.

N
eil

“Anything?” I ask Arlene, who’s standing just inside the diner’s front door.

She shakes her head, her eyes red rimmed, and my stomach does another lurch. Mal walks in behind me after pulling the car into a parking spot. I’d jumped out while we were still rolling. I’d been trying Kendra’s phone continuously on the way, but there was no answer. Either she doesn’t have it with her or she’s not in a position where she can pick up. Neither answer is good.

Looking around the diner, I spot Caleb coming out of the kitchen. He must’ve just arrived before us. There are only two tables occupied: one by a young family I’ve seen around from time to time, and the other by two of the older regulars. One of Arlene’s waitresses Julie is busy refilling cups.

“Seb take his phone?” Mal asks Arlene, and I turn around just in time to see her shake her head again.
Dammit.

“I tried calling but heard it ring in the kitchen. He just ran out yelling for Kendra and then hopped in his truck and peeled out of here.” Her voice wobbles a little when she turns to me. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think she—“

“Not your fault. Don’t even go there,” I cut her off. And it isn’t her fault. It’s mine. I promised her nothing would happen to her. I left her behind when I should never have left her side. That’s on me, not on anyone else. I try not to think about the fact that based on the time she left me her last text, she’s been gone close to forty-five minutes.

“Did she leave her phone? Kendra?”

“I don’t know,” Arlene says, starting to move toward the restroom. Caleb walks up and puts his arm around Arlene.

“I already checked,” he says. “Nothing.”

“What direction did you see her go?” I ask, and Arlene points to the west side of the parking lot. I immediately head outside in that direction. I go as far as the road, scanning the ground as I walk, but can’t find a trace. Not surprising, since this side of the parking lot is poorly lit, and the night is clouded, so I don’t even have the faint moonlight for help.