In Seconds

20

“This is it? You’re sure?” Myles stood with Ned in front of Allen Biddle’s house east of town. It wasn’t a likely place to drop off a couple of hitchhikers. There was no bus stop, no pay phone, no café and no gas station, just one residence—the lodgelike home of a middle-aged bachelor who split his time between Montana and Alaska, and hired out as a hunting guide.

“Positive, Sheriff. I knew they wouldn’t want to continue on with me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I wasn’t going all the way into town.” About forty years old, Ned had lived in Pineview most of his life and, when he wasn’t on the ball diamond, dressed like an old cowboy. He hitched his Wranglers a little higher as he talked but couldn’t fasten them around the big belly that hung well over his belt. “I came from Libby, had to pick up a few things there,” he said. “Saw them when I was coming back and stopped, but explained I wasn’t going all the way to Pineview.”

“And they said…”

“To take them as far as I could, and that’s what I did.”

Myles scratched his head, trying to determine whether the two had walked into town, found another ride or headed into the mountains. He doubted they’d gone into the mountains. He’d checked on their Toyota before leaving Pineview. All the camping and fishing equipment he’d spotted earlier was still in the bed. “Where were you going?” he asked Ned.

“I bought Leland’s Christmas tree farm a few months ago, so I was on my way up there.”

Myles hadn’t heard this. “Insurance business must be good.”

“Same as always. Good enough. But I was looking for something I could do on the side, and when this opportunity came along, I decided to take it.”

For all his cowboy attire, Myles couldn’t see Ned as a farmer. “Do you know anything about growing Christmas trees?”

“Not much.” He produced a rueful grin. “But I’m learning.”

Myles hoped he was better at farming than softball. “So you were going to the farm when you picked up these boys.”

“Yeah. Turnoff’s right there.” He pointed. “Ain’t nothin’ up that road but trees so I figured they’d have a better shot of reaching town if I dropped them here.”

“They didn’t try to persuade you or…coerce you to take them any farther?”

“No, sir.”

Squatting at the side of the road, Myles examined the dirt for any sign of the shoe imprints they’d found at the scene of Pat’s murder but didn’t see any. “Did it look as if they were armed?”

“Not that I could tell. They didn’t have a rifle or anything obvious.”

Myles raised one hand against the glare of the sun. “What did they have with them?”

“Nothing but the clothes on their backs.”

“They tell you where they were hoping to go?”

“Pineview.”

He stood. “I mean once they got there. Did they mention a motel, a campground, some place to eat?”

“No.”

Myles kicked a pebble across the road. “They had to give some reason for needing a ride. There aren’t a lot of hitchhikers around here.”

“Said their truck broke down a ways back. That’s all.”

“You didn’t ask why they didn’t ride with the tow?”

“I didn’t know they’d been able to call one.”

Of course. How would he know Myles had found them on the side of the road and called Harvey? “What did you talk about while they were in your truck?”

“The weather, mostly. After we were driving for a bit, I brought up Pat’s murder. They asked me if the police had any leads on who did it and I said no.” He spat at the pavement. “But you suspect they killed Pat, right? That’s why you’ve been passing out flyers like the one I saw at the coffeehouse this morning.”

“That’s right. I’m pretty sure it’s them. Did you happen to notice the shoes they were wearing?”

“Tennis shoes.”

“What brand?”

He shrugged. “Couldn’t tell you. Didn’t pay close enough attention. They all look the same to someone who prefers boots.” With a proud gleam in his eye, he lifted one bowed leg to show off his fancy snakeskin boots.

“Nice,” Myles said, but scarcely glanced at them. He was too intent on what he was doing. “Did they both have on the same kind of tennis shoes?”

Ned’s eyebrows slid up. “Now that you mention it, I think they did.”

Would it do any good to search the area? It’d been yesterday afternoon that Ned had seen them…?.

Myles figured he’d check with Allen at least, and take a peek in his outbuildings. “Is there anything else you can tell me, Ned? Anything that might give me some idea where to search?”

He spat again and shook his head. “Wish I could. They pretended to be searching for someone themselves, and I stupidly believed them.”

“What do you mean?”

“The young guy told me he’d come to town hoping to reunite with his biological sister, who was adopted out at birth. Woman by the name of Laurel…something. Asked me if I’d heard of her. I told him I hadn’t and that was about it.”

Vivian… Because this was taking much longer than planned, Myles called the office and asked Deputy Campbell to ride over to Pineview and sit in front of her house until he could get there himself. “What’d they look like?”

“The one guy had tattoos everywhere, just like it says on the flyer. He didn’t say much. His younger friend did all the talking.”

“They give you their names?”

“Ron Howard and Peter Ferguson. Seemed like nice guys. I never would’ve guessed they were wanted by the police.” He offered Myles a grim smile. “Or that I was lucky to get away with my life.”

“Thanks for coming forward,” Myles said.

As Ned left, Myles knocked on Allen’s door. But he didn’t learn anything new. Allen insisted no one had stopped by. He hadn’t seen two men rambling around, and he doubted there was anyone on his property, but he helped search just in case.

“Where else do you think they might’ve gone?” Myles asked when they were done.

“Who knows? If it were me, I’d make my way to town. A man’s gotta eat.”

“Yeah.” Frustrated that he’d come up empty, Myles let Allen go on about his business, but he was reluctant to leave. There had to be some way to find Ink and the little asswipe who was with him before anyone else got hurt. He just needed to think like they would. There wasn’t much out here for two people without even a tent. Not only would they need food, they’d need shelter. It was easiest to come by those things in town. Town was also where they’d have a better chance of locating Vivian. And yet…this was where their trail had gone cold.

He drove around to a few cabins in the area but could document no other sightings. By the time he called it quits, it was getting dark and he felt like a bloodhound who wouldn’t give up on a scent.

Deputy Campbell checked in by radio just as he was getting into his car.

“How’s she doing?” Myles asked.

“Don’t know. She hasn’t come back.”

“What?”

“I’ve been sitting here all afternoon but haven’t seen a soul. I’m thinking she spent the day in Kalispell.”

That was a possibility. Lord knew anyone would be hesitant to return to the situation going on here.

“Let me know when she arrives.”

“Will do,” Campbell promised.

Myles looked at the clock. He needed to get back and relieve his deputy, who had a young family waiting eagerly for him. He was on his way. But he was close to where Marley was staying, so he decided to swing by and pick her up first.

Music blared from the house as he approached the front door. He had to ring the doorbell three times before he managed to rouse anyone, but eventually Alexis, Elizabeth’s sixteen-year-old sister, answered. Dressed in a spaghetti-strap T-shirt and the shortest shorts he’d ever seen, she smiled up at him as if her chest wasn’t all but falling out of her shirt. “Hey, Sheriff.”

Myles avoided looking anywhere below the neck. As far as he was concerned, she was still a child. “Hi, there. Looks like you’ve gotten some sun.” Her red face contrasted sharply with the circles of white around her eyes, giving her an owl-like appearance.

“A little.” She pressed her cheek to show him just how bad it was. “I spent the morning on the chaise. I didn’t realize I was getting burned because it wasn’t that hot.”

“Some aloe vera should help.”

She shrugged away the suggestion. “I’m not worried about it. It’ll turn into a tan by tomorrow.”

“Hope so. Hey, can you grab Marley for me?”

A frown tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I was afraid you were going to ask me that. She’s not here. The girls went to Kalispell with my mom.”

“For what?”

“Shopping.”

Marley had left town without telling him? She knew damn well that she was supposed to ask. She’d say she “forgot” to call—how many times had he heard that excuse?—but she’d probably decided to ask forgiveness instead of permission. She always wanted to go with Elizabeth’s mom. Those excursions meant more to her than any others. He suspected being with Janet reminded her of being with her own mother.

Wondering whether to leave word that Janet should bring Marley home, since she’d taken her out of town without his permission, or come back and pick her up, he cleared his throat. “What are they shopping for?”

“School clothes.”

“But it’s only June. School just got out.”

“My mom starts early,” Alexis said with a laugh. “And I think they wanted to get away, have a girls’ day out. They talked about seeing a movie, too.”

That meant it could be late when they returned. He’d have to ground Marley for disobeying him, but no doubt she’d think it was worth the sacrifice. “Why didn’t you go?” he asked, still trying to figure out what to do about this.

“I already had plans with my boyfriend.”

That would explain Jett Busath’s truck in the driveway. He and Alexis had been an item since Christmas. Their relationship had so captured Marley’s imagination that it’d been all she could talk about for weeks.

“Your father home?” Myles wanted to alert him to what was going on, tell him there were people running around who’d busted out of prison and were very dangerous, but he suspected Henry was gone, and Alexis confirmed it.

“No, he’s on a business trip. That’s why Mom wanted to get out. He’s been traveling, and she’s been stuck here doing laundry and dishes.”

“I see. So you’re babysitting?”

“No, my brothers are at camp this week.”

Alexis was home alone, wearing next to nothing and spending the evening with a boy who, at sixteen, probably had more hormones than brains. Myles’s father-instinct was buzzing like crazy, urging him to warn her to be careful. He knew her parents would freak out if she got pregnant. They were hoping she’d win a scholarship for softball, had big plans for their oldest daughter. But as protective as he felt toward everyone in the community, especially Elizabeth’s family because he knew them so well and they had so much influence over Marley, it wasn’t his place to get involved.

“What time will the girls be home, do you know?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No. Sorry.”

Resting his hands on his utility belt, he turned to look out over the front yard. He liked this property. The cabin was more modern than rustic, but the convenience of having a big, gourmet kitchen and plenty of bathrooms added to its appeal. The Rogers family got to live out in the wilds without missing any of the conveniences of city life—except when it snowed. Then it was hard getting out to the main road, but they always managed.

“If I know Marley and Elizabeth, they’re going to call you up and beg to have Marley stay over again,” Alexis said. “Why don’t you just pick her up in the morning?”

Myles preferred she come home tonight. He hated having her out of his sight when there were dangerous men floating around. But after what he’d learned about Vivian—or Laurel—maybe it was for the best if Marley wasn’t at home while he tried to track down the fugitives. Surely she’d be safer here, sequestered in the mountains with her friend’s family, than sleeping next door to the woman The Crew had come to kill.

“Okay, that’s fine,” he said. “Tell her to call me when she gets home, and we’ll make arrangements for tomorrow.”

A voice issued from somewhere inside the house. “Alexis? Where are you?”

Jett was growing impatient. “I’ll let you get back to your, um, company,” Myles said.

“Thanks.” She sent him a fleeting smile and closed the door.

Trudie’s Grocery was a mom-and-pop establishment with elevator music playing in the background, the kind of place that sold homemade pie and jellies and reminded L.J. of the store his grandparents used to own when they were alive. He lived with them during the summers between his fifth-and seventh-grade years. Those six months before he went into foster care were the happiest of his life, so he liked the feel of this place, the neat rows of cans and snacks, the freezer section at the back with the ice cream and frozen foods. He used to help stock that stuff.

This was one of the rare occasions he’d been away from Ink since Ink was transferred to the California Men’s Colony and became his cellie. Because he really needed the break, he took his time meandering through the aisles before approaching the birdlike woman perched on a stool behind the cash register.

Preoccupied by a show on the small TV behind the counter, she barely looked at him. “That all for tonight, honey?”

“Yeah, that’s it. Thanks.”

She wore a badge that read Trudie and although he’d never met another Trudie her name somehow fit. With her hair dyed an awful orange color and teased up the way his grandma used to do hers, she wore a purple smock and bright red lipstick with matching nail polish. She wasn’t bad-looking despite the terrible dye job, not for someone in her seventies. He liked that she took care of herself. He could smell her perfume from the other side of the counter. It didn’t smell particularly expensive, but he thought if he ever got married, he’d like to be with a woman who always tried to look her best.

The cash register beeped as she scanned his chocolate milk, pork rinds, whiskey and condoms he threw down at the last second.

He glanced out the window to see Ink sitting in the white Dodge Ram that had belonged to the men they’d killed. Ink had taken to driving. He stayed behind the wheel and left the engine idling while L.J. ducked into one place after another to ask about Laurel Hodges. At this point, L.J. was in as much of a hurry to find her as Ink was. He wanted to finish whatever they had to do in Montana and get the hell on the road. Pineview was so small, he felt they stood out, especially with Ink tatted up the way he was.

Seeming anxious not to miss a minute of her program, Trudie handed him his bag with an absentminded, “Thank you. Come again,” and returned to her stool.

It was time to launch into his spiel. “Excuse me, but… I’m hoping you can help me.”

She looked at him for the first time.

“I’m searching for my sister,” he began. “She’s about five-ten and—”

He didn’t get any farther before Trudie’s gaze flicked toward a flyer taped to the side of her register. Then her eyes widened and she nearly fell off her stool.

Almost as surprised as she was, L.J. checked the flyer to see what was wrong—and saw a picture of him and Ink beneath the heading Sheriff’s Notice. A phone number and an explanation had been printed on there, as well, but he didn’t take the time to read it. He didn’t need to. He knew what that flyer was, just as he knew Trudie had recognized him.

Leaving the snacks and the condoms, he bolted out the door and jumped into the passenger seat of the truck. “Go! Go! Go!”

Ink didn’t pause to question him. Evidently the terror on his face was enough to get an immediate response. Heedless of any back pain he might be suffering, Ink shoved the gearshift into Reverse and launched the vehicle backward, only to shift again before they could even come to a stop.

Positive that they were about to have an accident, L.J. closed his eyes. He knew Ink couldn’t be watching for oncoming traffic. He was too busy putting some distance between them and that store. L.J. was more afraid of getting arrested than crashing, anyway. He’d bought and sold drugs, and he’d beat up a few people, but he’d never considered doing the shit Ink had gotten him into. Shooting those hunters. Beating that real-estate agent to death. Getting that woman in L.A. killed. If they got busted, he’d go down for all of it.

Rocks smacked the undercarriage like machine-gun fire as their backend fishtailed and their tires spun gravel. But once they reached the pavement, they had traction and lurched forward with greater power. Miraculously, Ink managed to bring the truck under control, and they hurtled away from the little grocery store without hitting anything. But only because the road was clear.

Grabbing the rearview mirror, L.J. turned it so he could see if Trudie had come out of the store. He didn’t want her to jot down their license plate number. Then the sheriff would be able to trace the plate and figure out it belonged to the men they’d killed.

All he could see was a big cloud of dust; that was probably all she could see, too.

“What happened in there?” Ink asked once Pineview had disappeared from sight.

“She recognized me!” He hadn’t bothered with his seat belt. He braced himself with one hand on the door and the other on the dash, eyeing the rearview mirror to see if a cop car would come racing up from behind.

Ink smacked the seat between them. “How? What the hell happened?”

L.J.’s heart seemed to be chugging harder than the pistons in the engine. “How should I know? I went in and asked about my long-lost sister, like usual. At first the woman seemed fine, but then she stared at me as if she’d swallowed a marble. I wasn’t sure what was going on until I saw the flyer.”

“What flyer?”

“A sheriff’s bulletin with my picture on it. Yours, too.”

Ink cursed. He was so worked up he didn’t seem to be slowing down.

Now that they were safely away, L.J. felt there was no reason to draw attention by speeding. Getting pulled over would put an end to their freedom, possibly for life. “Hey, can you take it easy?”

“You want me to take it easy?” Ink snapped.

The wildness in his eyes frightened L.J. and he let go of the armrest long enough to motion for his partner to calm down. “Whoa! We need to blend in, not stand out, right?”

Ink didn’t like being told what to do. L.J. had never seen anyone get angry quicker or for less reason. He was always looking for a fight. But he seemed to see the logic in L.J.’s words because he eased up on the gas. “We’re going to find her.”

“Of course we will.” L.J. just hoped they’d find her soon. Because until then, his own safety was in jeopardy.

Ink commandeered the rearview mirror and checked it every few seconds. “So what did you do when she recognized you?”

“What do you think? I ran out before she could call the cops.”

“Why didn’t you shoot her? Dead people can’t talk.”

The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. Murder wasn’t his answer to everything. “I wasn’t the only shopper in there, that’s why. There was a mother and two kids.”

“There weren’t any other vehicles outside.”

“They must’ve walked.”

Somehow Ink knew he was lying. “You can’t be too scared to use that gun, man.”

“I’m not scared,” he grumbled. “I just don’t see any reason to kill people unless I have to.”

“You should’ve put a plug in her.”

Bullshit. That was only going to get him into more trouble. He had to escape from this psychopath. The sooner, the better. He just wasn’t sure how to go about it. If he left now, Ink would find Laurel, kill her, then come after him. And if Ink ever caught up with him…

“Do you have a death wish or something?” he asked. “Because they’re gonna go for the death penalty when they get hold of you.”

“They won’t get hold of me.” He must not have seen anything worrisome coming up from behind because he made the turn that led to their cabin and they rode in silence for the next twenty minutes.

Once they pulled into the drive, L.J. stared out at the growing darkness. He was thinking about the men Ink had shot and the stomach-churning process of burying them. He wondered about their families, whether or not they had children. This was all so senseless. His life was turning into a nightmare. He didn’t feel big or bad, like he thought he would. He just felt like shit. Worse than shit, because he knew how ashamed his grandfather would be.

“What are we going to do?” he asked. “We can’t go back into town. Not with all those flyers everywhere.”

“We’ll wait until it’s too dark to see us clearly.”

He had an answer for everything. They hadn’t shaved since they left the California Men’s Colony, but his beard growth hadn’t stopped Trudie from recognizing him. “And what if it doesn’t work? In another day or two, every one in town will have seen that flyer.”

“That’s why we’ve got to go back tonight. But we’ll wait another hour or so, let things die down.”

Bile rose in L.J.’s throat. “Are you joking? We can’t go back there.”

“We have no choice. And we need to do it soon, or you’re right—it’s only gonna get harder.”

It was already hard enough. “That’s asking for trouble. We’re screwed, you know that.”

Ink shut off the engine. “No, we’re not.”

L.J. didn’t move. He’d pissed himself rushing out of that damn grocery store, and there was no way he wanted Ink to see the wet spot on his jeans. He’d never live it down.

Fortunately, it was getting darker by the minute. In a little while it would be too dark to see that small detail, especially way the hell out here. “How can you be so sure?”

Ink met his gaze. “I remembered her name.”

L.J. didn’t immediately follow. “What are you talking about?”

“Laurel’s daughter. I remember her name!”

This wasn’t exciting news. L.J. had been a fool to come to Montana with Ink, but…now that he was here, he had to get through it the best he could until he found a way out. He’d been so set on becoming a Crew member. Now he couldn’t imagine why. If they were anything like Ink, then Ink was right. He wasn’t cut out for it. “How?”

“Don’t know. When you came out screaming, it just popped into my head. Can you believe it?”

Frankly he couldn’t. What if Ink only thought he knew the name? It didn’t make sense that he couldn’t remember it for so long and then suddenly there it was. Was Ink bullshitting him? “You’re dreaming.”

“Dreaming?” Ink echoed. “You mean lying, don’t you? But I’m not. And even if I was, it’s not your place to question me.”

Question him? What was he, L.J.’s father? L.J. had never had a father, and he didn’t want one now, especially a freaking psychopath only fifteen years older than he was. “We almost got caught back there!”

“I’m telling you we’re going to be able to find her now. Then we’ll get the hell out of here.”

Finding her wouldn’t save the day. Too much shit had already gone down. L.J. was pretty sure he was headed for death row no matter what. “But she might’ve changed her daughter’s name, too. Or given her up for adoption. Or maybe she…she died of a childhood disease. This solves nothing. Let’s leave Montana. Get out. Revenge isn’t worth spending the rest of our lives in prison. Or worse.”

“You gotta be kidding me.”

L.J. had the impression that Ink would kill him right here, right now, if he did or said anything more to defy him. “All I’m saying is…we’re taking a risk.” He hated himself for backing off, but Ink was too unpredictable, too volatile.

“That’s what I thought.” Ink opened his door. “Anyway, you’ll see. She wouldn’t give this kid up. And she didn’t change the kid’s name—that would confuse the little bitch. Laurel isn’t the kind of mother who’d want to cause her precious babies any pain.”

“How do you know?”

L.J. couldn’t believe he’d dared ask another question. He wanted to kick himself when Ink’s attention swung back to him and those cold eyes riveted onto his face, but Ink seemed to have snapped out of psycho mode.

“I’ve seen how hard she tries to protect them.”

With a sigh, L.J. thrust a hand through his hair. He was as trapped as he’d ever been in prison, maybe more so. In another hour, they’d be cruising through town, risking their futures again. “But is her daughter’s name different enough that people will know who we’re talking about?”

When Ink smiled, it was the coldest smile L.J. had ever seen. If he’d needed proof that Ink was crazy, there it was. Jack Nicholson in The Shining had nothing on him. “People will know who we’re talking about. How many little girls in this town are called Mia?”

Not many, as L.J. soon learned. When they returned to town, they found a woman who was just locking up Chrissy’s Nice Twice store. Afraid his usual spiel would only alert her to trouble, especially after what had happened at that grocery store, L.J. approached with a frown. “Darn, you’re closed?”

The woman pivoted to face him. “We closed several hours ago, actually. Why, is there something you need?”

“I was hoping to buy a gift for my niece, Mia. Maybe you know her?”

“Vivian Stewart’s daughter?”

He had no idea, but he figured it’d be smarter to play along. “Yes.”

She hitched her purse higher on her shoulder while juggling a box of files and an armful of clothing he guessed she was taking home to wash or mend. “Oh, I know the whole family. Mia goes to school with my daughter.”

“Can I help you with that?”

Smiling in relief, she allowed him to take the box. “What did you have in mind?”

“Maybe a pretty dress? You know, just a nice surprise since I’m visiting from out of town and haven’t seen her in a couple years.”

“Did you want a present for Jake, too?”

He felt a rush of relief and foreboding at the same time. He had the right person. Ink had mentioned that Mia had a brother. But he knew what that would mean…?. “Of course. That’d be perfect.”

“I can help you. Come on in.” Pleased to have a paying customer despite the late hour, she reopened her store and did exactly as she’d promised. She helped him choose a dress for Mia and some sporting equipment for Jake, whom she admitted liking better than anyone else in the family. Then, as he stood at the register to pay, he said he was afraid he might have trouble finding the address, since he’d never visited before.

So she drew him a map.