Shiver(102)
“Raven,” Lynx said, putting an arm around her shoulders. “You need to calm down.”
“Calm down!” She shrugged off his arm and pointed to Roland. “Fox is missing and there’s a dead body on the floor.”
Aidan glanced at Garrett. “What’s in the letter?” Raven was right. Fox missing, and a dead body, were too much a coincidence for one morning, even for Alaska.
“What letter?” Raven asked.
Garrett’s warning look had dread icing the blood in his veins. Aidan grabbed Raven’s hand and held tight. “Tell us.”
“Whoever killed Roland has Fox,” Garrett said, his voice even and grim. “He wants the gold in trade…for Fox.”
“Oh God.” Raven bent over at the waist.
Aidan grabbed her and pulled her shaking body into his arms. “What else?”
“We have until dark. We’re supposed to pack the gold into your SUV with the keys in the ignition. If we comply, he’ll leave the information on where we can find Fox. Any sign of cops or anyone waiting around and…”
Raven cried out, burying her face in Aidan’s chest. He wrapped his arms tight around her, swallowing the sickness creeping up his throat.
“That’s it, let’s rip this fucking hellhole apart,” Lynx said, picking up his chainsaw.
Pike laid out a hand. “We need a plan before we start tearing into this place.”
Garrett nodded. “Pike, we need to head back to the lodge and call the troopers.”
“No cops.” Aidan jerked. “He said no cops. I’m not putting Fox at risk so that you can do things by the book.”
“I’m advising you against it.”
“Too damn bad.”
“Who the hell is this guy anyway?” Lynx asked.
“Good question.” Pike pointed to Roland. “Did the crafty bastard have a sidekick?”
“Earl was his sidekick,” Aidan answered.
“Then who else knew about the gold?” Garrett asked.
Everyone went silent. Raven dragged herself out of Aidan’s arms.
“Aidan, who else knew about the gold?” Garrett asked again.
“I don’t know. I had no idea Earl had any gold. If there really is any,” Aidan said, quietly as the realization of what could happen to Fox if they didn’t find him and if there wasn’t any gold.
Raven gasped on a sob.
“All right, this is what we’re going to do.” Garrett took charge. “Pike, head back to the lodge, get together a search party, and find some two-way radios.”
“I’m going after Fox,” Aidan said.
“Me too,” Raven said.
“The last thing we need is everyone running off and getting lost with the temps as cold as they are,” Garrett said. “We don’t even know where they are.”
“Pike, bring a tracker with that search party,” Aidan said.
“Bree’s dad is the best tracker I know. Fox is a smart kid, and he’ll know how to leave us a sign. I’ll head back now.”
“Just in case, we’d better see if we can jumpstart my SUV out there. If we don’t find Fox before…” Aidan cleared his throat. “I don’t want him in jeopardy because the SUV is cold-soaked.”
“Pike, plan for that,” Garrett said. “I’d rather keep Lana in the dark about her father, but inform Peter and Sonya, she’ll know what to do. I’ll need my camera to take pictures of the crime scene.” Pike nodded and left.
“I’m going after Fox,” Aidan repeated.
“You don’t even know where to start looking,” Garrett said.
“Roland was killed here. The note was left here. It makes sense that Fox was also taken from here. There has to be a trail.”
“Yeah, I get that, but we could lose you out there too.”
“I know these woods. I grew up here. There’s only so many places someone could be hiding a boy.”
“Roland hid out with no one able to find him.” Garrett glanced down at Roland’s dead body. “Until now.”
Aidan marched to the gun cabinet and picked out Earl’s rifle and scope, handing Raven the thirty-eight special. “I’m going after Fox.” He reached into the bottom drawer and pulled out a couple of two-way radios and added batteries. “I’ll be on channel twelve.” He tossed the other radio to Garrett who caught it with a frown.
“I’ll go with you,” Lynx said. “Hand me the rifle.”
“No, you stay here with Garrett and find the gold in case we don’t find…”
“I don’t like this,” Garrett said, nostrils flaring.
“He’s my son.” Aidan stared down Garrett. “What would you do if he were yours?”