Tracking Secrets Read online

  Nick gave the leash a quick tug, and the dog stayed right at his side. She followed them around a full-grown blue spruce with spider webs running over sections of the branches. He held up a finger. Her bare calves brushed up against a prickly branch, and she cringed but didn’t move.

  Stepping past her, Nick peeked around the tree, and then pivoted back toward her. He grabbed her hand and shoved her farther into the prickly foliage. She resisted slightly, not so much because of the uncomfortable pine needles but more because of the potential of spiders.

  For a second it looked as if Nick wanted to give her a high-five, but he swung his hand in an arc at his side. Raven flopped down as if she was bored, though she kept her eyes on Nick. Alexis was impressed at his use of the silent command, but the crunching sound of tires nearby flung the thoughts away.

  She slipped her hand into her pocket and, using tiny movements, fished her phone out. The slash through the image of the cell tower on the screen confirmed her fear. No help would be coming. They were alone.

  A motor roared. She turned her head slightly, hoping she wasn’t drawing attention to herself. A white pickup truck vaulted through the trees, breaking branches left and right. Her breath hitched at the sight of men carrying assault rifles. They flanked the truck in a V shape as they marched south toward the trail and the river.

  She remained frozen, her back protesting from the strain of a typical office workday. She was very aware of Nick pressed against her, especially after she lost sight of the men with guns. His face was a nice oval shape with kind eyes and a full mouth. His hair was a light brown, flared up at the crown, either from running in the wind or hair gel. He was slightly taller than she was, so probably close to five foot ten, and he obviously stayed fit.

  It felt like hours passed, but the sun’s blinding glare from the west never changed, so it had likely been mere minutes. The beams filtered through the tree branches, making it hard to see if the men were truly gone.

  Her heart rate sped, and her stomach churned. Her breathing remained erratic, but Nick stood as still as a statue. Maybe he was used to running from guns.

  “The scout is still at the house,” Nick whispered into her ear. His breath smelled like Junior Mints, a fact she tried to ignore. “There might be others waiting there, as well. Stay quiet and follow me.”

  She wanted to ask what he meant by “the scout” but didn’t trust herself to open her mouth without being too loud. Her mom had always told her she didn’t know how to whisper properly. It’s why she’d always chosen to pass notes rather than confer in law proceedings.

  He seemed to be waiting for a response. She nodded her agreement. He squeezed her wrist in reply and gave it a small tug. They darted around the next tree. Nick froze again. Her ears strained to hear signs of someone close by before moving on.

  The pattern continued until Alexis felt certain they must be nearing the road. Instead they came to a fence. Nick audibly sighed. He took off his shoe and handed it to her in a wordless request to hold the barbed wire fence the way she had when they’d followed Raven’s dash for a squirrel.

  This is what she got for not following her instincts. Theresa knew that she would temp anywhere except the pet-sitting company. But Alexis loved Theresa. The woman had become as close as any friend she’d had, despite technically being Alexis’s boss. And when Theresa had called, her voice had sounded deliriously happy.

  “Please, Alexis. You know I’d never ask you to do this if I wasn’t in a bind. If you can’t, I’ll come back early, but the thing is...” Theresa’s voice had dropped to a whisper. “I’m seeing someone. And we’re already out of town on a weekend together. I know what you’re going to say, and don’t worry. We’re in separate rooms, but honey, I’ve known him all my life, and I think he could be the one.”

  “Who?” Alexis had pressed.

  “I can’t tell you yet. I promised him we’d keep it hush-hush. He doesn’t want us to have the pressure of being under a microscope. You know how small towns can be.”

  She did know how small towns could be, but in the last year she’d heard no evidence of the rumor mill. Perhaps because she kept to herself since she’d moved back.

  Nick stepped through the barbed wire fence first. Alexis looked over her shoulder. Nick must have chosen this section of the fence to cross since the trees were especially thick here. Raven didn’t seem so keen to slide underneath the fence this time.

  “Hand her to me,” he whispered.

  Alexis cringed. If the dog so much as licked her, it would have to fend for itself. She exhaled and put her arms around the dog’s torso. Her biceps and lower back strained with the effort. The dog had to be at least fifty pounds!

  If she hadn’t been such a pushover she would’ve told Theresa no. Then Theresa would’ve been forced to skip her weekend to walk the dog, probably on the sidewalks of downtown instead of the trail, and none of this would’ve ever happened.

  Nick reached over the fence and took Raven from her. She’d never seen the man around town, which was unusual. He was either new in town or they ran in completely different circles. It made her question again whether she should’ve trusted him enough to follow him, but she didn’t have much choice now. He had the dog.

  He held the fence open for her, and she stepped through. Her outfit, now covered with black dog hair and smudges of nature, would never recover, but it was a small price to pay for getting back to safety. The list of charges she wanted to report against those men ran through her head on a loop.

  Nick gathered the leash tightly and waved for her to follow him as he broke into a fast-paced jog. Her feet felt every rock and hard patch of uneven ground through the thin soles of her shoes. If she ever got home, she’d never wear the sandals again.

  Five minutes later, the trees opened up into a pasture. The tall grass swayed with the breeze, and in the distance, a yellow house with white shutters looked welcoming. A red barn stood behind it. Two horses grazed nearby.

  She marveled at the perfect picture of tranquility. It belonged on a postcard and made her long for her own pair of cowboy boots. “Do you know the owners?”

  “The owner. Yes,” he answered.

  They approached another fence, this one made from wooden rails. The large spaces made it easy to slip through. Even though the wood couldn’t protect her, the physical barrier made her heart slow ever so slightly. “I’ll feel a lot safer once we’re inside that house. I hope someone’s home.”

  He pulled a phone out of his pocket and dialed. “We need to find a signal now. I don’t think those jammers can cover that large a distance.” He ran a few steps. “Weak,” he muttered. His eyebrows rose. “Dial tone.” He pressed a few numbers and held it up to his ear. “We need help.”

  Alexis put a hand on her racing heart and issued a silent prayer of thanks that he’d been able to reach the authorities. Their pace didn’t slow as Nick spoke feverishly about men with guns and rattled off an address Alexis didn’t recognize.

  “Please hurry.” Nick swiveled the cell phone so the microphone rested on his shoulder. “They want me to stay on the line until they get here.”

  He looked over her shoulder, and she followed his gaze. The property appeared to be roughly five acres until a line of trees obscured the rest. She imagined that just past it was the walking path and the river. “Is that them?”

  The sound of cracking branches in the distance made her flinch.

  “Follow me.” They sprinted until they reached the porch of the house. He lifted the phone to his ear. “It sounds like they’ve made it to the trail behind my property. I have to put the phone down now. Please hurry.”

  His property? He pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and opened the navy blue door. Past the darkened hallway, bright sunshine streamed through a wall of windows. A rifle suddenly blocked her view, taking her breath away.

/>   Nick held one in each hand. “I hope you know how to shoot a gun.”

  TWO

  Nick reached back into the gun safe hidden within his front closet to grab ammunition. He had only a couple of guns just in case wolves attacked his horses. When he first acquired the property, the previous owner said it’d be a good precaution. So far, there hadn’t been any need. “Ideally we won’t have to use these.”

  “I’ve shot a handgun.” She held the rifle gingerly with both hands. “Once. A cop I knew was showing me how. I decided it wasn’t for me.” Her hair looked wild and mussed, and one side of her blouse was no longer tucked into the skirt. “I’d rather hide than try to use this.”

  He glanced out the window and squinted. The white metal through the trees slowed. If the men in the truck didn’t have binoculars, they wouldn’t be able to see Alexis and him. But if they did...

  “Step into the shadows.” He waved at Raven to lie down again, and the dog complied.

  The truck didn’t make another appearance, but men spilled from the trees onto his property. Maybe barbed wire fences weren’t overkill after all. He shoved the ammunition into the rifle and proceeded to load the second rifle for her. “Only as a precaution.”

  She nodded. “How many times have you shot a gun?”

  It probably wouldn’t help her anxiety to admit he was no sharpshooter. Sure, he practiced, but only enough to feel safe and competent. It wasn’t a hobby or something he considered fun. He’d rather ride a horse or hike in his free time.

  “Enough to know what I’m doing,” he replied. The thought of having to shoot at a human being made his stomach turn. “You stay here and holler if they reach the wooden fence. I’m going to my office to see if they’re approaching from the side.”

  For a second he thought she’d refuse, but she inhaled and took a knee at the corner of the hallway and the living room. Raven lay down and rested her head against Alexis, who flinched and stared at the dog warily but didn’t move away.

  He wondered what her story was, because there were few people in the world who could resist the charms of such a sweet Labrador. But then again, he couldn’t judge her true personality when they’d just had to run away from gunmen.

  He strode down the hall and lifted the window just enough that he could slip the barrel of the gun outside to aim. He closed his eyes a half second. “Please, Lord,” he whispered, “defend us.”

  The dog howled, a mournful song with vibrato.

  “Nick, how do I get her to stop?” Alexis cried out. “They’re going to know we’re here for sure if she keeps this up.”

  He ran back to them. Raven remained on the ground but pointed her nose in the air as she released another song. Odd unless... He strained his ears. “Listen.”

  Alexis dropped the rifle and stood up, a gorgeous smile on her face. “The police. Help is coming.” She looked over her shoulder to the window. Men were running back into the trees. “They hear it, too.” She placed a hand on his arm. “Thank you for getting us somewhere safe.”

  The rifle rested at his side. He was relieved, as well, but the danger had been too close, too real. His chest hurt from either breathing too hard or the fight to keep his heart from jumping out of his chest.

  His mom had already received one sorrowful call too many. It would’ve destroyed her to be told her remaining son was also killed by drug dealers.

  His brother, an undercover federal agent, had been killed by the drug runners he had tried to expose. Nick wouldn’t allow his brother’s death to be in vain, and while it didn’t make sense for him to abandon his veterinary training and take his brother’s place in the DEA, he could step up and lead. The memory of his brother had driven Nick to develop an interest in politics.

  In his opinion, the current elected officials weren’t doing all they could to diminish the impact of living in what the government had deemed a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. No one wanted to acknowledge the label, but living right alongside a major interstate meant they needed to face facts. Which was why he was running for mayor in the upcoming election.

  The sirens grew closer. Alexis glanced back and forth between the view of the backyard and the front window. Raven stopped her soulful song but looked at Nick with expectation. He opened the front door in time to see two police cars pull to a stop in his circular drive.

  He set the rifle against the doorway before he ran down the stairs to greet them. Four officers jumped out of the two vehicles. They all seemed to have eyes only for Alexis. Nick still hadn’t gotten used to feeling like the outsider in the town where he’d lived for over a year now.

  “They are driving on the hiking trail just past the trees,” Alexis shouted as she stepped beside him. “If you hurry you can get them.”

  While he’d never seen vehicles on the trail before, it was wide enough to accommodate horses, bikes and runners, and if the cops didn’t hurry, the men would be able to drive all the way to the parking lot at the trailhead. Once there, they could hit the road that went into town or take the interstate and disappear.

  The older policeman who seemed to be in charge pointed a finger at the men in front of him. Two officers jumped into the first cruiser and took off. The remaining officer looked significantly younger, as if he was fresh out of high school.

  “Chief Spencer,” Alexis said, “I didn’t get a chance to tell them it was a white pickup truck.”

  The chief frowned. “Is that all you can tell me?”

  She crossed her arms. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a better look while they were shooting at me.” She emphasized the last three words. “It’s something to go on, right?”

  Nick racked his brain to think of another defining detail he could offer, but she had a point. They didn’t take time to look as they focused on staying alive.

  Chief Spencer shook his head. “Over half the town owns pickup trucks, Lexi, and a quarter of those are white, including mine.”

  Nick couldn’t help but notice Alexis’s grimace when the chief called her Lexi. Her nickname? “He’s right,” Nick admitted. “I’ve got a white pickup, too.”

  The young cop nodded. “Easiest color to keep clean.”

  “You all have white trucks?” Alexis asked, sounding more incredulous. “Well, I think it was a Ford F-Series.” She raised her eyebrows as if they should be impressed.

  Nick didn’t recall the make and model, so he acknowledged her keen observation with a slow nod.

  “That narrows it down to maybe sixty percent of the white trucks,” the chief said. Alexis seemed crestfallen, but the chief paid no attention. He looked at Nick. “You said the shooting started at the mayor’s house?”

  Nick frowned. “Mayor Simonds is my neighbor?” That seemed like a tidbit someone could’ve mentioned before now. The houses were several acres apart, but still. “I’ve tried to introduce myself a few times, but no one has ever been home.”

  The chief narrowed his eyes. “Yes, he is. And I believe you’re his opponent, Dr. Kendrick, so if you don’t mind, I’d like an impartial party to tell the story.” He turned his gaze to Alexis.

  Her mouth dropped open. “You’re running for mayor? Have you even lived here long enough to be a resident?”

  Her tone sounded almost accusatory, and he didn’t really understand why. “I’ve met all the eligibility requirements, if that’s what you’re asking. Barings is my home.”

  “Everyone knows he’s running, Lexi,” the young officer said to Alexis. “Old news.”

  Her eyebrows shot up, and she eyed him a minute before turning to Chief Spencer. She relayed the events of the past hour without commentary, as if reporting for the six o’clock news. Nick did his best to keep his mouth shut until she reached the part about the man who’d walked around the corner. “Six feet tall, I’d guess,” she said. “Late thirties or early fortie
s. He wore a white polo shirt and carpenter jeans. No other identifying factors that I can remember.”

  “There were drugs,” Nick interjected. “In the gutter downspouts. I can show you.”

  Alexis’s jaw dropped. Chief noticed. “You didn’t see these drugs?”

  She cringed. “No, but it certainly explains a lot. I can’t think of any other motivation they’d try to kill us just for getting a dog off the property.”

  Chief Spencer shook his head again. “I need a reason to get on that property. And frankly, having the mayor’s opponent as the only witness doesn’t do it.”

  “Forget that, then,” Alexis said. “We’re talking attempted murder. I was witness to that! Those men shot a branch that hit me.” She lifted up her hair. An angry red line streaked across the side of her neck.

  Nick flinched. He should’ve moved faster, gotten them out of the line of fire before that had happened. He turned to enter the house. “I’ll grab my first aid kit.”

  Her hand blocked him. “I’m fine. It just stings a little.” Her gaze swung to the chief. “My point is, I don’t understand why you don’t have enough to go on.”

  The younger officer picked up his radio and stepped away for a moment. “Chief, no sign of the vehicle or armed men. They confirmed tire tracks and a broken fence section on the mayor’s property. Permission to proceed?”

  Nick tensed. He wasn’t used to having his word questioned. Was that how every officer would react if a challenging political opponent witnessed criminal activity? Or was it possible the chief was proving his alliance with the current mayor? Either way, Nick breathed easier knowing they couldn’t avoid the proof that something had happened.

  Chief Spencer pointed to the backseat of the vehicle. “Okay. Get in, you two.”

  * * *

  Alexis couldn’t believe they had to share the backseat of a police vehicle with a dog. Logically, she knew it wouldn’t attack her, but the positive thoughts did nothing to stop her heart from racing. Why people liked to keep animals around for company was beyond the scope of her imagination. If they knew what it felt like to be attacked by one like she did, maybe they’d feel differently. The dog’s breath alone was enough to make her want to go running. And yet, even though Alexis had shown her no signs of affection, Raven stared up at her, panting.