Arctic Witness Read online

  “And—” Helena’s voice rang behind them “—you’re switching rooms with me. Our search fizzled about two blocks away. He must have had a vehicle waiting.”

  Gabe and Bear appeared behind her and Luna. “The housekeeping keys were stolen from behind the front desk.”

  “Your babysitter, Minnie, signed us in,” Helena added. “They do things old-school here. Paper and pen at the front desk. So when—”

  “He managed to get her keys and her room number?” Sean crossed his arms across his chest.

  “Oh, please don’t tell Minnie it was her fault,” Ivy said. “She would never forgive herself for putting us in danger. I know it wasn’t on purpose.”

  Sean sighed. He agreed with a nod.

  Gabe checked the window lock a second time. “Let’s get the room switch done and see if we can catch a little shut-eye before sunrise. We’ll look for new accommodations tomorrow.”

  Sean had several objections. He held up a finger. “But—”

  “We’ve informed the local PD,” Helena said. “They’re putting a uniform in front, and they’ve got another officer canvassing the town.” She flashed an encouraging smile. “If he does manage to come back again, he’ll find Luna here instead of Ivy. We’ll get him before you know it.”

  He couldn’t share her enthusiasm. The killer had evaded three trained officers and their highly trained K-9s. Until he was caught, sleep wouldn’t come easy.

  * * *

  Ivy woke to the sounds of a truck’s backup beep outside her room. She sat up and glanced at the clock. Already nine in the morning? By the time she’d switched rooms with Helena, it had been after 1:00 a.m., but she never slept this late. Even though it had brought her comfort when Sean ordered Grace to protect her, hours had gone by before she’d finally drifted to sleep. A quick peek confirmed the dog still rested, spread eagle, from her spot in front of the door. She’d often wondered, even when Grace was a puppy, if she dreamed that she could fly while sleeping in that position.

  Her stomach growled. Grace’s eyes flashed open. “Sorry, girl.” Just this once, Ivy planned to indulge in the biggest breakfast the B and B offered and didn’t want to sleep away her chance. Careful to move quietly so Dylan would remain asleep, she tiptoed toward the bathroom to get ready. Grace popped up, took a few steps and turned sideways, her posture regal, effectively blocking Ivy’s path.

  Ivy tilted her head back and let out a breath of exasperation. Of course, Sean’s dog would take the protection detail a little too seriously. Just like Sean would. “I promise I’m not trying to escape,” she whispered. She pointed to the bathroom. Grace took a step backward and plopped down again, apparently satisfied.

  After getting ready in record time, Dylan began to stir. Ivy heard a tap at the adjoining door, slightly ajar for Helena’s easy access. “Come in,” she called. Before the door could open, Grace sprinted across the room and sat at attention at the door, sticking her nose into the space.

  “Just me, Grace. At ease.” Helena poked her head inside. Luna’s head thrust past the door right below her knee, and the two dogs huffed at each other, as if in greeting.

  Dylan laughed at the exchange. “Yace and Doggy.”

  “That’s right.” Helena offered him a grin. “Sean is waiting in the hall to take Grace for her morning walk and meal. If you two are ready, I’m to accompany you to breakfast. We have today’s logistics to discuss.”

  Ivy nodded. “No problem.”

  “Come on, Grace.” Helena disappeared from view for a moment. Meanwhile, Ivy grabbed the diaper bag Minnie had returned to her last night. The zipper wouldn’t close on the bag, overstocked with the baby food and snacks Gabriel had been kind enough to pick up last night. She had yet to open the emergency bag of supplies she’d brought from the mission. A relief, too, as she might need them once they got to the bunker. Dylan’s rosy cheeks and beaming smile squeezed her heart tight. How long would they have to hide?

  “Okay, Sean and Grace will meet us at breakfast in a few minutes. Ready?” Helena asked.

  She looked past the trooper, fully dressed in the blue uniform, and remembered the shadow that had moved across the wall. Ivy had forced herself to wait until the intruder had creeped past the crib to make sure he wouldn’t try to grab Dylan if she reacted. She’d bided her time as the man stepped closer, her heart in her throat, while praying fervently for help. Only when he’d reached the foot of her bed had she allowed herself to scream.

  “Are you okay?” Helena reached out and touched her shoulder. “You turned white as a sheet.”

  “Yes. Sorry. I’m fine.” Even though God had answered her prayer and help came in time, she still couldn’t shake the helpless feeling. She’d always thought she was strong, but right now she wanted to do exactly as Sean suggested. Run away. Except she couldn’t do that without Dylan, which took time and paperwork. Besides, she wasn’t sure her heart could handle returning to the place she’d lived with Sean. So much hope and heartache experienced in one place. At least she could take Dylan to the bunker. She’d had the place approved during the foster application process since her parents stayed there when they visited. The bunker would be safe.

  She kissed the smiling boy on the forehead, placed him on one hip and lifted the strap of the bag on her shoulder. “Rough night of sleep is all. Can’t complain. You all got the same amount, too.”

  Helena laughed and stepped aside for Ivy and Dylan to walk with her to the door. “You’d think I’d be used to sleepless nights, but I’m not. I just appreciate the peaceful ones.” Luna took a giant yawn, triggering another squeal of delight from Dylan.

  “Great timing, Luna.” Helena waved them forward and locked the door behind them. They walked down the hallway, a tight fit all together.

  “With everything going on, I never got a chance to say it’s good to see you again, Helena. How are you?” Ivy realized she was holding her breath, wondering if the other woman would give her a cold shoulder if she tried to get friendly.

  Helena surprised her with a genuine smile. “I’m good. I recently got engaged.”

  Her jaw went slack. If Helena’s raised eyebrows were any indication, Ivy’s surprise seemed unwarranted. She’d been under the assumption that the only people on the team who were married must have met prior to their K-9 specialties. A few months into Sean’s K-9 duty, he’d changed. Came home drained every night. It seemed hard to believe there’d be time or energy for any of the specialized troopers to start a new relationship. Obviously, Helena didn’t have that problem. “Congratulations,” Ivy said, recovering with a grin. “Who is the guy?”

  “He’s a police officer. We met on a case. His name is Everett.”

  Figured. They could probably relate to each other in a way Ivy never had a chance to with Sean. “I guess that means Luna approves.”

  Luna looked up at the mention.

  “Oh, Ivy.” Fiona Duncan, Minnie’s daughter and the owner of the B and B, entered the hallway from a side room. “I’m sorry for the intrusion to your sleep last night.”

  Helena pursed her lips ever so slightly, and Ivy understood the silent message. Fiona didn’t know the whole story, so Ivy should keep quiet.

  Fiona stopped prematurely when she eyed Luna. The Norwegian elkhound looked fierce when it stared down a person. The innkeeper nodded a greeting at the dog. “We’ve never had any intruders before. The guests know the troopers prevented an altercation. That’s all,” she whispered conspiratorially. “And you can be assured that we’re updating all our security and check-in protocols. The locks are getting changed today. That nice trooper, Gabriel, helped us see where we can improve.”

  Fiona spun around, beckoning them. “Follow me. I’ve got a big breakfast lined up for everyone. We pride ourselves on a family atmosphere. Everyone that stays here is always so friendly and fascinating. They come from all over the world, you know. Bird-watchers, g
old hunters, yachters taking a break to check reports on ice before crossing the Northwest Passage... You’d be surprised how many different kinds of folks show up here!”

  Helena exchanged an amused grin with Ivy but remained silent. Fiona was full of energy and had never met someone she wasn’t able to wring out their life story. Maybe the troopers should consider using her as a confidential informant, as she knew everything and everyone in the Nome area. The woman reached the threshold of the dining room and paused. “See that man the trooper is talking to?” Fiona’s voice had dropped back down to her juicy-news whisper that Ivy knew so well. Looking in the direction that the innkeeper indicated, she saw that Gabriel was already in the dining room, shaking hands with a scruffy-looking man among the half a dozen guests already seated at tables.

  “Mark Gilles is his name. He’s looking to buy some dogs from a husky breeder in the area. He’s hoping to start an Iditarod team, training in Anchorage.” Fiona’s eyebrows waggled. “See what I mean? Fascinating people.”

  “I saw a loose husky yesterday.” She glanced at Helena to confirm that the trooper understood the significance. Could it be the murdered woman had something to do with the man interested in starting a husky team?

  “And then those two men in sweaters, Evan Rodgers and Hudson Campbell,” Fiona said with a little nod. “They’re the ones at the table for two. They’ve been keeping to themselves, but it’s because they came here trying to buy a sizable set of mining claims. Those gold-seeking types try to stay on the down low, but don’t you worry.” She placed a hand on her heart and spoke so rapidly it was hard to keep up. “My Ben comes from a third-generation gold-mining family. We’re giving those men tips to make sure they won’t get swindled. Ever since the latest gold rush here, and the host of reality shows, we get all sorts trying to make their fortune.”

  “There’s still active gold mining?” Helena asked.

  “Oh, yes! In fact, my Ben built one of the largest working dredges in use today. He can tell you all about it, if you’d like. But be careful who you talk to around here. Everyone acts like they know how to mine gold, but they don’t.” She straightened. “Well, there’s the missing member of your party. I set aside the extra dining room in case you troopers want privacy.” She moved into the dining room, arms out in greeting, ready to mingle with her guests.

  “I wonder if she’s telling her guests about us in kind,” Helena mused.

  “I don’t think she will,” Ivy said. “Fiona’s loyal and tight-lipped about locals. She would be about her guests as well if she thought the topic needed privacy.” At least, she hoped so.

  At the opposite end of the hallway, Sean and Grace approached. She’d always appreciated his dark blond hair, blue eyes and broad shoulders, but now he seemed more rugged, more mature. He was going to be one of those men who only got more attractive with age.

  The dog opened her mouth as if in a smile. Helena and Luna followed Fiona into the dining area. The smell of bacon and sausage and freshly brewed coffee beckoned Ivy in farther. Sean accompanied her to the buffet table in the back of the room. “I’d be glad to help you get a plate for Dylan.”

  “That’s very thoughtful, thank you, but—” Dylan reached out his arms and practically vaulted out of hers. Sean easily accepted him and pressed him against his chest. She opened her hands to take him back. “I’m so sorry. He never does that.”

  “No, it’s okay.” He grinned down at Dylan. “Make your plates. We’ve got a little meeting room set aside in back to discuss today’s plan. See you in there.”

  Dylan was busy messing with the badge on Sean’s uniform, acting as if he didn’t even notice Ivy wasn’t with him. For a man who didn’t want to have kids, he was frustratingly great with them. She sloppily piled a large plate of food she could share with Dylan and entered the side room where Helena had been watching for her. Helena closed the glass door behind her when she entered. A tablet sat on the center of the table with a live feed of Trooper Maya Rodriguez, if Ivy remembered the team member’s name right.

  “Not much of an update,” Maya said. “We’re still on the search to find the groom and best man from the missing-bride case.”

  Awareness hit Ivy. Months ago, back in April, Sean had called Ivy to ask her a series of questions about survivalists, specifically about the community in residence in Chugach State Park. Unfortunately, she didn’t know much about that particular area, but she gave him general tips.

  He’d said the park was at the center of two separate cases. First, the missing-bride case that had been all over the news. A wedding party had been in the park when the future bride had become murderous, according to the groom and best man, at least. Then the bride had disappeared, rumored to be pregnant with the groom’s baby and hiding somewhere in the state park with survivalists. The second case revolved around helping their team tech, Eli Partridge, search for his godmother’s survivalist relatives in order to relay news of her fight against cancer.

  Ivy had been curious to hear updates on both cases. She put down her plates at the edge of the table where she wouldn’t be visible in the video feed and took Dylan back from Sean. Thankfully, her sweet boy only had eyes for the dogs and wasn’t making too much noise.

  “Sorry, this will only take a minute,” Sean whispered. “A quick team update.”

  “I was able to track the groom, Lance Wells, to Anchorage,” Trooper Hunter McCord said. Ivy recognized his voice instantly. “The groom may have been a step ahead of us, but disguises are not his strong suit. Unfortunately, there was some gunfire, and he managed to get away. He won’t next time.”

  The way the trooper spoke, it sounded like the real villain was the groom instead of the missing bride.

  “No sign of Jared Dennis, the best man,” Maya added. “And I believe Hunter also received news from Ariel Potter, the maid of honor, or maybe I should refer to her as the future Mrs. McCord.”

  Ivy could see a bit of the screen and Hunter flashed a bashful grin, which seemed out of place for the man. From the context, it seemed Hunter and Ariel were an item now.

  “Yes,” Hunter said. “Ariel received a call from Violet James. I think it’s safe to say she wouldn’t call herself a bride-to-be anymore. She’s grateful that everyone knows she’s not a murderer now, but she’s not coming home until Lance and Jared are behind bars.”

  Ivy tried not to react, but she knew her face betrayed her. That was a big update. The bride was no longer a murder suspect. But the groom and best man were?

  “Violet is too worried they’ll find her and hurt her future baby,” Hunter said. “So for now, she stays hidden. She didn’t confirm or deny that she’s found safe harbor with survivalists, but I think it’s a good guess.”

  Sean had his arms crossed over his chest. “That makes it harder on us to wrap this case up.”

  Hunter agreed and the rest of the team members reported no other news. Helena tapped on the tablet and the team said their goodbyes. “Sorry about that. Normally, we would ask you to wait in another room while we had the meeting, but circumstances...”

  “That’s okay.” Ivy took a seat. “I’d already heard about the other case in the news when Sean asked me about survivalists, so I was curious to hear updates. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to offer more help about the missing survivalists in Chugach State Park.”

  Gabriel’s eyebrows rose. “I’d forgotten we’d had Sean ask you. You’re practically a consultant, then,” he said, a teasing lilt in his voice, before he took a big bite of an egg sandwich.

  “If the groom and the best man are the actual murderers of that tour guide, then I don’t blame Violet for staying hidden until you guys catch them.” She met Sean’s gaze. “I would do anything to protect Dylan. Which is why I’m going to take you back to that shack today and help you catch that killer so he’ll leave us alone once and for all.”

  FIVE

  Sean took a deep br
eath. “If you could give us some landmarks to look for, I think that’s all we’ll need.”

  “It would be faster if I showed you,” Ivy told him. “Besides, there is the matter of traps.”

  “Don’t worry about that. Gabriel and I have been in this situation before. We sidestepped some nasty traps in Chugach, actually—”

  “Barely, but technically that’s true,” Gabriel added.

  Sean tossed a glare his way. His teammate wasn’t helping his case. The last thing he wanted was Ivy to be put in danger again, but Gabriel folded his arms over his chest, seemingly nonplussed. “We also had a park ranger give us some tips on how to avoid them.”

  “And yet your dogs found the traps before you,” Ivy said. “Not all the traps are at a dog’s level. Did this park ranger give you some hands-on training?” Dylan wiggled in her arms as she studied both of their faces a moment. Sean tried to look confident, but Ivy nodded triumphantly. “That’s what I thought. This is what I do, Sean. You know that.”

  “Of course I do.” Before he became a trooper, he’d wanted a little extra wilderness training to prepare himself for the type of remote Alaskan locations he might find himself in. That was why he’d signed up to take a survivalist course all those years ago. Ivy had not only put him through the paces of making shelters and fires no matter the weather or topography, she’d also filled him with confidence that he’d make a great trooper. And here she was, sitting in front of him, more beautiful than the day he’d met her, despite the weariness in her features. If he couldn’t keep his own wife—ex-wife, he corrected himself again—out of harm’s way, then what good was he as a trooper?

  “She’ll be safer with us, anyway,” Gabriel said.

  Helena nodded. “Sorry, Sean. Gabriel is right. Why would our suspect return to the shack, knowing that’s the first place we would most likely look for him? The guy would have to be bold or stupid to try anything else knowing Ivy has troopers on her right and left.”