The woman’s smirk faded. She glanced at the coffee again.
“I don’t know his name,” the woman said finally, her voice low. Her eyes darted to the door, then back to Victoria. “But…there’s a cabin.”
Isabel leaned forward, her adrenaline sparking. “Where?”
“In the mountains,” the woman said, shifting in her seat. “Past the old mill road. It’s off the main track — you wouldn’t find it unless you knew where to look.”
Victoria’s voice cut in sharply. “How far past the mill road?”
“Fifteen, twenty minutes. Dirt path. There’s a turn-off marked by an old fence post with yellow paint on it. If you go past that, you’ve gone too far.”
“You’ve been there?” Isabel asked.
The woman hesitated. “Twice. Last time was a week ago.”
“What was there?” Victoria asked.
The woman’s fingers tapped against her coffee mug. “One main cabin. Small. Two rooms, maybe three. There’s a shed out back with crates and gas cans. Stuff for staying off the grid.”
“Armed guards?” Isabel pressed.
“Two. Stayed outside the whole time. One with a shotgun, one with a rifle. Porch light off, lantern inside.”
Victoria’s gaze sharpened. “Who was inside?”
“That’s the thing.” The woman’s eyes flicked up. “The caller — the guy who made the ransom call — he’s not running things.He’s nothing big. They use him for errands. Small jobs. Probably picked him to make the call so it wouldn’t trace back to the people actually in charge.”
Isabel frowned. “So, who’s in charge?”
The woman’s mouth tightened. “A woman. Mid-forties, maybe a little older. Blonde hair — or at least, that’s the color she’s wearing now. Sharp dresser, even in the middle of nowhere. Always wearing rings, the big kind with gems in them. She’s the one people listen to.”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed. “Name?”
“I never heard anyone say it. Just ‘the boss’ or ‘her.’”
“Describe her mannerisms,” Isabel said.
“She’s calm, but you can feel it — like she could go from zero to putting a bullet in you in half a second. She never yells. She doesn’t have to. People just…do what she says.”
“What about when you were there?” Victoria asked.
The woman nodded. “First time, she had two men with her. Second time…there was a kid. Teenager. Brown hair. Quiet. Sat at the table the whole time as if she was waiting for something.”
Chloe.Isabel’s pulse thudded.
“Vehicles?” Isabel asked, steadying her voice.
“A black pickup, older, a dent in the rear bumper. And a dark blue SUV parked out back so you can’t see it from the road.”
“Any dogs? Traps?” Victoria asked.
“No dogs. Motion lights front and right side. Left side’s woods, but steep.”
Isabel’s mind was already cataloging it: the blind spot, the vehicles, the guard positions. “And the caller — you think he’ll be there?”
“Maybe. But he’s not the one you want.” The woman’s gaze slid to Victoria. “She is.”
Victoria leaned forward, her tone ice. “Good. Then we’ll find her.”
