Sherlock’s ears twitched. As soon as she moved, he scrambled to his feet and stuck like glue to her legs.
Natalie peered over her shoulder, hoping the person in the SUV hadn’t come into the forest. The trees surrounding Caleb’s home were thick enough to camouflage most things, but her bright red T-shirt would have stuck out like a bullseye. There wasn’t a lot she could do about it. She didn’t have another shirt and the foil survival blanket in her backpack would be just as easy to see.
As she pushed through the undergrowth, she found a path that might get them higher. It wasn’t as broad or as flat as the one Caleb had discovered, but it would have to do.
The farther they went, the narrower the track became. In places it fell away, leaving a three-inch ledge of rock for them to scramble across. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and kept moving, kept rising through the canopy of trees.
The higher they climbed, the more worried she was about being seen. She looked at her T-shirt and sighed. Walking around like a moving target wouldn’t keep them safe.
Sliding her backpack off her shoulders, she knelt beside Sherlock. “It’s just as well I’m wearing my sports bra.”
Sherlock didn’t seem the least bit fazed. He sat quietly, watching what she was doing.
Within seconds, she’d stuffed her T-shirt into her backpack and was once again moving along the ledge.
Sherlock followed her, picking his way across the rock like a mountain goat. If he weren’t with her, Natalie doubted she’d be as calm or as hopeful.
Fifteen minutes later she stopped and looked across the valley. The view was just as spectacular as it was the other day. But unlike last time, the heat of the midday sun burned into her bare skin. Sherlock’s tongue hung out of his mouth and his breathing was labored. With his thick black coat, he must be feeling the heat.
She moved along the ledge until they were under as much shade as she could find. The spindly tree took the sting out of the sun but didn’t lessen the brutal heat. She opened her backpack and pulled out the water bottle. Sherlock needed a drink.
She emptied a container of snacks into a bag and used the bowl for Sherlock’s water.
He lapped up the warm liquid as fast as it came out of the bottle.
Natalie patted his back. “We should be at the cave soon.” Just saying the words made her feel better because, in all honesty, she had no idea where they were. The scenery looked familiar, but the path was all wrong. She’d watched enough survival programs on TV to know they could easily be lost.
When the water was gone, she returned the bowl to her backpack. “Come on, boy. Let’s get out of this heat.”
This time, Sherlock took the lead. His paws padded across the uneven ground and moved along the narrow path.
Natalie glanced at her watch. Caleb’s security system should have warned him that a vehicle had driven through the main gates. If he’d left Polson right away, he should be getting close to the property.
If she’d brought the satellite phone with her, she could have called him and told him where they were and warned him about the SUV. Who was she kidding? If she’d brought the phone with her, she wouldn’t be in this mess. The phone’s GPS would have taken her straight to the cave. She wouldn’t be walking on a ledge, trying to find a hole in the wall of rock.
Sherlock stopped and looked at her.
“What is it, boy?” She studied the path in front of him, then looked up. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. They’d found the cave.
* * *
Gabe heldonto the edge of his seat as Caleb’s truck flew along the dirt driveway. He’d talked to the troopers a few minutes ago. No one was in the house or the SUV. They were about to search the barn. If Natalie and the driver weren’t there, they’d wait for more people to arrive before searching the forest.
Gabe checked his watch. It had been forty minutes since the security system’s alarm was triggered. Even if Natalie and Sherlock had gone into the forest, it didn’t make sense that they hadn’t returned. Unless they’d seen the SUV.
When Caleb stopped the truck, the two troopers were waiting for them.
The first held out her hand. “I’m Trooper Winchell, and this is Trooper Sanderson.”
Gabe shook their hands. “Have you found them?”
“Not yet. The barn is clear. The NYPD has spoken to the woman who rented the SUV. Gloria Torrington works for Eric Sturgess. Mr. Sturgess flew into Polson airport this morning.”
Gabe ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t believe it.”
“You know him?” Caleb asked.
“He’s my literary agent.” He turned to Trooper Winchell. “Did Gloria say why he’s here?”
