When I regained a tenuous grasp on my control, I took in a deep breath, inhaling Brooke’s scent. If Vince was close enough that she could walk to meet him, I might be able to track her. Or Luke could. He was our best tracker.
She had a head start, and I couldn’t afford to waste time, so I followed her trail, which was faint but present. Hopefully, that meant she had come this way recently. It was hard to gauge, as her scent was already more potent to me as her mate.
My stomach dropped when the trail led to where her car had been parked. It was no longer there. Tracking her would be nearly impossible now. My only hope was Luke, and even for him, finding her would be unlikely.
I strode across the yard, hoping Luke wasn’t out on horseback. If he was, I’d never locate him in time to track Brooke. I rushed by the farmhouse as Declan came down the stairs, but I only spared him a quick glance as I passed.
“Mason?” Declan caught up to me, jogging at my side. “What’s wrong? You look like something’s on fire.”
“Brooke left to see Vince.” The words shot out of me as I picked up my pace. “I need Luke to track her car.”
He swore. “Luke’s out in the east pasture, fixing the fence.”
I stumbled to a stop, chest tightening until I thought my heart would burst. Declan was saying something, but I heard nothing over the rushing in my ears. She would be impossible to locate now, and I couldn’t begin to guess Vince’s plans for when they were alone. If only I knew where he was.
Declan was still talking. “If we?—”
Inspiration struck, and I took off running, not waiting for him to finish his sentence. I’d never been much for prayers, but I sent a wordless plea skyward, hoping someone was listening. The door to my workshop banged into the wall as I burst through, heading straight for my computer.
“Mason, what are you doing?” Declan followed me, looking over my shoulder.
I turned the monitor on and checked Brooke’s program. My body slumped with relief at the pop-up on the screen.Subject found.
I entered the coordinates on my phone, and the map brought up a location deep in Blackwater Pines, a forest a little over an hour away. The pinned location would take two hours to reach if I drove the speed limit. I could cut a chunk off that, as long as no one stopped me.
“Call the sheriff,” I told Declan, already standing and preparing myself for battle. “Send him to these coordinates. Brooke and I will be there with Vince.”
“You’re not going alone.” Declan followed me out the door. “I’ll grab Austin from the barn, and we’ll meet you at the edge of the forest.”
“This is my fight. I’m the one Vince wants. If we all show up at once, he might hurt her. If it’s just me, he might make a deal.”
“You’re not giving him what he wants.” Declan grabbed my shoulder, spinning me around.
I gave him a grim smile. “Of course not. But this ends today.”
Brooke
The brush caught on my pant legs as I hiked through the trees. The air was damp from a recent rain, leaving the path muddy. I’d left the trail earlier to circle around the meeting location and check things out. Vince had chosen a spot in a small clearing that was shaded by the towering trees surrounding it.
I’d parked my car as far away as possible, but I still needed to stake out the area surrounding the meeting location. I suspectedVince was staying nearby, as I didn’t pass any other vehicles on my drive into Blackwater Pines.
Taking a chance, I widened my search, moving outward in circles around the clearing. If I figured out where he was living, I could hide until he left to meet me. It would give me an opportunity to sneak in and search for the information I was seeking. A plan that allowed me to get in and out without ever meeting Vince, eliminating the risk he posed.
A loud thwack had me turning to my left. I stepped carefully through the undergrowth, trying not to give away my presence. I peered through the bushes that blocked me from sight and watched a man chopping wood outside a rustic cabin. His back was to me, so I couldn’t identify whether it was Vince.
I waited, legs cramping from crouching too long, until he finally bent to pick up the pieces, giving me a profile view. It was enough. This was where Vince had been hiding.
He carried the logs to a woodshed near the cabin and dropped them onto the pile. Then, he disappeared inside.
I used the opportunity to shift positions and settled in to wait again. I checked the time. He would need to leave soon to reach the clearing. When he came back outside, his hair was wet and he had fresh clothes on. He moved with confidence, his long strides carrying him quickly down the path.
I held still a few minutes longer until I no longer heard him. Then I slipped from the brush and jogged to the front door. I tried the knob, but it wouldn’t turn. Pulling the lock picks from my pocket, I got to work. The lock was a simple one, and soon the door opened for me. I stepped inside and surveyed the space.
The cabin had a large main area with a tiny kitchen and table, an old couch facing an enormous fireplace, and two doors to other rooms. Behind the first door was a rough bathroom. The other led to his bedroom. As always, I chose to start there.
There was a tall dresser next to a narrow bed, but it only held clothes. I checked under the mattress and beneath the bed, but there was nothing. A pair of curtains at the opposite end of the bedroom blocked the entire wall. But it was an interior wall, so what was it covering?
I crossed the bedroom and slid the curtains over. My body turned to ice.
