“Meaning we can’t find her, and we suspect someone took her,” Lila said. “I’m going to put in the request for those sat phones.” She hurried off.
Ben frowned at Gideon. “Maya looked fine to me when I saw her talking to that Vance guy outside her cabin a little while ago.”
“Out back?”
“Yeah.”
“Did she go back in?”
“No, she went up the hill, and I didn’t see where Vance went, but he went in the opposite direction..”
Relief nearly unsettled him. “Okay, he probably came to get her to help Ellie. Thanks, man.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
“Yeah, go after Lila and let her know I’m heading up to Vance’s cabin.”
“Sure thing.” The man hurried in the direction Lila had gone, and Gideon hesitated.
Two officers sat in a cruiser in their designated parking spot just outside the lodge. He walked over and the driver rolled his window down. “Hey, I’m looking for Dr. Maya Sullivan. Have you heard the history of everything going on with her?”
“We have. Just got word she went missing. Need help?”
“Yeah. I’ll take all the help I can get. Can you take me to cabin 42? She may be there helping a friend. I just want to verify it.”
“Hop in.”
Gideon slid in the back seat.
They arrived much faster to cabin 42 than if he’d tried to hoof it. “Thanks.”
“Want us to wait here?”
“That’d be great. Thanks. Hopefully, this won’t take long.”
Gideon scrambled out of the cruiser and hurried to the front door. He knocked. “Ellie? Vance? It’s Gideon.” He knocked again. “Ellie?”
The door opened and Ellie stood there in her bathrobe, hand shading her squinted eyes. The woman looked horrible.
“Gideon? What is it?”
“I’m so sorry to bother you, but did Maya come by here?”
“Um, yeah. She did. She just left a few minutes ago. Why?”
His heart rate settled a bit. “Okay, thanks. Did she say where she was going when she finished here?”
“No. She didn’t. Um, Gideon, my head is a little better, but I need to lay down.” She swayed, then leaned against the wall.
“Of course.” He stepped inside and grasped her arm. “Let me help you.”
“Um ... thank you. The couch is fine.”
He helped her to the sofa, and she pulled the blanket off the back to wrap it around her shoulders. He looked around. Their cabin was about twice the size of his. “Is Vance here? Someone said they saw him talking to Maya just before she came up toyour cabin. I want to ask him if she said anything about where she was going.”
“No, he’s not here. I’m not sure where he is.” Her eyes fluttered and closed, then opened. “I’m sorry. It’s the drugs.”
“I know. It’s okay. I’m going to go now. Feel better.”
