Cubby peered in the window and then signaled for Noah to stay as he headed for the door. Opening it, he raised his weapon and entered with Katie at his back.
“It’s empty,” he heard Katie call back to him and Pete. Noah entered the building, his eyes sweeping it. He headed for the small table and found what looked to be a funnel and rope. Dropping to the floor when something caught his eye, he saw one of the Howler’s pens.
“She was here.” He held it up.
“They can’t have gone far,” Pete said.
“Tex, you need to come in with lights and do a sweep of the water in case he’s taking her somewhere by boat,” Cubby said into his handheld radio.
Noah didn’t wait; he ran out the door.
“Stop!” Cubby roared, but he wasn’t doing that. He had to find Lani, and to do that, he needed to move.
“Fuck!” Cubby’s feet thundered behind him.
Noah ran to Cubby’s cruiser and let Buddy out. “Find Lani, Buddy. Go find her.”
The dog took off, and Noah was on his heels with the others behind them. He ran to the water, then parallel to it, nose to the ground. A few minutes later, they heard shots, and all he could think about was Lani lying dead in a pool of blood. Noah pulled his gun and grabbed Buddy’s collar.
“Wait!”
“I’m not waiting, Cubby. He could have shot her.”
“Quiet. Someone is coming.”
Noah stopped and watched the path and then a man appeared. Barnaby Lester, was Noah’s guess. He raised his gun, Cubby, Katie, and Pete beside him doing the same.
“Stop or we shoot,” Cubby said calmly.
The man faltered, then lowered his weapon.
Tex chose that moment to sweep in, and his lights lit up the area like Lake Howling’s Main Street at Christmas with all those fairy lights.
“Hi, just out walking. Thought I saw a bear and got scared. What’s with the helicopter?”
He smiled, and Noah saw the scar on his cheek.
“Put your hands where we can see them,” Katie barked.
He did as she asked, and Pete moved forward and cuffed him.
“You got Lani?” Tex asked into the radio.
“Not yet,” Cubby said. “Just stay where you are for now.”
“What’s the problem here, officers? I’m just doing some fishing in my cabin.”
Katie moved forward and went through his pockets, pulling out some papers and his wallet. Cubby shone his torch on them, and they saw the name on his driver’s license was Barnaby Lester and the papers were a will.
“Where is she, you fucker!” Noah punched him hard in the gut.
“Well, hell,” Cubby said as Pete jumped out of the way and Barnaby fell hard on the floor.
Noah pointed his gun at the man’s forehead.
“Make him hurt, Noah!” Buster roared.
“Shut up, you idiot!” Cubby growled.
