“Tommy?” Laurel whispered. “Whose gun was it?”
He bit his lip. “I just borrowed it. He didn’t mind. It’s Jason’s gun.”
Laurel jumped up. “Stay here.” She ran through the Fish and Wildlife office and up her stairs, nearly plowing over Nester, who stood guard at the entrance to the conference room.
Davie and his mother looked up, both wide eyed.
“Davie? How did you know about the study at Washington Tech University?” Laurel gulped in air, trying to breathe.
His mouth opened and then closed. “Um, Jason told me. Him and Haylee really needed the money to keep the business afloat, and he was taking any odd job he could. He got to stay in the study, even though I had to leave. I guess I was mad about that, too.”
Laurel’s ears rang. Oh God.
She turned. “Nester? Get everybody out to find Abigail Caine as well as Jason Abbott. Trace Abigail’s phone and call me the second you have her.” She barreled out of the office and down the stairs, running to her SUV and speeding out of the parking lot.
Laurel was halfway to the center of town when Nester called. “Did you find her phone?”
“Yeah. It’s just coming in. It’s on, and the signal is strong from downtown Genesis Valley. Here’s the address.” He rattled it off. “It’s a specialty wine and dessert store. I have everyone actively searching for Jason Abbott now. Units just arrived at his house as well as his place of business, and, so far, nobody has sighted him.”
“Keep trying.” Laurel spun a U-turn and drove as fast as she dared to the center of town, seeing Abigail’s SUV parked in the lot fronting a building that housed several businesses that ranged from a nail salon to a specialty wine store. Abigail’s back hatch was open. “Hold on.” Laurel stopped and jumped out of her rig, running over to see Abigail’s purse next to a box of wine. She looked wildly around and then ran across the icy ground to the wine store, yanking open the door.
A woman jumped back from the shelf where she was rearranging wine bottles.
“Abigail Caine. Where is she?” Laurel snapped, surveying the shelves.
The woman blinked and swallowed. “She left a while ago with wine. Why?”
“Do you have CCTV?” Laurel asked.
The woman nodded. “Yes. Outside the building. The manager has cameras focused on the parking lot. Do you want me to call him?”
“Yes. Call him and tell him that the police will be here to obtain the footage.” Laurel turned and raced back to her still-running SUV. “Nester? Send an officer to obtain the footage from CCTV at this location.” She put the vehicle in drive and sped away from the parking lot.
“Where are you going?” Nester asked, already typing loudly.
Her mind reeled. “Jason kills at his victim’s property. The only other property I know that’s owned by Abigail is the land used for Deep Green Grower’s Company. I believe the entrance is near where her brother used to live.” She sped up, driving dangerously for the conditions on the road. “Call Fish and Wildlife and have them send state troopers out there, and please keep trying Huck.” His phone was apparently off while he underwent tests at the hospital. “Tell him where I’m going.”
“You should wait for backup. I’ll get them out there as soon as I can,” Nester said.
“I can’t. Just have everyone hurry.” She careened around a corner and ended the call, her one good hand tightening on the wheel. Why hadn’t she suspected Jason? He was always in the background, charming and kind with a girlfriend. Yet he had the same ties to the victims as Tommy and Davie. He probably even drove Davie to an appointment or two with Dr. Rox for counseling.
And he’d been part of Abigail’s study.
That alone made a block of ice drop into Laurel’s stomach. Just what behavioral modification had Abigail attempted with Jason?
The thoughts spun around and around in Laurel’s head as she drove, finally steering between two tall log columns that supported a sign naming the place. Snow-covered fields stretched to the left with forests to the right of the road. She pressed on, having checked satellite pictures during the Snowblood Peak case to learn that the buildings and operations were straight ahead, along with multiple large, well-equipped commercial greenhouses.
Truck tires had left a good trail in the recently fallen snow, and she drove quickly, pausing when the tire tracks turned onto one of the many side roads through the trees. A quick look ahead confirmed that no other trucks had passed this way recently. Her gun secure on the side of her healthy hand, she turned and followed the tracks.
They led through a large forest, around several bends, and then toward the mountains and a river. A small and dilapidated cabin stood vigil to the side, its walls crumbling and its roof caved in. She kept driving through another grove and then around several more bends, finally heading back toward the river.
A greenhouse lay straight ahead, its lights on inside. A truck and a smaller car were parked beneath a wide tarp.
She pulled over beneath a stand of trees and jumped into the snow. Keeping to the tracks left by the truck, she withdrew her gun and held it in her left hand. That wasn’t going to work.
Wincing, she pulled off the sling and tossed it to the side, using her cast to steady her weapon as she trod silently toward the structure, her body bent and her legs freezing.
A scream came from inside, and she moved into a run, reaching the door and pausing.
