“Now, I want you to press the gas pedal down. Hard,” Laurel said.
Deidre followed orders, speeding up as the vehicle behind her did the same. “It’s a big truck. The headlights are huge.”
“Keep going. Three miles ahead, you’ll be back on Birch Tree Road. I want you to take a left. Drive back toward town.”
“Okay,” Deidre said, and then yelped as the truck hit her again. Her SUV fishtailed wildly, but she’d grown up driving in the mountains of Washington State and she quickly corrected, hitting the gas. “I’m about to turn onto Birch Tree Road.”
Sirens echoed in the distance. She took a left and fishtailed, nearly going off the road, but she made it back on. At least this road had been graveled. She swallowed and could barely breathe. Her lungs weren’t working.
The sirens got louder. The truck spun around and drove in the other direction. She could see its taillights.
“They’re going the other way.” She let out a huge breath and her lungs stuttered.
“Keep driving. I’ve almost reached you, and the police should be there soon.”
Deidre squinted to see red-and-blue lights spiraling into the sky around the nearest bend. “I hear sirens and can see lights in the distance.”
“Don’t stop until you get to the police,” Laurel ordered.
“I won’t,” Deidre said, her body sagging. She couldn’t believe this. What was she going to do now? She’d never leave her house again.
* * *
Laurel and Huck had stayed with Deidre all night. She’d been shaken for a while but had later calmed down. There were officers searching for the truck, but Deidre hadn’t been able to give them much of a description.
Now Laurel had officers on her mother twenty-four hours a day. She might have to hire private security soon—or speed up her mother’s travel schedule.
Back at the office, first thing in the morning, Tim Kohnex was waiting in the vestibule in front of Laurel’s door as she walked inside the FBI building, finishing off a jelly doughnut.
Beside her, Huck paused. “Mr. Kohnex?”
“Hi.” Kohnex pushed away from the wall. “I needed to talk to you.”
Laurel wiped her hands on a napkin. “Do you have information regarding Mrs. Bearing?”
“I do.” Kohnex looked around, his eyes flicking back and forth.
Laurel looked up to his face. “All right. Why don’t you accompany me to the conference room upstairs?”
“I’ll go with you,” Huck said congenially.
“No, that’s okay.” Laurel looked at him. “You’re not part of this case, Huck. We have to draw the line somewhere.” Considering they planned to go on an ice-breaking excursion soon, she felt slightly hypocritical. But she needed to at least try to keep up a wall between Huck and the investigation.
Huck hesitated by the door to the Fish and Wildlife office, and she tried to read his expression. Was that concern?
The door buzzed and she opened it.
“Hello, Agent Snow,” Agent Norrs called down. “I’m working in your office today to get caught up. There’s a man waiting in the vestibule for you, and I thought if you wanted to interview him, Sherry could get the conference room ready.”
Huck’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “Hi, Norrs.”
“Hi, Captain,” Norrs called back. “I see you purchased doughnuts. Did you bring me any?”
“Sure.” Huck handed the box to Laurel, after filching one maple bar. “Share with Norrs. Even though he’s investigating me for murder, I like that he’s here to provide backup.”
Laurel pulled open her door. “Follow me, Mr. Kohnex.” She walked up the stairs.
“Nice wallpaper,” Kohnex said from behind her.
