“Sheriff,” he murmured.
Sheriff Sutherland followed his line of sight.
A dark smear cut across the white.
Blood. Not a lot but enough.
The marks stretched unevenly, as if someone had stumbled or been pulled.
Sheriff Sutherland stood, his expression tightening as he scanned the ground. “Someone was hurt.”
Max didn’t answer. He was already tracking where the disturbance led.
The marks continued a few yards into the trees.
Then they stopped.
He scanned the ground.
There was nothing. No clear tracks. No direction. Just snow that appeared untouched again.
Max turned back toward the clearing, his brow tightening. “This doesn’t add up.”
Sheriff Sutherland glanced over. “What are you thinking?”
He nodded toward the phone. “If Kenny’s cell was dropped during a struggle, it would’ve landed in this area. Not over there by the tree.”
Sheriff Sutherland looked back at it as if considering Max’s theory. “Go on.”
He gestured toward the disturbed snow. “Whatever happened didn’t start there. The movement heads away from it.”
Sheriff Sutherland studied the ground more closely this time before pulling an evidence bag from his pocket. “So either it was dropped . . .”
“Or placed there on purpose,” Max said.
Sheriff Sutherland bagged the phone and stood. “We’re always several steps behind Kenny.”
Max exhaled slowly, unable to deny the words. “Yes, we are.”
Kenny wasn’t staying put. That much was clear.
He was moving fast. Not giving them time to catch up.
Max glanced once more at the spot where the trail had vanished.
Something about it felt controlled.
Too controlled.
He didn’t say that out loud.
Not yet.
But the thought stayed with him as Sheriff Sutherland stepped away to call it in.
CHAPTER 33
Hadley double-checkedthe medicine cabinet one more time before closing it. Her hand lingered on the door as she let out a slow breath.
