“Her boat is missing, and the manager said there was nothing suspicious in the parking lot. So I figure if someone took her, they went by boat. We don’t know which way they went, and we’ll need to scan both directions of the river. One of you can pilot the drone, and I’ll command the helicopter. I mounted a camera on the base.”
“That only gives us a limited range,” Aiden said.
And not a very long range at that. “I’ll see if the marina manager can arrange boats for us to use.”
“We’ll load up and be there as fast as we can,” Clay said. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
Erik wanted to snap at his brother, but he was right. If Erik could think of anything to do, he would do it. Stupid or not. “See you there.”
He dialed the manager.
“Did you find her?” Villanueva asked.
“No, and I need your help. Could you get two boats that I can borrow in the next half hour?”
“Boats? Hmm. Yeah, well. I have one. And I can knock on a few doors. Boat people stick together, so I’m sure someone will lend us another.”
“Perfect,” Erik said. “I’m on my way.”
He disconnected and glanced at Pong. “So what do you think, boy? Is she still on the river or did they just take the boat to a boat launch and then travel by car to some destination where he plans to kill her?”
Pong whimpered.
“I know. Why do that? If he’s going to kill her, why not just take care of her right there? Maybe he’s trying to avoid being seen at the marina.” Erik tapped his thumb on the wheel as he thought. “If that’s the case there would be a vehicle at the marina. Unless he was dropped off.”
Pong sat up, his face alert.
“If Oscar Edwards is involved, I can look up his registration and cruise the lot for his vehicle. Maybe see something inside to tell me what he’s planning to do.”
Erik arrived at the lot and idled his vehicle near the entrance to look up Edwards’s vehicle registration information. Erik soon had the plate number for the guy’s black Toyota RAV4, and Erik cruised through the lot to search for it. He spotted the SUV in the back, far away from prying eyes.
“Stay,” he said to Pong and got out to look inside.
The wind had picked up, and it buffeted his body as he stepped up to the Toyota. The vehicle was empty. No weapons Erik could see. No restraints, tape, or ropes. But then if Edwards had taken Kennedy, he would have all of those items in hand.
Erik hurried back to his truck to search the internet for any social media information to give Erik a clue where the guy might take her. He’d added a family reunion photo to his page since Erik had last checked the professor out. A banner in the back said the event occurred a month ago, but Edwards must’ve just gotten around to posting the picture. Erik zoomed in on the photo and about dropped his phone. On the far left stood Jeremy Miller.
“See this, boy,” he said to Pong. “Miller is connected to Edwards somehow.”
Erik tapped on the photo that Edwards had tagged of Miller, which took him to Miller’s Facebook page. Erik had looked at the page after Miller’s arrest, but hadn’t been searching for a connection to the professor. He scrolled down to a photo of a little cabin in the boonies on a property with a river flowing through it. Miller’s house?
Could he live on the Columbia River? Could Edwards be taking Kennedy to Miller’s place? Erik opened another database to locate Miller’s address then mapped it. The property was located in a small county with very few marine patrol resources.
Erik could call the sheriff, but he wasn’t confident in the smaller agency’s response. Besides, Erik had no proof someone abducted Kennedy, and it would waste valuable time trying to convince a deputy to begin an all-out search. Erik could use that valuable time to look for her.
He drove straight to the marina office and got out with Pong. Erik and his brothers would still travel in both directions on the river, but after seeing Miller’s connection to Edwards, you better believe Erik was heading toward Miller’s place.
Kennedy searched her brain for an idea of how to escape, but she could hardly leave a distress signal or clue for anyone when she was piloting a boat with a lunatic professor holding her own gun on her. She had no idea where they were going, but they were heading east and upriver to a less populous area.
The wind bit into her face as her mind raced for thoughts of how to get away before he tortured or killed her. She could bail overboard, but she knew from the other night that the water was cold enough to become a problem in a very short time.
Could she swim to the shore before her body shut down? Especially with an injured hand? That would hinder her progress. Or could she do it before the professor shot her? The distance wasn’t likely an issue, but the cold and a stronger than normal current were.
Plus, Edwards would just rev up the motor and come after her.
Unless she stopped him. But how?
She slowed to get a better look around and listened.
