Ryan stepped up to Russ. “You ID the truck’s owner yet?”
Russ looked up in surprise. “If you’re down here that must mean Mia came out from the bathroom. She doing okay?”
Ryan’s turn to be surprised. His brother’s sincere concern when he’d been tough on her so far was a twist Ryan hadn’t seen coming. Russ was a great guy. Usually very compassionate, but for some reason he had a thing about Mia. Ryan got it. She’d once been a bad influence, but he could’ve resisted the things she wanted to do. If he’d wanted to, but he hadn’t. What he’d done was spend every waking hour with her. If that meant going to parties and skipping school, then he’d done that.
“She’s hanging in there,” Ryan answered. “You never said if you found out who owns the truck.”
“Not yet. Looks like it was stolen and whoever boosted it was smart enough to remove plates and VIN numbers. Likely a pro.”
“And that makes him a pro? The average Joe knows enough to take plates and that little tag off the dashboard.”
“Yeah, but the average Joe doesn’t know the number is etched on various parts of the vehicle.” He tipped his head at the tow truck driver securing chains on the truck. “Bobby just told me they are all filed off.”
Ryan looked at Bobby and the destroyed truck. He swung his head back toward Russ and caught sight of the package Mia received sitting on the front seat of Russ’s patrol car. If the man was a professional at stealing trucks, had no qualms about torching the barn, and sent a message like the one in that box, what was he capable of doing to Mia if she didn’t comply with his demands?
Perhaps kill someone. Someone like Mia.
“Learn anything else?” Ryan asked.
Russ shook his head and ripped the top page from his clipboard to hand it to Bobby.
“Thanks, man,” Bobby said, heading back to his vehicle. “Truck’ll be at my shop if you need to look at it.”
Russ opened his car door and glanced at Ryan. “Later, bro.”
“Wait,” Ryan said. “I’ve been thinking about the package. Whoever put it inside the lodge had to have a key, right?”
Russ leaned on the open door. “Wally might not have locked it. We found the place open when we got here.”
“Odd. I found it unlocked last night when I brought Mia’s car and her belongings up to the lodge. But I locked it after I left. So whoever left the box must have a key.”
Russ gave a sharp nod. “Or knows how to pick a lock. But I’ll dig deeper to see who all might have a key and check the lock for signs of damage.”
“Mia just asked David about keys. He mentioned Nico and Verna for starters, but sounded like he and their dad didn’t have a key.”
“Like I said. I’ll look into it.” Russ dropped into his car and drove off.
Ryan wanted to stop his brother and shake free any details he might be withholding, but Ryan knew his brother couldn’t share every investigation detail and there was no point in getting frustrated over it.
He went to his own truck and took the private road leading to their family resort. Still called Valley View, the property abutted Evergreen’s eastern border and also had lakefront access where two large three-bedroom cabins sat. Ryan lived in one. Russ in the other. To the west, the property was wooded and rustic, and the perfect place to take clients to learn to survive in the wilderness.
He stopped at the gated entrance to enter his security code. The gate swung open, and he started down the narrow drive. This part of the property had once been an open area, but since they’d invested in tons of valuable equipment, including guns, they’d secured the perimeter with a stockade fence and the two entrances with electronic locks. Not only did it protect their equipment, it gave the clients who were by nature untrusting more of a sense of security.
He passed the big log lodge with a wide wraparound porch sitting in the middle of the space where Reid and Jessie lived and took the fork toward ten smaller log cabins located deep in the trees. The three other Shadow Lake Survival staff members, including Colin, lived in these older cabins, and the others housed clients. Further down the road sat their meeting facility and equipment garage, along with a barn and corrals for their horses. And in the other direction by the lake were his and Russ’s larger three-bedroom cabins.
What he wouldn’t give to be coming here to ride his favorite horse. Or even take a group on a trek in the wilderness. Maybe paddle around the lake in his favorite canoe.
But despite Mia saying she didn’t need him, he wouldn’t let her fend for herself, and her safety came first.
Vehicles had been parked outside each of the small buildings. Meant they had a full class right now, and Colin might not be available. Wouldn’t deter Ryan. Not one bit.
He swung into the drive by the third cabin where Colin had parked his big black truck. Ryan got out and inhaled the fresh air, filling his lungs and trying to release some of the day’s tension as only the outdoors could do for him.
The building sat in the shade, and the temperature felt refreshingly cooler. He took a few more breaths then knocked on the door and stood back, hoping Colin wasn’t teaching a class.
He was in luck. Colin pulled open the door. He wore their team uniform of khaki tactical pants and a deep green polo shirt with the company logo on the chest.
He eyed Ryan and ran a hand over short dark hair. “You never visit. What gives?”
