“I wish I had a clue who else could’ve killed him and is trying to frame me, but I can’t think of anyone.” She looked past Micha to the cabin, her mind spinning with details. “How do we even begin to find out who it might be?”
“You said Holly was into music and our killer’s use of the bocal makes this seem music-related, so we start there and try to locate the killer.”
“I haven’t found any info on the music connection,” Colin said. “But I’ll further expand that aspect of my search. See what I find.”
“I want to help, too,” she said. “Let me know what I can do.”
“Let’s get you inside, and then we can talk about our next steps.” Micha held out his hand, palm up. “I’ll need the key to check the place out.”
She dug the fishing bobber keychain from her backpack and handed it over.
“I don’t like how far away we have to park, but the lot’s not cleared any deeper in.” Micha looked at Colin. “Turn the vehicle around and keep the engine running.”
Colin responded with a serious nod. “I’ll back in as close as I can get, but that still leaves a good bit of open space for an attack.”
“Just do your best to take a defensive position.” Micha bolted into the now spitting rain and up to the cabin. At the door, he looked back at them. He was too far away for her to get any kind of a take on his thoughts, but a sudden memory of Danny flashed before her eyes.
He was standing in front of the door, key in hand, looking over his shoulder at her. His mischievous grin told her that the frequent prankster had one planned, and she should be wary. It didn’t take long after opening the door that visit to catch sight of the fake snake. A really good replica, but she’d been looking for something wrong and didn’t fall for it.
Did he let it go? No, but he did bide his time. After a few days passed, when she thought it was safe to let her guard down, a frog hopped out from under her covers at bedtime. She screamed like a little girl, and he came running into the room, then doubled over in laughter. That was her last visit with him before the prostate cancer diagnosis. He was far too young for such a disease. Far too young to die. But he had.
Colin moved the vehicle, parking next to Dev, who’d backed his SUV in and sat behind the wheel. Her memory bubble popped with the vehicle’s movement, and she lifted an arm over the seat to keep the door in sight. When Micha didn’t come out, fear completely erased all thoughts. She started counting in her head to keep memories and fears at bay.
One one hundred.
Two one hundred.
Three one hundred.
Four. Five. Ten. Sixty. One hundred thirty.
The door opened, and she waited, thinking Micha would either wave them inside or head in her direction to escort her inside. He didn’t. He set off around the building and disappeared behind it.
“He’s checking the perimeter now,” Colin said as if he felt she needed an explanation. “We can’t be too careful.”
“Do you really think anyone knows where we are?”
“No,” he said, but there was abutin his tone.
Was he thinking like Micha that Layne was into tracking and stalking and might have the skills to hunt her down? Because that was what she’d been thinking for sure.
Micha appeared again on the far side of the cabin and jogged down the path to open her door. “We’re clear, but straight inside anyway.”
“Got it.” She reached for her backpack.
Micha stopped her. “Leave it. Free hands are a good thing. Colin will bring it in after we have you safely inside.” He stepped back.
She slid down and flipped up her hood, thankful there was still a lull in the rain and the moisture wasn’t soaking her.
Micha walked alongside her, and Colin came behind. She felt the sense of urgency in their footsteps, urging her to move fast. Micha had left the door open, and she went straight inside. Micha joined her, but Colin remained outside and pulled the door closed.
She went to a battery-powered lantern and turned it on, illuminating the large vaulted room that boasted a wood-burning fireplace with rock face climbing up to the high ceiling.
Micha went straight to the fireplace. “I’ll get a fire going and then bring a supply of firewood in from the porch.”
“You think it’s safe to build a fire?” she asked. “The smoke will tell others we’re here.”
“It could, sure.” He grabbed three logs and knelt in front of the firebox. “They would have to have a basic idea of where we were located to begin with for the smoke to be dangerous. And honestly, if they did know our location, our smoke wouldn’t make much difference.”
