He looked up. A small drone hovered above as expected. Someone was watching them. Carefully. Undetected, if Dev hadn’t thought to put someone on guard duty out front. They would be blissfully unaware inside the cabin. Likely sleeping. A perfect time to determine the adversary he was facing and plan an attack.
Who was operating the drone?
He didn’t know, but he could guess.
From this distance the device looked like a garden variety drone that could be purchased inexpensively online or in local stores. So not likely a surveillance professional.
Certainly could be their shooter, but how had he found them? They hadn’t been followed to this location, but as they’d theorized earlier, if the shooter was hanging out after the police arrived at the downtown shooting, he could’ve overheard Dev’s name and then figured out where he lived.
That was a very big unanswered question, but the second question was, where had the drone operator stationed himself? Some drones could fly a distance of a couple of miles from their controller. So the operator could easily be well away from the property. He certainly hadn’t breached the fenced perimeter. Which was only three-sided as they couldn’t fence the lake and still leave it accessible for Dev’s water rescue and safety training.
Could he be down by the lake? Or in a boat on the lake? Or on the road? Maybe across the road, hunkered down on the neighbor’s wooded property.
There were so many options. Too many options. But he couldn’t afford to waste time waffling between them. He had to decide which location to pursue before the drone disappeared. If he wanted to find and detain the operator, he would have to choose the most likely spot. Now!
He eased back into the trees and started for Micha. A quick discussion with his teammate might help clarify his decision.
He rounded the corner and stepped onto the porch. Micha spun, his hand clamped on his sidearm, then relaxing when he realized it was only Dev.
“Learn anything? Micha asked.
“Looks like a small inexpensive drone. Nothing professional. Hovering over us. Likely trying to determine if we’re asleep inside, and if the property could potentially be breached.”
“Hah!” Micha shook his head. “Good luck in doing that. We’d be on him like an ant on a picnic watermelon.”
Dev tried to crack a smile at the visual Micha suggested but failed. The impending sense of trouble left no room for comedy. “I’m debating whether the operator is down by or on the lake. Or could be out on the road somewhere. Or on the neighbor’s land across the road.”
“My guess?” Micha took a step closer. “I’d say on the road or across the road. If he was spotted and had to make a getaway, taking off in a boat could be challenging. The neighbor has logging roads on his property, and the operator could have a vehicle parked on one of them for a quick getaway.”
“Okay, then I have a plan. First I wake Colin and then make sure Kinsley knows to stay inside with him, you on the porch.”
Micha tilted his head. “And what about you? What’s next?”
“Me?” Dev turned to stare at the fenced side of the property that abutted the road. “I’m headed to the neighbor’s property to bring this guy in once and for all.”
