Page 107 of Midnight Creed

“He wasn’t a good guy,” Maggie said. “We have evidence that connects him to at least three murders. Maybe more. Mrs. Ramsey thinks Peter Gregory did something with Will.”

“There were drawings left in a bulldozer cab. Taylor said they were Will’s.” He couldn’t see into the Waffle House. There were no windows on this side. Still, he thought about Taylor, what she had asked of him. He hadn’t been able to deliver. “It looked like someone in a blue pickup was chasing Will.”

“Sheriff Norwich told me you found the pickup. We’ll be able to tell if Peter Gregory had driven it out here.”

“But how do we find out what he did with Will?”

More silence.

Creed rubbed a hand over his bristled jaw, trying to unclench it. He stood still. Looked up to see a sliver of moon peeking through the clouds. That damn statistic drummed at his temple. A child taken by a stranger was usually murdered within the first three to twenty-four hours.

“I don’t know right now,” she finally said. “I’m still at the Ramseys’. Are you able to go get some rest?”

“I’m meeting Jason and Brodie...and Taylor. Dr. Avelyn’s here, too. She’s checking on Hank.”

“Is he okay?”

“Yeah, sounds like it. He ran into some glass.”

“What about you?” she asked.

“Me?”

“How are you holding up?”

He couldn’t deny that he was exhausted, that maybe he’d made some mistakes because of it. But Grace had made up for them.

“I’m holding up.” That’s all he would concede when others were in worse shape. “How about you? You’ve got to be running on empty about now.”

“Definitely close.”

“We’ll be here for a little while longer. Check to see if we’re still here when you’re finished.”

“I will do that.”

He slipped the phone back into his pocket. He hadn’t gotten farther than thirty feet away from his Jeep. Before he headed for the restaurant, he saw Grace standing and looking out the window on the opposite side. There was movement in the woods. But Grace wasn’t barking.

He walked slowly back toward his Jeep. That’s when someone came out from behind the trees. Creed recognized the man’s silhouette. He met him at the back bumper.

“You keep crazy hours,” Sully told him.

“I could say the same about you.”

“I saw another Jeep with dogs. Thought it might be you.”

The old man’s forehead was sweaty and creased with worry.

“Is everything okay?” Creed looked around and realized Sully didn’t have his dog with him. “Is Gunner okay?”

“She’s fine. Can you come with me?”

“You mean out into the woods?”

“To my camp.”

Creed glanced at Grace. He put his palm up against the window, meeting her paws. “It’s okay, Grace. Lie down. Get some rest.”

He started following Sully before he realized the man didn’t have a flashlight. Maybe he knew the way so well he didn’t need one. But Creed almost tripped a couple of times. The old man was quicker and more agile than Creed expected.