Friendly Fire (12 page)

“Well, you’re a little late, George, since Jordy just knocked me over the head. He took off, so I think we’ve figured out who took her. What can you tell me about him?”

“What? That doesn’t sound like Jordy. I’ve known that boy a good many years,” the sheriff said, sounding genuinely dismayed.

Logan staggered a bit. There was some static at the other end, and he wondered when he’d lose service. “Tell me, George, what’s Jordy’s background? What can you tell me about him? He’s worked here eight years, but before that, what did he do?”

The old sheriff let out a sigh. “Jordy’s Shoshone; raised on the reservation. He spent time in juvie when he was eighteen. Then he enlisted—did a tour in Afghanistan.”

“So he has tracking skills, knows how to look after himself. He could probably hide out and live off the land; leaving no trace.”

“Yeah, he’s one of the best trackers…but I still can’t believe Jordy could be responsible! He’s not like that. One of the reasons he ended up in juvie was protecting his little brother from his mother’s drunken boyfriend. Took a tire iron to him, broke his arm and three ribs, cracked his skull. Could have killed him but didn’t.”

Logan didn’t know what to think. What he did know was that he’d lost the light, and he was out here in the middle of nowhere, possibly being watched by someone who knew the trails better than he did. “George, did Jordy spend much time out on the trails? He mentioned there’re hideaways and cabins all through here.”

“He’s right,” the sheriff replied. “A man could live forever in there if he knew how to live off the grid. It’ll be hard to find him if he doesn’t want to be found.”

“Excuse me, Sheriff,” Tom said, stepping closer. “I know where every one of those spots is. I grew up here. My dad was a hunting guide.”

Logan hesitated only a second before saying, “Fine, you stay with me.” He turned again and had to stick his finger in his other ear, as there was more static on the line. “George, our connection isn’t that great, but Tom says he knows all those spots Jordy spoke of.”

“He does, but so do a few folks in the area. Rose said Jimmy Doles was missing, too, and then that teacher you were looking into…Brent Maloney? I remember when he showed up here. I thought it was kind of odd, a single man just moving way out here.”

Logan really had to listen to pick up what George was saying. “Yeah, I was suspicious, too, but Jordy just tipped his hand. Whatever those two are up to, well, there’ll be a time and place to check that out. It’s just not now.” The line kept cutting in and out. Logan moved again, and this time he couldn’t hear anything. “George, you still there?” he said, but the line had gone dead. He realized, as he stared at his cell phone, that his battery had died.

He looked out at Tom and into the darkened forest. He needed help, eyes in the sky—and he knew exactly who he needed to call. “Tom, I need your phone,” he said.

Tom fished it from his vest as Logan tried to remember the number. After dialing, he waited as it rang.

“Hello?” a deep voice answered, and Logan could hear a woman laughing in the background.

“Ben, hope I’m not disturbing you. It’s your brother, Logan.”

“Logan, nice to hear from you! How’s life as a sheriff in a small town working for you?”

“Well, that’s why I’m calling,” Logan said. “I need your help.”

He had to pull the phone away when Ben laughed on the other end, and he knew why. Logan never asked anyone for help. He was the one who knocked his brothers’ heads together, stepping in to help them out. He listened to them and was always there for them.

Maybe Ben had realized something was wrong, as his tone changed. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah, I am,” Logan said. “There’s a little girl missing, and I need help finding her. You have access to a chopper with that fancy oil company, right?”

“I do. Tell me what you need, and you've got it.”

“Grab a pen and write down these coordinates. I need eyes in the sky. Ben, one more thing; call Rose at the MacKay station and tell her who you are. Tell her I’m all right. And…Ben?”

“Yeah, Logan?”

He waited. There was something about having backup—someone he could depend on. It was a familiar feeling, something like what he had sensed during his time in the marines, with his unit. He didn’t know how to say it.

Maybe Ben already knew, because he said, “I know, Logan—and you’re welcome.”

Chapter 21

“R
ose, is there anything?” Julia asked, gripping the phone to her ear as if it was a lifeline.

“Well, actually, there is. I shouldn’t tell you, but…” she started, and Julia wanted to reach through the phone and shake her.

“Rose, don’t keep anything from me. I need to know. I’m going crazy here, and Logan hasn’t called. I’m freaking out.” She felt a hand touch her shoulder and saw Ruth’s long red nails in her peripheral vision. She was getting really loud. Probably scaring Dawn; who was lying on the sofa with a blanket.

“We think Jordy is somehow involved in Trinity going missing,” Rose said.

“What? That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he do it?” Julia replied. She couldn’t grasp the enormity of the situation' but Jordy had been in her cafe almost every day for the past two years. He was a mystery, and her skin crawled now to think she had been serving him all this time, and he had done this to her. He had watched her children from a position of power—a deputy, an authority figure. Of course, if he had told Trinity to come with him, she wouldn’t have hesitated. Julia felt such a sense of betrayal. “Rose, if he took her…” She couldn’t finish. Her chest filled with an ache that threatened to close up her lungs, and taking her next breath took quite a bit of effort.

“Jordy hit Logan over the head, knocked him out,” Rose said.

Julia was reeling. Logan was hurt? She couldn’t quash her need to get out there. “Rose, is he okay?” she asked, her voice shaking.

“He says he’s fine. Tom’s with him. They’re sending everyone else back, but they’re going to keep looking for her. We lost cell service when Logan’s phone cut out.” She sighed on the other end, and a sense of powerlessness was all Julia could feel.

“Rose, what am I supposed to do? I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I need to go out there and find my daughter. Logan told me—no, he promised he wouldn’t come back until he found Trinity, but how can he, if he’s hurt?”

Maybe Rose sensed Julia’s restlessness. She was past thinking clearly and just needed to do something. “You listen to me, Julia,” the older woman said. “Logan Wilde may be new around here, and I may not know everything about him, but I know enough and have seen enough to know—that man would kill himself to bring your daughter back. If it was me out there in Trinity’s place...well, I’d feel some comfort knowing the sheriff was looking for me. He’s not a man to give up, and he knows what he’s doing. You need to hold on to that.”

There was a knock at her front door, and Julia watched as Ruth answered it. She was speaking with someone and looked to Julia. Her expression seemed awkward.

“Rose, I’ve got to go,” Julia said. “Please call me if you hear anything from Logan.”

She set the phone down and started toward the door when a familiar, tall, light-haired man walked into her house, his expression guarded. His redheaded wife was with him.

“Julia,” Kevin Cooper said, “where’s my daughter?”

Chapter 22

“D
addy!” Dawn raced past her and launched herself into Kevin’s arms. He lifted her with ease, kissing and hugging her.

“There’s my girl!” he said. “I missed you.” He kissed her cheek and just held her tight, and his gaze locked on Julia. He had light blue eyes and styled hair, and he was so tall...but as she watched him holding Dawn, she found herself comparing him to Logan—and she found Kevin falling short in so many ways. She wondered what had changed for her; that his charm and striking good looks now seemed shallow and meaningless. The anger he was exuding had her crossing her arms over her stomach.

Angie, his new wife, looked at him and set her hand on his arm; maybe letting Julia know who he belonged to, which was ridiculous, considering he was a two-timing, deceitful coward. She wondered if Angie realized that a man who strayed once would do it again.

“How could you let this happen?” Kevin snapped.

Julia had known this was coming. Blaming others was just what he did. She had just never realized the mean streak Kevin Cooper could have—but then, she had fought tooth and nail to ensure he didn’t get more access to the girls than he already did. She wanted to lash out, but she took a moment to let his words sink in, and she realized that maybe he was right. She glanced away, swallowing the lump in her throat and squinting to fight the tears that sprang to her eyes. Damn, she wasn’t about to cry in front of him. She was stronger than that.

“Now, just a minute,” Ruth interjected. “I don’t know who you are, coming in here and blaming Julia. This was not her fault, and if you had any of the facts, you’d realize what a pea-brained idiot you’re being.”

Everyone stared at Ruth, who had planted herself in front of Kevin, standing up for Julia like an angry mama bear. Julia had never seen Ruth like that. She knew many of the women in town made fun of her for her tight clothes, bleached blond hair, C-cup breasts, and makeup—of which she wore enough to resemble a two-dollar hooker.

“I’m Trinity and Dawn’s father—” Kevin started, but Ruth pointed a long, red fingernail at him.

“I’m not an idiot! I know what this is. This is about your guilt. Julia, here, does a fine job with these two girls; and she raises them alone. You show up here, trying to throw your weight around…well, I won’t stand for it. Blaming Julia for Trinity disappearing from school in a small town that should be safe—it’s just not right!”

For the first time Julia could remember, Kevin appeared sheepish. Maybe she should have had Ruth around when Kevin had been cheating on her. She had a feeling Ruth would have been the type of friend to pull her aside and knock some sense into her; taking a few shots at Kevin, too.

He nodded in the sarcastic way he had when he was getting ready to come back with something really cutting. He patted Dawn’s back, and maybe she sensed the change in him, as she was holding herself away and looking from Kevin to Julia.

“Dawn?” Julia held out her arms, and Kevin let his daughter down. She went right to her mother, setting her arms around her waist and holding on. “Why don’t you go with Ruth and get your pajamas on?” Julia rubbed her back and then looked imploringly up at Ruth, a woman she had never really given the time of day. The one person who had stepped up to help Julia in a way she’d never expected.

“Come on, honey,” Ruth said, holding her hand out. Dawn followed her, glancing back once at her mother.

Julia crossed her arms again and peered up at Kevin. She could feel his bimbo wife watching her, too. She felt scrutinized, uncomfortable, and sick with worry.

“I got a call from the sheriff, who said my daughter is missing,” Kevin said. “I would have expected that call to come from you, Julia. How do you think I felt, hearing from a stranger that my daughter’s vanished?”

“Logan isn’t a stranger. He’s a…friend.” She hesitated. She couldn’t lie to herself about Logan anymore. He was her friend, nothing but a friend, albeit a friend she had to force herself to stay away from. “He’s looking for Trinity now, and he’s going to find her.”

“Well, you better be right,” Kevin started, and Julia immediately felt herself going on the defensive.

“Okay, I think we need to calm down, here, everybody,” Angie said, setting her hand on Kevin’s arm. Julia couldn’t help but be offended by the callousness of the remark. Angie was on Kevin’s side, so it wasn’t right to insert herself into the conversation as some sort of peacekeeper.

“What do you want, Kevin?” Julia asked. “If you just showed up here to hurt me, then I’d rather you leave.”

“My daughter is missing. I’m not leaving!” he shouted, and his wife cleared her throat and rubbed her hand up his arm.

“Kevin, of course you need to be here,” she said. “Trinity is your daughter, and the two of you need to stop poking each other’s eyes out.”

Julia wanted to shout that she wasn’t the one doing the poking, but then, just being in the same room as Kevin set her teeth on edge. She didn’t hate people, but she couldn’t deny she despised the very ground Kevin walked on.

“Trinity disappeared from school between math and music class,” Julia began. “No one made the connection. Her running shoe was just found on a trail, and they think a deputy was responsible for taking her.” At the expression on Kevin’s face, she stopped herself from saying any more.

He firmed his lips and nodded as if getting ready to say something Julia wasn’t going to like. “Well, what do you expect from some backwoods small town? In the city, they don’t hire just anyone to be a cop. Trinity would be safe, protected, with a mother at home to look after her.”

Julia felt the floor give out beneath her feet. She took in Angie’s pink cheeks, realizing this discussion was nothing new between them. To Julia, it had come out of left field, sucker punching her when she was already vulnerable. She worked her jaw. She needed to say something, anything, but she couldn’t find the words. Right now, protecting her daughters had become her first priority.

“Get out,” she snapped. “Now.”

Chapter 23

“M
om, where are we going?” Dawn asked, scared, from the backseat of their compact car.

Julia pulled up in front of the busy sheriff’s station, and Rose waved as if she’d been waiting for her. She stopped in the middle of the dark road, her car still running, as there were no vacant spots. “Dawn, we’re going to stay at the sheriff’s station,” she explained. “That way, we’ll know when Trinity is found.”

The fact of the matter was, that she was scared shitless of what Kevin would do. Would he make a move to take Dawn? She couldn’t think clearly, but she’d seen the look in his eyes, a look that only added to her stress. With Logan not there but out searching for Trinity…well, she felt all her backup was gone. Being here at the station, which was humming with activity, she also knew she would be able to receive firsthand information about Trinity.