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“Sure. Thought you were off work tonight?”
“I am. This is a personal matter.”
“You want me to call you back with it or hold while I get it?”
“Will it be fast?”
“Should be.”
“Then I’ll hold. Thanks.”
Less than a minute later he had the number and was dialing it. Within five he had the location, but he had to wait for Gavin. Night hiking to a bear den without backup would be beyond stupid, so he’d stay here and twiddle his thumbs.
It hadn’t been ten minutes since he hung up with Gavin that his doorbell rang. Cate? He threw open the door hoping it was her. Grayson Garrison.
“My brother said Cate’s missing.”
“You got here quick.”
“I was in the area.”
Malachi handed the man his cell.
“You haven’t heard anything since this last text?”
“Not a word. I’ve called, texted, checked with her landlady. Everything I could think to do.”
“Did you get the location?”
“I did.”
“Let’s go. Gavin can meet us there.”
Malachi slung his backpack on his shoulder and grabbed his coat. “One second.” He returned to his bedroom and grabbed Cate’s compass from where he’d left it and stuffed it into his pocket then sought out his house guest. “Becky, I’ll be back at some point. In the meantime, just hang out here. I’m expecting Cate’s other brother Gavin. Just give him the note I left on the table. He’ll probably be here shortly. It’s better if you stay in tonight, so make yourself comfortable.” Not that she had anywhere else to go. It sounded like it was here or nowhere. There weren’t any shelters in the area.
When he made his way outside, Grayson already had his Bronco running.
Becky had hoped to spend time with her son. But he’d chosen to search for Cate instead of reuniting with her. She couldn’t fault him. Not really. It’d been her who abandoned him first. Twenty-four years was a long time to go without seeing your mother. She should know. It had been more than thirty years since she’d seen her own parents. And she wouldn’t be as nice to them as Malachi was being to her.
She took advantage of her son’s unexpected absence. It was an opportunity to find out more about him. A little snooping was in order. His bathroom cabinets revealed the usual things. An old prescription bottle for an antibiotic, razors, soap. Nothing earth-shattering there. His nightstand produced some books, a pack of tissues, and a pistol. That could come in handy if she had to leave in a hurry. She slid out the magazine. Fully loaded. Plus one in the chamber. She stuffed the gun into her pocket. If he were here, he’d probably agree she should have it. After all, he knew she was in danger. Reece planned to kill her.
When she tripped over the length of the straight-leg sweatpants Malachi had given her, she murmured an expletive. They swam on her, but thankfully, there was a tie in the front which kept them in place.
Her search took her into the family room where she found a briefcase. Inside, she discovered a photograph of Reece. It wasn’t a recent one. The name below it was unfamiliar, but she’d have known that face anywhere. Scanning the page, she caught a few words. FBI. Warrant. She wasn’t the best at reading. Missing out on high school hadn’t done her any favors when it came to that, but she knew all about the FBI. They were the ones who took Ezekiel away from her. As far as she was concerned, they were the enemy. But so was Reece. The question was which enemy was more of a threat at the moment. It seemed like the answer was Reece, but she wasn’t certain about that. The FBI was evil. Horrid even. Why would a government agency break up her family? There was no good justification for what they’d done.
The doorbell put an end to her search. After stuffing the papers back where she’d found them, she answered the door to a handsome young man and a dark-haired woman. Resigned to playing hostess, she put on her usual plastic smile.
“Hi. I think I’m supposed to put the dog in his crate. Give me a sec.” She opened the cage door, and the giant animal went inside without complaint. She’d expected him to give her a hard time. Back at the front door, she gestured for them to come inside. “Sorry about that.”
When Malachi had left her there, he’d told her to expect a man named Gavin, but hadn’t mentioned anything about the female.
“Is Malachi here?” Gavin asked.
“Grayson came, and they left to go check out a bear den. They said something about you meeting them there.”
“Do you know where they went?”
“He left a note for you on the table.”
