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“Yes,” she replied, her voice firm. “Puzzle needs Cal’s scent to track him.”
They moved further into the commune, passing bodies strewn about like grotesque dolls. Each one caused a fresh stab of fear to pierce Ellie’s heart, but none were Cal or Pierce or True.
She paused the group by the cottage she and Cal had stayed in and started to go inside, but the Cajun guy stopped her.
“Me first, cher.”
She didn’t argue and stepped back, letting him sweep through the door with his weapon aimed.
“Clear,” he called back after a moment, and she followed him in.
It was weird being back. The bed was still rumpled from sex, just as she and Cal had left it. The clothes they’d both worn into the commune were still folded up in the dresser. She pulled open the drawer and lifted out Cal’s shirt, pressing it to her face and inhaling deeply. She could only faintly smell him in the fabric, but Puzzle would be able to pick up the scent.
“We’ll find him,” Cajun said.
She started. She’d forgotten she wasn’t alone. “Thank you…” She turned toward him. “I’m sorry. I don’t know your name. I’ve just been calling you ‘Cajun’ in my head.”
“Actually, that’s what most people call me. Other than my wife. She usually calls me ‘pain in the ass,’ but for some reason she still loves me.” He grinned and shifted his weapon to hold out his hand. “Jean-Luc Cavalier.”
Ellie accepted the shake and was charmed when he lightly kissed her hand.
“Cajun!” Lanie called from outside. “Stop flirting and get your ass back out here, or I’ll tell your wife you’re misbehaving again.”
Jean-Luc’s grin only widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief in his grease-painted face. “Promise?” he called back as he headed toward the door. “Claire loves it when I misbehave.”
Ellie managed a shaky laugh as she followed him back outside. She hadn’t known she could laugh in a situation like this, but she felt lighter for it. Later, much later, she’d realize Jean-Luc had done it on purpose, turning on the charm to help her relax.
“Puzzle, here.” She bent down to press Cal’s shirt to her dog’s nose. “Find Cal. You love this game. Let’s go find Cal.” He sniffed intently, then gave a low murmur before pressing his nose to the ground.
It didn’t take him long to find the scent.
He bounded a few steps toward the woods—all big puppy paws and clumsy legs he hadn’t quite grown into yet—but then he stopped and looked back at her. There was happy excitement in his eyes that reminded her so much of Cal.
“Yes, Puzzle. Let’s go.” Her throat closed up, and she could barely form the words. “Go find Cal.”
chapter
twenty-five
Puzzle charged forward, weaving enthusiastically through the trees as Ellie and the others followed. His tail wagged high and proud, an enthusiastic flag leading them deeper into the woods.
The trees stood like guards, their ancient trunks lined with moss, and the sun filtered through the canopy, splashing the foliage with hues of gold and green. The forest was alive with whispers - the rustle of branches swaying in the wind, distant bird calls, their own breaths coming out in quick bursts.
It was beautiful in a haunting sort of way.
“You got a good dog here,” Jean-Luc said. He didn’t even sound winded, while she was panting trying to keep up with Puzzle’s break-neck speed. “Reminds me of the pup I grew up with. Beauregard. Now he was a loyal dog, but he couldn’t sniff out a squirrel in a nut factory. Your boy there’s got a good nose and the drive to use it.”
Her boy.
She smiled at the dog as he crossed back and forth over the path, looking for the scent. He was a good boy. The best.
Suddenly, Puzzle stopped in his tracks, tail standing still.
His ears perked up, nose twitching in the cool morning air. Then he suddenly darted into a dense cluster of ferns.
“Find something, buddy?” Ellie called, brushing past a low-hanging branch to catch up.
She found him sitting at the thick base of a redwood. His head drooped and he gave a low, distressed whine.
