I shared a look with Luke. That explained the break-in at the coffeeshop and café. Sarah was probably looking for the murder weapon.
Walter’s jaw worked beneath his white beard stubble. “I wish I’d just come clean with Lucille. Maybe we could have worked things out.” A hint of a sad smile ghosted over his lips. “Hindsight is twenty-twenty, you know?”
“Yeah,” I murmured. My thoughts swirled as I digested everything Walter said. “Why didn’t Sarah demand the property get transferred back to her?”
“It would have brought too much attention. The deeds were final. My aunt was dead. With the increased scrutiny surrounding Moira’s disappearance, none of us wanted to bring any new attention to the public records’ office, so Sarah just let it go.”
That made sense. Sarah was greedy, but she wasn’t a fool.
None of this solved our current problem, however.
I looked at Luke. “So, what do we do now? How do we get out of here?”
A slow smile slid over his face. He pointed at my backpack. “Give me your bag.”
Frowning, I reached for it. “Why?” I passed it to him, lifting it over the sleeping dogs. They’d conked out not long after weset them down, exhausted from our long trek. Not even Sarah banging the boards into place had made them get up.
Luke took the bag and rummaged in the front pocket. A triumphant smile split his face as he pulled his hand out, clutching the GPS unit.
My eyes widened. “We can send a message!” In addition to sending coordinates, this particular GPS model could also send short text messages.
“Yep.” He tapped a button, waking up the screen. “Do you know Ozzie’s number?”
“No, but I know Claire’s.”
“Give it to me.”
Walter’s low laugh slowly grew until he held his sides. I stared at him. So did Luke, his fingers poised over the GPS unit as he frowned at the older man.
“Why are you laughing?” I asked, genuinely confused.
Waving a hand, Walter sat up, then swiped at the moisture on his face. “Because—” he hiccupped. “Because Sarah thought she had this all planned out. But her own arrogance will be her downfall. She wrote you two off as bumbling amateurs because you’re not the police. She should have searched your bags. I don’t even care that I’m going to jail now. It will be worth it to watch that bitch get what she deserves.”
“Well, okay, then.” Luke offered up a lopsided smile. “What’s that number, Mina?”
I recited it, and he quickly typed out a message.
It’s Luke. Mina and I are lost in the woods off Point Bishop Trail. Ellis is in danger. Send help.
With a few more clicks, he attached our current coordinates and hit send.
“All right.” Stowing the device in my bag again, he moved to the window. “Let’s see about busting out of here, shall we?” Heglanced at Walter. “Do you know if there’s anything in the cabin we could use to pry these boards off?”
Walter got up. “Maybe. She might have some tools stashed somewhere. I’ve never been here, but it looks pretty well stocked.”
It took us fifteen minutes and several different makeshift tools, but we finally made enough space between the wood and the window frame to wedge a piece of firewood in there. With Walter and Luke pushing against it, they managed to pop the nails free.
Luke stepped back and turned to me. “Okay, babe. You’re the smallest, so you get to go first and see if you can get the door unblocked.”
I stepped up to the window.
“Lean into me.” He moved in behind me.
I did as he asked.
“Lift your legs and I’ll help you through the window.”
Pulling my legs up, he held my torso while I wiggled and shimmied through the opening. It was definitely a tight fit. Walter might make it through, but Luke’s shoulders wouldn’t.
