Page 73 of Glimmer in the Darkness

James swallowed the lie that wanted to come out. Best guess—back at the cabin she’d rented. But he couldn’t tell Vince that. He needed to give her time to…

Would she run away again? Would she disappear forever?

New, jumbled prayers bounced around his brain. He couldn’t lose Cassidy now, not when he’d just gotten her back.

“Where. Is. She.” Vince’s hands clenched into fists. His whole face took on the color of a ripe autumn apple.

“She didn’t do it.”

“I trusted you. You know that? Cote wanted to swarm your place with cops, but I talked him out of it. Told him you’d tell us if she contacted you. Told him there was no way you’d harbor the fugitive suspected of killing your own sister.”

“She didn’t—”

“We’re going to find her.” Vince seemed to force a deep breath in, then blew it out through his teeth. “It’d be better for her if I found her, not one of the guys in uniform. Emotions are running high right now. I’d hate for your girlfriend to get hurt.”

Was Vince serious, or was that a threat? The anger that infused Vince’s every word told James that Cassidy wouldn’t be any safer with him than with any other cop that got his hands on her. Even Detective Cote, Ella’s uncle, would display more restraint than Vince was showing right now.

Vince’s phone rang, and he grabbed it. “House is clear. Search the forest, the campground, and the trails. And canvas the campers and hikers, see if anybody saw her.”

He waited through a response, said, “I’m working on that.”

When he hung up, he leaned forward, perched his elbows on his knees, and held his phone between his hands. “Fine. She didn’t do it. Not that I believe you, but if you’re right and she’s telling the truth, then it won’t hurt her to come in and answer questions.”

“You guys all think she’s guilty. No way she’ll be treated fairly.”

“That’s her excuse for not turning herself in? Come on, James. You’re smarter than this.”

“How did you know to look for her here?”

Vince rubbed his lips together, then settled onto the sofa and sat back. “Somebody saw you two on the mountain. I got a call early this morning. We’ve been keeping an eye out for you. Cote wanted to station someone here, but I convinced him you’d call us when you came in. Told him you’d do the right thing.” He shook his head, disappointment clear in the set of his lips.

“Who saw us?”

Vince gave James a cop-stare that was probably supposed to intimidate.

“Somebody followed us last night,” James said. “Somebody stole our food. And somebody—”

“Stole your food? Gee, lemme write up a report.” Vince launched himself to his feet. “A child is missing, James. Your best friend’s daughter! She’s going to be dead if we don’t find her fast. Dead. Do you get that? And you’re worried that somebody stole your food?”

James resisted the urge to stand toe-to-toe with Vince. Friend or not, Vince was a cop. He deserved James’s respect. “If you’d please let me finish.”

Vince crossed his arms. “Finish.”

“Somebody shot Cassidy this morning.” He tapped his head where the wound was. “Grazed her right here. An inch to the right, and she’d be dead. Cassidy, the only person who survived this guy. The only person who knows what really happened to my sister, and the only person who can shed light on what’s going on right now. Who do you think would have done that, if not the real killer?”

Vince practically fell in the chair, his breath coming out in a huff. “Why didn’t you call it in?”

“No service. But we’d considered calling the police. I was just cleaning her wound.” Nearly true. “We found the place, Vince.”

“The cave?” Some of the anger leached from his face. “You found it?”

“I can tell you the coordinates, and you can check it out.”

Vince sat back, focused on the floor. His hands were pressed to his knees.

James prayed Vince would see reason, quit focusing on finding Cassidy and start looking for the real kidnapper.

But Vince’s expression was all hard lines and anger again. “Where’s Ella then? Didn’t you rescue her? That was the point, right?”