Page 57 of The Missing Couple

Did this man have no idea what his son was doing? Billie wasn’t giving him the benefit of the doubt.

“She and I were both here earlier this afternoon,” Billie said. “We had a confrontation with Kerrick. We’ve spent the last several hours at the sheriff’s office. Kerrick is still there. They’re keeping him overnight.”

The man’s face paled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. What’s Kerrick done?”

This was taking far too much time. “The cabin back in the woods on the other side of the property.”

He nodded, his gaze still tracking the muzzle of the handgun. Billie lowered his weapon to refocus the man’s attention on him. Whatever was going on here, he needed this guy to pay attention and to do as he said.

“Someone was being held prisoner in that cabin. I need you to tell me who, besides your son, uses that cabin.”

The idea that Kerrick had insisted on calling the sheriff still nagged at Billie but there was always the chance someone in the sheriff’s department was working with him, which would explain why he had no worries in doing so. At this point Billie couldn’t be sure about anything. He was working with possible scenarios and pieces of potential evidence.

The man’s head was moving side to side now. “No one.” Then his face changed. “Wait. No. Paul Grant uses it sometimes for hunting. He’s the only person we allow to hunt the land, but he hasn’t been back there recently.”

Billie thought of the man who had hugged Charly when they visited him. “Do you have a UTV?”

He nodded, then shook his head. “We use golf carts. They’re quieter.” A ringing sound drew his attention toward the door that led to the living quarters. Cell phone. It rang a second time.

“Get the key.” Billie glanced at his bare feet. “And your shoes.”

“Can I answer the phone? It’s probably my wife.” He blinked, his eyes so large he looked like an owl. “Or it could be Kerrick, I guess.”

Billie didn’t bother telling him that his son wasn’t getting any calls tonight. “No. Just your shoes and the key for one of the golf carts. We’re in a hurry.”

He followed Rogers into his living room where the older man jammed his feet into the shoes he had discarded. He glanced longingly at the phone but didn’t go for it.

As they exited the home through the back door, Rogers flipped on the rear exterior lights. Two carts were lined up under a carport. As he slid into the passenger seat, Billie noted a small oil stain in the gravel a few feet away. Maybe they parked farther over sometimes or maybe they had a third cart. A third cart made sense since the wife wasn’t home. She could be out there somewhere with Charly. The idea knotted in Billie’s chest.

Once they were loaded up, Billie withdrew his gun again. “Take me to that cabin.”

Rogers nodded.

When he shifted into gear, Billie warned, “Don’t do anything stupid, Mr. Rogers.”

“No. No. I won’t.”

When they entered the tree line, Billie noted there was a path just wide enough for the carts. “Are there paths like this all over the property?”

“Mostly in this front part of the property for the cabins,” he explained, glancing nervously at Billie as he spoke. “There are a couple paths farther back but none that go right up to the cabin you’re talking about. We’ll have to walk part of the way.”

Billie scanned the dark woods around them. His gut twisted with mounting worry. If Charly wasn’t here…

Another set of headlights appeared in the distance.

“That must be my wife. There was an issue at that back rental, cabin fourteen. She went to try and resolve it.” He glanced at Billie, appearing even more anxious now. “She’s very good at taking care of guest issues.”

“Is she alone?” Billie asked. The other cart had stopped a few feet away. The headlights preventing him from seeing the interior of the vehicle.

“Oh yeah. She’s alone,” Rogers assured him.

Laney popped out of the driver’s side of the other cart. Billie ensured his weapon wasn’t readily visible as she hurried over to the driver’s side of their cart. She looked at her husband first then at Billie. “Is everything all right?”

“This man,” Rogers said, “seems to think Charly is at the old cabin.”

Laney blinked once, twice. “I can’t imagine why.”

“Did you know Kerrick is in trouble again?” Rogers asked.