AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"You checked?"
"Early this morning, before the Mittmayers were discovered," Ski said. "I went to the hospital to talk to the Loflands about Sally Buckland's murder. I brought up the calls to and from her on Amanda's cell phone."
"And?"
"She said she barely knew Sally Buckland. Had only met her a few times at company parties."
"Then how'd she explain all those calls?" Dodge asked.
"They'd played phone tag. She'd been calling to get Buckland's address so she could mail her an invitation to a fortieth birthday party she's throwing for Ben in the fall."
"How did she react when you brought this up?"
"Pissed. The party was supposed to have been a surprise."
Dodge's laugh sounded like he was gargling phlegm. "She's a piece of work, that one. But she couldn't have been two places at once. So if she's not Stark's partner in crime, then maybe it was Sally Buckland."
"She'd served her purpose? He killed her to tie up a loose end?"
"Maybe. Hell, I don't know." Dodge reached for his cigarettes.
"Put them away," Ski said. "Dogs are here."
He and Dodge made their way over as the trainer alighted from a pickup truck that had dog crates in the back. "I'm supposed to be meeting Ski," he said to the group.
Ski threaded his way through the other lawmen and shook the man's hand.
"I brought an extra trainer." He introduced Ski to the man accompanying him. "Also two extra dogs. Just in case."
"Thanks. We may need them. How many do we start with?"
"Three. They're my best."
The dogs were released from their crates and put on heavy-duty leashes. The trainer took two black Labs, the other guy got a bloodhound. The dogs were eager. Ski let them smell the filthy clothes that Starks had left behind in the Mittmayers' RV.
"Okay, they're good to go," the trainer said.
One of the FBI agents said, "Let her roll."
Ski hid his smile. If there was one word that inaccurately described how one navigated this part of the Thicket, it would be roll.
Which they soon discovered. They hacked and clawed and slogged their way through. Within half an hour those who hadn't heeded the advice to apply strong insect repellent were fighting their way back to escape thick swarms of biting species. Even sturdy boots were sucked into mud the consistency of tar.
Clothing and skin were ripped by thorns that were as thick as thumbs or as fine as human hairs. While searching for Oren Starks's tracks, they also had to be on the lookout for alligators, mountain lions, razorbacks, cottonmouths, copperheads, and rattlesnakes that didn't like to be disturbed.
Ski couldn't imagine more hostile terrain anywhere in the world. After an hour, they had progressed no farther than a hundred yards. The strong men were made weak by the brutal heat. Those who had stamina in the gym were left gasping for breath. Even the energy of the search dogs began to flag. But they had Oren Starks's scent, and instinct and excellent conditioning made them determined. They strained at their leashes, pulling their trainers into bramble bushes that had to be hacked down with machetes.
Ski kept pace with the dogs, and when the assistant trainer stepped into a hole and twisted his ankle, he passed the leash to Ski. "She should do all right with you if you keep praising her."
Ski managed the dog. He was more worried about Dodge, who'd had difficulty keeping pace the night they walked through the woods at the lake house. That had been a stroll in the park compared with this. But the older man remained close on Ski's heels, wheezing heavily, cursing elaborately, but plowing purposefully forward.
"Changed your mind about deputizing me?" he asked when they paused to drink from their water bottles.
"You can't shoot him, Dodge."
"Hell I can't. My aim's excellent."
"That's not what I meant."
