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“At the start. He wasn’t tied to anyone, and like I said I thought he was staff to begin with, someone I’d seen at the lodge.”
“Okay, you and I,” he pointed at Charlie, “need to get back down to the lodge. On the way down we’ll collect Piper and Ava, and take them there too. If he’s here, chances are he sees this as another chance to get at me.”
“Or kill you,” Mickey said.
“That too.” Dylan felt strangely calm now. He had something to work with, a face, and because of that he now had a direction. “Let’s go.”
Everyone nodded.
“Call Piper, Joe, and I’ll call Ava before we start.”
Neither woman answered.
“Stay in single file, Charlie and Dylan in the middle,” Joe said as they began the descent.
“I can handle myself, just look after my sister.”
“Shut up and do as you’re told.” Joe nudged him in behind Fin and Ted. “Drop the coffee, and just run,” he added.
They did as he said and kept their eyes out for the other runners, but saw no sign of Ava and Piper. By the time they reached the bottom, everyone was sprinting.
“What’s up?” Jack Trainer approached with Luke, eyes alert. They knew something was off.
“Have you seen Pip and Ava?” Joe asked.
“No.”
“Everyone split up,” Dylan said, trying to stay calm. “Talk to everyone you see, ask questions. Be back here at this spot in ten minutes. Mickey, get that photo of the son emailed through so we know who we’re looking for.”
“What’s happening, Dylan?” Mr. Goldhirsh approached with the Robbins sisters.
“We can’t find Piper and Ava, and have reason to believe the man after me is here.”
“What can we do?” Miss Sarah asked.
“If you three could watch Charlie, I’d be grateful. Take her somewhere and keep her safe. Then put a call in to my mom and dad and tell them to stay in the house and keep all the doors locked.”
“No, Dylan, I want to come and find Ava.”
He grabbed his sister’s shoulders.
“I know you do, Charlie, but I can’t worry about you while trying to find them. You need to stay safe for me, sis. Can you do that?”
She sniffed, then hugged him hard.
“I love you and Ava. Please come back to me.”
He kissed her forehead. “Promise.”
When they’d taken her away, he tracked down Cubby Hawker.
“He’s here. Mickey recognized the son of Field, the man whose case I worked on. Ava and Piper are not here, and weren’t on the trails. I’m worried he has them.”
“Okay, Chief Blake is coming in with the stragglers, so we’ll get him and start a search. Go stand on top of that column and look over the crowd and see what you can see.”
Dylan did as the sheriff asked, but didn’t see Piper or Ava, two women he now loved. One because she was his little sister, and finally they’d rekindled a relationship, even though it was still in a fledgling state. The other.... Hell, how did he even begin to think about Piper? With love, he now believed. The thought that she was with Field’s son, who was likely a maniac too, turned him cold. Jumping off the column, he ran back to the others.
Nobody had seen or heard from Piper or Ava.
