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“Because…?” Jeanette asked, leaning forward.
“She’s not like that.”
“If that test is a fake, she certainly is like that. They could have put her up to it. And speaking of fake, did you check out those FBI agents?”
“What do you mean, check them out? They showed me their badges.”
“And you took them at face value?”
“Jeanette, if two guys come into your office, flash their badges and say they’re with the FBI, thoughts like…I bet you’re both crooks and those aren’t real…do not immediately come to mind!”
“I suppose not. Do you want my advice?”
“You know I do.”
“Call David. Make sure he’s at the house when those agents show up. I know it’s been a while since he’s been in the Special Forces, but he’ll probably know if they’re authentic.”
“That’s an excellent suggestion, I’ll call him right now.”
“Tom, wait. If he suspects they’re not, what then?”
“I’ll discuss that with him, but I guess he should get in touch with the local sheriff.”
“I take it Eleanor has left the house. Where is she staying?”
“She’s met a cowboy and she’s at his ranch.”
“A cowboy?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve been there and I’ve met him. I liked him, and he has quite an operation. It’s a stud farm. When I drove up he was riding an amazing-looking horse. A big reddish-brown stallion. And I could see mares and foals in another field.”
“Tom, I want to visit this place.”
“And you will,” he promised with a smile. “When all this drama is over, we’ll go together, and when you see the house above the lake you’ll understand why I bought it. Bethany or no Bethany, I probably would have heard about it at some point, and the result would have been the same.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Michael’s driver, a wiry young man named Joey, turned the Tesla off the road and headed up the mountain trail, while Micheal remained fixated on the tracking signal from Eleanor’s SUV. Initially the rain was light, but as they continued it intensified into a torrential downpour, and the wind began blowing ferociously. Abruptly swerving to miss a large, downed branch, Joey gripped the steering wheel and skidded to a stop.
“Sorry, Mr. Aiken,” he panted. “Uh, Should I keep going?”
“Eleanor’s SUV is just a short distance ahead and hasn’t moved. Maybe she’s stuck. We could be heroes,” Michael exclaimed with a sarcastic sneer. “When opportunity knocks, answer the door.”
“Michael, the kid’s got a point.”
Turning around and looking into the backseat, Michael frowned at Dino, his seasoned bodyguard. The man also doubled as his voice of reason.
“And what point is that?” Michael pressed.
“This storm is getting worse.”
“Eleanor Mitchell is up ahead,” Michael snapped. “She’s probably staying in a cabin. Once we’ve found it we can leave and send a couple of boys up here to keep an eye on her. Besides, this car can go anywhere. I bet it could fucking fly if we found the right button.”
“We should come back after the storm,” Dino insisted. “Do you really want to get stuck up here or hit by a flying branch? Look around you?”
“Hold on, Dino,” Michael said tersely, staring at his phone.
“What is it?”
