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“Did she see any for herself?”
He shrugged again. “She had a favorite spot she watched for them, but all she’d seen was scat and tracks. They’re there, though.”
“Where was this place?”
“In the northwestern part of Kitchigami Wilderness Tract. The tracker stopped there, but I couldn’t find her ATV. I can give you the coordinates. That’s all I know.”
Annie knew the place and had seen signs of the big cats herself. She had him text her the coordinates then sent them on to Mason.
Mason needed to find out what he could about this guy. Annie sensed he might be dangerous. She checked her watch. There was time to go out and search for the wildlife cams.
Fourteen
Michelle’s chest burned with the exertion of pulling the bucket behind her, and she paused to catch her breath. Her arms ached, and the muscles in her good leg felt strained and fatigued. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to get back inside the cabin even if the bucket was tall enough to help.
She rounded the corner of the cabin and crawled up on the crooked porch. Her hand throbbed where she’d had the splinter, and her broken leg screamed to be elevated. Why hadn’t she thought this through? Her predicament was her own fault.
She paused to rest. The window was still five feet away, but she was so tired. She laid her cheek on the rotting wood and closed her eyes. The sound of a truck engine made her open them fast. She sat up as movement through the opening in the brush caught her attention. She glimpsed a blue truck, then a figure got out.
Should she hide or cry out for help? Her decision was made for her when she spotted a ski mask on the man’s face. No one would wear a ski mask in June unless he wanted to hide his identity. She shrank back against the cabin’s front wall. Too late to hide. He’d seen her, and she couldn’t escape.
He came up the steps and put his hands on the waistband ofhis camo pants. “How’d you get out of the cabin, hmm? I thought I had you safe and sound.”
He unlocked the door before coming to grab her. As he scooped her up, she screamed and flailed to try to get away from his hateful touch. He reeked of perspiration and blood. She could only hope it was animal blood smeared on his camo shirt.
His fist looped out of nowhere and clocked her on the left cheek. The brutality of it left her reeling and barely aware as he carried her into the cabin and dumped her on the cot. He went outside, then returned with a toolbox as she was regaining her full senses.
He took out a hammer and nails, then slammed down the window and nailed it shut. “That should take care of any further escape plans.”
The satisfaction in his voice made her want to scream. Why hadn’t she tried harder? But no, he would have tracked her. She would have made drag marks through the vegetation as she searched for a stick. And once she’d made a crutch, he could have followed her path with no trouble.
She sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. “Just let me go. I haven’t seen your face. I can’t identify you.”
“I don’t think so. You know too much.”
But she couldn’t identify him. “What are you going to do with me?”
“That’s up to you. Where are your belongings?”
“I can’t tell you where it is. I’d have to take you there, and my leg needs surgery.”
“How do you know?”
The displeasure and threat in his voice made her shudder. “I’ve broken an ankle before. I had to have a plate and screwsinserted. This might need that kind of repair too. Please, I need a doctor.”
“Surgery. I’ll have to think about what to do.”
He left her again, and she listened for the truck to start, but his steps came back her way, and he entered with a case of water and bags of food. He dumped the supplies in a corner.
Her gaze lingered on the jerky on top. She’d been rationing what little she had, and her belly ached with hunger. Her lips were dry from dehydration, too, but she didn’t intend to give him the satisfaction of seeing her dive into the supplies.
Were his eyes blue? He wasn’t close enough for her to be sure, but she thought so. She memorized the set of his shoulders and his rangy build. He was about six feet tall, and she would guess he wore a size eleven shoe. Maybe she’d recognize his figure, but she didn’t know a single feature of his face.
He moved back toward the door, this time slamming it behind him. The key clicked in the lock, and a few seconds later, the truck engine roared to life. The forest swallowed up the sound in short order, and she was left listening to the distant sound of birds chirping from the trees.
She scooted to the edge of the bed and down to the floor. She hurt so much she could barely drag herself to the supplies, but hunger and thirst propelled her. She tore into a package of jerky and gobbled up several pieces before she uncapped a bottle of water and swigged it down.
How long would this last? She eyed the stash. If she was careful, it would last a week. And she planned to be very careful. Would he take her need for a doctor seriously, or would he decide to cut his losses and kill her? She suspected the latter. He had to know that if he took her in for surgery, he’d never get her back.She’d scream for the police the first chance she got. But would they protect her? Once she was home recuperating, he might break back in and haul her out.
