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When Max arrived, she’d followed him straight to the cabin, but rounding the final twist in the path brought perspiration to her palms. The scent of dead leaves and pine caused dread to swirl in her chest, and she stood ten feet back, unable to budge.
“There it is,” Max said. “Do you remember it?”
“Not really.” But was that true? Her pulse chattered like a squirrel, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go in.
“I updated the exterior with a new metal roof and fresh stain. The inside is cleaned, but I left the furnishings.”
Something dark pressed in on her, and she didn’t understand why that might be. From everything she’d heard, her childhood had been wonderful. She had dim memories of Annie reading her stories and fixing her hair. Why would this place bring so much fear surging into her throat?
“I’ll unlock it for you and leave you to wander by yourself.” Max carried her duffel bag the final few feet and twisted a key in the door. He stepped inside, set down the bag, then backed out.
He pressed the key into her hand. “It’s all yours for now. It’s stocked with food, but let me know if there’s anything else you need. You’re welcome to join us for meals in the main house as well if you’d rather. I have an excellent chef.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled through numb lips.
Move. Her internal order gave her the impetus to shuffle up the flagstone walk to the front porch. The cabin was small but cute. The porch held two rockers and looked out on a stand of white pines. There was a firepit in a clearing as well as some large pieces of tree trunks cut up to make seats around the pit. The wind sang through the pine needles in an eerie way that sped up Sarah’s gait.
She darted past Max and into the house. “Thank you, Max.”
“You’re welcome.”
She could barely wait for him to turn his back so she could shut the door. The latch clicked and muffled the outside sounds. With her back pressed against the door, she closed her eyes for a few moments before she opened them to examine the interior.
Nothing felt familiar. At least not until she walked over to a door on her left and opened it into a tiny bedroom containing a bunk bed. The sight of the Care Bears spreads brought a flash of memory that blurred her vision. Almost in a trance, she entered and touched the worn cotton fabric.
This had been her room with Annie. Sarah had slept on the bottom because she was the youngest. Her mother hadn’t wanted her to fall out, so Annie had been designated to climb the ladder. Sarah had cried and begged for the top bunk, but Mom had been adamant. Annie often invited her up for a visit though, and they’d play with their dolls or stickers on that top bunk.
She whirled and dashed from the room before any other memories could assault her. She needed air.
She went out the back door onto a small deck overlooking a tiny patch of grass before the woods encroached. A small path led toward a glimmer of water in the distance. Superior or a small lake? She couldn’t remember.
She followed the dirt path into the brush down to a serene pond. Didn’t they used to catch frogs out here? After skirting the pond, she followed the narrowing path for a while until she came to a scruffy beach on Lake Superior. A rocky hillside rose to her right and marched around the edge of the water. The only area accessible to the lake was right here in this postage-sized piece of beach. She had a flash of memory that held her still.
Right here was where she and Annie used to lay out on their towels. She could almost smell the coconut oil in the tanning lotion. But this wasn’t where she’d been abducted. It was from the dock. She went to her right and walked along the slip of land between the water and the hillside to see where it led.
A scrap of bright color caught her attention up the rocky slope about five feet. The yellow fabric waved in the breeze, and she thought it might be a scarf or a sweater. She climbed over the rocks and grabbed at it. Rocks and sand had buried part of it, and she had to tug it free.
It was a girl’s jacket, but that wasn’t what froze her in her steps. A large hole gaped in the back and red stiffened the fabric. It couldn’t be blood, could it? She raised it to her nose and sniffed. The coppery odor made her shudder.
Itwasblood. And a lot of it.
She turned and scanned up and down the beach for anything that might lead her to the jacket’s owner. Nothing. She needed to let the sheriff know about this. But when she pulled out her phone, she had no bars. She’d forgotten the sheriff said there was no cell service out here.
She took off at a run for the main house. Max would know what to do, and he could use his satellite phone to let the authorities know someone out here might need help.
Unless it was too late.
Eight
The redhead tossed her hair and turned her back on Mason and Jon. “I’ll talk toher. The rest of you can take a hike.”
Annie exchanged a glance with Mason, who gave her a nod of encouragement. “Jon and I will wait in the car.” He handed the pictures to Annie, who slipped them into her back pocket.
When the door shut behind the men, the woman exhaled and tears gathered in her eyes. “I’ve seen you around. You’re a park ranger, right?”
“That’s right. I’m Annie Pederson. I know you’re Glenn’s wife, but I don’t know your name.”
“Candace Hussert.” She didn’t offer to shake hands but went toward the kitchen.
