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Despite that, Andi nodded. Sometimes it was nice to let other people take charge.
Right now, she had no energy to argue.
chaptertwenty-eight
An hour later,Duke rang the bell to get back into the trading post—it was partly a test.
Simmy paused. She waited to hear two rings and his voice before opening the door for him.
He stepped inside and shrugged out of his coat. He’d been talking with everyone on the scene, as well as patching up his broken back window with a clear plastic tarp. State police had said he could have the vehicle back, that they’d documented all the evidence.
The troopers had set up a mobile command center in the parking lot. That way they wouldn’t have to come in and out of the trading post, which would be a security risk.
Trooper Gibson as well as two other troopers were still outside looking for any evidence as to what had happened to Bosch. So far, they hadn’t found anything.
Truthfully, Duke doubted they would.
Maybe when this snowstorm let up. Or maybe when more state troopers or other law enforcement got here to help.
In the meantime, Duke wanted to come inside and check on everyone.
Andi stared at the fire. Simmy worked on a crossword puzzle. Ranger had disappeared.
Seizing the opportunity, he slipped into the chair across from Simmy.
She looked up at him, worry creasing the sides of her eyes. “Any updates?”
“None. Not yet.” Duke lowered his voice. “I’m sorry about Craig.”
She frowned and glanced at her hands in her lap. “Me too.”
He sensed she didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
He shifted. “I know you have a lot on your mind. But I have a question for you.”
She closed her book. “Shoot.”
He licked his lips before starting, knowing this could be a touchy subject. “When you and Craig used to talk, did he ever mention Celeste’s name?”
She raised her eyebrows, surprise lacing her gaze. “No . . . why would you ask that?”
His throat tightened. The words didn’t want to leave his lips, but he’d come this far and had to tell her the rest. “When we were trying to figure out what happened to Craig, I found her bracelet. Inside his cabin.”
“What?” The question came out as a soft gasp. “Are you sure?”
Duke nodded stiffly. “I know it doesn’t make any sense. But it’s hers. I had her name engraved on the back.”
Simmy covered her heart with her hand, not hiding her astonishment. “That makes no sense, Duke.”
Simmy knew about Celeste. She’d been here when Duke had come inside the trading post to meet up with her. She’d been there when he’d begun the frantic process of waiting for her to return.
Because of that, Duke found an unusual comfort in Simmy’s presence, almost as if she were an older sister.
“Duke . . .” Simmy’s gaze met his. “You don’t think Craig had something to do with her disappearance, do you?”
“I don’t know what to think.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Why else would he have her bracelet?”
“Maybe he found it while he was researching something.”
