“Make it to go,” Max said. “We really need to get on the road.”
“Be ready in just a minute.” Mrs. Dickson left then returned a few minutes later with two thermal cups of coffee and a picnic basket. “Fixed a little something for lunch for the two of you in case you didn’t have time to stop. Enough in there for Dakota, too, if you find her. Figure that’s where you’re going.”
Gabriel laughed. It had been after midnight when they’d arrived, and Mrs. Dickson had shown him to a guest room, and Max had gone to his suite. “I can see we haven’t fooled you. I don’t suppose you have any idea where she went?”
Mrs. Dickson shook her head, but she had a twinkle in her light-grey eyes. “She said you’d probably ask, so she didn’t tell me. That way, I wouldn’t have to lie to you. She didn’t tell me I couldn’t tell you she made a couple of calls from the house phone while she was here, though.” She smiled at Max. “I guess if you wanted to, you could figure out who those calls went to.”
“You’re an angel, Mrs. Dickson. If I wasn’t afraid your husband would whop me with something, I’d kiss you.” Max pushed away from the table and headed for his suite. “Give me a few minutes, Gabriel.”
“I’ll start putting everything into the car.” Gabriel headed to the guest bedroom. He’d packed everything up before coming down, so all he had to do was grab his overnight bag. His cell rang, and Don’s ID popped up. He hesitated in answering. Salyer’s case was big, and it was possible they’d pushed through the DNA testing. I don’t want to know. “Damn it.” Gabriel swiped the answer key. “What’s up, Don?”
“Wanted to let you know we have the DNA test back. Whoever buried that body knew a lot about forensics. The DNA was degraded because the bones were burned and blood was poured on top of the bones, not all of it the victim’s.”
“What you’re saying is they can’t verify it was Salyer.”
“And they can’t verify it isn’t, either. You need to keep an open mind, Gabe. A good detective would know how to destroy those bones and make sure any DNA was degraded.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Anything else?”
Don emitted a long, drawn-out breath. “I don’t suppose you’ve found her yet?”
“We may have a lead on where she’s headed. I’ll let you know how things turn out.”
“Get back here as soon as you can. Bethany Phillips’s parents arrived this morning. I’d like to give them some hope.”
Don ended the call, and Gabriel shoved his phone into his jacket pocket. With every passing hour, the chances of finding Phillips alive diminished. He grabbed his case and walked toward the front of the house. Max was already there waiting for him.
“Anything?”
Max nodded. “I’ll let you know when we’re on the road.”
“Then let’s get moving.” He thanked the Dicksons again for their hospitality and promised to have Dakota call as soon as they found her.
“She’s in Charleston, or she was last night.” Max offered the information as soon as they were away from the house. “She took an extra Glock, a crapload of ammunition, and a rifle with her.”
“Where in Charleston?” Gabriel lit a cigarette and rolled down his window. “It’s a big place.”
“She called a cabin rental office that has cabins along the James River. We’ll have to stop by the office and coerce them into telling us which one.” His cell rang as he turned onto the main highway. “Damn, always happens.” Max glanced at the caller ID. “It’s Dakota.” He swerved to the side of the road and parked. “What do you want me to do?”
“Put it on speaker, and whatever she says, go along with it.”
I stared out the front door as I waited for Max to answer.
“Hey, partner. I’ve been trying to call you.”
“I needed some time alone. I’m in Charleston. The Oglevee Cabins near the James River. Is Gabriel with you?”
“Yeah, he’s here.”
“I’m in a one bedroom. Stop by the office and see if they have something bigger available. Tell Gabriel to have Karen come here. We have a lot of work to do.”
“Okay. Are you all right?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Which cabin are you in? The office probably isn’t going to give us that information.”
“The dark and creepy one at the end of the road. Hang on a second, and I’ll give you the coordinates.” I flipped through the paperwork and read off the directions. “You might want to stop and pick up some groceries before you come.” I glanced in the refrigerator. “All I have is orange juice.”
“Any idea how long we’re staying?”
“I think we’ll be here for a while. Salyer is here.”
“Damn it, Dakota, get out of there now. Go into town. We’ll meet you there.” Max’s voice held fear. It was a partner thing—knowing your partner was in trouble, perhaps close to death, and wondering if you could get there in time to save them.
“I’m not afraid of him anymore, Max.”
“Maybe you’re not, but I am. Humor me, okay? Go to the office and wait for us.”
“I’ll see you when you get here.” As I ended the call, laughter drifted through the open doorway—Christian’s laughter. I followed it outside.
“You can’t kill me, Dakota. If you do, you’ll never find her.”
“That didn’t work last time, Christian. I will kill you.” The wind rustled the leaves. My arms ached, and I could feel her tiny heartbeat as she lay on my chest. The memory was more painful than the physical pain he’d put me through. “Where is she?”
“You shouldn’t have tried to kill me, Dakota. Would you die for her?”
I rushed through the trees surrounding the back of the cabin. “Yes, you son of a bitch. Where is she?”
Branches slapped at my face as I followed the flow of laughter. “No!” The scream erupted from deep inside me as I tripped over a fallen branch, my hands clutching at the dirt. A tape recorder hooked to a speaker system lay two feet away. “Say hi to Mommy, sweetie?”
“Hi, Mommy.”
The river of tears I’d held inside began to flow. “Please, Christian. Please tell me where she is.”
23
Gabriel lit a cigarette. The earlier conversation with Dakota had left a knot in his gut. Something drastic had happened the previous night. Then there was the phone call from Don. “Tell me again what Dakota told you about killing Salyer?”
Max gave him a quizzical glance before answering. “The same thing she told you. She shot him in the chest, and he fell from a fifty-foot cliff into the river. It wasn’t until the other night that she admitted he was still alive. Don’t tell me you’re starting to doubt her too.”
“What were they doing out there?”
“She got a card telling her to meet him there and he’d turn himself in and confess to everything.”
“Did you ever see that card?” Gabriel took a deep drag, held it in, and let it go slowly.
“No, but damn it, I believe her. What are you getting at?”
Gabriel turned in the seat, facing Max. “After everything he put her through, she didn’t call anyone or ask for backup. She went out there alone to meet the man who’d destroyed her life and, if she’s telling the truth, stole her child.”
Max grumbled something under his breath. “She went out there to kill him. If you want to judge her for that, then go ahead, but after all that son of a bitch did to her and the others, it’s what he deserved.” Reaching an intersection, he turned left into a parking lot. “And you’re not going any further with me unless you tell me what your intentions are when we get there.”