Page 107 of Solid as Steele
“Sure, but you might not find him there.”
“Why not?” Owen asked.
“He’s kind of obsessed with kayaking, and if I know him, he’s out on the Grande Ronde River instead of doing his job. He doesn’t think I know he spends plenty of my time on his hobby, but like I said before, he’s the best guide out there, so I cut him some slack.”
“Where can we rent a boat or kayak if we need to go after him?”
“Good luck with that. He’s super skilled in a kayak. The store in Minam has rentals. Can’t miss the place. About all that’s around there. He rents a kayak there instead of hauling one with him. I think he does it to hide that he’s wasting my money in paying him.”
“Thanks for your cooperation.” Owen headed for the door.
Mackenzie caught up to him outside.
He opened her truck door for her and met her gaze. “Time to go after Leach. The guy’s our number one priority right now. No way he’s getting away this time. No way.”
24
The sun was directly overhead as Owen and Mackenzie neared the boat rental store. With each passing mile, Owen was jonesing to make those miles speed by faster. Much faster than the many that had passed under his truck with Mackenzie at his side. They’d called Ryan and his brothers to join in Leach’s apprehension, and the guys were on their way. A recent update put them an hour behind Owen and Mackenzie. Still, they might arrive in time to assist in taking the guy down.
Mackenzie’s phone rang, and she grabbed it. “Putting you on speaker, Sierra. Owen’s with me. Please tell me you have something for us.”
“I do actually. Two things.”
“Go ahead.” Mackenzie held the phone out so Owen could better hear.
“First, I heard back from the forensic optometrist. The optical glass we found in the location where you were attacked, Owen, fits Ned Leach’s prescription.”
Owen shot a fist up. “Leach has got to be our killer.”
“Not necessarily the killer,” Sierra clarified. “But he broke his glasses at some point in that area.”
“And the second thing?” Mackenzie asked.
“The fingerprints on the bullets that were fired at you at the cabin are a match to the prints found on the bullets Ned Leach fired at you when you tracked him to his camp yesterday.”
“So it was Leach who shot at us both times?” Mackenzie asked.
“Looks like it, but he could’ve just loaded the bullets into the magazines that were used and gave them to someone else.”
“Someone like his friend Hobert Tovar,” Owen said.
“Which means neither of the findings are conclusive,” Mackenzie added.
“Exactly,” Sierra said. “But they do point strongly in Leach’s direction and would be very damning in court. Grady is working on comparing the bullets recovered from yesterday’s shooting to see if they match the others we recovered, and test firing the guns he took into evidence. He said he would call you when he knew more.”
“Thanks, that’s great,” Mackenzie said. “We’re in a sketchy area for cell service. Have him leave a message if I don’t answer, okay? And thanks, Sierra. We owe you big time.”
“Yeah, you do.” She laughed and disconnected.
Mackenzie pocketed her phone. “You liking Leach more for Cassie’s murder now?”
“Yeah, and it’s even more of a reason to find him.” Owen pushed the speed limit until he reached the single-story log store with a green roof. He parked and rushed inside with Mackenzie.
An older man was helping a young guy who seemed lost, and Owen didn’t want to interrupt. He got in line to wait to ask his own questions. He glanced around the basic convenience store that also carried fly fishing gear, survival gear, and inflatable boats for sale.
Mackenzie stared at the wall of bins that held hundreds of fly-fishing baits. “My granddad would be in heaven in this store.”
“Has he ever been here?” Owen asked.
