Page 26 of Lost Lake
“You never forgave yourself.”
“Exactly.” She glanced at him. “We’re almost to the ravine.”
Okay, point taken. She didn’t want to talk about the guilt. For some reason, that hurt. Maybe he’d come to care for her enough that he expected she would share her past struggles with him. But why? He hadn’t done so. Sure, he’d told her about his family but just the facts, like a book report. He hadn’t shared how they still impacted his everyday life.
“Less than a quarter mile now,” he said, though her study of the ravine would have already told her that. “The overlook area comes up first. Pull in there.”
She fixed her attention forward, mouth snapped closed. Just as he suspected. She didn’t intend to discuss her guilt and how it drove her life.
She eased into the small parking area, reached behind her seat, and retrieved a camera. Hanging the strap around her neck, she slipped outside before he could say anything else. Not that he really had anything to say. He wouldn’t press her because he wouldn’t want her to push him.
He led the way to the ravine. Yellow crime scene tape had been strung at the road, and a deputy stood near his patrol car.
El approached him and gave him a quick nod. “Anything happen overnight?”
The deputy hooked his thumbs in his duty belt. “All quiet.”
At least from the road. No way this guy could have any idea what occurred on the lake or wilderness sides below.
He lifted the yellow tape for them, and they stepped to the edge of the ravine. Daylight allowed Gabe to clearly see Kenna’s van wrapped around a large tree at the bottom, undercarriage tangled with tall plants and grass. A powerful ache filled his gut, and all thoughts of El’s guilt evaporated.
He had to look away before he lost it. Long skid marks on the road surface peppered with taillight fragments he hadn’t seen in the dark, caught his attention. “Looks like a broken taillight. Like she was forced off the road.”
El frowned. “We need to wait for an expert to make that determination.”
“It’s obvious to me. The scuff marks are lateral with sudden direction changes. Plus, the J-shaped or curved skid doesn’t fit normal driving behavior.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Something you learned when you were a state trooper?”
He nodded. “I investigated my share of accidents. Not many showed signs of force like this, but I saw a few.”
El faced the ravine. “Finding paint transfer and a broken taillight on Kenna’s van will help confirm your theory.”
“Then let’s move.” He started forward, but El raised her hand. “I need to photograph the scene before we disturb everything.”
“I did tell you I searched the van last night, right? I didn’t know it was a crime scene, and I didn’t think about disturbing the area. My only concern was getting to Kenna and Lucy to make sure they were okay.”
“Of course. What’s done is done. We’ll deal with the scene as it is now and protect it going forward.” She removed the lens cap and began taking pictures.
Gabe concentrated on remaining calm. No way he wanted her to decide he was a problem and make him wait at the road.
She snapped the lens cap back on. “I’ll lead. You follow.”
He’d never been a follower, but he was thankful to be there and would do his best to comply with her every instruction.
She grabbed tree branches and grass to ease her way down, much like he’d done the night before. The vegetation held her smaller body more securely than his. He gave her a solid headstart then followed, moving slowly and carefully to avoid plummeting down the hill and taking her with him.
At the bottom, she glanced back. “Stay here until I tell you it’s okay to move.”
Planting her feet on the thick bed of pine needles, she lifted her camera. She circled the vehicle, the camera’s sharp clicks disturbing the quiet.
It gave him something to focus on other than the van and what had happened to Kenna.
“Black paint transferred on the back, along with vehicle damage.” El dropped down behind the vehicle and clicked away.
“I know the van didn’t have any damage before. She was seriously into everything retro, and the VW was her baby. She kept it in mint condition. She named it Sunshine and splurged on custom plates.”
“Can you have your team contact repair shops in the area for any black vehicles brought in with front-end damage?”
