Page 56 of Deadly Revenge
Josh nodded and said, “Because if it’s Nick, we’ll be able to see if Abigail finds out what’s going on. We’ll be in a good spot to see her leave.”
“Yep,” Maya said. “That’s what I was thinking. I really don’t think he’s her partner. He’s much younger than her, but I guess you never know.”
“But you won’t be able to see the back of the building,” Kessler countered.
“Yes and no,” Maya said. “I know where I want to hike to and we’ll be in a position where we won’t be able to see the rear exits, but the way the mountain behind it slopes up, anyone leaving will have to go up some stairs and we can see those. The terrain is rough enough that it would be very difficult for them to not use the stairs.”
“Okay, it’s a plan then,” Kessler said.
“One more question: have you received the files on Ross and Aaron?” Maya asked.
“I have,” Kessler said. “I haven’t had a chance to go through them. Once I get everyone busy doing their tasks, I’ll look them over.”
“Good,” Maya said. “Let’s see if we can figure out who Abigail’s partner is and finally catch her.”
She thought about her earlier suspicion with Kessler’s supervisor. Maya had to ask. “What about your supervisor?”
“What do you mean?” Kessler asked.
“Could he be Abigail’s partner? You have to keep him updated. He knows everything going on.”
“You’re making an assumption.”
“I don’t think we can trust anyone,” Maya said.
“No, I meant you’re making an assumption about my supervisor being a man. My supervisor is female. She’s a great boss and I trust her. I think we’ve determined that Abigail’s partner is male.”
Maya nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. Of course there were female supervisors in the FBI. “Never mindthen. We’ll get to work. It’s time for Abigail to pay for her crimes.”
Plan in place, they all headed separate directions. Maya’s nerves from earlier had disappeared. She felt confident about this strategy and she had Juniper and Josh—the best four-legged and two-legged backup around.
Maya climbed in her patrol vehicle. Juniper sensed that something had changed and was already tense and making noises. She’d moved from high-pitched yips to lower growling and grumbling sounds.
“I know, girly,” Maya said. “Save some energy. We still have a long day ahead.”
Juniper gave a low growl and grunt in response. Maya always felt that her dog understood her and vice versa. This was why she loved the partnerships with the K-9s. It was a special bond that couldn’t be explained unless you’d worked with a dog.
Maya drove up the road about a mile until she found the spot she wanted to park. Josh was right behind her. Juniper started turning circles when Maya pulled off. The bag with the scent article for Hope was sitting on the front seat. Maya grabbed it and stuffed it in one of her pockets. If by some chance they had an opening to safely get into the lodge, she would take it. Having the scent article with might help find Hope quicker.
Taking a deep breath, Maya stepped out of her patrol SUV and went around to Juniper’s compartment. Juniper was doing a jigging dance with her front paws in excitement.
“I guess you were able to rest,” Maya said.
Josh had come over and was waiting for them. He had water with him, which would be good. The heat was already stifling. Maya pulled out Juniper’s cooling vest and made sure it was wet with cold water. She managed to wrestle it on her before Juniper jumped out of her compartment. Maya fit Juniper’s tracking harness on, still not happy about not having the protective vest. If anyone would try to hurt or kill Juniper, it would be Abigail. But the vest could also kill Juniper if she overheated. These were the tough decisions Maya had to make.
Taking a deep breath, she turned toward Josh. “Let’s go.”
They all trekked off in the direction of the lodge. There was no trail, but Maya knew if they walked straight ahead then they would intercept the path to the lodge. She had told Kessler she knew where most of the cameras were. She had acted confident in front of him, but in reality, she only had some ideas. If Abigail saw them coming, then her wish to kill Maya might come true. But if all went well, Maya, Juniper and Josh would have the element of surprise.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The trio traipsed around large boulders and fallen trees. The day seemed to only become hotter and the air was thickening with smoke again. Every now and then Maya or Josh coughed. Maya watched Juniper, doing her best to make sure she was handling the heat and smoke well. Juniper was happy with her cooling vest, trotting right along and bounding over the logs.
Maya was going to be glad to connect with the trail. She wiped some sweat off her forehead, looking forward to a shower. It was hard to tell exactly what time of day it was since the smoke blocked the sun. On the one hand, that was nice because it kept the sun from beating down on them. On the other hand, the smoke created a thick insulation that made it hard to breathe.
When they reached the trail, Maya stopped and offered Juniper a drink. The Mal happily lapped up the water, slopping it over the sides. Josh and Maya also drank some water. They had to stay hydrated.
“Okay,” Maya said. “Let’s make sure that Juniper can still pick up the scent and is tracking toward the lodge.”
