Cry in the Night (11 page)

“I wore crampons and took an ice pick. I’ve done it plenty of times.”

Kade studied his face. There was a valley on the other side of the crag where elk roamed. If the guy was poaching, Kade would bust him, information or not.

“It’s not what you think. I climb for sport,” the guy protested. “I’m not a hunter.”

Kade chose to believe him, though he wondered if the decision would come back to haunt him. “Go on.”

“On the backside of the crag, there’s a small cave. A big boulder overhangs it and it’s hard to find. In this heavy snow, you may have trouble, but it’s there. That’s where I saw the kittens. Two days ago.”

“How many?”

“Four. Cute as all get-out with their blue eyes. I wanted to pick one up, but I figured mama would come flying out of nowhere so I skedaddled.”

It would take Kade an hour to get up there. He’d be crazy to try it in this wind. He warned the men not to steal firewood again and headed home.

The events of the past few days plus the baby’s soft noises from the bassinet kept Bree from sleeping. Kade snored, but Bree lay with her eyes wide and unblinking in the dark. She’d wanted Davy to sleep with them tonight, but Kade convinced her that Samson would protect the boy. Keeping to a regular routine was healthier for their son too.

She’d checked on Davy before she turned out the lights, and her son had his arms around the dog. Samson was on his back with all four paws in the air.

A creak came from the hall. Was someone in the house? She leaped from the bed and rushed to the door. Silence. Tiptoeing down the hall, she peeked into Davy’s room. Samson still lay sprawled and intertwined with her boy. The dog opened his eyes, looked at her, then closed them again. He would be alert if there were any danger.

She was overreacting. Again.

The glint of moonlight on snow illuminated Davy’s room a bit. A picture of a much younger Davy with Rob was on the bed-stand. A glow highlighted Rob’s face, and Bree’s gaze skirted it. She stepped closer to the window and looked out. The moon gilded the snow and ice with crystals of light. It was beautiful yet terrible, and she was thankful to be inside where it was warm.

Her gaze lingered on the window. It was unlocked. Unease rippled up her spine as she locked it. Not that anyone could get up here very easily without a ladder.

She heard a noise behind her and turned to see Samson jump from the bed. He came to her side and nudged her hand so she would pet him. Spoiled thing. She started to rub his ears when she heard a low rumble from his throat. He put his front paws on the window and stared down into the yard.

“What is it, boy?” she whispered, her back prickling. “What do you see?”

His tail was wagging, yet he was growling as well, which was odd. Either he was alarmed or he wasn’t. She strained to see what or who was in the yard but all appeared calm.

Samson dropped his paws from the window, then went to the door. He turned to see if she was coming, and when she moved toward him, he vanished on down the hall. His toenails clicked on the hardwood steps.

Following Samson’s lead, she went down the stairs in bare feet. The house seemed to sleep as well. Nothing stirred on the first floor. She heard the clock on the mantel ticking, the thump of the furnace kicking on, but nothing that put her senses on red alert.

Samson went to the back door and whined. Her hand touched the lock, and she realized the dead bolt wasn’t thrown, yet she’d locked it herself before coming to bed. Leaving the light off, Bree peered through the curtains and saw a movement. She gasped and stepped back, then forced herself to look again.

Jenna. Relief coursed through her. What was she doing outside in the middle of the night? No wonder Samson was confused. He didn’t know the young woman well, but even he knew her foray into the night wasn’t normal.

Bree flipped on the outside light and opened the door. “Jenna?”

The woman whirled. Her coat was over her nightgown and her feet were in slippers. Her eyes went wide. “Bree, you scared me.”

“What are you doing out here?” Bree squinted.

“Ju-just getting some air.”

Was that a figure in the shadow of the garage? Samson pressed his nose against the door as though he wanted to go out. Bree opened the door, and the dog dashed from the house. He stopped long enough to nose at Jenna’s feet, then moved toward the garage.

Jenna caught his collar. “Let’s go back inside, boy. It’s cold out here.” She glanced behind her.

“Who’s there?” Bree called.

“Just me,” Jenna said, dragging Samson with her toward the door. The dog kept whining and struggling to get away. His tail was going fast enough to cool Bree’s cheeks. He must know the person.

Bree peered toward the shadows. She could have sworn she saw a movement.

Jenna pulled Samson inside with her. “We’re letting out all the heat.”

Bree gave a final sharp look toward the garage but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. She reluctantly stepped back. Samson managed to escape Jenna, and Bree grabbed him. “Oh no you don’t.” She shut the door before he could wiggle through.

Ignoring his reproachful gaze, she turned him loose. “Go watch Davy.”

With a last hurt glance, he left the room with his tail hanging low. She turned and studied Jenna’s face. The other woman was pale, and her gaze avoided Bree’s.

“Are you okay?” Bree asked.

“I’m fine. Just upset about my brother. I thought the air might clear my head. I need to figure out how to help Victor.”

“Who was the guy by the garage?”

Jenna’s eyes grew wide. “What guy?” Her voice trembled.

“I know someone was out there. Samson was eager to go see whoever it was, and I saw his shadow.” She didn’t know how she knew the person had been a man, but she was confident.

Pink crept into Jenna’s cheeks. She scuffed the toe of her slipper. “It’s a guy I’m seeing,” she admitted. “He heard about Victor’s arrest and wanted to make sure I was all right.”

Bree wanted to believe her, but so many strange things had been happening. “You could have invited him in.”

“We didn’t want to awaken anyone. Guess we did anyway, huh?”

“I wasn’t sleeping.”

Jenna must have heard the stress in Bree’s voice. Her gaze lingered on Bree’s face. “I guess you don’t ever get used to finding a dead body.”

“No, you don’t. That poor woman was so young.” In her mind’s eye Bree saw Pia’s face. She’d been pretty, vibrant.

“So is Victor. And his life is going to be ruined.” Jenna’s voice broke.

Poor girl. Bree hugged her. “We love Victor. You know I’ll do whatever I can to help him.”

Jenna’s hug was stiff as though she wasn’t used to being touched. “Thanks.” She stepped away.

Bree stretched and yawned. The clock on the mantel read nearly eleven thirty. “We both need to get some sleep.”

“Right.” Jenna headed toward the stairs.

Bree followed until Jenna turned left to the room where Lauri usually stayed, then she peeked in on Davy. He was still asleep and Samson had settled down. She tiptoed back to her room. The baby was asleep too.

Kade rolled over when she sat on the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just couldn’t sleep.” She slipped under the covers and moved closer to Kade. He’d already turned his back to her. He gave off a welcome warmth, and she flung her arm around him and curled against him, spoon fashion. To his credit, he didn’t stiffen, but she could sense him waiting to see if she would say anything.

“I’m sorry I overreacted last night, Kade.” There, that wasn’t so hard, was it? With the apology over, the last of her tension melted. She buried her face in his back and let his warmth ease the cramps from her legs.

“You were right, babe. I should have called you.”

Though his words were right, he still didn’t roll over and take her in his arms. A few moments later, she heard him begin to breathe slower and easier. He was asleep and he hadn’t even kissed her.

9

THE CABIN WAS AT THE END OF A LOGGING TRAIL THAT was impassable except by four-wheel drive. Wednesday afternoon, Quinn parked the big truck, a white one he’d rented while he left his black one parked. “Home sweet home,” he said to Jenna.

She sat huddled in her fur coat. “Why’d you have to get such a remote place?” she asked. “This is totally in the boonies, Quinn.

Why did you have to come all the way out here?”

“I don’t want anyone seeing us together, especially now that you’ve gotten into the Matthews house and have access to the baby.” He climbed down from the truck and went to the cabin. She followed. He clicked the latch and stepped inside. The fire he’d built before leaving sputtered, but just barely, in the fireplace. The chill had begun to take over the room. He stepped to the hearth and threw some more logs on, poking them until they caught the blaze.

Jenna shut the door and sat on the rocker. She grabbed a throw from the back of the chair and curled up under it. “It’s freezing in here!”

“It will be warm soon.” He took off his coat and sat on the sofa. “What have you found out so far?”

“Nothing much. Bree has the baby. She’s looking for the parents.”

“What about Bree and her family?”

She shrugged. “Typical small-town folks. She’s all wrapped up in her family. And the dog. He’s a pretty cool dog. He found the baby, did you know that?”

He hadn’t heard that news, but he wasn’t surprised. “They have a kid, right? Davy?”

“He doesn’t like to be called Davy. He likes Dave or David.” She yawned, then smiled. “Hey, you didn’t tell me Bree’s husband was such a hunk. He’s a really great guy. Strong, caring, a good dad. She’s lucky to have him.”

Was that emotion welling in his throat
jealousy
? Surely not. He’d murdered too much of his own past to feel anything when confronted with it. He grunted and didn’t answer.

“I really need to get a manicure,” she said, studying her nails. “So what’s the plan?”

“Nothing for a few days.” Not until the baby’s father did what he was told. And Bree caring for the baby solved the problem of what to do with the infant until her parents complied with his demands. The bigger issue was Davy Matthews. The ranger was working on adopting Davy, and Quinn found himself resistant to the idea. While adoption made sense, Quinn decided he couldn’t let it happen.

With Jenna on the inside, he’d grab both kids when the time was right.

Kade and his boss rode snowmobiles off-trail through the forest. The snow buried fallen logs that would have blocked their passage through the trees. The men shut off their machines and dismounted near Kitchigami Crag. Kade put on snowshoes, then made his way along the base of the cliff, where he peered at the ground and into every nook and cranny.

Landorf tromped up behind him. “See anything?”

“Nope.” The wind had swept the area, and the only tracks he saw were those of a couple of rabbits. Then his gaze caught a red tinge on the snow. “What’s that?” He made his way toward the stand of sycamore trees, where he found the body of a rabbit. All that remained were fur and feet. A cougar? He studied the mussed up snow for a clear print.

His boss joined him. “A cat?” His voice was eager.

Kade caught sight of the footprints and tried to keep the disappointment from his voice. “Wolf.” Once upon a time, he would have been excited to find wolf prints here, but he now knew of several wolf packs roaming the area. In 1989, gray wolves had been verified to be living again in the UP. But a glimpse of a timber wolf was still a thrill.

It was not the thrill he sought. His gaze scanned the area. “It’s a good habitat for cats though. The men might be right.”

“Eagles too,” Landorf said, pointing to the tall crags. “I bet there are nests up there.”

Kade gazed at the terrain. “This is near where the new mining operation is scheduled to begin. Cubs won’t have a chance when that gets underway come spring.”

“Don’t remind me. The eagles and our other birds will have problems, too, with the pollution.”

Kade glanced around at the trees glistening with ice and snow. “Let’s get up this cliff and see what we find.”

He kicked snow over the remains of the rabbit, then started toward the path. Landorf followed close behind. They’d only moved ten feet or so when a movement caught his eye from above. He squinted against the glare of sunshine on snow. A guy in a black puffy coat and a red ski mask stood atop the promontory. It took a second for the guy’s attire to hit Kade’s awareness. The guy who tried to grab Dave was dressed like that.