Truth Avenged (Green Division Series Book 1) (2 page)

“
Did her co-worker check to see if her vehicle was at the trailhead?” 

“
That’s what you need to check.  She has a black Jeep Wrangler.”

Tuck yawned again.  “
I’m on my way.”

“
Give me a call when you get up there.”

“
Alright.”  The line went dead. Tuck stared at the red numbers of the clock.  12:30 a.m.  He’d fallen asleep only two hours previous and had to be back up and out the door by 6 a.m.  It would be a long night.  The outside thermometer showed 55 degrees.  At least the weather was perfect.  He got dressed, laced his boots, and out the door he went.  His GMC started without argument and he headed toward the ridge.

The 24 hour gas station, the only store open in town, called his name as he approached it.  If he was going to stay awake for the forty five plus minute ride ahead of him on rough as hell roads, he needed a cup of coffee.  He quick
ly grabbed a large cup of black sludge and back on the road he went. 

RING, RING, RING

Damn phone. 

“
Hello.”

“
Tuck, I have a license plate for you.”

“
Can you IM it?”  The wardens had computers with wireless connectivity in their trucks and used Instant Messenger with others in the department to communicate.

“
Will do.”

“
Did you try calling her?”

“
Ummm, I didn’t, I’ll do it now.”  The dispatcher slacked on his end of the job.

“
IM her number, I’ll call.”

“
Will do.”

“
Thanks.”  He hung up.  He didn’t care what the license plate was.  It should be the only Jeep Wrangler parked off of what couldn’t even accurately be described as a road.  His Instant Messenger beeped and contained the information he requested.  He pecked her phone number into his cell. 

“
You’ve reached Chance Phillips with the Tranton Times, leave me a message and I’ll return your call as soon as possible.  Have a nice day.”  Her voice was professional and cheery. 

“
Chance, this is Game Warden Tucker Johnston.  It is about 1:25 a.m., please give me a call at 1-800-658-2200 when you get this message and ask for me.  We had, uh, someone concerned for your wellbeing and want to make sure that everything is okay.”  He hung up the phone.  He kept his truck pointed north; the only traffic he met was an occasional logging truck. 

2:30
a.m.

Several pot holes, washouts, and one can of fix-a-flat
later, he located her Jeep at the base of the trail.  Not what he wanted to find.

“
Twenty three fifty eight, Green.”  2358 was Tuck’s unit number. 

“
2358, go ahead.”

“
I’m going to be out with that vehicle at the trailhead of Helter Ridge.”  He shifted the truck into park and left the headlights on high beam illuminating her Jeep. 

“
10-4 2358,” Kevin said in response.

He quietly approached the vehicle, flashlight pointe
d on it.  He checked the outside first, then shined inside the tinted windows.  No sign of her, or of any foul play.  That meant she was on the trail and he would be going on his second hike of the day. 

“
Chance!  Hello!  Chance!” he yelled as he walked around.  He went back to his truck and shut the engine off.  He pressed the air horn a few times along with flashing the blue lights and yelled her name again.  Absolute silence followed.  He sighed.  She’d either twisted her ankle, or gotten lost.  Given the rough, barely there trail, either, or both were probable.  But, she had a phone and there was half decent cell coverage considering the remote terrain.  Why wouldn’t she call, or answer her phone?   And why the hell would anyone strike it off into these woods alone on this rough trail?  Both annoyance and confusion clouded his mind.   

What sounded like a muffled voice came from the woods.  He walked up the trail
using his flashlight to scan the ground ahead of him. 

“
Hello!” he yelled ahead.  This time he knew he’d heard a feminine voice, still unsure of what it said. 

“
Chance!”  He got a clear response—well, it was clearly a voice, though the words were not clear at all.  He continued to follow the source.

“
Keep talking to me!” he shouted. 

“
Here…”  This time the voice was tangible.  She was a distance up the trail in front of him. The lost theory was out of the equation since she was sitting on the trail.  Her back was propped against a tree, her legs folded into her chest.  One of her hands was in front of her face blocking the light he shone on her.  From his position, he saw no visible injuries, yet his stomach began to sink and he had a feeling that something was very wrong.

“
Are you hurt?” 

“
Yes…I’ve been…”  She winced and put her hand on top of the other covering her side.  He jogged up the trail to her with more urgency.

Shit
.  Did this woman have any blood left in her body?  It looked like a scene from a horror movie.  The right side of her face was gashed beside her temple.  Her abdomen and below was covered in deep red.  Blood covered her khaki shorts and her bare thigh. 

“
Are you Chance?”  He knelt down to her. 

“
Yes.”  She brought her head from her knees and leaned it against the tree.

Her appearance contradicted that of every newspape
r columnist he’d ever seen.  She had chestnut brown hair that fell above her shoulders with a bright pink streak an inch in width standing out in stark contrast.  Her body was athletic and toned, suited for hiking. 

“
What happened to your side?”

“
A poacher…he was a…good shot.” 

“
A poacher?”  He was taken aback.  “When did this happen?”

“
I don’t know…sometime before dark…”  That gave him a timeframe of at least seven hours prior.

“
Where did he go?”  It was wrong to assume it was a man, but it was more likely than not.

“
I don’t know.”

“
How far up the trail were you?”  He fired his questions in rapid succession trying to get the answers as quickly as he could.

“
Was off the trail…I got lost…a long way away from here, that’s all I…know.”  The pain was obvious and her pale color wasn’t comforting. 

“
Could you describe him?”

“
There were two men, wearing all camo and…both had beards…skinny one shot me.  Fat one didn’t do anything…”

“
Did you see any vehicles when you drove up here in the morning?”

“
No.” 

He pulled
out his cell phone.  He wanted to establish the facts quickly before he called to request additional help.

“
Department of Public Safety,” Kevin greeted.

“
I found the girl.”  Tuck hopped down the trail a few steps trying to get out of earshot.  He kept his voice low.

“
She has a gunshot wound to the abdomen with serious bleeding and a head injury.  I don’t know how she’s still alive Kevin.  We’re not far away from the trailhead, so I’ll work on getting her down and bring her out in my truck.”

“
Where do you want the ambulance to meet you?  They can’t go direct to the scene, can they?”  Kevin predicted Tuck’s next thought.

“
The old gatehouse.  Check and see if LifeFlight is available.  The gatehouse is a good LZ too.”

“
Alright.”

“
All I have for suspect information at this point is two men, poachers, wearing all camo, beards, one heavy set, one thin.  Thin one was the shooter.  Happened sometime before dark, no idea where the suspects went, or vehicle info.”

“
I got it.  I’ll call Mike.”

“
If LifeFlight is available, have one of the responders prep the LZ.  If I get there first, I’ll take care of it.”

“
Why do I have a sneaking feeling you will get there first?” Kevin said, sarcasm in his voice.

“
Because you’re a smart man.  I’ll let you know when I get her down to my truck.”

“
10-4.  Good luck.”

“
She’s going to need it.”  He pushed his phone in the holder on his belt and walked back to her.

“
Can you move your hand, I want to take a look at your side.”  She moved her hand and extended her legs.  The gaping hole was hard to miss.

How the hell is she alive?  She
’s not going to live through this. Not possible.  Fuck
.  He thought.   It was easier to find a dead body than to watch a person die, not that Tuck took any amount of amusement in either. 

“
Here’s what we’re going to do.  My truck is parked about a hundred yards down at the trailhead.  I’m going to help you and we’re going to walk to my truck, then get you a few stitches and call it a night.  How does that sound?”  He tried to convey empathy and confidence.

“
Better than the alternative of…staying here...”  She kept her emotions in check.

“
Do you think you can walk?” 

“
I’ll try…I need my bag…”

He helped her to her feet, but she didn
’t have any strength to support herself.  He wrapped his arm around her and held her tight at his side. 

“
I’ll make sure we get your bag later.  Put your arm around my neck.”  She obeyed.  “Point this at the trail and I’ll get you down.” 

She took the flashlight in her right hand and pointed it in front of them.  He held her and suppo
rted the majority of her weight.  It seemed to take an eternity to get her to the truck.  When they reached his GMC, it was a welcomed sight.

“
I have to move a few things around before we can get you in here.”  He eased her to the ground and she leaned her back against the tire.  Tuck opened the door and tossed his gear in the back seat, retrieving two wool blankets.  He covered the passenger seat in one and tossed the other on the hood of the truck. 

“
Okay, let’s get you in the truck.”  Getting her into the truck was a production, but he succeeded.  He wrapped the second blanket around her and buckled her seatbelt.  It would be a bumpy ride out.  She leaned her head onto the center console.  Tuck ran around the front of the truck and barreled inside.

“
2358, Green.”

“
2358 go ahead.”

“
I’m 10-15 with the subject and driving down to the gatehouse.”

“
10-4.”

“
Status of the units responding?”

“
2351, 53, 54, 63, 68, 69, 602, 610 and 615—”  Kevin took a deep breath.  “Have been contacted and will be en route shortly.  LifeFlight is waiting for the coordinates and go ahead on the LZ.  And the ambulance has been en route for two minutes.”

“
10-4, thanks.”  They’d sent out the troops.  Kevin was a man who knew how to do his job.

“
2351, 2358,” Sergeant Kerr called to Tuck direct on the radio.

“
Go ahead Sarge.”

“
Any new information?”

“
Negative.”

“
Status of the victim?”

“
Alert and responsive.  We’ll be at the LZ in less than 20.”

“
Huan should be there first, ETA about 30.”

“
10-4.”  Tuck would be the first one to reach the gatehouse, providing the terrain and conditions didn’t claim any tires, or other necessary components.  He clipped the microphone back on the radio and turned up the heat. 

“
How are you doing over there?”  She hadn’t budged since he’d gotten her into the truck.

“
I’ve had better…days.”  Her voice was much more sedate.

“
Do you remember anything else?"

“
I gave you the cliff notes…” 

“
How about you give me the full novel.”

“
Has there ever been a…plane crash in these woods…?” 

“
Uh, no, none that I know of.”

“
You wouldn’t believe…me…”

“
Try me.”

“
I went off the trail to investigate something…I heard in the woods…while I was wandering…I saw the poachers shoot a deer.  The damn…deer ran toward me before it dropped…and that was when the skinny guy…saw me…”  She stopped mid story.