Follow Me Home (Detectives Kane and Alton)

“I’ll contact her parents.” Jenna flicked him a worried glance then turned in her seat. “Zoe, do you remember your phone number?”

“I know my dad’s number.” Zoe rubbed a dirty finger over her nose as if thinking then gave the number. “I think that’s right. My head feels strange.”

“That’s just fine. I’ll keep trying until I contact him.” Jenna lifted both eyebrows at Kane in a meaningful stare and called the number. “Let’s get out of here.”

He drove down the mountainside, bumping along the pitted, uneven roads, relieved when they finally reached the highway. Then, lights flashing, he sped down the blacktop in the direction of Black Rock Falls General Hospital.

Jenna had said little to Mr. Channing other than his daughter was alive and she was taking her to the hospital. When she disconnected, Kane turned to her. “It will take him some time to get here from Helena.”

“He is going to arrange a ride in a helicopter. He is heading home now to collect his wife.” Jenna leaned back in the seat, her face pale. “When we arrive, I’ll inform the hospital he will be landing on their helipad.” Her brow wrinkled into a frown. “She has been missing for six months.”

Jesus. Kane cleared his throat. “As she is talking to you, maybe you should ask about the other people she mentioned. The hospital will sedate her the moment we arrive.”

“Yeah, okay.” Jenna’s mouth turned down. She pulled out her notepad and pen then turned in her seat. “Zoe, what’s the dog’s name?”

“Stupid but I don’t think it is his real name.” Zoe chewed on her bottom lip and shrugged.

“Oh, I see. Was he here when you arrived?”

“No, Amos said he came from the animal shelter ’bout three weeks ago.” Zoe sipped the orange juice and sighed. “He isn’t stupid. I like him. When Amos locked him in the cellar, he would sit with me and listen to me talking. I think he knows what I told him because he didn’t like Amos and growled at him.” She rubbed the tip of her pink nose. “You won’t take him back to the animal shelter, will you? I don’t think he likes it there.”

A pang of pity wrenched at Kane’s heart. “Nope.” He glanced at Jenna and shrugged. “I’m going to look after him. We’ll find out his real name. The animal shelter will have a record of him.”

“Dogs and horses?” Jenna shot him a worried glance. “What next, cattle?”

Kane shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask my landlady but I think she’ll be a pushover when I tell her about the dog.”

Stanton Forest bordered the highway; tall and dappled green, the pines stood like sentries guarding the way to the falls. He looked behind him at the incredible mountainside bathed in sunshine, saddened the majestic beauty had hidden such atrocities. “Not long now.”

Jenna gave him a knowing look. “Zoe, do you remember the names of the others who came to visit you?”

“No.” Zoe stuffed another energy bar into her mouth and chewed.

“Okay.” Jenna’s tone was light and conversational. “How many men did you see? Was it always the same amount?”

“Yes. Three and Amos, like I said before.”

Unable to keep quiet a moment longer, Kane took a deep breath. “Do you remember what they looked like?”

Zoe’s brown gaze narrowed. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Okay, he won’t say another word.” Jenna gave him a look good enough to freeze Black Rock Falls Lake then smiled at Zoe. “What color hair did they have?”

“I don’t know what they looked like. They wore masks.” She scratched her dirty, tear-tracked cheek. “One came by yesterday morning real early. He kept asking me where Amos had gone. He didn’t let me out but he did leave me a pile of food.”

Interesting. Kane glanced at Jenna. “He might live close by. Well, let’s say in a fi

ve-mile radius, I guess, looking at how the cabins are spread out up here.”

“Yeah, it will be a huge undertaking to search the mountain.” Jenna’s attention moved back to the girl and she smiled at her. “Is there anything else you remember about them? Scars or tattoos?”

“One had a spider with a red back on his hand. He was mean.” Zoe’s bottom lip trembled. “One had a scar on his belly, low on the right side. I don’t want to talk about them anymore.”

Jenna gave the girl a bright smile. “I am so proud of you, telling me all those things. Just rest now, we’ll be at the hospital soon and your parents are on their way.”

“Will they be mad at me for running away?”

“No.” Jenna handed her another bottle of water. “I spoke to your dad and he is very happy you are okay.”