Emily glanced over one shoulder then pressed her mic. “Not yet but Lyons followed me into the parking lot.”
“I have eyes on him.” Webber sounded
excited. “He’s heading toward Emily. No sign of Jones.”
“Copy that.” Jenna took a deep breath. “Keep heading toward Kane, Em, and then take the trail to the top of the rapids. I’ll be close by.”
Emily touched her mic again. “Copy that.”
Emily’s heart pounded, and a twinge of fear gripped her, knowing Lyons was coming up behind her. What would he do? Instinctively she increased her pace; getting closer to Kane would be her best option but then she’d be in the sights of Stein—a potential murderer.
She kept going, taking the winding path and jumping over the twisted tree roots along the track. She concentrated on the fact good people surrounded her. Kane was up ahead and soon the trail straightened out; if he had hidden somewhere ahead, he’d have a clear shot if anyone tried to hurt her. She’d been with him to the gun range and seen him shoot. He was remarkable. No one had a chance against him. It was clear they had her surrounded, and Webber would be coming up the rear. He would stay as close to Lyons as possible without being seen. She unconsciously touched the can of bear spray on her belt.
As she moved through the twisty path, a cloud passed over the sun, darkness surrounded her, and the cool breeze became an arctic blast, stealing her breath. The forest went from beautiful to foreboding in a split second; the dim light hid the traps underfoot and she stumbled over the uneven ground. Branches snagged at her clothes and scratched her bare legs but she pushed on and soon reached the straightaway. The track widened and ahead she could make out the switchback and the trail up to the rapids.
Breathing heavily, she reached the end of the straightaway in record time and stopped to catch her breath. The pounding of the rapids was getting louder and soon would cover her voice if she screamed for help. She took a sip of water and glanced around. If Kane was hidden somewhere, he was like a ghost. A thumping sound in the distance made her turn and she caught sight of a figure heading her way. It was Lyons. He’s coming.
Forty-Six
Until Jenna hit the trail, she’d thought she’d not received any injuries from wrecking her car, but her back and legs ached. Yeah, she could fight if she had to, but running up the side of the mountain with a freezing wind blasting her face wasn’t making her feel any better. As she made her way along the trail at the edge of the river winding through Stanton Forest, her lungs ached with each breath of cool mountain air and she found her progress wasn’t as fast as she’d anticipated.
Voices ahead caught her attention and then a young couple came running around the bend, rosy-cheeked and bright-eyed. They gave her a friendly wave and chuckled as they went by. She waved back but kept her head down. As she made the final climb to the top of the rapids, another young man ran past. Not long after, her pulse quickened at the sight of Owen Jones, suspect number two, sitting on a rock and staring into the roaring water. She hit her mic. “Kane. Jones is at the top of the rapids. He looks like he’s waiting for someone.”
“Has he seen you?”
Jenna slowed to a walk then leaned over as if trying to catch her breath. “I think so. I don’t figure he’s recognized me though.”
She stiffened as Jones got to his feet and started down the mountain toward the switchback, passing her without a glance. As she turned to watch him, he rounded the corner and vanished. “He didn’t make me. He ran straight past and went round the first bend. I can’t make out his position.”
“What about Stein?” Kane cleared his throat. “He should be right on top of you by now.”
Jenna allowed the image of another runner to filter through her mind. Had Stein already gone by? She couldn’t be 100 percent sure with the beading water obscuring her vision. The young man had a ball cap pulled down over his short hair and was wearing sunglasses. It could’ve been him. “I’m not sure. A man did run by a few minutes ago but my attention was on Jones.”
“Roger that. It had to be Stein. No one else has gone by. Emily is close now and Lyons is on her tail; she’ll be there soon.” Kane waited a beat. “I can see Webber. We have Emily surrounded.”
Jenna moved back down the trail, slid into the forest, and positioned herself behind a moss-covered rock. “Okay, I’m in position.”
As she sipped from her water bottle and waited for Emily to run by, the murder cases came to the front of her mind. She stared down the trail and her stomach dropped. Could it be a coincidence that she’d seen two of the suspects on the mountain at the exact same time and place as Lyons? It wasn’t a secret he’d announced the fact he was jogging this afternoon in the cafeteria in front of everyone present. She pressed her mic. “Kane. I sure hope Jones and Stein aren’t both involved in the killings.”
“I figure we’re going to find out soon enough.”
“Okay, Webber.” Jenna kept her attention on the trail. “I need eyes on Jones and Stein. Leave Lyons to us. Don’t come to my position. Take the cut-through and wait for them to come to you. You should have cover in the trees there. Let us know if they double back.”
“Roger that.” Webber sounded out of breath. “I’m on my way.”
Jenna hunkered down and waited for the charade to play out. Hidden in the shadows between the tall pines and the boulder, she gathered her professional calm around her and became one with her surroundings. Under her feet, the rich, leaf-covered soil was moist and pine cones littered the undergrowth. She inhaled. The forest had a different scent each season. As the biting wind cut into her damp clothes, it sent a message that fall would be short this year and winter was close on its heels.
Against the roar of the rapids, she heard the scream of a red-tailed hawk as it soared like an arrow from a tree into the sky. She watched the majestic bird and followed its silhouette against a passing cloud until the tops of the pines blocked her view. She marveled at the majesty of the birdlife in Black Rock Falls; the forest could be both a terrifying and magical place. Her friend Atohi Blackhawk once told her that no matter what terrible things happened in Stanton Forest, the beauty would remain. Rain would cleanse the soil and wildflowers and vines would cover graves. Whatever happened on the mountain today, life would go on.
From her vantage point, Jenna had a clear view of the top of the rapids. The clearing was a favorite picnic area and where she’d witnessed the fight between Lyons, Jacobs, Devon, and Jones. She would never forget seeing Jones fall into the freezing rapids or his struggle to survive as he slid between rocks on his way down the river. The memory was still so raw it sent a shiver down her spine. At the sound of footsteps, she moved her attention to the trail and sighed with relief as Emily ran into sight. As planned, Emily walked to the flat rock and sat down. She took a long drink of water and then stared down at the rapids. A few minutes passed and Seth Lyons ran into view. Jenna looked him over. He had hardly broken a sweat.
Jenna couldn’t hear the exchange of words, but as if reading her mind, Emily pressed her mic button and the conversation came through Jenna’s earpiece.
“I’ve seen you around.” Seth Lyons moved closer to Emily. “You’re a friend of Colt, right? Colt Webber?”
“No, not a friend. He interns at the same place is all.” Emily stood and Jenna could see the frown on her face. “Why, do you want an introduction or something?”
“Nope. I know him.” Lyons chuckled. “We’re both on the football team. I’m the quarterback.”