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Jenna gave her a wave. “We will.” She headed for the door.
SEVEN
SATURDAY
Kane slipped out of bed, not wanting to wake Jenna, and hurried into the barn to do his chores. He loved the smell of the stables. Horses, leather, hay, and feed has its own special blend of fragrances. The air inside was warm and Warrior, his black stallion, and Seagull, Jenna’s white Arab mare, greeted him with nods and grunts. Anna’s pony always nodded and tossed her head. It was wonderful to be appreciated. The radio was always on to keep the horses calm and happy, and as he groomed them and mucked out the stalls, he sang along to a few tunes until Duke decided to howl along with him. He looked at him. “Are you joining in or is my voice so bad you’re howling in pain?”
When Duke came to him and leaned against his leg, he bent down to rub his ears. “You know, you could have stayed inside in the warm.”
The sky was clear this morning, with the distinct smell of winter. The frosty air and pine fragrance made him yearn for a day on the slopes. Skiing was something they both enjoyed. But although it was a freezing-cold day, he had a date with his Harley. Saturday mornings he went for a ride, tearing along the backroads around the ranch to clear his head and just enjoy being alive. He loved speed and his motorcycle fed that need. The urge to be out on the road riding fast made him complete his chores in record time. He emptied the wheelbarrow filled with horse dung and hurried back to the house, steam pouring from his nostrils. He fed Duke and then headed for the shower in one of the spare rooms rather than disturb Jenna.
He’d dressed, eaten four Pop-Tarts, and was halfway through his coffee before Jenna called his name. He filled a cup with coffee, added the fixings, and headed to the bedroom. “Morning.” He set the cups on the bedside table, sat on the bed, and bent to kiss her. “I’ll finish my coffee and then head out. I’ll be back to fix breakfast. I’m not going far. It’s bitterly cold this morning. I should be back in half an hour.”
“There’s no rush.” Jenna sipped her coffee. “Rio and Rowley can handle the office and we don’t need to be at Wolfe’s until eleven. If there’s not a break in the case, we’ll have more time with Tauri this weekend.”
Smiling, Kane moved his gaze over her. He loved the way she looked first thing in the morning, all tousled and sleepy. She’d always be the sheriff, but in the mornings she was just his Jenna. “Stay in bed and relax. It’s early and Tauri won’t wake for ages. I’ll be back by then.” He finished his coffee and bent to kiss her again. “Get some rest while you can. This case might blow up at any moment.” He went to the closet, pulled out a thick sweater and his leather jacket.
Pulling the thick gloves out of the pockets, he took his helmet from the shelf and, carrying it, headed for the front door. He set the security system and walked to the garage. Underfoot, the grass crackled, the leaves stiff with a white coating of frost. He pulled on his helmet and, using his palm print to open the garage, stood for a few seconds to admire his motorcycles. The Harley he’d built from a pile of pieces now sat glistening under the lights. Beside it, his work in progress, an old Indian Chief. Finding parts had been difficult but he’d been determined to restore it to its former glory. He only needed a little more time and it would be complete. He climbed onto the Harley and kicked it over, hearing the satisfying rumble of the powerful engine. Helmet secured and gloves on, he drove out of the garage and along the driveway. The garage door closed behind him and the main gates to the ranch slid open as he approached.
Wind blasted him as he flew along the blacktop. All around, the lowlands were covered in a coating of frost. The rising sun sat low on the horizon. Its long golden fingers spread out across the white landscape as it climbed slowly to wake the earth for another day. The backroads around the ranch followed the river along the border of Jenna’s property. He drove past the snowplow guy’s house and then the old Mitchum Ranch, the latter known for its myths and ghosts. It was a favorite for the local kids at Halloween, even after a series of grisly murders. He took his usual route through the small forest area. The narrow strip of blacktop was part of their ranch and rarely used. Seeing the way ahead clear, he accelerated.
Trees flashed past in a sea of brown trunks, and exhilaration filled him. The roar of the engine and the sheer joy of riding made him smile. He increased his speed, moving under the canopy of trees in a flash. The next moment, something hard struck him across the chest. Air rushed out of his lungs as a massive force lifted him from the Harley. Airborne, he tumbled backward, flew through the air, and crashed onto the blacktop, sliding and spinning head over heels. The forest spun around him and he heard the sound of a powerful engine close by. A millisecond later he slammed into a tree and everything went black.
EIGHT
Jenna woke to the sound of Tauri’s voice. She blinked, not realizing that she had fallen asleep. “Good morning, sweetheart.” She gathered up the little boy and kissed his cheeks. “You’re up early.”
“Where’s Daddy?” Tauri climbed onto the bed and frowned. “I can’t find him and when I asked Duke, he just went and sat in his basket.”
Jenna sat up and smiled at him. “You know he likes to ride his motorcycle on Saturdays if we’re not working. He’ll be back soon.” She glanced at the bedside clock and blinked. It was five after eight. “Oh, it’s later than I thought. Why don’t you go and get dressed. I’ll take a shower, and if Daddy’s not back, I’ll cook your breakfast.”
When Tauri scampered off, Jenna frowned. Kane had been gone for two hours. He never stayed out that long. Calling him would be a waste of time because he’d never hear the phone on his motorcycle. She took a quick shower and dressed. Not wanting to show her anxiety to Tauri, she made eggs and toast for both of them. She ate her meal and smiled at Tauri. “He might be in the garage working on his Indian. You finish your breakfast and I’ll go see.”
Dragging on her coat, she hurried outside and made her way to the garage. The door was locked, but she opened it using her palm print. Everything was as it should be. The Beast sat where he’d left it the night before and his project motorcycle hadn’t been touched. Fear had her by the throat. What had happened to him? It was so unlikely he’d been in a wreck. He drove fast but was very experienced and wouldn’t risk his life doing anything stupid. She glanced around the yard. Frost still glistened on the grass. Maybe he’d hit a patch of ice. She needed to go and look for him. He always took the same route. If something had happened, she’d find him. She looked at the Beast and her stomach cramped. Her cruiser was parked outside the sheriff’s office. She’d have no choice but to take the tricked-out truck. The power of the Beast unnerved her. She couldn’t do much to damage it, but as it was Kane’s pride and joy, she rarely got behind the wheel. The truck was programmed with fail-safes and recognized her tracker ring, so she wouldn’t need a key. She opened the door and climbed behind the wheel. The roar as she started the engine deafened her and, watching the camera array, she backed out of the garage and drove to the front door. Leaving the engine running, she ran up the front steps and back into the house.
Keeping a happy expression on her face, she waited for Tauri to finish his milk and then placed the plates into the dishwasher. “Let me get you bundled up and we’ll go and see if we can find Daddy. Maybe his Harley has a flat tire and he’s pushing it home.”
“Okay.” Tauri scampered off and she followed him into his bedroom. “If he’s lost, Atohi will be able to find him.”
Tauri was mentioning their good friend Atohi Blackhawk, a Native American tracker they’d known for a long time. He’d been Tauri’s guardian prior to his adoption. Jenna smiled. “I’m sure he will but let’s hope Daddy isn’t lost. He knows his way around these parts. I’m sure he’s fine.” She helped Tauri into his coat and hat, pushed on his mittens, and took his hand and led him to the front door. “The Beast is outside. Wait there for a second. Come on, Duke.” She put on Duke’s coat, set the security, and hurried to the Beast.
Nerves in tatters, she aimed the truck along the driveway and headed along the glistening blacktop. She drove slowly, searching the sides of the road for any sign of Kane. “Look for Daddy. Tell me if you see him or his motorcycle in the grass.”
“Okay.” Tauri looked at Duke. “Bark if you see my daddy.”
Fear mounting for Kane’s safety, she turned the corner into the straightaway that went through a wooded area. This part of the road went along behind the ranches and at the end circled back to her ranch. The sunlight barely broke through the canopy of trees but by the time she’d driven halfway, a glint in the trees caught her attention. She pulled the Beast to the side of the road. “Stay here.”
Jumping out, her heart missed a beat. The Harley lay on its side, and pieces had sheared off as it hit the trees, but it didn’t seem to have been in a wreck. Both wheels looked fine. She looked around. “Dave, are you out here? Dave?”
Nothing.
From this point he could have walked through the trees and made it to the snowplow guy’s ranch in ten minutes, unless he’d broken his leg. She bit hard on her bottom lip. If he was hurt, he’d have called her, but if he was injured and lying in the forest, his phone might be broken. She pulled out her phone and used it to locate the tracker in the belt she’d given him for Christmas. Only she and Wolfe knew of its existence. She gaped at the phone. There was no signal. She ran back along the road, searching each side for any sign of him. “Dave, Dave, call out. Wave. Do something. Dave.”
Nothing.
Panic gripped her. She called Wolfe. “Shane, Dave’s missing. There’s no signal on his tracker. I found his Harley smashed on the side of the road near our ranch.”
“Call the hospital. If anyone was involved, they’d have called the paramedics.” Wolfe sucked in a deep breath. “Track his phone. I’m on my way.”
