Page 83 of A Future To Remember

“He could’ve gotten this anywhere,” she said after a bit.

“Anything coming up?” I asked. I wasn’t holding my breath that the tattoo would produce any info, but a lead was a lead, and we had to exhaust it.

“Not yet,” she said.

We were all quiet for the rest of the way to the campground, but as we pulled in, Candice tapped my shoulder. I glanced over at her, and she swiveled her tablet around to show me a tattoo featuring a woman, lying naked and spread eagle under a tiger. The tiger stared at her hungrily, while she arched her back, lifting her chest toward the cat provocatively.

“Not the same as the description,” I said, wondering if both witnesses had gotten it wrong.

“But it’s similar enough,” Candice said.

Oscar put the truck in park and twisted in his seat to get a load of the image. “Where’s that from?”

“A tattoo shop in Wallace, Idaho,” she told him.

“Where’s that?” I asked, glancing at Candice, who went back to tapping at her tablet screen.

“Near the Idaho–Montana border, about an hour and forty-five from Missoula or roughly three hours from here.”

I sighed. Damn, I was tired. Everything out here took forever to get to.

Oscar must’ve noticed my frustration. In a soft tone, he said, “Let’s check with the staff here, sir, and we’ll work our way south. Maybe we’ll get lucky and somebody’ll remember the guy and the tat, and we’ll score a name.”

I nodded and opened the door of the truck wordlessly. We all got out and headed to the main building for the campsite, which was sparsely populated, by the looks of it.

I reached the door first and held it open for Candice. As she passed me, she reached out and stroked the top of Eggy’s head. I felt his tail thump lightly against my chest, and his nose twitched from where he was peeking out at her from the sling.

“You want to hold him?” I asked her.

She nodded, and as we came into the office area, I slipped off the sling and handed it and Eggy to her. She held the pup close, rocking him gently.

I had to look away. It choked me up.

Candice wasn’t Abby, but Eggy had known her as long as he’d known me, and I knew that he loved her like a child might love an auntie.

Moving toward the front desk, I rang the bell at the counter because there wasn’t anyone in sight.

Out from the back stepped a woman I’d put in her mid-sixties. She had a kind face but sharp eyes. I suspected not a lot got past her.

“Hey there,” she said in greeting. “You here to camp?”

I withdrew my badge and flashed it at her while Oscar did the same. Candice stood behind us with Eggy. She’d let us take the lead.

At the appearance of a couple of bronze badges and federal IDs, the camp worker stiffened.

Couldn’t really say I blamed her.

“Ma’am,” I said with an acknowledging nod, then tapped my chest. “I’m Special Agent Dutch Rivers.” I then pointed to Oscar and Candice in turn. “That’s Agent Hernandez and our FBI consultant, Candice Fusco. We’re here about a woman who went missing last October. Abigail Cooper. One of our agents might’ve already spoken to you about her disappearance some months back.”

“The woman from the flyers,” she said, nodding. “I remember. I talked to a couple of your guys a while back. I told them the same thing I’ll tell you. A girl that pretty I would’ve remembered. She never came through the camp.”

I nodded again. I knew Abby hadn’t been here; what I wanted to know was if her abductor had.

“Can you remind us of your name?” I found that when you addressed witnesses by name, they tended to offer up more information.

“Sarah. Sarah Felter”

“Nice to meet you, Sarah. I’m hoping you can help us out. We’ve got a witness who thinks they saw Abigail with this guy…” From the folder, I took out the composite sketch and offered it to her. “You ever see him come through here? He would’ve left the area the same day Abigail went missing.”