He didn’t fool himself that he was over the breakup. Not completely. He still experienced twinges of bitterness and regret now and then. Those pangs were getting fewer and farther between, but that didn’t mean it was time to jump back into deep water. Not with all his baggage. The smarter move was to chill for a while—
There!
He caught a glimpse of the BMW flying down a dirt road, dust clouds swirling in its wake. He braked and pulled to the shoulder, waiting until her vehicle disappeared around a bend before he made the turn and followed her down the narrow lane.
Pine trees rose all around him, the feathery bowers reaching across the road to block all but slivers of sunlight. Kudzu had invaded the ditches, crawling up light poles and creeping along fencerows until Adam’s world narrowed to a thin green tunnel. A quarter of a mile in, he came to a metal gate. A hand-painted sign nailed to one of the posts proclaimed Junkyard. Another warned Trespassers Will Be Shot and a third read simply Dogs.
Adam reversed down the road until he found a place to pull off in the trees, concealing his vehicle as best he could. He got out and walked back to the unlocked gate, slipped through and then paused to note the quiet of the countryside. He heard the distant sound of barking dogs before a shouted reprimand silenced them. He checked his permitted firearm, tucked it back in his jeans and set out.
Keeping to the side of the road where the shade was deepest, he eventually emerged at another gate, through which he glimpsed the dark blue sedan. He left the road and hunkered at the edge of the woods while he scouted the property.
Junked cars of every make and model, some squashed flat and piled high in precarious stacks, littered the remote property. A forest of rusted appliances sprouted near the fence, along with various pieces of farm equipment. A small metal building with a covered porch had been erected to the right of the gate. Adam guessed the rudimentary structure served as an office and the larger building next door housed tools and equipment.
At the back of the property, he could see the tin roof of a house peeking through the trees and wondered if that might be Dr. Wingate’s ultimate destination. Despite the presence of her car, he was hard-pressed to imagine she had business with a junk dealer.
Catching wind of a new scent, the dogs grew frenzied. Adam didn’t think they could get through the fence, but he scrambled back a few feet anyway. The snarling rose to a ferocious crescendo until a brawny man came out on the porch and shouted a sharp command. The dogs quieted immediately. The man’s height and physique brought to mind the shooter at the cabin. Adam could still feel the explosive impact of that large body bulldozing into him on the dock. The guy came to the edge of the porch and surveilled the immediate area before disappearing back inside.
Since the dogs hadn’t rushed toward the fence, Adam figured they must be tied up or penned. He cut along the tree line until he spied a chain-link fence enclosing the area between the two metal buildings. He could make out two sleek silhouettes pacing back and forth, but the German shepherds were either so disciplined or so cowed they didn’t react even though they had to be aware of his approach.
Adam told himself to call it a day and head on back to town. Nothing more he could do here. But he couldn’t silence the nagging voice in his head that prodded him to move in closer even as the scar across his scalp prickled a warning. He kept low as he moved out of the trees, quickly climbing over the fence and dropping with a soft thud on the other side. The heads in the pen came up and he heard a growl. Giving the enclosed area a wide berth, he ran across the open yard and took cover at the back of the building, inching around the corner toward a window.
He flattened himself against the metal structure, waiting to see if the dogs reacted to his nearness. Nothing. No more barking. No sound at all except for the muted voices inside. Adam eased up to the window. Despite the sunlight reflecting off the glass, he noted two people inside. Dr. Wingate stood with her back to the front door, allowing Adam to glimpse her profile. She appeared to be arguing with the guy who had come out moments earlier to quiet the dogs.
He placed his hands on the desk between them and leaned toward her in a menacing fashion. Dr. Wingate held her ground for a moment before taking a step back. The man straightened and laughed.
Another brief argument ensued before Dr. Wingate withdrew a thick envelope from her purse and flung it toward him. The man caught the packet, opened the flap and riffled through the contents, all the while keeping a close eye on his companion. Seemingly satisfied with what he found, he sat down in his chair and propped his feet on the desk.
Their business apparently concluded, Dr. Wingate turned toward the door and Adam ducked, retreating to the back of the building, where he peered around the corner to observe her exit. She strode down the driveway, threw back the gate and climbed into the BMW, slamming the door soundly before she swung the car around and accelerated down the dusty road.
Adam checked his surroundings, readying himself to make a dash for the fence, when he spotted something familiar to his left. The old panel truck was nearly hidden between two rows of smashed vehicles. He started forward and then halted once more.
Slowly, he turned. The dog pen was empty.
NIKKI SPENT MOST of the morning weeding and trimming in the garden, but after a few hours the heat drove her
