I drove a little further down the highway and pulled up at the lookout point from which this trail started. I pulled on my hat and gloves, grabbed a bottle of water, then set out running as hard and fast as I could, desperate to get to the East trail to look for evidence he’d been there before it got dark. As soon as I found anything I would call in the cavalry.
***
I fumbled my cell to hit Kade’s contact as I ran back toward where I had left my truck just over an hour later. I had run to where the East trail began and followed it for a few miles, before finding a well hidden, dirt track with clear signs a car had recently been along it in the last few days. I would never have even found it if I hadn’t been checking every inch of space I passed along the way. It was back off the trail, by about twenty feet, and hidden between trees and shrubbery. The only reason I had known it was there was the disturbed trail of snow coming from the marked path and into the trees. Luckily it hadn’t been snowing for the last couple of days, so the tracks had remained visible.
“Matt?” Kade greeted on the second ring.
“Kade. I think I’ve found something.” I gasped, the bitter cold making it hard to run as fast as I was, especially while talking.
“Where are you?” The hope in Kade’s voice was clear. We were all so desperate for a lead. I hoped this would be it.
“I’m in Creal Springs. I spoke to that store assistant….Morgan. She got a threat, that’s why she changed her story, but told me it was him Kade, in the store every Friday.”
“Fuck! A threat from who? The kidnapper? How could he have known she called us?” Kade cursed.
“I think we both know the answer to that.” I sighed. It was getting more and more glaringly obvious that The Shadow was either a cop, or working with one. Much as Kade hated to think of someone he worked with and trusted that way, it was undeniable now. Too many things had happened to lead us to that conclusion.
“Shit!”
“That can wait for now Bro. Let’s just get Livy and worry about the who, why and how once she’s safe.”
“You’re right.”
“I know. So anyway, Morgan told me the kidnapper always comes from, and heads back toward this trail. I started following it and I found tyre tracks, hidden off the trail in the trees. They’re pretty fresh too.” I explained.
“You think they’ll lead us to Livy?”
“Yeah, I do. I’m running back to get my truck now. I’m going to loop around the trail and find where he drove in from the road. It can’t be far.”
“Woah. Just hold up Matt. I’ll get the others and we’ll meet you out there with some police units.”
“No way Kade. I’m close, I know it. I’m not just sitting on my hands waiting for you to get here. She needs us to get to her right fucking now!” I growled angrily.
“This guy is dangerous Matt. If you get hurt Livy would blame herself and you know it. Just sit tight and wait. We can be there in a few hours.”
“No. I’m going. Just get here as fast as you can. I’ll handle the fucker Kade. I won’t leave her to suffer for a minute longer. If you were here there’s no way you’d wait either, and you know it.” I said firmly. There was no way I could just hold on now I knew where she may be. I had to go to her. Waiting a few hours could be the difference between us finding her alive and dead, and the latter simply wasn’t an option for any of us. We needed her.
“The difference is I have a fucking gun and training Matt. This motherfucker has killed already! I know you want to get to Livy. We all do, but not at the cost of losing you.” Kade pleaded frantically.
“I’ve got this. Trust me.” I replied calmly. I wasn’t worried. I knew Kade and Kyle still saw Cole and I as the kids who had arrived at the house scared and timid, but we weren’t anymore. I could handle myself, having thrown myself into every martial arts class Mom and Dad would allow me to since a few months after I moved in with them. I had also dabbled in some MMA in my late teens. Turned out all my deep issues made me pretty lethal in a fight. I’d been offered contracts, but my Mom hated it, hated me being hurt in any way, and begged me to stop, so I had. But I still trained hard and I wasn’t the weak kid my birth Mom and her sick boyfriend used to torture any longer. I had spent years making sure no one could ever hurt me the way they had, ever again.
Now I would use the strength and skills I had gained to make damned sure Livy wasn’t hurt that way any longer either.
“I’m following the tracks and I’m getting our girl back Kade. I’ll leave my cell on so you can track my location”
“Fine, but I’m sending local PD to meet you there. There’s no way you’re going in there to deal with that scumbag alone.” He growled, clearly annoyed with my stubbornness.
“I’ll call you when I have her.” I hung up before he could argue with me more.
I needed to focus on the last half mile run back to my truck, then finding the hidden car tracks to follow.
