“I’ve looked through them all I didn’t see anything.” Stephanie offered confirmation.
“Alright team, let’s go.” I said. “Send me the directions to the cabin and meet us there.”
A moment later my phone beeped with a notification that the directions had been received. We all headed out to the parking lot. It was going to be a two-hour drive to get out to the cabin in the mountains. Logan drove, while Mac, his case agent and I discussed what he knew about Simmons.
Stephanie was riding with Jared and working the laptop for any information that might help us. “Stephanie, I need to know if this place is going to be booby-trapped or something.”
“On it, I’ll have to be a lot closer to do us much good. I need to see if there is a Wi-Fi system or anything on site,” she replied.
“Understood, stay on it.” I nodded.
We finally found the place. It was well hidden among the mature trees and some overgrowth. The place looked like it was a hundred years old. We all stepped out of the vehicles and looked around.
“Everyone move very carefully. We don’t know if this is a trap or not.” I ordered. “Stephanie you got anything?”
“I’m not picking up any wireless signals,” she whispered.
“Okay, what about cell phone signals?” I wanted to be damned sure we weren’t going to get blown up walking up on the porch.
“Nothing. That just means that if there is someone up there either they don’t have a cell phone, or it is turned off.”
“Stay alert,” Mac called out and started advancing forward.
I motioned for Jared and Logan to take the back. Stephanie and Mac’s agent covered the sides and Mac and I headed for the front door.
My eyes swept the ground and the steps to the porch and I stepped up gingerly.
“Hello! FBI anyone home?” I called out.
“NCIS! Open the door!” Mac yelled.
We both waited. No response. He nodded and we both flanked the door.
“FBI and NCIS, anyone home?”
Again, no response so I knocked and yelled again. Three times, no response. I nodded to Mac as I reached for the door handle and pushed the door open. The stench from inside escaped out the door as soon as it was open.
“Ah!” I used my arm to cover my mouth and nose. I entered and Mac followed in behind me.
Logan and Jared breached the back of the cabin and were backing out from the stench. I held my hand for them to stay back. The cabin wasn’t that big, and we didn’t need to be tripping over each other. Mac and I found the source of the smell in the back bedroom. Agent Foster was tied to a chair with a gag in his mouth.
We called the cabin clear and instructed everyone to stay out and let the forensic team come in and do their work. Once outside Mac and I stood taking in deep breaths of clean air.
“I’m sorry about your man.” I said to Mac.
“Thanks.” Mac’s face was grim.
“Now we just have to find out who did it.”
“Yeah.” He agreed.
My cell phone rang. “Agent Craddock.”
“Is this Ethan?” A woman’s voice asked.
“Yes, this is Ethan Craddock, who’s this?”
“My name is Sherry; you don’t know me. I work for Kay Dandridge.”
Her voice was shaky, and she sounded upset. The hair on my arms stood up. “Sherry, what’s wrong?”
“Kay mentioned you were friends and you worked for the FBI,” she said, making it clear this was not a social call.
“That’s right, what’s wrong? Has something happened to Kay?”
“I’m not sure, well yes, I am. I’m sorry to bother you. Kay didn’t come to work today. She isn’t answering her phone and when Eddie went to the house, she wasn’t there but her car was in the garage.” The words came in a rush.
“Okay, slow down, Sherry. Did Eddie see anything else at the house? Was the door open or anything like that?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, her voice cracking.
I could tell Sherry was on the verge of crying. Frankly, I was surprised at how calm I sounded because my adrenaline was pumping hard. I turned back towards the cabin.
“Hang on, Sherry.” I held the phone away from my face. “Logan! Keys!”
Logan jogged over.
“Everything okay, boss?”
“No, I need the keys to the SUV. You’ll have to ride back with Jared.”
“No problem.” He handed me the keys. “Anything I can do?”
“Not right now.” I looked at Mac. “Sorry man, something’s come up and I gotta go.”
“No problem.” Mac turned back to the task at hand.
I started jogging to the SUV. “Sherry, you still there?”
“I’m here,” she squeaked.
I could tell she was crying. “Listen, I’m two hours away but I am driving back right now. Can you have Eddie meet me at Kay’s house?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Okay, then I will come see you at the office. Are you sure she just didn’t take the day off?” I needed to check.
“No, Kay has never taken a day off in four years and if she wasn’t feeling well, she would have called me or something.” A sob escaped her lips. She was starting to come apart.
“Hang on, I’m on my way.” I assured her.
I turned on the sirens as soon as I hit the interstate. I don’t think I have ever driven so fast in my life. I had a bad feeling. I thought it had to do with the case we had been working on and I had been right when we had found Agent Foster dead which is what we all feared. But Kay was missing? My mind was reeling, and I couldn’t let anything happen to her. I knew I couldn’t live without her. The six years I had been without her had been dark times for me, but those days wouldn’t compare to what my life would be like now if something were to happen to her.
In front of Kay’s house there was a faded gray Malibu with local government tags. I assumed the local police had already arrived. I presumed the man standing on
