The ranger truck rumbled to life and took off down the path. I tried to shake the conversation from my head. There was no way I was going to get in between a man and his wife, no matter how much he said they were on the outs. Plus, he was talking about Nikki anyway. She and Antonio had been awfully flirty in the training room.
I sighed and glanced at my watch. 8:45. Where was Ronnie’s wife? My eyes were finding it hard to focus in the dimming light, and I had a cramp forming in my left butt cheek from squatting so long.
When my watch read 9:00, I stood and stretched my legs. Had I really thought this was a good idea? Someone was probably just messing with me. It wasn’t like I was an investigator.
The trek back to my car was harder than expected now that the dark had settled in and my butt was in full-on cramp mode. Once inside, I threw my cell phone onto the passenger seat and put the key in the ignition. If I hurried, I could make it home in time to see the ten o’clock news and notify Shayla that all was good so she wouldn’t call Luke.
But before I turned the key over, another note caught my eye. Seriously? I grunted my way back out of the car and yanked the note from beneath my wiper.
Don’t leave, he’s coming.
A chill ran down my spine. Who was coming? And why the cryptic notes?
I glanced around at the houses up and down the street. Cars were safely tucked away in massive garages, and only a few cars dotted the curbs. None looked terribly suspicious.
Pressing the note into my back pocket, I eased back toward my previous hiding spot. Halfway there, I spotted a shadow approaching the locked park gate. The person was decked out in black from head to toe and held what looked like a fishing rod and tackle box in his hand.
I reached for my phone to snap a photo but remembered I’d thrown it on the passenger seat of my car.
Of course I had.
When I turned back, a strong hand clasped over my mouth and pulled me backward, into the bushes.
My screams didn’t escape the gloved hand, and whoever this was easily avoided my flailing arms and legs.
It was all over.
The killer knew I was looking for them. I’d be the next target. At least I’d told Shayla where to find my body. I could just picture her and Luke shaking their heads at my stupidity.
“Stop wigglin’. I’m not gonna hurt ya,” a voice whispered in my ear.
I stopped.
“Now, promise ya won’ be stupid and holler when I take my hand away.”
I nodded. What choice did I have?
The hand slowly released me, and I tried to run. I wasn’t fast enough, though. My captor pulled me back and spun me around.
Face to face with none other than the woman I thought I’d been there to see all along.
“Are you the one who left me the notes?”
“Sure am.” Ronnie’s wife nodded, proud of herself.
“Why?”
“Didn’ ya see him?”
“The guy sneaking into the park? Yeah. But what does that matter?”
“He’s the one puttin’ out the traps. He—he’s the one who catfished Ronnie.”
I rocked back on my heels and tried not to laugh. Clearly she didn’t know what catfished really meant. “Why didn’t you tell the police about this?”
“I did but they didn’ care. Prolly didn’ believe me.” Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight. “Plus, I thought you was a good one to tell when I saw ya here this afternoon cuz us ladies gotta stick together.”
She hadn’t seemed so keen on us ladies sticking together when we’d first met.
“Why were you here this afternoon?”
“I’s spyin’ o’course.”
Either this woman was telling the truth, or she was a masterful liar. Only a small part of me believed her. And it wasn’t the part that had just been lifted clean off the ground by this Sasquatch of a woman.
“What did you find when you were spying?”
“That—that man.” She pointed to where the man had jumped the gate. “I dunno who he is, but he’s breakin’ the law.”
“I didn’t see a cage with him, though. And I was in the cove this morning. There wasn’t a cage submerged.”
“He coulda hid it a different time.”
“Well, I need to call the police and the rangers and get them out here ASAP.”
She nodded vigorously. “Good idea.”
“My phone is in my—” The sound of sirens grew louder in the distance. Sure enough within seconds, two police cars tore around the corner with their lights flashing.
“How’d they know? What did ya tell ’em? I told ya to come alone.”
Why she was panicking was beyond me. She had been on board with calling them a second ago.
“I didn’t—no. I don’t know how—” Then my eye caught the sight of a yellow Volkswagen.
Shayla.
“I’ll take care of it,” I said to Ronnie’s wife, but when I turned to look at her she was gone. Vanished without a sound. Just like Bigfoot.
I’d catch up with her later. Right now, I had to find Shayla.
7
“What were you thinking following me?” I asked Shayla when she stepped out of the car.
“Oh, like you were being so safe coming out here on your own.” She wrapped me in a bear hug. “I’m just glad you got away.”
“Got away?” I patted her on the back.
“When I saw that person grab you and pull you into the bushes, I had no choice but to call the police. I mean, I guess I could have gone after you. Dang it, that’s what I should have done. My mother would be so disappointed that I—”
“You did the right thing,” I said. “And I’m glad you called them. Someone is trespassing in the reservoir and we—er—I think it might be the killer.”
She quirked an eyebrow at my slip but let it go when Luke stepped out of his car.
The expression on his face was murderous.
“Look,
